A metal agglomerate production configuration including an induration apparatus configured to provide a metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process (MTE) including indurating a metal ore material into a metal oxide material and a method of production of metal agglomerates. A cooler device is configured for cooling the metal oxide material discharged from the induration apparatus and includes a first heat transferring arrangement configured for transferring a first heat energy content (HE) to the induration apparatus, which first heat energy content (HE) is recovered from the metal oxide material holding the thermal energy (TE). The configuration includes a second heat transferring arrangement configured for transferring a second heat energy content (HE) from the induration apparatus to the cooler device for cooling of the metal oxide material, which second heat energy content (HE) is recovered from the metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process (MTE).

A metal agglomerate production configuration including an induration apparatus configured to provide a metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process (MTE) including indurating a metal ore material into a metal oxide material and a method of production of metal agglomerates. A cooler device is configured for cooling the metal oxide material discharged from the induration apparatus and includes a first heat transferring arrangement configured for transferring a first heat energy content (HE) to the induration apparatus, which first heat energy content (HE) is recovered from the metal oxide material holding the thermal energy (TE). The configuration includes a second heat transferring arrangement configured for transferring a second heat energy content (HE) from the induration apparatus to the cooler device for cooling of the metal oxide material, which second heat energy content (HE) is recovered from the metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process (MTE).

A system and method for the fluidized direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. A two-phase fluidized bed is used for the direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. Each phase of the fluidized bed is formed by a bubbling bed and a circulating bed. Use of serial-connection processing involving gas and of high-gas-velocity processing of the circulating bed increase the gas utilization rate and the reduction efficiency of single-phase reduction. Once reduced gases are subjected to preheating, each gas is sent into an initial reduction phase and a final reduction phase so as to implement reduction of minerals. Use of mixed-connection processing involving gas appropriately reduces processing pressure. Hot flue gas produced by combustion in a gas heater is sent to a mineral pre-heating system that is used for pre-heating iron ore concentrate powder.

A system and method for the fluidized direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. A two-phase fluidized bed is used for the direct reduction of iron ore concentrate powder. Each phase of the fluidized bed is formed by a bubbling bed and a circulating bed. Use of serial-connection processing involving gas and of high-gas-velocity processing of the circulating bed increase the gas utilization rate and the reduction efficiency of single-phase reduction. Once reduced gases are subjected to preheating, each gas is sent into an initial reduction phase and a final reduction phase so as to implement reduction of minerals. Use of mixed-connection processing involving gas appropriately reduces processing pressure. Hot flue gas produced by combustion in a gas heater is sent to a mineral pre-heating system that is used for pre-heating iron ore concentrate powder.

A fluidized bed system includes a first nozzle group that is provided inside a fluidized bed furnace, a second nozzle group that is provided inside the fluidized bed furnace, a first supply section that supplies a gas into the fluidized bed furnace through the first nozzle group, a second supply section that supplies the gas into the fluidized bed furnace through both the first and second nozzle groups, and a control section that controls the second supply section during a start-up operation to supply the gas into the fluidized bed furnace to form a fluidized bed of a fluid medium inside the fluidized bed furnace, and stops the supply of the gas by the second supply section and controls the first supply section during a normal operation to supply the gas into the fluidized bed furnace to form the fluidized bed of the fluid medium inside the fluidized bed furnace.

A fluidized bed system includes a first nozzle group that is provided inside a fluidized bed furnace, a second nozzle group that is provided inside the fluidized bed furnace, a first supply section that supplies a gas into the fluidized bed furnace through the first nozzle group, a second supply section that supplies the gas into the fluidized bed furnace through both the first and second nozzle groups, and a control section that controls the second supply section during a start-up operation to supply the gas into the fluidized bed furnace to form a fluidized bed of a fluid medium inside the fluidized bed furnace, and stops the supply of the gas by the second supply section and controls the first supply section during a normal operation to supply the gas into the fluidized bed furnace to form the fluidized bed of the fluid medium inside the fluidized bed furnace.

Embodiments of a system and a method for manufacturing calcined gypsum can include a calcination unit having a heating unit with at least one variable heater and a calciner temperature control device having a temperature sensor and a controller in operable arrangement with the temperature sensor and the heating unit. The calciner temperature control device is configured to adjust a thermal energy output rate of the heating unit based upon a comparison of the detected temperature and a target set point temperature so as to allow the supply of gypsum to be fed into the calcining chamber at a constant rate.

A plant for heat treatment of mineral material comprises a reactor having at least one gas inlet for admitting offgases, wherein the reactor comprises an activating region for activating the mineral material and an offgas outlet for ejecting offgases from the reactor, wherein the offgas outlet is connected to the at least one gas inlet in such a way that at least a portion of the offgas is supplied to the reactor. A process for heat treatment of mineral material with a reactor, comprises activating the material in an activating region of the reactor and optionally cooling the material in a cooling region of the reactor, wherein the offgas of the reactor is discharged therefrom, wherein at least a portion of the offgas discharged from the reactor is returned to the reactor.

A plant for heat treatment of mineral material comprises a reactor having at least one gas inlet for admitting offgases, wherein the reactor comprises an activating region for activating the mineral material and an offgas outlet for ejecting offgases from the reactor, wherein the offgas outlet is connected to the at least one gas inlet in such a way that at least a portion of the offgas is supplied to the reactor. A process for heat treatment of mineral material with a reactor, comprises activating the material in an activating region of the reactor and optionally cooling the material in a cooling region of the reactor, wherein the offgas of the reactor is discharged therefrom, wherein at least a portion of the offgas discharged from the reactor is returned to the reactor.

A particle sorting method may more quickly and more reliably obtain image data in which particles suitable for evaluation has been imaged. The particle sorting method includes: a process (a) of collecting, as a particle sample, some of particles contained in a pulverized clinker or a cement particle group, and mixing the particle sample with a predetermined solvent to prepare a suspension; a process (b) of pouring the suspension into a flow path that has been predetermined, and imaging the suspension flowing through the flow path to obtain sorting image data; and a process (c) of applying the sorting image data to a first learned model, and sorting the sorting image data according to a type of an imaged particle, the first learned model being generated by performing machine learning based on first training input data is associated with a feature parameter serving as a reference.