A calcination unit able to decarbonate raw materials intended for clinker production, the unit including: a main duct in which the raw materials circulate according to a first movement direction, the raw materials being calcined in the main duct; a solid fuel supply duct opening onto the main duct via a fuel outlet, the solid fuel moving according to a second movement direction; a retaining device located in the main duct and arranged opposite the solid fuel outlet so that the solid fuel arriving in the main duct via the fuel outlet passes through the retaining device.

Process for operating a cement or lime plant comprising a cement or lime kiln and a calciner, wherein heat is generated by combustion of a fuel in the kiln and/or calciner, wherein a gas fed to the kiln and the calciner or to the calciner for combustion of the fuel contains an oxygen rich exhaust gas from a bioreactor containing photoautotrophic organisms and wherein the plant is preferably operated in the oxyfuel mode by using exhaust gas from the kiln and/or calciner together with the oxygen from the bioreactor as the gas fed to the kiln and/or calciner for combustion of the fuel.

Process for operating a cement or lime plant comprising a cement or lime kiln and a calciner, wherein heat is generated by combustion of a fuel in the kiln and/or calciner, wherein a gas fed to the kiln and the calciner or to the calciner for combustion of the fuel contains an oxygen rich exhaust gas from a bioreactor containing photoautotrophic organisms and wherein the plant is preferably operated in the oxyfuel mode by using exhaust gas from the kiln and/or calciner together with the oxygen from the bioreactor as the gas fed to the kiln and/or calciner for combustion of the fuel.

An abrasion-resistant material for the working face of a metallurgical furnace cooling element such as a stave cooler or a tuyere cooler having a body comprised of a first metal. The abrasion-resistant material comprises a macro-composite material including abrasion-resistant particles which are arranged in a substantially repeating, engineered configuration infiltrated with a matrix of a second metal, the particles having a hardness greater than that of the second metal. A cooling element for a metallurgical furnace has a body comprised of the first metal, the body having a facing layer comprising the abrasion-resistant material. A method comprises: positioning the engineered configuration of abrasion-resistant particles in a mold cavity, the engineered configuration located in an area of the mold cavity to define the facing layer; and introducing molten metal into the cavity, the molten metal comprising the first metal of the cooling element body.

An abrasion-resistant material for the working face of a metallurgical furnace cooling element such as a stave cooler or a tuyere cooler having a body comprised of a first metal. The abrasion-resistant material comprises a macro-composite material including abrasion-resistant particles which are arranged in a substantially repeating, engineered configuration infiltrated with a matrix of a second metal, the particles having a hardness greater than that of the second metal. A cooling element for a metallurgical furnace has a body comprised of the first metal, the body having a facing layer comprising the abrasion-resistant material. A method comprises: positioning the engineered configuration of abrasion-resistant particles in a mold cavity, the engineered configuration located in an area of the mold cavity to define the facing layer; and introducing molten metal into the cavity, the molten metal comprising the first metal of the cooling element body.

Process for calcining mineral rock in a regenerative parallel-flow vertical shaft furnace, containing at least two shafts (1, 2) interconnected by a gas transfer channel (3), each shaft operating alternately in firing mode and in preheating mode, the firing mode comprising a combustion of fuel in the presence of air so as to obtain a firing of the rock to give calcined rock, an emission of combustion gases, and a passage of these gases from one shaft to the other by means of said channel (3), the preheating mode comprising a heat exchange between said rock and said combustion gases from said channel (3), this process additionally comprising an injection of supplementary air into said channel (3) with oxidation of unburnt products contained in the combustion gases passing through this channel.

Process for calcining mineral rock in a regenerative parallel-flow vertical shaft furnace, containing at least two shafts (1, 2) interconnected by a gas transfer channel (3), each shaft operating alternately in firing mode and in preheating mode, the firing mode comprising a combustion of fuel in the presence of air so as to obtain a firing of the rock to give calcined rock, an emission of combustion gases, and a passage of these gases from one shaft to the other by means of said channel (3), the preheating mode comprising a heat exchange between said rock and said combustion gases from said channel (3), this process additionally comprising an injection of supplementary air into said channel (3) with oxidation of unburnt products contained in the combustion gases passing through this channel.

A raw material supply device that supplies a raw material into a flash smelting furnace and supplies first gas and second gas into the flash smelting furnace, includes: a first gas pathway that is provided in a lance and supplies the first gas into the flash smelting furnace; a raw material pathway that is provided out of the lance and supplies the raw material into the flash smelting furnace; a second gas pathway that is provided out of the raw material pathway and supplies the second gas into the flash smelting furnace; and a blade that is provided in the first gas pathway, has an inclined face with which the first gas is collided and revolves the first gas toward a lower side of the flash smelting furnace, the inclined face being inclined with respect to a flow direction of the first gas in the first gas pathway.

A raw material supply device that supplies a raw material into a flash smelting furnace and supplies first gas and second gas into the flash smelting furnace, includes: a first gas pathway that is provided in a lance and supplies the first gas into the flash smelting furnace; a raw material pathway that is provided out of the lance and supplies the raw material into the flash smelting furnace; a second gas pathway that is provided out of the raw material pathway and supplies the second gas into the flash smelting furnace; and a blade that is provided in the first gas pathway, has an inclined face with which the first gas is collided and revolves the first gas toward a lower side of the flash smelting furnace, the inclined face being inclined with respect to a flow direction of the first gas in the first gas pathway.

A method for burning material, such as carbonate rocks, in a parallel-flow regenerative shaft kiln having two shafts which are operated alternately as a burning shaft and as a regenerative shaft and are connected to one another by means of a connecting channel, wherein the material flows through a material inlet into a preheating zone for preheating the material, a burning zone for burning the material and a cooling zone for cooling the material to a material outlet, wherein a cooling gas is admitted into the cooling zone, wherein exhaust gas is discharged from one of the shafts via an exhaust gas outlet, wherein the exhaust gas discharged from the shaft via the exhaust gas outlet is at least partially introduced into at least one of the shafts.