A heating system for heating composite materials includes a housing defining a cavity therein, a vertical conveyor system provided in the cavity of the housing for moving objects through the housing, and a heating arrangement provided in the housing for heating the objects that are moved through the housing. The heating arrangement may include at least one heating element provided in at least one of an upper portion of the housing and a lower portion of the housing. The heating arrangement may include at least one fan to circulate heated air generated by the heating arrangement throughout the cavity of the housing.

An indirect-heat thermal processor for processing bulk solids includes a housing including an inlet for receiving the bulk solids and an outlet for discharging the bulk solids and a plurality of heat transfer plate assemblies disposed between the inlet and the outlet and arranged in spaced relationship for the flow of the bulk solids that flow from the inlet, between the heat transfer plate assemblies, to the outlet. The heat transfer plate assemblies include a heat spreader, a heating element disposed adjacent the heat spreader, a temperature detection device spaced from the heating element and disposed adjacent the heat spreader, covers disposed on opposing sides of the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device to provide a sandwiched assembly in which the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device are sandwiched between the covers, heating element couplings coupled to the heating element and extending from the sandwiched assembly for controlling the heating element, and a connector coupled to the temperature detection device and extending from the sandwiched assembly for monitoring a temperature at the temperature detection device.

An indirect-heat thermal processor for processing bulk solids includes a housing including an inlet for receiving the bulk solids and an outlet for discharging the bulk solids and a plurality of heat transfer plate assemblies disposed between the inlet and the outlet and arranged in spaced relationship for the flow of the bulk solids that flow from the inlet, between the heat transfer plate assemblies, to the outlet. The heat transfer plate assemblies include a heat spreader, a heating element disposed adjacent the heat spreader, a temperature detection device spaced from the heating element and disposed adjacent the heat spreader, covers disposed on opposing sides of the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device to provide a sandwiched assembly in which the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device are sandwiched between the covers, heating element couplings coupled to the heating element and extending from the sandwiched assembly for controlling the heating element, and a connector coupled to the temperature detection device and extending from the sandwiched assembly for monitoring a temperature at the temperature detection device.

A process for producing graphite in a vertical graphitization furnace having at least one process chamber that bounds a heating zone, a temperature of 2200 C. to 3200 C. is generated in the heating zone, particulate graphitizable material is supplied to the process chamber through an inlet, graphitizable material is conveyed through the heating zone of the process chamber, in which it is graphitized to graphite, and graphite obtained is removed from the process chamber through an outlet. In some variants, graphitizable material wherein the particles have a particle size of less than 3 mm is used, and/or, a material column is formed throughout the heating zone of a particular process chamber, wherein graphitizable material, after being supplied through the inlet from the top, trickles through an intake zone of the process chamber onto the material column, and/or, a material column is formed in a stationary heating zone of a particular process chamber encompassed by the heating zone, wherein graphitizable material, after being supplied through the intake from the top, trickles through a drop heating zone likewise encompassed by the heating zone onto the material column, and/or, graphitizable material in one or more material vessels is conveyed through a particular process chamber and through the heating zone thereof. Also specified is a vertical graphitization furnace optimized.

A process for producing graphite in a vertical graphitization furnace having at least one process chamber that bounds a heating zone, a temperature of 2200 C. to 3200 C. is generated in the heating zone, particulate graphitizable material is supplied to the process chamber through an inlet, graphitizable material is conveyed through the heating zone of the process chamber, in which it is graphitized to graphite, and graphite obtained is removed from the process chamber through an outlet. In some variants, graphitizable material wherein the particles have a particle size of less than 3 mm is used, and/or, a material column is formed throughout the heating zone of a particular process chamber, wherein graphitizable material, after being supplied through the inlet from the top, trickles through an intake zone of the process chamber onto the material column, and/or, a material column is formed in a stationary heating zone of a particular process chamber encompassed by the heating zone, wherein graphitizable material, after being supplied through the intake from the top, trickles through a drop heating zone likewise encompassed by the heating zone onto the material column, and/or, graphitizable material in one or more material vessels is conveyed through a particular process chamber and through the heating zone thereof. Also specified is a vertical graphitization furnace optimized.

A process for removing carbon dioxide from a material includes introducing the material onto a first segment of a conveyance system comprising the first segment and a second segment that is physically separated from the first segment, heating the material at the first segment for a first time using a first infrared emitter, conveying the material from the first segment to the second segment, and heating the material at the second segment for a second time using a second infrared emitter. The carbon dioxide removed from the material can be captured by a vacuum pump and stored, and the vacuum pump can maintain a partial pressure for the process. The process can be used to create lime and clinker with minimal CO2 emissions and to remove CO2 that is stored in various materials.

An indirect-heat thermal processor for processing bulk solids includes a housing including an inlet for receiving the bulk solids and an outlet for discharging the bulk solids and a plurality of heat transfer plate assemblies disposed between the inlet and the outlet and arranged in spaced relationship for the flow of the bulk solids that flow from the inlet, between the heat transfer plate assemblies, to the outlet. The heat transfer plate assemblies include a heat spreader, a heating element disposed adjacent the heat spreader, a temperature detection device spaced from the heating element and disposed adjacent the heat spreader, covers disposed on opposing sides of the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device to provide a sandwiched assembly in which the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device are sandwiched between the covers, heating element couplings coupled to the heating element and extending from the sandwiched assembly for controlling the heating element, and a connector coupled to the temperature detection device and extending from the sandwiched assembly for monitoring a temperature at the temperature detection device.

An indirect-heat thermal processor for processing bulk solids includes a housing including an inlet for receiving the bulk solids and an outlet for discharging the bulk solids and a plurality of heat transfer plate assemblies disposed between the inlet and the outlet and arranged in spaced relationship for the flow of the bulk solids that flow from the inlet, between the heat transfer plate assemblies, to the outlet. The heat transfer plate assemblies include a heat spreader, a heating element disposed adjacent the heat spreader, a temperature detection device spaced from the heating element and disposed adjacent the heat spreader, covers disposed on opposing sides of the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device to provide a sandwiched assembly in which the heat spreader, the heating element, and the temperature detection device are sandwiched between the covers, heating element couplings coupled to the heating element and extending from the sandwiched assembly for controlling the heating element, and a connector coupled to the temperature detection device and extending from the sandwiched assembly for monitoring a temperature at the temperature detection device.

A method for calcining mineral rock in a regenerative parallel-flow vertical shaft furnace including the steps of collecting a portion of the gaseous effluent discharged, in preheating mode, from the furnace shaft in a recirculating circuit, forming an oxidizing mixture by mixing the portion collected from the gaseous effluent with concentrated dioxygen from a dioxygen source, and inserting the oxidizing mixture into the top of the shaft in firing mode so as to ensure the combustion of fuel in the presence of oxygen. The gaseous effluent discharged from the furnace having a high concentration of CO.sub.2.

A method for calcining mineral rock in a regenerative parallel-flow vertical shaft furnace including the steps of collecting a portion of the gaseous effluent discharged, in preheating mode, from the furnace shaft in a recirculating circuit, forming an oxidizing mixture by mixing the portion collected from the gaseous effluent with concentrated dioxygen from a dioxygen source, and inserting the oxidizing mixture into the top of the shaft in firing mode so as to ensure the combustion of fuel in the presence of oxygen. The gaseous effluent discharged from the furnace having a high concentration of CO.sub.2.