The present invention relates to a process and an apparatus to cool and heal calcined stucco particles. The process includes feeding stucco particles into an upper portion of a vessel, and feeding a gas comprising air and water into the lower portion of a vessel, wherein the gas cools and substantially fully encapsulates the stucco particles. The apparatus includes a vessel with a rotating spreader for homogenizing the stucco particles, for use in the process described.

A process for the calcination of raw gypsum in a heatable extruder, wherein the raw gypsum is feed into the extruder and heated to a temperature of from 150 C. to 350 C. to thereby convert the raw gypsum to calcined gypsum with a content of calcium hemihydrate of at least 50 wt.-%. By using a heatable extruder for the calcination, calcined gypsum with a high content of calcium sulphate hemihydrate and low residual amounts of the respective dihydrate and anhydrite can be obtained. The present invention further concerns a system, which is adapted to such preparation of calcined gypsum and includes an appropriate heatable extruder and the use of a heatable extruder for the calcination of raw gypsum.

An extruder, preferably for calcining and extruding raw gypsum, including a calcination zone and a mixing zone, wherein the extruder is optionally configured to capture and/or retain water liberated in the calcination zone, apparatuses and processes employing such extruders and respective uses.