The invention relates to a method of producing a binder comprising the steps of preparing (20) a residual material comprising amorphous alumina-rich and/or aluminium hydroxide-rich constituents, heating (30) the residual material to produce a fired material, the heating (30) of the residual material being at a temperature of >800 C.

The invention provides a process for producing cement, the process comprising providing heat to a cement manufacturing process using a secondary fuel, wherein the secondary fuel comprises cellulose and plastic and is in the form of pellets of a size between about 3-25 mm thickness, having a calorific value of about 16 GJ/ton or more, and wherein said secondary fuel is supplied at a place between the kiln inlet and the first cyclone, wherein after formation of the cement clinker, the cement clinker is cooled and milled to cement powder. Preferably, the secondary fuel is supplied to the riser pipe or to a pre-kiln combustion chamber. Generally, the secondary fuel is provided at a place which allows the pellets to burn before coming in contact with the cement materials in the kiln, while it also does not rise into the cyclone, thereby preventing blocking of the cyclones.

A plant for producing cement clinker, comprising as viewed in the direction of materials flow, a heat exchanger to preheat raw meal, a downstream calciner to calcine the raw meal, a rotary kiln to sinter the calcined raw meal, and a clinker cooler to cool the sintered cement clinker. A combustion device which carbonizes, pyrolysis or burns difficult fuels, is embodied as a pot reactor or gooseneck reactor in an inverted U-shape, and is positioned upstream of the calciner on the flow path of the exhaust gases from the rotary kiln to the calciner, and has a gas outlet that opens out above a tertiary-air line of the clinker cooler into the calciner. As a result, it becomes possible to burn fuel which is lumpy and/or has poor ignitability, and the gases from incomplete combustion in the reactor are available in the calciner in gaseous form for further combustion.

A fuel made from co-products derived from a lignocellulosic biomass fermentation process is used to fuel a cement production process. Filter cake and syrup co-products are mixed and dried, then burned in a cement kiln to create the temperatures needed for cement production.

To provide a device for removing radioactive cesium from waste material containing radioactive cesium, doing so at low energy and in a dependable manner. The removal device 1 for radioactive cesium is provided with: a rotary kiln 41 which is provided with a burner 41b supplying from the kiln outlet an organic matter O3 contaminated with radioactive cesium, and an inorganic matter charging port 41a supplying from the kiln inlet inorganic matter S4 contaminated with radioactive cesium, and which is employed to burn the organic matter O3 together with the inorganic matter S4; and a recovery device cooling tower 51, a cyclone 52, a bag filter 53 for recovering cesium that has volatilized in the rotary kiln. A drying/crushing device (dryer 21, crusher 22) for drying and crushing the organic matter O1 prior to charging the radioactive cesium-contaminated organic matter to the rotary kiln can be provided. Additionally, a reforming/drying/crushing device (reformer 31, dryer 32, crusher 23) for reforming, drying, and crushing the inorganic matter S1 can be provided. During burning of the organic matter O3 together with the inorganic matter S4, a calcium source can be added as a reaction accelerant A to the rotary kiln.

A method in which a parent hydrocarbon-rich material is processed so as to produce both a carbon-rich solid material that has a higher carbon to hydrogen ratio than that of the parent material and a carbon-deficient combustible gas that has a lower carbon to hydrogen ratio than the parent material. In the process, the material is activated by exposing it to a hot gas stream having elevated levels of one or both of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The combustible gas is combusted to produce heat. At least about 80% of the heat is used in one ore more endothermic steps that include drying coal or biomass.

A method for the manufacture of a high alumina hydraulic binder comprising hydrating a source of aluminium ions with a source of calcium ions in the presence of water to form mineral hydrates and subsequently heating said mineral hydrates to form said high alumina hydraulic binder.