A method of operating a plant having a furnace including at least two vertical shafts connected by an overflow duct, wherein at least one burner is arranged above the overflow duct in each case such that the burner gases therefrom flow downward in burning operation of the respective shaft. A cooling gas supply is provided beneath the overflow duct in each case such that, in combination with the operation of a burner in the burner-operated shaft, the burner gas flowing downward is deflected in the direction of the overflow duct by the cooling gas ascending in the burner-operated shaft, and a supply of cooling gas is adjusted such that the temperature of the burner charge through which the burner gas flows at least in the burner-operated shaft is kept above the deacidification temperature thereof.

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for producing an expanded granulate from sand-grain-shaped material (1), comprising a furnace (2) with a substantially vertically extending furnace shaft (3) and a feed device (5) arranged above or in the upper region of the furnace shaft (3) for feeding the sand-grain-shaped material (1) to the furnace shaft (3). In order to achieve uniform expansion of the sand-grain-shaped material, the feed device (8) is formed to introduce the sand-grain-shaped material (1) in form of at least one downwardly falling curtain into the upper region of the furnace shaft (3), wherein the drop section (4) of the curtain (25) lies in a decentralised, preferably peripheral region of the furnace shaft cross-section. The invention also relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand-grain-shaped mineral material.

This invention discloses a calcination process to produce high purity CO.sub.2 from solids containing CaCO.sub.3 which operates cyclically and continuously on the solids, arranged in a packed or a moving bed, and wherein each cycle comprises a first step where the combustion at atmospheric pressure of a fuel in the bed of solids containing CaCO.sub.3 heats them up to 800-900? C. and a second step wherein a vacuum pressure between 0.05 and 0.5 atm is applied to extract pure CO.sub.2 from the solids containing CaCO.sub.3 while cooling them by 30-200? C. Said combustion can be carried out directly with air, oxygen enriched air or O.sub.2/CO.sub.2 mixtures when the process is applied to the calcination of a continuous flow of limestone in a moving bed shaft kiln. The process is also applied to calcine CaCO.sub.3 formed in reversible calcium looping processes comprising a carbonation reaction step to form CaCO.sub.3 from CaO.

This invention discloses a calcination process to produce high purity CO.sub.2 from solids containing CaCO.sub.3 which operates cyclically and continuously on the solids, arranged in a packed or a moving bed, and wherein each cycle comprises a first step where the combustion at atmospheric pressure of a fuel in the bed of solids containing CaCO.sub.3 heats them up to 800-900? C. and a second step wherein a vacuum pressure between 0.05 and 0.5 atm is applied to extract pure CO.sub.2 from the solids containing CaCO.sub.3 while cooling them by 30-200? C. Said combustion can be carried out directly with air, oxygen enriched air or O.sub.2/CO.sub.2 mixtures when the process is applied to the calcination of a continuous flow of limestone in a moving bed shaft kiln. The process is also applied to calcine CaCO.sub.3 formed in reversible calcium looping processes comprising a carbonation reaction step to form CaCO.sub.3 from CaO.

A process for producing caustic calcined magnesia (CCM) includes calcining a magnesium containing material, such as magnesite, in a primary calciner to produce a primary calcined material and a primary exhaust comprising dust; subjecting the primary exhaust to separation to recover a dust material includes incompletely calcined dust particles; calcining the dust material in the secondary calciner to produce calcined dust, wherein the dust material is not co-calcined with the magnesium containing material or the primary calcined material. The primary calcined material and the calcined dues thus form two CCM products, which can be kept separate or combined. The primary calciner can be a multiple hearth furnace (MHF) while the secondary calciner can be a gas suspension calciner (GSC). Using a secondary calciner in such a manner can increase throughput of the primary calciner and provide other advantages for the calcination process.

The invention relates to a device (30) for the extraction and the transfer of granular mineral materials at high temperature contained in a first enclosure including a fixed upper part (32) and a mobile lower part (34) delimiting a duct (36), the mobile lower part (34) being movable in a determined direction (50) between a advanced position and a retracted position, and vice versa, to allow the flow of the granular mineral materials in the duct (36). The device further includes means (78, 80) for moving and guiding the mobile part (34) relative to the fixed part (32). The fixed part (32) and the mobile part (34) each comprise a metal outer shell (38, 58), and an inner shell (40; 60) made by stacking at least a first coating (42; 62) of thermally insulating material mounted on the metal outer shell (38; 58), and a second coating (44; 64) of refractory material mounted on the first coating (42, 62).

The invention relates to a device (30) for the extraction and the transfer of granular mineral materials at high temperature contained in a first enclosure including a fixed upper part (32) and a mobile lower part (34) delimiting a duct (36), the mobile lower part (34) being movable in a determined direction (50) between a advanced position and a retracted position, and vice versa, to allow the flow of the granular mineral materials in the duct (36). The device further includes means (78, 80) for moving and guiding the mobile part (34) relative to the fixed part (32). The fixed part (32) and the mobile part (34) each comprise a metal outer shell (38, 58), and an inner shell (40; 60) made by stacking at least a first coating (42; 62) of thermally insulating material mounted on the metal outer shell (38; 58), and a second coating (44; 64) of refractory material mounted on the first coating (42, 62).

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.

The invention provides novel pervious composite materials that possess excellent physical and performance characteristics of conventional pervious concretes, and methods of production and uses thereof. These composite materials can be readily produced from widely available, low cost raw materials by a process suitable for large-scale production with improved energy consumption, desirable carbon footprint and minimal environmental impact.