Process for decarbonation of carbonated materials and device thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025197278-A1
Application number	US-202318843307-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2023
Priority date	Mar 2, 2022
Publication date	Jun 19, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various embodiments of a process and device for the decarbonation of limestone, dolomite or other carbonated materials are disclosed. The process and device may involve heating particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) in a reactor ( 8 ) of a first circuit ( 2 ) to obtain decarbonated particles ( 16 ) comprising CaO and/or MgO; transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) to one or more cooling sections ( 22, 22 ′) in which the conveyed decarbonated particles ( 16 ) release a portion of their thermal energy to second ( 14 ) and/or third gases ( 14 ′); and providing substantially pure oxygen to the reactor ( 8 ) at an oxygen entrance point which is preferably located below one or more fuel entrance points. Waste heat and/or vented gas may be recovered and re-used within the process by virtue of unique configurations of the device and provision of novel apparatus to the device.

First claim

1 . Process for the decarbonation of limestone, dolomite or other carbonated materials, said process comprising the following steps:
heating particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) in a reactor ( 8 ) of a first circuit ( 2 ) up to a temperature range in which carbon dioxide of the carbonated materials is released to obtain decarbonated particles ( 16 ) comprising CaO and/or MgO; conveying particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) by a first entraining gas ( 4 ) in the first circuit ( 2 ) for preheating said carbonated materials ( 6 ); transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) to a cooling section ( 22 ) of a second circuit ( 12 ) in which the conveyed decarbonated particles ( 16 ) release a portion of their thermal energy to a second entraining gas ( 14 ); providing substantially pure oxygen to the reactor ( 8 ) at an oxygen entrance point; the oxygen entrance point being located at a first location of the reactor ( 8 ); providing fuel to the reactor ( 8 ) at a plurality of fuel entrance points; each of the plurality of fuel entrance points being sequentially-spaced from one another along the reactor ( 8 ) and which are each located above the first location of the reactor ( 8 ); independently adjusting and/or controlling the flow of fuel to each of the fuel entrance points; combusting the fuel and oxygen within the reactor ( 8 ); and by virtue of independently adjusting and/or controlling the flow of fuel to each of the fuel entrance points, controlling the temperature gradient of process gas throughout the reactor ( 8 ) to minimize high temperature zones and maintain a maximum temperature difference of the process gas distributed throughout the reactor ( 8 ) to less than 200° C.

2 . Process according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
introducing substantially pure oxygen to a hot gas generator and directing heated substantially pure oxygen from the hot gas generator ( 70 ) to the reactor ( 8 ) at the oxygen entrance point; and optionally using the hot gas generator ( 70 ) as a “start-up heater” by temporarily introducing air to the hot gas generator and supplying heated air to the reactor ( 8 ) from the hot gas generator during initial commissioning of the reactor ( 8 ).

3 . Process according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
separating the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) from a second entraining gas ( 14 ) flow in the cooling section ( 22 ); wherein said second entraining gas ( 14 ) is comprised of substantially pure oxygen.

4 . Process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
delivering at least some of the first entraining gas ( 4 ) to the reactor ( 8 ) in order to control and/or maintain a velocity of the flow of gases provided to the reactor ( 8 ) within a predetermined velocity range.

5 . Process for the decarbonation of limestone, dolomite or other carbonated materials, said process comprising the following steps:
heating particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) in a reactor ( 8 ) of a first circuit ( 2 ) up to a temperature range in which carbon dioxide of the carbonated materials is released to obtain decarbonated particles ( 16 ) comprising CaO and/or MgO; conveying particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) by a first entraining gas ( 4 ) in the first circuit ( 2 ) for preheating said carbonated materials ( 6 ); transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) to a cooling section ( 22 ) of a second circuit ( 12 ) in which the conveyed decarbonated particles ( 16 ) release a portion of their thermal energy to a second entraining gas ( 14 ); separating the carbonated particles ( 6 ) from a first entraining gas ( 4 ) flow; transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) to a cooling section ( 22 ) of a second circuit ( 12 ) comprising a second entraining gas ( 14 ) in which the conveyed decarbonated particles ( 16 ) release a portion of their thermal energy;
providing substantially pure oxygen to the reactor ( 8 ); and
delivering at least some of the first entraining gas ( 4 ) to the reactor ( 8 ) in order to control and/or maintain a velocity of the substantially pure oxygen provided to the reactor ( 8 ) within a predetermined velocity range.

6 . Process according to claim 5 , wherein said step of heating particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) in a reactor ( 8 ) of a first circuit ( 2 ) comprises introducing oxygen to a hot gas generator and directing heated oxygen from the hot gas generator to the reactor ( 8 ); and
optionally using the hot gas generator as a “start-up heater” by introducing air to the hot gas generator and supplying heated air to the reactor ( 8 ) from the hot gas generator during initial commissioning of the reactor ( 8 ).

7 . Process for the decarbonation of limestone, dolomite or other carbonated materials, said process comprising the following steps:
heating particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) in a reactor ( 8 ) of a first circuit ( 2 ) up to a temperature range in which carbon dioxide of the carbonated materials is released to obtain decarbonated particles ( 16 ) comprising CaO and/or MgO; conveying particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) by a first entraining gas ( 4 ) in the first circuit ( 2 ) for preheating said carbonated materials ( 6 ); transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) from the first circuit ( 2 ) to a cooling section ( 22 ) of a second circuit ( 12 ) in which a second entraining gas ( 14 ) circulates; cooling the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) in the cooling section ( 22 ) of the second circuit ( 12 ); heating the second entraining gas ( 14 ) by virtue of the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) releasing a portion of their thermal energy to the second entraining gas ( 14 ); separating the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) from a second entraining gas ( 14 ) flow; transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) from the second circuit ( 12 ) to a cooling section ( 22 ′) of a third circuit ( 12 ′) in which a third entraining gas ( 14 ′) circulates; cooling the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) in the cooling section ( 22 ′) of the third circuit ( 12 ′); heating the third entraining gas ( 14 ′) by virtue of the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) releasing a portion of their thermal energy to the third entraining gas ( 14 ′); separating the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) from a third entraining gas ( 14 ′) flow; delivering at least some of the heated second entraining gas ( 12 ) from the cooling section ( 22 ) of the second circuit ( 12 ) to the reactor ( 8 ), the second entraining gas being substantially pure oxygen. delivering at least some of the heated third entraining gas ( 14 ′) from the cooling section ( 22 ′) of the third circuit ( 12 ′) to a heating section ( 32 ′) of the third circuit ( 12 ′) which is downstream of the cooling section ( 22 ′) of the third circuit ( 12 ′).

8 . Process for the decarbonation of limestone, dolomite or other carbonated materials, said process comprising the following steps:
heating particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) in a reactor ( 8 ) of a first circuit ( 2 ) up to a temperature range in which carbon dioxide of the carbonated materials is released to obtain decarbonated particles ( 16 ) comprising CaO and/or MgO; conveying particles of carbonated materials ( 6 ) by a first entraining gas ( 4 ) in the first circuit ( 2 ) for preheating said carbonated materials ( 6 ); transferring the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) from the first circuit ( 2 ) to a cooling section ( 22 ) of a second circuit ( 12 ) in which a second entraining gas ( 14 ) circulates; cooling the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) in the cooling section ( 22 ) of the second circuit ( 12 ); heating the second entraining gas ( 14 ) by virtue of the decarbonated particles ( 16 ) releasing a portion of their thermal energy to the second en

Assignees

• Smidth As F L

Inventors

• Robin Charles
• Guthrie Steven Bruce
• Cambier Pierre-Olivier
• Brandt Johan
• Prokesch Michael
• Freas Thomas
• Kyle Timothy

Classifications

• F27D13/00

  Apparatus for preheating charges; Arrangements for preheating charges · CPC title

• F27D17/25

  using cyclones · CPC title

• C04B2/12

  in shaft or vertical furnaces (shaft or vertical furnaces in general F27B1/00) · CPC title

• C04B2/10

  Preheating, burning calcining or cooling (decarbonation during burning of cement raw materials C04B7/43; {obtaining CaO or MgO otherwise than by thermal decomposition of the corresponding carbonates C01F11/02, C01F5/02}) · CPC title

• C04B2/106 Primary

  in fluidised bed furnaces · CPC title