Numerical Investigation of New Cooling Method for Clinker Flow in Opposite Direction with Airflow at Different Height Ratios

Abstract

Several parameters affect the properties of Portland cement and one of these parameters is the cooling rate of the clinker. If the effectiveness of the cooling method of the clinker increases, a good enhancement in the properties of Portland cement will be found. Depending on the new cooling method suggestion by Nasr et. al. [20], the counter pattern of air clinker flow was studied using (FLUENT 6.3.26). The dimensions of the cooling room in grate cooler, the constant mass flow rate of both clinker and air, different height ratios, and different clinker porosity were considered in this numerical work. The results show that the heat transfers in the first half of the cooling room (0 < X < 0.9 m) is larger than that in the second half (0.9 < X < 1.8 m), and this leads to an increase in the temperature of outlet air so can benefits from it in the heating of furnace. When the clinker and air are flowing in the counter direction, the cooling method is more beneficial when compared with that of parallel flow because the exiting clinker has a great rate of cooler and the air exits from the grate cooler is loaded with large thermal energy. Finally, it can design the best length of gate according to the required clinker temperature at the outlet side, and this results to reduce the cost of the cooling process according to the temperature distribution results at (0 < X > 1.8m) for different porosity and H.R values.