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Coal flame for cement
kiln
Always to be remembered
If coal is mixed it is burnt
If flame is wrong everything goes wrong
whatever you may do with chemistry or
higher heat input through calciner or kiln.
The burning zone needs heat and it can be
only obtained from well shaped radiant
flame.i.e., short, snappy and convergent
flame .
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1.Heating
2. Devolatilisation
Devolatisation process starts after the coal particles attain a
temperature of 350 to 400 O C . At this temperature the coal
bond structure breaks up to yield carbon monoxide , hydrogen
and hydrocarbons.
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3.Volatile burning
The volatiles that are formed burn in gas phase and the rate
of burning depend upon two factors , the rate at which the
volatile mix with air after being emitted from the coal particles
and the rate of chemical reaction.
heat
oxygen
CO2
H2O
NOX
SOX
etc
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Char gasification
and
combustion
char
coal particle
p-coal, d=3070m
volatiles
char
homogeneous
combustion
heterogeneous
combustion
CO2, H2O,
CO2, H2O,
devolatilization
tdevolatile=1-5ms
tvolatiles=50-100ms
tchar=1-2sec
Reburning
Excess air
volatiles
char
homogeneous
combustion
heterogeneous
combustion
devolatilization
CO2, H2O, NO
CO2, H2O, NO
CO2, H2O, N2
CHi + NO HCN
HCN + NO N2 +
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CHi
Staged Combustion
Fuel Rich
homogeneous
combustion
volatiles
char
heterogeneous
combustion
Devolatilizatio
n
CO2, H2O, N2
O2
Petcoke
< 10
< 1.0
4%< + 0.09 mm
0 %< + 0.2 mm
0.5 sec
0.1
Combustion time
for a particular coal
particle
Ignition time
Burning time of gases
pause
Burning time of carbon(char)
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Crassisphere
Tenuinetwork
Partly fused, thin-wall char with internal network structure and porosity
greater than 75%
Mesophere
Inertoid
Solid
Fusinoid
Mixed Porous
Mixed particle showing both fused and unfused sections with fused
porous section dominant
Mixed Dense
Mixed particle showing both fused and unfused sections with unfused
porous section dominant
Skeletal
Unfused, angular but highly burnt out char, still resembling fusinite
Mineraloid
Smaller, this balloon- like spheres and thinner its walls ,faster the
combustion. It is very difficult to form such spheres(ceno spheres) from
Pet coke because of low volatile
presence.It needs very high
energy and longer
retention time in ignition zone.
Cenosphere
Combustion of char
Once the ignition has occurred the critical reactions as far as
a good combustion in kiln is concerned are:
H + O2 = OH + O
C n H m+ O = C
n-1
Hm+C O
CO + OH = CO2 + H
2CO +O2 +M = 2CO2 + M
H2O + O = 2 OH
2C + O2 = 2 CO
Volatile matter
The volatile rich coal has a high porosity offering a larger space
area for combustion hence requiring a lower ignition temperature
than volatile less coal ( eg anthracite , pet coke etc).Thus coal rich
volatile matter > 30% decomposes with higher rate and
promotes faster combustion . Volatile rich coal form small
cenospheres with thin walls and decompose faster.
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Ash
Ash is an inert component of coal and an increase in quantity
leads to increase in heating time due to added thermal inertia.
Most of the combustible particles of coal will be covered by ash
and hence less surface is available for oxygen diffusion. This
increases the burning time and the residual char causing an
increase in flame length. Overall there is delay in combustion,
elongates the flame . If there is a cloud of clinker dust , what will
happen? This dust will absorb the radiated heat from flame ,
reduce the heat flow to the refractory( and coating) and get
reheated with more stickiness.
Hence optimized cooler airflow with good clinker bed , overall
cooler efficient operation will enhance the combustion efficiency.
100
90
80
70
60
High moisture
50
40
7
8
30
Low moisture
20
10
9
10
9 10 0
Degree of combustion
Moisture content
1600
1500
1400
Low moisture
High moisture
1300
1200
1100
1000
900
800
10
60
50
40
30
High
Volatilite , 38 %
20
10
9 10 0
Degree of combustion
70
1700
1600
1500
1400
1300
1200
1100
3
1000
2
900
800
1
1
9 10
1800
In complete
combustion
-0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
Flame
Type-1 flame
Weak internal recirculation
external recirculation
Type-2 flame
Strong internal recirculation external recirculation
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Burner positioning
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We do positioning of the
burner for centering the
flame.The positions
1,2,3, 4 and 7are close
to the refractory and
they are away from the
charge.
Positions9 and 8
are close to charge .
Only 5 is close to charge
and refractory and this is
best as the flame in this
gives the best thermal
distribution to do
effective burning.
Position 8 & 9 is very
close to charge if coal is
trapped it has serious
negative
impact.Position 1,4 & 7
is very close to refractory
and it can burn the
refractory.
Traditional burner
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Flame momentum
The burner in kiln functions as an injector, the purpose of
which is to draw the secondary air coming from the cooler
into the flame in order to burn the fuel as near the center of
Kiln as possible.The explains why momentum of the burner
is deciding factor for the flame formation.
Multi channel burner makes a faster entrainment of secondary
air than single channel burner.Higher the momentum better the
entrainment of secondary air and faster the combustion of fuel.
momentum or impulse = % primary air * velocity of primary air
for normal coal = 1200 1500 % m/s
for petcoke > 2500 % m/s
Momentum obtained by low primary air % and higher velocity
is better than higher primary air % and lower velocity
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Secondary air
Velocity= 5 6 m/s
Ignition
This depends upon
Rate of mixing of
sec air
and coal particles,
size of,
the fuel particle
and volatile
Content and the
injection
Velocity.
Secondary
air
Ejector effect
Inside
circulation
Secondary air
Ignition area
Outside
circulation
Ejector effect
Secondary air
taking area
Recirculated combustion
gas area
Different flames
Normal flame
Flame downward
Flame upward
Different flames
To be remembered: if burner pipe is at the center that does not mean flame
is in center. Visualizing is the best thing to do and it should be done from
right and left peeping holes . If there is a peeping hole just above the burner in
the center help us further to center the flame. A good uniform coating is a fairly
good criterion for a good flame. Uniform shell temperature around the shell is
good indication.
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3.Coarse coal
Check the separator . Increase the fineness.
Grindability
decreases
Heating value
decreases
Effect
Flame shortens and
Burning zone
Temperature rises
Burner
adjustment
Reduce swirl air,
Increase axial air,
move Burner into kiln
Fineness decreases,
flame lengthens and
temperature drops
Good
Poor
Reducing/ oxidizing
conditions
Flame impingement
CO only produced in
significant quantities below
0.5 %
Kiln stability
Hr = mf C v
Lf D
Where
Hr
mf
Cv
Lf
D
tan
.R
ax
.R
e.tan
e.ax
Where
Sn = swirl coefficient ( swirl number)
I
tan
Axial index
This index refers to the generation of gaseous re-circulations
externally to the flame/ It is directly to the aspiration and
mixing of secondary air by both primary air and fuel / conveying
air streams. The axial index also has some relation to
reicirculation at the kiln area and the formation of build-ups
at the nose-ring called the so-called shark teeth
Tangential index:
This index refers to re-circulations internally to the flame,
Which has influence in the ignition of the particles and
flame spread. The tangential index has close relationship
With the position and intensity of the first temperature peak
In the kiln. Usually , during burner design the dimensions
Of the nozzles at the tip are calculated in order to allow
The variation of this index inside a predetermined range,
depending on the adjustment of the primary air components.
So , if the basis of design indicates narrower flames , the burner
designer should calculate the tip dimensions to get lower values
of tangential index in the burner operational range. On the other
hand , if the basis of project indicates that the process would
require wide and short flames , then the designer should
calculate The burner operational range to present higher
tangential indexes.
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Turbulence index:
Dispersion index:
This index refers to the conditions of dispersion of the
pulverized fuel cloud in the primary and secondary air streams.
the dispersion index is related to the intensity of both
Temperature peaks and as consequence , plays a major role
in the study of the thermal NOX generation.
Some additional factors , not directly related to characteristic
dimensionless indexes must be considered during burner
design. The first one refers to the secondary air conditions
( temperature , velocity distribution , dust content, etc). The
second factor is the burner pipe penetration into the kiln
cylinder in view that the length of this penetration has proved
To interfere in both kiln performance and clinker quality.
Finally , the firing hood geometry has some influence in the flame
characteristics as it interferes with secondary air flow pattern
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Conclusion
After taking account of all considerations above , it is possible
to conclude that the combustion plays a major role in the
rotary kiln operation , but any improvement in this area should
be faced , first of all , as a cooking problem and merely as a
firing problem. It must be considered all the predominant
Variables of the process and not only those related to the
Oxidation of a fuel. Statement by Peter J Mullinger
Adelaide combustion institute
Though the burner is very efficient we should know how use it.
An experienced man must know how to look into the kiln to have
Proper judgment about the flame being formed by the burner.