Cemtherm Recirculation Heat Exchanger:

Recoup Preheater Exhaust gases Waste Heat

D S Venkatesh, Freelance Industrial Consultant
===========================================================================

Waste to energy represents an important strategy at present. Waste heat recovery from the system is
generally found in dry process cement plant by a waste heat recovery generator which will convert the
available energy into electricity either by Waste heat boiler set up or by employing Organic Rankine cycle
system. This approach, rather, requires large capital as well as operational expenditure. The need is for
“Waste heat recycle “to improve system efficiency by economical and simple equipment. One such
equipment is to install a Cemtherm Recirculation Heat Exchanger highlighted here..

1.0 Introduction:

Cement production has been one of the most energy intensive industries in the world. In majority of the
plants, at least a major part of the preheater exhaust gases is utilized in drying of raw materials while
grinding. As raw meal is blended and stored in silos prior to feeding the preheater, its temperature will be
almost ambient or at the most a few degrees higher than ambient. What is not used, viz., remaining
preheater exhaust gases are conditioned before de-dusting and exhausted to atmosphere. Generally,
preheater cyclones are increased to five or six stages to reduce the temperature of exhaust gases, or
conditioned by water spray, but, this would increase the pressure drop and the power draw required. This is
not optimal.

2.0 Optimum Approach:

On the contrary, the obvious choice should be to employ “dosed raw meal” as the medium to absorb heat
available in preheater exhaust gases to “warm” the raw meal entering the Preheater. Modern suspension
preheater rotary kilns limit the preheater exhaust gas at as low as 2 nm3 per kg clinker production. But, the
Preheater exhaust fan handles varying quantities of Am3/kg clinker depending on temperature and dust
content of exhaust gases cooling exhaust gases down to around 150 deg C will result in higher clinker
production while maintaining the same volume of preheater exhaust gases.

3.0 Cemtherm Recirculation Heat Exchanger

Installing either 3 or 4 preheater stages limits the pressure drop at appropriate level, but the exhaust gases
temperature may be anywhere around 360 to 390 deg C. Limiting the exhaust gases temperature to around
150 to 160 deg C is highly desirable without appreciable increase of pressure drop.

Cemtherm Recirculation Heat exchanger does this job efficiently. Cemtherm Recirculation Heat
exchanger brings down preheater exhaust gas temperature to around 150 deg C on the one hand and
“warm” up feed meal much above ambient temperature as it enters the preheater... The heat exchange
medium will be high temperature thermic fluid based on a mixture of molten salt and other liquids Indirect
heat exchange is the basis of this Unique Recirculation heat exchanger The specific heat of preheater
exhaust gases is 0.22 + 0.00005t. and the specific heat of raw meal is 0.21 +0.00007t. While the
preheater hot gases passé Upwards, the raw meal is gravity fed A speed regulated pump is used for
recirculation of thermic fluid/liquid. The overall view of the Heat exchanger is shown in Figure.
 Cemtherm Recirculation Heat Exchanger
Overall View : Single Stage and Two stage units

The heat exchanger is mounted above the top stage preheater cyclones exhaust pipes for direct flow
through heat exchanger. The temperature of gases after heat exchanger is preferably maintained between
150 to 160 deg C. “Warm” raw meal leaves at the bottom of the heat exchanger at a regulated rate to be
fed to riser duct of preheater. Moreover, there would be no phase change in the heat exchange liquid, thus
the unit is of pressure free. The unit has a low foot print. Maintenance wise, a suit blower is employed to
keep the heat exchange elements free of any coating...While a 3-stage preheater system requires a 2 -stage
Recirculation Heat exchanger, a single stage heat exchanger is adequate for a 4- stage preheater set up

4.0 Recoup Preheater Exhaust gases Waste Heat

Drawing more gases through the kiln and preheater will cause the production to increase proportionately
As is known, exhaust gas cooling can be used for boosting the output of a give installation as it reduces the
specific power consumption of the Preheater exhaust fan as can be seen in Fig2 For example, will cooling
of gases from 360 deg to 160 deg C reduce the fan power b y factor 0.77, which means the flow through the
kiln can be increased by approximately 9 to 10 percent.

As Preheater gases waste heat is recouped to “Warm” the raw meal entering the preheater, this will lower
the specific fuel consumption, alternatively allowing production increase at existing thermal load of kiln.
The Preheater Exhaust fan should be capable of handling the resulting Am3/kg clinker, compared to the
existing level. If sufficient margin is available in PH fan motor, the impeller can be run at higher speed to
absorb the captive margin, alternatively, high efficiency impeller can be installed in lien of existing one,
beyond which a new PH fan may need to be installed. Cemtherm Recirculation Heat Exchangers are
engineered on a custom basis as required by existing plant set up.

5.0 Conclusion:
The innovative Cemtherm Recirculation Heat Exchanger installation, as suggested above, can recoup
most of the heat from preheater exhaust gases at least capital costs, besides the operational and maintenance
costs will be lowest. Moreover, these measures are custom built to suit every installation to result in higher
clinker production with substantial saving in fuel and power consumption.

Please refer your specific enquiry to:

D.S. Venkatesh,
Freelance Industrial Consultant,
# 682, 17th Cross, Phase 6, J P Nagar, Bangalore 560078
E-mail: dsvenkatesh40@gmail.com