Rotary kiln plant

Abstract

A plant is disclosed for heat treating pulverous raw material such as cement raw meal prior to a final sintering process in a rotary kiln. The plant includes a rotary kiln having an upper material inlet end portion for the reception of preheated cement material and a lower material outlet end portion for exiting the final sintered kiln product. A multi-stage cyclone string preheater having at least a first stage for receiving the cement raw meal has a last stage communicating with the upper material inlet end portion of the kiln. A smoke chamber connects the upper material inlet portion of the kiln with the preheater, and a scoop chamber connects the kiln with the smoke chamber. The scoop chamber is adapted to receive preheated, at least partially calcined raw material from at least one preheater stage other than the last stage. The cement material received in the scoop chamber is dispersed so as to be suspended in the gases exiting the kiln and directed through the smoke chamber to the last stage of the associated preheater string. The preheated, at least partially calcined cement material is then directed from the last stage of the preheater string to the upper material inlet end portion of the kiln at a location upstream with respect to the kiln exiting gases, off the location of the dispersing means, so as to pass down through the kiln for further heat treatment.