Introduction to Kiln Control

Operator Development

Combustion
Presentation & Instructor Notes

Combustion Learning Objectives

To understand the mechanism of combustion and be able to:
discern between the 3 types of firing systems define combustion air and components of combustion air list 3 main flame characteristics and how they can be controlled

state importance of fuel/air mixing and variables to control mixing list 3 main indicators of combustion state and how they can be controlled state the main goal in combustion control

Kiln Control: Combustion

Combustion
Definition of combustion
a rapid oxidation of a combustible with a release of heat a reaction between fuel and oxygen (air)

Requirements for combustion

sufficient oxygen (combustion air) to mix with fuel

efficient mixing of fuel and air heat to ignite fuel

fuel

heat (ignition)

air
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Combustion Air
The amount of air necessary to efficiently burn at a certain fuel rate.

Combustion air consists of primary air and secondary air.

Primary air

Secondary air

primary air fan solid fuel transport air inleakage

air from cooler

COMBUSTION AIR

Kiln Control: Combustion

Combustion Air Needs

Neutral combustion air

practically impossible to achieve due to poor mixing of fuel and air

Excess combustion air

complete combustion too much air results in heat loss

Lack of combustion air

incomplete combustion => CO loss of efficiency

Adequate combustion air

low CO and low O2 at kiln exit

Kiln Control: Combustion

Types of Firing Systems

Direct Firing System Semi-direct Firing System Indirect Firing System (newest technology)

Kiln Control: Combustion

Direct Firing System

One fan to vent the mill, convey the coal, classify the ground coal and blow it into the kiln (no control of flame shape) All moisture goes to kiln High primary air (30-35% of combustion air) resulting in high SHC. Relatively safe, simple operation and low capital cost

Kiln Cooler

Kiln Control: Combustion

Semi-Direct Firing System

Two fans to classify ground coal and to blow the fuel into the kiln
Can add additional fans for flame shaping

All moisture goes to kiln Low primary air Higher capital cost than direct firing system

Kiln Cooler

Kiln Control: Combustion

Indirect Firing System

Coal is ground in a separate system

Moisture removed from system

Pulverized fuel bin with high precision metering system Primary air is low
Blowers (low volume, high pressure) added to control flame shape

Highest capital cost; safety and environmental issues

Cooler

Kiln

Kiln Control: Combustion

Combustion Air in Indirect Firing System

Primary air w. impulse ~4% axial air ~2% swirl air ~9% fuel transport air Secondary air ~85%

plus inleakage

COMBUSTION AIR

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Primary Air - MOMENTUM

Required to drive flame High momentum shortens, stabilizes and compacts the flame
momentum Turbulence at burner tip

Higher turbulence results in better mixing of fuel and air

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Primary Air - Axial and Swirl Air

Axial Air
minimum flow to cool down the burner pipe increase or decrease the flame temperature which changes flame length

Swirl Air
increase or decrease the mixing of air and fuel, allowing a higher or lower flame temperature, which changes the shape of the flame

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Primary Air - Transport Air

Transport Air
for solid fuel transport only does not vary with fuel flow must be at the minimum flow sufficient velocity at burner tip is required for flame momentum for solid fuel transfer, velocity should be 24 to 30 m/s (too low => fuel deposition, too high => abrasion and wear)

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Primary Air - In leakage

In leakage at the kiln hood

an expensive nuisance significant impact on kiln production, kiln stability, flame length, specific heat consumption and ID fan capacity

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Secondary Air

Heat recuperation
higher SAT => lower SHC (kcal/kg)

Flow controlled by ID fan Temperature controlled by grate speed

clinker bed depth

Kiln hood pressure

low is better for heat recuperation air inleakage increases with more negative pressure constant kiln hood pressure => stabilizes flame

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Secondary Air

How much secondary air is required

total combustion air required minus primary air

Where is it coming from

from the hottest cooler chambers

Impact of secondary air on flame

low SAT => long, lazy flame

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Mixing of Fuel and Air

Variables to control
Pulverized solid fuel fineness moisture Natural gas gas pressure Fuel oil atomization pressure temperature viscosity

Faster, more effective mixing => efficient combustion

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Ignition

Fuel ignition point

temperature at which fuel ignites spontaneously and starts to burn
heat (ignition)

fuel

Flame ignition point

air

the point just after the plume where the brilliant part of the flame starts

Factors affecting flame ignition point

secondary air temperature type of fuel design of burner design of kiln hood
min. ignition temp. 225 C 350 C 500 C 800 C
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diesel coal nat. gas coke

Kiln Control: Combustion

Flame

Definition Temperature Heat transfer Shape

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Flame - Definition

Controlled combustion (burning) of a determined fuel All flames have a short plume of air and fuel Fuel ignites at end of plume and forms the flame

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Flame - Definition

CO2 SO2 NOx H2O

A large volume of very hot gases controllably generated

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Flame - Temperature

Flame temperature is affected by:

O2 level secondary air temperature type of fuel
nat. gas oil coal flame temp. 1700 C 1900 C 2200 C

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Flame - Heat Transfer Rate

Rate at which MJ (calories) are exchanged to the material (load), coating and refractory Heat transfer mechanisms:
radiation from flame to load convection from kiln gases to load conduction from refractory/coating to load

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Flame - Shape

Shapes:
short long snappy lazy

Shape controlled by:

type and position of burner type of fuel primary air (axial, swirl air, impulse) ID fan flow, secondary air temp. O2

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Flame - Shape

Goal
the shortest and highest temperature flame without adversely affecting clinker quality, coating formation, ring formation, refractory life or causing damage to kiln discharge area

A hot flame is always shorter than a cold flame Always wait for a stable kiln to make changes to the flame shape and discuss changes with other operators and Production management

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Combustion State

Kiln exhaust gases:

O2 CO SOx
CO2 SO2 NOx H2O

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Combustion State - O2

Ideal O2 level determined from:

clinker quality refractory protection requirements shell temperature

Goals:
keep O2 as low as possible maintain constant O2 (which maintains constant kiln temperature profile) low CO

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Combustion State - CO

Can we accept some CO?

Most plants operate with some CO since it is difficult to achieve complete combustion of fuel.

CO caused by lack of combustion air and poor fuel preparation (fineness, viscosity, mixing, process of pulverization) Incomplete combustion => longer and colder flame

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Combustion State - SOx (SO2/SO3)

Represents sulfur oxidation from all fuel types SO2 formation decreases with more oxidizing combustion SO3 volatilization increases with hotter burning zone and length of flame SOx reacts faster than CO to changes in combustion

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Summary
fuel + air => kiln flame + exhaust gases C + S + O2 => heat + O2 + CO2 + SOx

Combustion quality issues

heat quality => calcination flame quality => clinkerization

Keep O2 as low as possible, but too low O2 results in:

kiln instability incomplete combustion, high CO sulfur volatilization short refractory life poor clinker quality
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Summary

High O2
high SHC (kcal/kg) long flame possible production limitation

SO2 is inverse of O2
Combustion Goal: short, hot flame (but beware of refractory life) with low O2 and low CO

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