Method and apparatus for producing cement using thermal energy generated in a rotary device

Abstract

A method of inputting thermal energy into a fluid medium in a cement production process by means of at least one rotating device is provided, the rotating device comprising a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a stator formed as a fixed vane assembly at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, in which an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively. The method further comprises incorporating the at least one rotating device into a cement production facility configured to carry out a cement production process, such as the combustion of cement clinker or the calcination of raw materials, at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500° C., and directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into a heat consuming process facility, the input energy comprising electrical energy. Rotating devices and related uses are further provided.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for inputting thermal energy (heat) into fluids, and more particularly to tools and processes for optimizing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas and particulate emissions in heat-consuming industrial processes related to cement production that are carried out at high and very high temperatures. [Background technology]

[0002] Industries and governments are struggling to find technologies to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Heavy industrial processes such as cement production play a key role in achieving low emission targets set by companies, governments, and international organizations. However, the core process for converting limestone into cement clinker is heat-consuming and operates at extremely high temperatures, e.g., in the range of about 850-1600°C, which can currently be reached by burning fossil-derived fuels.

[0003] The cement manufacturing process generally proceeds according to the following stages: First, the raw cement components required for cement production, such as limestone (CaCO3), sand and clay (silicon, aluminum, iron), are obtained by crushing and further crushing the raw ores. The crushed product is combined with additives and further crushed to produce a fine homogenous mixture. Typically, it is 80-85% limestone and the rest clay. In the cement plant, the raw mixture is dried (reducing the moisture content to less than 1%) and blended to a fine powder, which is then stored in silos. Before being sent into the kiln, the raw materials are preheated, for example in a preheater consisting of a series of cyclones. The preheater typically comprises a precalciner fired with oil, natural gas, coal or petroleum coke. Various waste streams and biomass materials can be used as fuel.

[0004] The kiln stage is the main stage of the cement production process. Here, "cement clinker", or simply clinker, is produced from the raw mixture through a series of chemical reactions between calcium and carbon dioxide compounds. Clinker is typically produced in the kiln system at charge temperatures of 1450-1500°C and gas temperatures of about 2000°C. Thus, the high temperature process characteristic of cement production is often referred to as "clinker combustion". During clinker combustion, the raw materials fed into the kiln system are dried, preheated, calcined, and sintered to produce cement clinker. Cement clinker appears as multiple lumps or nodules with diameters of 2-30 mm.

[0005] After leaving the kiln, the clinker is rapidly cooled to about 100-200°C and various additives are added to it, such as gypsum, some organic materials, etc. The clinker (with additives) is then transferred to a (cement) mill and ground into a fine powder, thereby forming the finished cement powder product commonly referred to as "cement".

[0006] Every stage of cement production involves carbon dioxide emissions, with the kiln stage and the preceding precalciner stage producing the most. In fact, the majority of emissions come from the precalciner, where most of the fuel is burned and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released from calcium carbonate (CaCO3, limestone). In addition, conventional rotary kilns are a source of NOx emissions due to the high temperatures. CO2 emissions are difficult to avoid; 60% are an unavoidable consequence of the production process chemistry, and the rest result from the high temperature process requirements. The cement industry uses a variety of fuels, but the majority of the fuels (about 54%) are coal or pet coke, which are suitable for extremely high temperatures but have high emissions. In addition, these fuels are a source of harmful and toxic chemicals, and measures of species must be undertaken to avoid their release into the atmosphere. To reduce emissions in the cement industry, several methods have been proposed, such as increasing energy efficiency through precalciners, preheating, waste heat recovery, and other technologies.

[0007] Electrification of industrial processes is seen as a solution to reduce emissions. However, the high temperatures required for cement production are the main reason limiting the electrification of these processes. Although considered a suitable solution to reduce GHG emissions, the electrification of industrial processes remains hindered due to the inability of current technologies and existing equipment infrastructure to meet the need to achieve sufficiently high temperatures.

[0008] For heating purposes, several rotary solutions have been proposed. The hydrodynamic heater pump apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 11,098,725 (Sanger et al.) is operable to selectively generate a flow of heated and / or pressurized fluid. The aforementioned hydrodynamic heater pump is designed to be installed within the cooling system of an automotive vehicle to provide heat for the passenger compartment of the vehicle and to enable other capabilities such as window de-icing and engine cooling. The disclosed apparatus can also provide a pressurized fluid flow for engine cooling. Because the disclosed technology is friction based and the fluid to be heated is a liquid, the presented design is not suitable for conditions involving extreme turbulence of gas aerodynamics.

[0009] US Patent No. 7,614,367 (Frick) discloses a system and method for flameless heating, condensing or vaporizing a fluid by converting rotational kinetic energy into heat. A system configured for fluid heating may include a rotational kinetic energy generator, a rotary heating device, and a primary heat exchanger, all in closed-loop fluid communication. The rotary heating device may be a water brake dynamometer. The specification discloses the use of the system for heating water on an offshore drilling or oil production platform. However, the presented system is not suitable for heating gaseous media and is not feasible for use with high and extremely high temperatures (based on liquid stability, vapor pressure, etc.).

[0010] In addition, several rotating turbomachinery type devices are also known to carry out the process of hydrocarbon (steam) cracking, with the goal of maximizing the yield of target products, such as ethylene and propylene.

[0011] In this regard, updates in the field of efficient heating systems, particularly those related to high and very high temperatures, remain desirable in view of addressing the challenges associated with increasing temperatures of fluid materials in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] It is an object of the present invention to solve or at least mitigate at least some of the problems resulting from limitations and drawbacks of the related art. One or more of the objects are achieved by the various embodiments of the method for producing a heated fluid medium, the rotating device and the related uses defined herein, as described herein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In one embodiment, a method of producing cement includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device installed within a cement production facility. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to one embodiment, a method of producing cement comprising generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility improves energy efficiency and / or reduces greenhouse gas emissions and particulate emissions.

[0015] In an embodiment, a method of producing cement includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device installed in a cement production facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed about a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes disposed in an assembly upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the at least one rotor blade row being heated by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively. and the outlet, an amount of thermal energy being imparted to a fluid medium stream directed along a flow path formed within the casing between the outlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium stream, the method further including directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility, the input energy comprising electrical energy, supplying the heated fluid medium stream generated by the at least one rotating device into the cement production facility, and operating the at least one rotating device and the cement production facility to perform cement production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C.

[0016] In another aspect, a method for inputting thermal energy into a fluid medium during cement production is provided.

[0017] In one embodiment, a method includes inputting thermal energy into a process associated with producing cement in a cement production facility, the method includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device installed in the cement production facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades disposed about a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes disposed in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades, the method including producing cement at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C. and directing an energy input amount into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility, wherein the energy input comprises electrical energy, and operating the at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility such that a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium stream passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively, imparts an amount of thermal energy to a fluid medium stream directed along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium stream.

[0018] In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to and / or integrated into at least one heat consuming unit within the cement production facility, hi one embodiment, the at least one heat consuming unit is configured to perform a process related to cement production.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to and / or incorporated within at least one heat consuming unit within the cement production facility, the at least one heat consuming unit being configured as any one of: (i) a clinkerizing unit configured to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker; (ii) a heater and / or dryer configured to heat and / or dry the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product; (iii) a mixer and / or homogenizer configured to act on any one of the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product; (iv) a post-clinkerizing unit configured to cool the cement clinker and / or form the cement product; (v) a mill configured to dry and grind a solid fuel, such as petroleum coke and / or coal; or (vi) any combination thereof.

[0020] In one embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one kiln configured to thermally convert cement raw materials to cement clinker. In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to any one of a burner, heater, furnace, oven, mill, dryer, reactor, incinerator, combustion chamber, boiler, conveyor device, or combinations thereof.

[0021] In embodiments, the method includes producing the fluid medium heated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C, or essentially equal to or greater than about 1200°C, or essentially equal to or greater than about 1700°C.

[0022] In an embodiment, this includes adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of a fluid medium stream propagating through the rotating device to create conditions under which the heated fluid medium is generated.

[0023] In an embodiment, in the method, the heated fluid medium is generated by the at least one rotating device including two or more rows of rotor blades arranged successively along the rotor axis.

[0024] In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device installed in the cement production facility such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes successively through the fixed vanes, the at least one rotor blade row, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium. The diffuser region may be formed with or without fixed vanes.

[0025] In an embodiment, in the method, the amount of thermal energy added to the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device is controlled by adjusting the amount of the input energy directed into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility.

[0026] In an embodiment, the method further comprises arranging an additional heating device downstream of the at least one rotating device and introducing a reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium stream propagating through the additional heating device, whereupon the amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium stream through an exothermic reaction. In an embodiment, the reactive compound or the mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium stream preheated to a predetermined temperature. In an embodiment, the reactive compound or the mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium stream preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 1700° C. In an embodiment, the preheating of the fluid medium to the predetermined temperature is performed in a rotating device.

[0027] In one embodiment, the method comprises producing a heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices integrated into a cement production facility, the at least two rotating devices being connected in parallel or in series. In one embodiment, the method comprises producing a heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices connected in series, the fluid medium stream being preheated to a predetermined temperature in at least a first rotating device in the series, and the fluid medium stream being further heated in at least a second rotating device in the series by inputting an additional amount of heat energy into the preheated fluid medium stream propagating through the second rotating device. In one embodiment, the method comprises preheating the fluid medium stream to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 1700° C. in at least the first rotating device in the series. In one embodiment, the method comprises adding an additional amount of heat energy to the fluid medium stream propagating through the at least a second rotating device in the series by introducing the reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the stream. In one embodiment, the method comprises introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into a process associated with the production of cement.

[0028] In one embodiment, the method further comprises the step of: the fluid medium entering the rotating device is an essentially gaseous medium.

[0029] In one embodiment, the method includes generating the heated fluid medium in the rotating device. In an embodiment, the method includes the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device comprises any one of air, steam (H2O), nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), or any combination thereof. Any other gas may be utilized, if appropriate. In one embodiment, the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device is recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas generated during a process related to the production of cement.

[0030] In one embodiment, the method further includes generating the heated fluid medium, e.g., gas, vapor, liquid, and mixtures thereof, and / or heated solid material, outside of the rotating device through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device and any one of the above-mentioned substances that bypasses the rotating device.

[0031] In an embodiment, in the method, the heated fluid medium produced by or within the at least one rotating device is supplied into at least one heat consuming unit within the cement production facility, the heat consuming unit being provided as any one of: (i) a clinkerizing unit configured to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker; (ii) a heater and / or dryer configured to heat and / or dry the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product; (iii) a mixer and / or homogenizer configured to act on any one of the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product; (iv) a clinker post-treatment unit configured to cool the cement clinker and / or form the cement product; (v) a mill configured to dry and grind a solid fuel, such as petroleum coke and / or coal; or (vi) any combination thereof.

[0032] In an embodiment, in the method, the heated fluid medium produced by or within the at least one rotating device is further supplied into at least one heat consuming unit within the cement production facility, the at least one heat consuming unit being provided as any one of a burner, heater, furnace, oven, mill, dryer, reactor, incinerator, combustion chamber, boiler, conveyor device or combinations thereof.

[0033] In one embodiment, the method further comprises increasing the pressure in the fluid medium stream propagating through the rotating device.

[0034] In one embodiment, the method includes directing the amount of energy as an energy input into the at least one rotating device incorporated into a cement production facility in a range of about 5 percent to 100 percent.

[0035] In one embodiment, in the method, the amount of electrical energy introduced as energy input into the at least one rotating device integrated in the cement production facility can be derived from a renewable energy source or from different energy sources, optionally a combination of renewable energy sources.

[0036] In one embodiment, the method includes incorporating the at least one rotating device together with at least one heater device capable of operating with non-electrical energy into the cement production facility to balance fluctuations, such as surpluses and shortages, in the amount of electrical energy (e.g. obtained through supply and / or production), optionally renewable electrical energy.

[0037] In another aspect, a cement production facility is provided that includes at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one heat consuming unit configured to perform a process related to cement production.

[0038] In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device in the cement production facility is configured to operate in a manner that includes a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of fixed vanes arranged in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the at least one rotating device being configured to operate in a manner that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow, and the at least one rotating device is configured to receive an amount of input energy including electrical energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy into at least one heat consuming unit, the heat consuming unit being configured to perform a process related to cement production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C.

[0039] In an embodiment, the at least one heat consuming unit provided in the cement manufacturing facility is any one of (i) a clinkering unit configured to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker; (ii) a heater and / or dryer configured to heat and / or dry the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product; (iii) a mixer and / or homogenizer configured to act on any one of the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product; (iv) a post-clinkering treatment unit configured to cool the cement clinker and / or form the cement product; (v) a mill configured to dry and grind a solid fuel, such as petroleum coke and / or coal; or (vi) any combination thereof; and the at least one rotating device is connected to and / or integrated with any one of (i)-(vi).

[0040] In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device is connected to at least one kiln configured to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker within the cement production facility. In an embodiment, the at least one rotating device is further connected to any one of a burner, heater, furnace, oven, mill, dryer, reactor, incinerator, combustion chamber, boiler, conveyor device, or combinations thereof within the cement production facility.

[0041] In an embodiment, the cement production facility, the at least one rotating device includes two or more rotor blade rows arranged in series along the rotor axis. In one embodiment, the fixed vanes arranged in an assembly upstream of the at least one rotor blade row are formed as fixed guide vanes. In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device further includes a diffuser area arranged downstream of the at least one rotor blade row. The diffuser area may be formed with or without fixed diffuser vanes. In some configurations, a vaned diffuser may be realized as a plurality of fixed vanes arranged in an assembly downstream of the at least one rotor blade row.

[0042] In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device disposed within the cement production facility is further configured to increase pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device.

[0043] In some embodiments, at least one rotating device within the cement production facility is configured to effect fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet along a flow path established based on any one of an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially toroidal shaped casing, an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially tubular casing, an essentially radial orbit, and a flow path established by a fluid medium flow in the form of two spirals wound up as side-to-side vortex rings.

[0044] In one embodiment, the cement production facility includes at least two rotating devices arranged in an assembly and connected in parallel or in series.

[0045] In a further aspect, an assembly is provided, said assembly including at least two rotating devices according to any previous aspect, said rotating devices being connected in parallel or in series.

[0046] In a further aspect, an arrangement is provided and includes at least one rotating device according to any previous aspect, wherein the at least one rotating device is connected to at least one heat consuming unit.

[0047] In a further aspect, there is provided a cement production facility configured to carry out a cement production process through a method according to any of the aspects and embodiments defined above, and the cement production facility includes at least one rotating device according to any of the previous aspects.

[0048] The usefulness of the present invention arises for a variety of reasons depending on each particular embodiment of the invention.

[0049] Overall, the embodiments provide an electrified rotating fluid heater to provide high temperature fluids, e.g., gas, to be used in the production of cement in place of fuel-fired heaters. The presented method inputs thermal energy into the various process units involved in cement production and allows for operation at high and very high temperatures, e.g., temperatures generally above 500° C. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for heating fluid materials to temperatures in the range of about 500° C. to about 2000° C., i.e., temperatures used in cement production facilities.

[0050] Cement production facilities typically employ utilities, e.g., fired heaters, that have a high demand for thermal energy and therefore heat consumption. The heat consumption utilities are used to heat fluids to the temperatures required for the cement production process. The invention presented herein allows for the use of rotating equipment instead of conventional heat consumption utilities, e.g., fuel fired heaters. The advantages associated with using rotating equipment instead of fired heaters in a method include at least: - Support electrified heating; - Greenhouse gases (e.g. NO, CO2, CO, NO X ), other harmful components derived from the fuel (e.g., HCl, H2S, SO2, and heavy metals), particulate emissions, and smoke emissions; - the heater volume is reduced, i.e. the volume of the rotating equipment is at least an order of magnitude smaller compared to conventional process heaters or heat exchangers; - Improved safety when using flammable and hazardous fluids / gases; - The handling of large volumes of gas is feasible; - there is no pressure drop, - the possibility of using the rotary (heater) device also for gas compression (blower function); - No dependency on temperature differences for direct heating of gases. Temperature rises in rotating equipment can range from about 10 to 1700°C or more. - the possibility of using rotating devices for indirect heating of fluids, optionally by optimizing the temperature difference in the heat exchanger; - at least partial recycling of hot process gases is possible, thus improving and making heat recovery simpler and improving energy efficiency; It is possible to further increase the temperature of the gas to be heated by adding reactive chemicals which further increase the gas temperature by an exothermic reaction, for example up to 2000°C or more; This includes:

[0051] In an embodiment, the rotating machine can be used in place of conventional fired heaters or process furnaces for direct or indirect heating in cement production. Traditionally, such heat is mainly produced through the combustion of fossil fuels, which leads to significant CO2 emissions. The use of wood or other bio-based materials instead of fossil fuels has significant resource limitations and other significant impacts on the environment, such as those related to sustainable land use. As renewable electricity becomes more cost-effective, i.e., with the rapid development of wind, piezoelectric and solar power generation, it is possible to use rotating machines powered by renewable electricity instead of fossil fuel combustion. This will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The rotating machine allows for the electric heating of fluids to temperatures of up to 1700°C or more. Such temperatures are difficult or impossible to reach using current electrical heating.

[0052] The rotary equipment can be used to directly heat process gases, inert gases, air, or any other gas, or indirectly heat process fluids (liquids, steam, gas, steam / liquid mixtures, etc.). The heat produced in the rotary equipment can be used to heat any of the gases, steam, liquids, and solid materials. In particular, the rotary equipment can be used to directly heat recycled gas recycled from the exhaust gas generated from the combustion of cement clinker. The rotary equipment can at least partially replace or be combined with numerous types of furnaces, heaters, kilns, gasifiers, and reactors that are traditionally fired or heated (e.g., as preheaters) with solid, liquid, or gaseous fossil fuels, and in some cases bio-based fuels, including rotary kilns used in cement production. Some other examples include blast furnaces, cupola furnaces, pot-and-tank furnaces, shaft furnaces, rotary kilns, multi-hearth furnaces, regenerators, steam boilers, catalytic reactors, and fluidized bed kilns / reactors. The heated gas may be flammable, reactive, or inert and may be recycled back to the rotating device. In addition to heating, the rotating device may act as a combined blower-heater, increasing pressure and allowing the gas to be recycled.

[0053] The heated fluid, e.g. gas, can be used for various applications. The heated object can be a solid material, a liquid or a gas. The gas further participates in numerous reactions or is used as a heating medium. Thus, hot gas can be used to heat solid materials in cement production facilities.

[0054] This invention reduces greenhouse gas emissions (CO, CO2, NO x ) and reduced particle emissions. The use of rotating equipment can also further improve the energy efficiency of these processes by creating a closed or semi-closed heating loop for the process and reducing heat losses through the flue gas. In conventional heaters, flue gas can only be partially recycled.

[0055] In addition, the solution allows for improved optimization of the temperature difference in the heat exchanger during indirect heating.

[0056] The present invention further allows for flexible use of electrical energy, e.g., electrical energy obtained from renewable sources. Renewable energy production varies from day to day and even hour to hour. The present invention allows for balancing of renewable electrical production by integrating the rotating apparatus disclosed herein with conventional fuel-operated heaters to provide heat for a cement production process, e.g., a cement clinker combustion process.

[0057] The present invention further allows for reduced on-site capital costs compared to traditional fossil-fired furnaces.

[0058] The phrase "a number of" as used herein means any positive integer starting from 1, for example, 1, 2, or 3. The term "a plurality of" as used herein means any positive integer starting from 2, for example, 2, 3, or 4. The terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one element from another, without denoting any order or importance, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0059] The term "gasification" is utilized herein to indicate that a substance is converted into a gaseous form by any possible means.

[0060] Various embodiments of the invention become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0061] [Figure 1]1A and 1B are block diagrams illustrating the layout of a high-temperature, heat-consuming process facility, generally designated 1000, provided as a cement manufacturing process facility configured to implement a method according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of a conventional hot gas generator apparatus, and Figure 2B is a diagram showing the generation of hot gas using an apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram generally at 1000 illustrating the layout of a high temperature heat consuming process facility configured to implement a method according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 4A-4B are diagrams illustrating an exemplary layout of a rotating device 100 within a cement production facility, according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0062] Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] 1A and 1B are block diagrams generally at 1000 illustrating the layout of a hot cement manufacturing process facility configured to implement a method according to an embodiment. FIG. 2B and FIGS. 4A-4D depict an apparatus and method according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 generally illustrates the incorporation of an apparatus according to an embodiment into a hot cement manufacturing process facility 1000. The drawings and associated examples are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the applicability of the inventive concepts to the layouts explicitly depicted in this disclosure. Block diagram sections shown with dashed lines are optional.

[0064] The production of cement, in conventional solutions (i.e., outside the scope of the heat integration scheme 1000 presented herein), has a high demand and consumption of thermal energy and produces large amounts of industrial emissions, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. The present disclosure provides apparatus and methods for injecting thermal energy into the cement production process, which can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the process and / or reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere. Layout 1000 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) shows a schematic of these improved installations and methods.

[0065] Heat consuming process facility 1000 is a facility configured to conduct a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 500° C. Facility 1000 may be representative of an industrial plant, factory, or any industrial system that includes equipment designed to conduct the above-mentioned heat consuming industrial processes related to cement production.

[0066] In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process at a temperature in the range of 500-1700°C. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production that starts essentially at a temperature in the range of about 800-900°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production that starts essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1000°C. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production that starts essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1100-1200°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production that starts essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1200°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production that starts essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1200°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production that starts essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1300-1700°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1500°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to cement production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1700°C. In an embodiment, the facility can be configured to perform an industrial process related to cement production at a temperature greater than 1700°C, such as 2000°C or greater, such as a temperature in the range of about 1700°C to about 2500°C. The facility can be configured to perform an industrial process related to cement production at 1700°C, 1800°C, about 1900°C, about 2000°C, about 2100°C, about 2200°C, about 2300°C, about 2400°C, about 2500°C, and any temperature value included between the aforementioned temperature points. It is noted that the facility 1000 is not precluded from performing at least a portion of the industrial process at a temperature less than 500°C.

[0067] In industry, "cement" is combined with water and aggregates, such as sand or stone, to form "concrete". While the production of cement is an energy-intensive, high-temperature process, combining cement with water and aggregates to form concrete is typically performed by simple mixing. However, when the production of "concrete" is considered to include the production of "cement", the production process may include the high-temperature processes described herein. Additionally, cement production may also include the production of raw materials or cement clinker precursors required for the production of cement clinker.

[0068] In this disclosure, the term "cement" is used generally to mean a binding agent used in construction that, upon setting and hardening, adheres to structural units such as stone, brick, tile, etc. The term "clinker," on the other hand, is used to mean a binder used in the production of cement. Cement is produced, for example, by grinding clinker (with various active ingredients added to obtain the desired properties of the cement) into a fine powder in a cement mill.

[0069] The compounds for cement clinker production include one or more cement clinker precursor materials, such as limestone, lime, and an alkali silicate source, including, for example, an aluminosilicate, and a silicate mineral, such as clay, shale, impure limestone, or another material. Metal silicates, such as magnesium silicate, calcium silicate, sodium silicate, and the like, can be utilized. Other materials included in the raw materials or reactive cement precursors may include fluxes designed to promote sintering of limestone and silicates. One common flux used in cement production is magnesium oxide, although aluminum oxide or iron oxide is also used. In other words, cement production may further include forming lime from limestone or forming magnesium oxide from magnesium carbonate.

[0070] Lime is typically produced by calcining calcium carbonate (CaCO3, limestone) to calcium oxide (CaO, lime) and CO2. Calcination of limestone proceeds at approximately 900-1200°C. Similarly, magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) is calcined, typically at temperatures above 1000°C, to produce magnesium oxide (MgO) and CO2. The production of lime and magnesium oxide is therefore a high temperature process, which is responsible for the overall production of by-product CO2 as a result of cement production.

[0071] Unless otherwise stated, further description will utilize the reference numerals shown in Figures 1A and 1B. Heat consuming industrial processes are typically verbally illustrated within boxes shown in Figure 1A and include, by way of example, any one of the following: pre-clinkerization treatment of cement raw materials / clinker precursors, such as crushing, grinding, homogenizing, and milling of the clinker precursor materials (see Figure 1A, box "Pre-treatment"), (pre-)heating and (pre-)calcining of the clinker precursor materials in a clinkerization system, such as a kiln system, conversion of cement materials to cement clinker (a process called clinker burning), which may include any one of drying, pre-heating, calcining, and sintering of the raw materials fed into the kiln system, post-clinkerization treatment of the clinker to produce cement products (see Figure 1A, box "Post-treatment"), and / or drying and grinding of coal and / or pet coke used as fuel for the kiln and calciner systems. The processes are collectively illustrated in Figure 1B with reference numeral 101. A heat consuming process unit / utility configured to perform any one of the heat consuming processes associated with cement production, such as the processes described above, is correspondingly designated by the same reference numeral (101).

[0072] The cement production facility 1000 includes a number of operational units 101 configured to perform the same or different heat consuming processes. The operational units 101 configured to perform the different heat consuming processes are additionally designated by the numerals 110-126 (FIG. 1B). In an embodiment, each operational unit 101 includes or consists of at least one heat consuming device or system configured to perform a heat consuming process.

[0073] In an embodiment, the heat consuming unit 101 is a clinkering system configured for thermal conversion of cement raw materials into cement clinker. In some embodiments, the clinkering unit 118 is a kiln system, further referred to as a "kiln" (FIG. 1B, 118). In the cement manufacturing process, there are two important chemical reactions: calcination of the cement raw materials (raw meal) at about 900° C.-1050° C., followed by sintering to produce cement clinker at about 1450° C.-1500° C. Both these processes may be carried out in the clinkering unit 118. Alternatively, the clinkering unit (kiln) 118 may be configured for the sintering stage, whereas the calcination process is based on the following reaction (Equation 1): [ka] This may be carried out in a (pre)calciner 116 according to

[0074] High temperature processes characteristic of cement production include heating a mixture of raw materials and / or one or more cement clinker precursor materials in a heat consuming clinkering unit. In a cement production facility, the clinkering unit includes a sintering system, typically a (main) kiln system with a (pre)calciner and / or a preheater. In the clinkering unit, the cement raw materials / clinker precursors are heat treated to form cement clinker. High temperature processes involved in cement production further include pre-treatment of the cement raw materials / clinker precursors before the clinkering stage, post-treatment of the clinker leaving the clinkering stage (e.g. cooling of the clinker leaving the kiln followed by grinding / milling of the cement product in a cement mill), and / or any other type of high temperature process utilized during cement production, such as coking of coal to produce coke, which is used to produce fuel for the clinkering system 118 and the calciner system 116.

[0075] In an embodiment, the method includes producing a heated fluid medium, such as air, steam, nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, or any other (flue) gas, by a rotary heater unit 100 that includes or consists of at least one rotating device (hereinafter device 100). For clarity, the rotary heater unit is indicated in this disclosure by the same reference number 100 as the rotating device. The rotary heater unit is preferably integrated into a process facility 1000. In an embodiment, the heated fluid medium is produced by the at least one rotating device.

[0076] The rotating equipment 100 can be provided as a stand-alone equipment or as several equipments arranged in series (in series) or in parallel. One or more equipments may be connected to a common heat consuming unit 101, for example a clinkerization unit / kiln 118 or a calciner 116. The connection may be direct or through several heat exchangers.

[0077] Heat consuming units / utilities 101 for cement production include various kilns, furnaces, heaters, dryers, mixers, etc. In some configurations, several rotating equipment units 100 can be connected to several heat consuming utilities 101. Different configurations, for example, n+x rotating equipment may be connected to n utilities (e.g., furnaces), where n is equal to or greater than zero and x is equal to or greater than 1. Thus, in some configurations, the installation 1000, and specifically the rotary heater 100, may include 1, 2, 3 or 4 parallel rotating equipment units connected to a common heat consuming unit, for example, a furnace. Numbers of rotating equipment greater than 4 are not excluded. When several rotating equipment are connected in parallel to a common heat consuming unit, one or more of the equipment 100 may have different types of drive engines, for example, electric motor driven equipment can be combined with equipment driven by steam turbines, gas turbines, and / or gas engines.

[0078] In an embodiment, the amount of input energy E1 is directed into at least one rotating device 100 incorporated as a (rotary) heater unit into the process facility 1000. The input energy E1 preferably comprises electrical energy. In some embodiments, the amount of electrical energy directed as input energy into at least one rotating device incorporated into the heat-consuming process facility is provided in the range of about 5 to about 100 percent, preferably in the range of about 50 to about 100 percent. Thus, the amount of electrical energy directed as input energy into at least one rotating device incorporated into the heat-consuming process facility may account for any one of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 percent (from the total input energy), or any intermediate value included between the above points.

[0079] Electrical energy can be supplied from external or internal sources. In practice, the electrical input energy E1 supplied into the device can be defined in terms of power, the latter being defined as the rate of energy transfer (measured in watts) per unit time.

[0080] In some embodiments, the heated fluid medium produced in the rotating apparatus 100 is provided during processes associated with cement production in the cement production facility 1000 and carried out in heat consuming units within the cement production facility. In embodiments, the heat consuming processes / units 101 include, by way of example, a process of thermal conversion of cement raw materials to cement clinker carried out in a clinkerization unit / kiln (118), a process of (pre)calcining cement raw materials (clinker precursors) carried out in a (pre)calciner (116) and / or in a kiln (118), a process of heating and / or drying of cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products carried out in heaters and / or dryers (110, 112, 114, 120, 122, 124), and / or a process of (pre)calcining cement raw materials (clinker precursors) carried out in a (pre)calciner (116) and / or in a kiln (118). The process may include a mixing and / or homogenization process of the cement raw materials, the cement clinker, and / or the cement product carried out in a mixer and / or homogenizer (110, 112, 114, 120, 122, 124), a cooling process of the cement clinker and / or a cement product formed in a post-clinkerization treatment unit (120, 122, 124), a drying and grinding process of the coal and / or pet coke carried out in a mill / dryer (126), or any combination thereof.

[0081] The thermal energy input by the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device 100 into the various heat consuming processes / units 101 within the cement production facility 1000 is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1A (see also reference number 2 in FIG. 1B).

[0082] Overall, the heat consuming unit 101 is provided as one or more kilns, burners, heaters, dryers, transport and / or conveyor devices, mechanical processing devices (crushers, pulverizers, mills), mixing and / or homogenizing devices, furnaces, ovens, incinerators, combustion chambers, boilers, reactors, and / or other adapted utilities, alone or in combination, to carry out processes related to cement production, including processes involved in the production of cement clinker. In the layout of Figures 1A and 1B, a heated fluid 1 at 100 (see Figure 1B) transfers its thermal energy to a process fluid used in the heat consuming unit / process 101 to provide heat of reaction to said process and / or to generate a heated fluid medium. In such cases, the heated fluid 1 at 100 is different from the process fluid used in the heat consuming unit / process 101. For purposes of this invention, the terms "process fluid", "process stream" or "process fluid stream" are used to denote any one of a gas, liquid, steam, solid including pelleted, granular or powdered materials, or mixtures thereof. In a cement manufacturing facility 1000, a gaseous fluid medium 2 generated (heated) in a rotating device 100 is used to heat primarily solid materials (110-124) conveyed through a heat consuming process unit 101 and / or materials indirectly involved in cement production (see coal / pet coke mill and dryer 126).

[0083] One embodiment of rotary device heating in cement production by burning clinker is shown in Figures 1A and 1B for the so-called dry process. Similarly, rotary devices can be used in other types of cement processes, for example wet cement production. The typical cement production facility 1000 shown in Figures 1A and 1B includes a heat-consuming clinkerization unit 118. The heat-consuming clinkerization units are intended for clinkerization of cement raw materials and are collectively referred to as "kilns". It should be noted that the kiln system 118 may take any suitable form, including, by way of example, a rotary kiln system, a static kiln system, and a fluidized bed kiln or reactor system. Any other suitable sintering equipment may be utilized. The calciner 116 and the raw material preheater 114 may be provided as separate process units 101 (shown in Figures 1A and 1B) or may be included in the kiln system 118.

[0084] 1A and 1B illustrate several primary approaches for inputting the heated fluid medium produced in the rotating device 100 into heat consuming processes 101 within the cement production facility 1000. Similarly, the heated fluid stream produced in the device 100 may be directed to any one of the processes 101 (110-126) not explicitly described herein below.

[0085] In one embodiment, the rotating device 100 is used to replace a conventional hot gas generator used outside the kiln system 118, i.e. for raw material (pre)treatment, clinker (post)treatment / cement product handling, and / or other processes, e.g. fuel / coke production, to dry raw materials and / or products. In this embodiment, the rotating device 100 is assembled into a suitable unit 101 and utilized to produce a hot fluid medium 2, e.g. air, carbon dioxide, or other flue gas, or a mixture thereof, which is further fed into a heat consuming process. An exemplary process includes heating and drying any one of the cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement product, performed at any cement production process stage (110, 112, 114, 120, 122, 134, 126) during pre-clinkerization and post-clinkerization periods. For example, heating and / or drying of materials involved in the cement production process may be performed during grinding or milling in the green mill (110) and / or the cement mill (124), mixing, homogenization, and storage (112), mixing may be performed in an additive mixer (122), drying of raw materials may be performed in a coal / pet coke mill (126) optionally provided as part of a separate coke plant, heating of clinker precursors may be performed in a preheater (114), and / or drying of the clinker may be performed in a cooling unit (120).

[0086] Figures 2A and 2B and Tables 1A and 1B below show the advantages of assembling a rotary device 100 into a process unit instead of a conventional hot gas generator device. Figure 2A shows a schematic of a conventional gas combustion chamber operating on fossil fuels, which is used to produce hot flue gas 3a by burning fuel gas 1 in the presence of air 2a. The temperature of the flue gas is adjusted to a desired level by dilution air 2b for further use (stream 4). Table 1A shows the flow and process related parameters corresponding to the conventional hot gas generator of Figure 2A.

[0087] FIG. 2B shows the replacement of the hot gas generator with a rotary device 100 according to an embodiment. The feed 2a is now an inert gas, such as air, nitrogen, or steam. Since no fossil fuels are utilized, the arrangement of FIG. 2B produces essentially no GHG emissions. For example, Table 1B shows that no carbon dioxide is formed. Similarly, NO x The formation of emissions can also be avoided or significantly reduced (not shown). The gas heated in the apparatus 100 can be further directed as stream 4 into any heat consuming process 101 shown in Figures 1A and 1B.

[0088] [Table 1]

[0089] [Table 2]

[0090] The rotating device 100 can be configured to allow heat input to the (pre)calciner 116. The rotating device can replace fossil fuel-fired burners in the (pre)calciner unit. (Pre)calcination takes place before clinkerization 118 and consumes about 60% of the energy required for clinker production. Energy is used to preheat the raw materials, which removes carbon dioxide from the decomposed limestone according to equation 1 above. Conventional (pre)calcination units, in addition to fuel, also utilize hot air (about 900° C.) recycled thereto from the clinker cooling (see FIG. 1B, reference 120). The rotating device 100 can be configured to increase the temperature of the air flow in (pre)calcination and thus reduce the amount of fossil fuel required for (pre)calcination.

[0091] The rotating device 100 may further be configured to allow heat input into the clinkerization unit 118 and thus into the kiln. The device 100 may be retrofitted into an existing kiln configuration to heat the combustion air. The heated air (FIG. 1B, stream 2) produced by the device 100 may be fed into the main burner of the kiln system. In this way, the amount of fossil fuel used to power the kiln may be reduced. In some configurations, the rotating device 100 may be configured to heat the combustion air to about 1500-1700° C., and additional reactive chemicals or reactive chemical mixtures may be added directly into the sintering process (118) to further increase the process temperature. In this way, the temperature of the flue gases discharged from the kiln burners may be increased to 2200-2400° C. For example, utilizing hydrogen as the additional reactive chemical may significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the clinkerization unit 118. The clinkerization unit 118 may be configured as an alternative to a traditional rotary kiln system, such as a fluidized bed kiln system.

[0092] Cement kilns produce cement by heating a mixture of limestone and clay to temperatures in excess of 1450°C. During this time, the limestone releases CO2 and reacts to form calcium oxide. While the chemical reaction of limestone to form calcium oxide is the primary source of CO2 emissions from the cement manufacturing process, a large proportion of emissions come from burning fossil fuels to reach the high temperatures required. Rotating equipment can also be applied to partially or completely replace fossil fuel incineration by providing hot air, nitrogen, steam, or CO2 to heat the raw materials.

[0093] During the burning of cement clinker, it is necessary to maintain a charge temperature of up to 1450°C to ensure that the required sintering reactions occur. In conventional heating processes, this is achieved by heating the combustion gases to about 2000°C. The rotating equipment 100 allows additional amounts of energy to be generated for use in the clinkerization process 118, so that less fossil fuel is required to reach the required gas temperatures, the maximum required temperature. The clinkerization process 118 operates under conditions where there is an excess of oxygen in the combustion gases (typically 2-3%), since the clinker needs to be burned under oxidizing conditions.

[0094] Clay is a common raw material used in cement production. Thermally or chemically activated clay improves the reactivity of the cement product. However, when the clay is mixed with cement raw materials (e.g. limestone), its thermal activation in the kiln system 118 may not produce a very high reactivity of the clay. In such cases, a separate activation kiln (not shown) can be used to optimize the calcination conditions and produce a clay with improved (re)activity. Clays with a moisture content of more than about 20% can be fed directly into the kiln system 118, for example formed as a rotary kiln. Here, the clay is dried, heated and activated at temperatures up to 900° C. using hot flue gases originating from the combustion of fuels or hot gases generated by a gas generator device. The rotary device 100 can be used to inject heat, for example, into the kiln system 118 or into the clay activation kiln mentioned above, by completely or partially replacing the hot gas generator and / or the burner of the kiln system.

[0095] The rotating device 100 may further be configured to allow heat input during the process of drying and grinding solid fuel, e.g. petroleum coke (pet coke) and / or coal, in the mill 126 formed as a coal mill / pet coke mill. Pet coke is a by-product of the oil refining industry. In dried form, pet coke is used as high-energy fuel in the cement kiln system 118 and in the (pre)calciner 116. In the mill 126, a hot gas generator is used to produce hot gases to dry the ground material for better pulverization. In an embodiment, the rotating device 100 is used to generate a heated fluid medium that can be further fed into the mill 126, thus replacing the hot gas generator as described above. The fluid medium 1 heated in the rotating device 100, e.g. air, nitrogen, steam, etc., is fed to the mill 126 as stream 2. The flue gas 3 from the mill 126 can be cooled in a heat exchanger (not shown) and recycled back to the rotary device for optimal heat integration and for heat and energy recycling. Depending on the amount of flue gas 3 recycled from the mill 126 to the rotary device 100, the amount of gas 2 required to maintain optimal flow rate and energy capacity may be correspondingly reduced. Through the recycling of the flue gas 3, the amount of flue gas emitted to the atmosphere can be minimized. The finely ground / powdered pet coke 4 produced in the mill 126 is used as fuel in the clinkerization / sintering process carried out in the kiln 118, the calcination 116, and / or any other process within the cement production facility (not shown).

[0096] Mill 126 may form part of cement production facility 1000. Additionally or alternatively, a separate coking plant for coking coal to form coke may be provided external to cement production facility 1000 (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, fuel for kiln 118 and calciner 116 (FIG. 1B, stream 4) may be produced from dried waste, e.g., municipal solid waste, dried biomass, and from fossil-derived fuels, e.g., diesel or heavy gas oil, in suitable process units and / or plants (not shown).

[0097] Similarly, the rotating machine 100 may be configured to allow heat input into the preheater 114 to preheat the cement raw materials (reactive cement clinker precursors), and into the heat recovery unit / cooler 120 to recover heat from the hot combusted clinker and cool the clinker going to intermediate storage. In the present invention, the rotating machine 100 reduces the need for a blower since it heats the recycle gas and also increases the pressure as needed for recycle.

[0098] The hot gas 2 produced in the apparatus 100 may be delivered to any one of the units / processes 101 and recycled back to the apparatus 100 as stream 3. As an example, hot gas from the kiln 118 may be used to heat the raw material in the preheater 114 (recycle path not shown) to a temperature in the range of about 810°C to about 830°C. The clinker leaving the kiln 118 at a temperature in the range of about 1200-1250°C is rapidly cooled in the heat recovery unit / clinker cooler 120, and the hot gas recovered upon cooling can be recycled back to the rotating equipment 100 (recycle path not shown). The goal is to recover the gas at a high temperature and recycle it back to the rotating equipment. The off-gas leaving the preheater 114 at a temperature of about 300-360°C can also be used in the clinker cooler 120 (recycle path not shown). The carbon dioxide-rich waste gases released in unit 101 can be further purified and / or carbon can be captured from these waste gases and reused or permanently stored, for example in underground geological formations (not shown).

[0099] In the disclosed installation, it is further possible to recycle at least a portion of the waste gases released from the heat consuming process 101 back into the rotary device (directly or indirectly, i.e. through several purification / heat recovery units). In such a case, the rotary device can be set up to heat the recycle gas, which contains a large amount of CO2.

[0100] It is noted that Figure 1B does not show heat exchangers or other equipment typically used for heat recovery, such equipment being described in connection with Figure 3.

[0101] According to an embodiment, a rotating device 100 configured to generate a heated fluid medium to be fed into a cement production facility includes a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disk mounted on a rotor shaft, and a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the rotor being enclosed within the casing. In the device 100, a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations that occur when the fluid medium flow propagates between the inlet and the outlet within the casing of the rotating device and passes through the at least one row of rotor blades, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0102] The embodiment of the rotary device 100 generally follows the disclosures of rotary reactor devices according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,937 (Bushuev), U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,038 (Bushuev), and U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 (Seppala et al.), and radial reactor devices according to U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 (Xu and Rosic), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Any other embodiment that can be configured to employ the method according to the embodiment may also be utilized.

[0103] In the above referenced patents, rotating turbomachinery type devices are designed as reactors for processing hydrocarbons, specifically for steam cracking. The general requirements for these applications are rapid heating of the gases, high temperatures, short residence times, and plug flow (a flow model that does not imply axial mixing). These requirements lead to designs in which the turbomachinery type reactors have several heating stages housed in a relatively small volume.

[0104] The present disclosure can be used as a heater to electrify rotating equipment (including but not limited to those referenced above) and generate a heated fluid medium that is further fed in a heat consuming process 101, such as a process related to the production of cement. The incorporation of a rotating equipment heater unit into a heat consuming process can significantly reduce greenhouse gas and particulate emissions. As an example, the rotating equipment can replace fuel-fired heaters in various applications mentioned above. The temperature range can be extended from about 1000°C (generally achievable with the reactor equipment referenced above) to at least about 1700°C and even up to 2500°C. Rotating equipment configurations that can achieve these high temperatures are possible due to the absence of aerodynamic hurdles.

[0105] The rotating device 100, which is adapted according to the embodiment to be incorporated into a cement production facility and adapted to generate a heated fluid medium for the method according to the embodiment, thus comprises a rotor shaft positioned along a horizontal (longitudinal) axis with at least one rotor unit mounted on the rotor shaft. The rotor unit comprises a plurality of rotor (working) blades arranged around a rotor hub or rotor disk. Together, the rotor blades form a rotor blade cascade. The rotating device 100 thus comprises a plurality of rotor (working) blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disk mounted on a rotor shaft, which rotor blades form an essentially annular rotor blade assembly or rotor blade cascade.

[0106] In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of stationary vanes arranged in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades, in which the rotating apparatus is operated such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow channeled along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades, respectively, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0107] In some embodiments, the stationary vanes may be arranged in a stationary vane cascade (stator). The stationary vane cascade may be provided in an essentially annular assembly upstream of at least one row of rotor blades. The stationary vanes arranged in the assembly upstream of at least one row of rotor blades may be provided as stationary guide vanes, e.g., inlet guide vanes (IGVs), and may be configured with a profile, size, and arrangement about a central axis to direct fluid flow into the rotor in a predetermined direction, e.g., to control, and in some cases maximize, the inherent work input capability of the rotor.

[0108] The rotating machine is formed with two or more essentially annular rotor blade rows (blade cascades) arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft. In such a case, the fixed guide vanes may be provided upstream of the first rotor blade row, upstream of each rotor blade row in turn, or upstream of any selected rotor blade row in the consecutive arrangement of rotor blade rows.

[0109] In an embodiment, the rotary device 100 further comprises a diffuser region arranged downstream of at least one rotor blade row (rotor blade cascade). In such a case, the rotary device is operated such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along a flow passage formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes successively through the stationary guide vanes, the at least one rotor blade row, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow. The diffuser region can be formed with or without stationary diffuser vanes. In some configurations, a vaned or vaneless diffuser is arranged in the diffuser region downstream of at least one rotor blade cascade. In some configurations, the diffuser can be realized as a plurality of stationary (stator) vanes. These stationary vanes are arranged to form a diffuser vane cascade, which is provided as an essentially annular assembly downstream of the rotor.

[0110] The rotor, stationary guide vanes, and diffuser region are enclosed within an internal passage (duct) formed within the casing.

[0111] In some configurations, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 (Xu and Rosic), the provision of a diffuser may be omitted and the diffuser area may be formed by an essentially vane-free portion of the duct (the so-called vaneless space) located downstream of the rotor and configured with respect to its geometry and / or dimensional parameters to diffuse the high velocity fluid flow arriving from the rotor.

[0112] The provision of a vaneless section of the duct is common to all the configurations of the rotating device 100. Depending on the configuration, the vaneless section (vaneless space) is located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic) or downstream of the diffuser vane cascade (see U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev and U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al.). In some configurations, such as those described by Seppala et al., the rotating and fixed blade rows in the internal passage inside the casing are arranged such that a vaneless section is formed between the outlet from the fixed diffuser vanes located downstream of the rotor blades and the inlet to the fixed guide blades located upstream of the rotor blades of the following rotor blade cascade unit.

[0113] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" as used herein refer to the spatial and / or functional location of a given part or component, here a structural part or component relative to the rotor, in the direction of fluid flow (from inlet to outlet) through the entire device.

[0114] Overall, a rotor with a working blade cascade may be positioned between rows of fixed (stator) vanes arranged in an essentially annular assembly (called a cascade) on one or both sides of the working blade row. Configurations including two or more rows of rotor blades / rotor blade cascades arranged consecutively (sequentially) on / along the rotor shaft are conceivable, with or without fixed blades between them. If there are no fixed vanes between the rows of rotor blades, the velocity of the fluid medium propagating through the duct increases in each subsequent row. In such a case, a number of stationary vanes may be arranged in said sequence upstream of the first rotor blade cascade (as fixed guide vanes) and downstream of the last rotor blade cascade (as fixed diffuser vanes).

[0115] A rotor blade row (rotor blade cascade), optionally enclosed inside a casing with a fixed diffuser vane assembly (diffuser region), and a portion of the duct downstream of said rotor blades, can be considered as a minimum process stage (hereafter stage) configured to mediate a complete energy conversion cycle. Thus, the amount of kinetic energy added to the fluid medium flow by at least one rotating blade row is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves the rotor blades and propagates in the duct towards the following rotor blade row or enters the same rotor blade row following an essentially helical trajectory formed inside the essentially toroidal shaped casing. The duct (confining the rotor circumference) is preferably shaped in such a way that as the fluid flow propagates in the duct, it slows down, dissipates kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium, and adds an amount of thermal energy to the fluid medium flow.

[0116] A fixed guide blade row, located upstream of at least one rotor blade row, provides the required flow conditions at the entry of the rotating blade rows (cascade) during the energy conversion cycle.

[0117] In some configurations, the process stage is established by an assembly consisting of a fixed guide vane (upstream of the rotor blades), a row of rotor blades and a diffuser area arranged downstream of said rotor blades. The diffuser area is optionally provided as an essentially vane-free part of the tact provided with the diffuser vanes. During the energy conversion cycle enabled by the successive controlled propagation of the fluid medium flow through the fixed guide vanes, at least one row of rotor blades and the diffuser area, respectively, the mechanical energy of the rotor shaft is converted into kinetic energy and then into the internal energy of the fluid, which subsequently increases the fluid temperature. The amount of kinetic energy imparted to the fluid medium flow by the rotating blade row is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves the rotor blades and passes through the diffuser area in a duct, the fluid decelerates, dissipates the kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium and an amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium flow. Within the rotor blade rows, the flow accelerates and the mechanical energy of the shaft and the rotating blades is transferred to the fluid flow. In at least a portion of each rotor blade row, the flow can reach supersonic flow conditions. In the diffuser region, the high-speed fluid flow arriving from the rotor is diffused with a significant entropy increase. This causes the flow to dissipate kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid material, which in turn provides thermal energy to the fluid. If the flow upstream of the diffuser is supersonic, the kinetic energy of the fluid flow is converted into the internal energy of the fluid through a system of multiple shocks and viscous mixing and dissipation. The increase in the internal energy of the fluid results in an increase in the fluid temperature. The energy conversion function can be performed, for example, by a vaneless section of a duct located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic) and / or by a diffuser vane assembly (see U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al.).

[0118] The rotating machine 100 can be formed as a multi-stage or single stage solution. A multi-stage configuration can be considered to include several rotor units (e.g. 1-5 rotor blade rows arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft) alternating with a common diffuser area (vaned or vaned).

[0119] In an exemplary embodiment outlined in US Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., the rotating device 100 can be realized substantially in the shape of a ring torus, where the cross section of the duct in the meridian plane forms a ring-like profile. The device includes a rotor unit arranged between stationary guide vanes (nozzle vanes) and stationary diverging vanes. Stages are formed with rows of stationary nozzle vanes, rotor blades, and diverging vanes. Through these the fluid flow propagates successively according to a flow path established on the basis of an essentially helical trajectory. In this embodiment, the fluid flow circulates through the rotating rotor blade cascade several times, propagating between an inlet and an outlet inside the device. A similar ring-shaped embodiment is described in US Pat. No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev.

[0120] In another exemplary configuration, as outlined in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., the rotating machine 100 may be configured as an essentially tubular, axial-type turbomachine. In such a configuration, the machine includes an elongated (elongated) rotor hub along which a plurality of rotor blades are arranged in several successive rows. The rotor is enclosed within a casing, the inner surface of which includes stationary (stator) vanes and diffuser vanes. The stationary and diffuser vanes are positioned longitudinally (from inlet to outlet along the length of the rotor shaft) along the rotor hub, alternating with the blades / vanes of the stator, rotor cascade, and diffuser cascade. The blades of the rotor cascade at a particular location longitudinally along the rotor form a stage together with adjacent pairs of stationary guide (nozzle) vanes and diffuser vanes, respectively.

[0121] In the described configuration, subsequent stages have blade / vane-free spaces between them.

[0122] In yet another exemplary configuration outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic, the rotary machine 100 may be configured as a radial turbomachine. Radial turbomachines generally follow the design for centrifugal compressors or centrifugal pumps. The term "centrifugal" implies that the fluid flow inside the machine is radial, and thus the machine may be referred to as a "radial flow machine" in this disclosure. The machine includes several rotor units mounted on an elongated shaft. Each rotor unit is preceded by a fixed guide vane. A vaneless section of duct (e.g., a U-bend or S-bend) shaped in a manner that allows for energy conversion is disposed after the rotor units. Additionally, the configuration may include a separate diffuser device (vaned or vaneless) disposed downstream of the rotor.

[0123] In all the above forms, the rotating device 100 functions in the same way in the method disclosed herein. During operation, an amount of input energy directed into at least one rotating device incorporated in a heat consuming process installation is converted into mechanical energy of the rotor. Conditions in the rotating device are adjusted to create flow conditions. In this flow condition, the amount of kinetic energy imparted to the fluid medium flow by the rotating blades of the rotor is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves at least one rotor blade row and enters a subsequent or the same rotor blade row by passing through a duct and / or a diffuser region. The rotor blade row may be preceded by a fixed guide vane. Conditions that can be adjusted therefore include at least adjusting the fluid medium flow propagating between an inlet and an outlet inside the casing of the rotating device. Adjusting the flow may include adjusting an operation-related parameter of such device, such as temperature, mass flow rate, pressure, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the flow conditions can be adjusted by changing the shape of a duct formed inside the casing.

[0124] In some exemplary configurations, the rotating device can be configured to achieve fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet along a flow path established based on any one of an essentially helical orbit formed inside an essentially toroidal shaped casing as discussed in either one of U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev and U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., an essentially helical orbit formed inside an essentially tubular casing as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., an essentially radial orbit as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic, and a flow path established by a fluid medium flow in the form of two spirals rolled up as side-to-side vortex rings as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 7,232,937 to Bushuev. The aerodynamic design of the rotating device can be varied.

[0125] The rotating devices utilize a drive engine. In a preferred embodiment, the devices utilize electrical energy as input energy, and thus the devices are electric motor driven. For the purposes of this disclosure, any suitable type of electric motor (i.e., a device capable of transferring energy from a power source to a mechanical load) can be utilized. Suitable couplings disposed between the motor drive shaft and the rotor shaft, as well as various appliances such as power converters, controllers, and the like, are not described herein. Additionally, the devices can be directly driven, for example, by a gas or steam turbine, or any other suitable drive device. In a layout involving the parallel connection of several rotating devices 100 to a common heat consuming unit 101, such as a blast furnace, one or more of the devices may utilize different types of drive engines, for example, electric motor driven devices can be combined with devices driven by steam turbines, gas turbines, and / or gas engines.

[0126] Electric power (defined as the rate of energy transfer per unit time) can be provided into the rotating equipment through the supply of electrical current to an electric motor used to drive the rotating shaft of the equipment. The supply of electrical power into the rotating equipment can be achieved from an external source (relative to the rotating heater unit / apparatus 100 and / or the heat consuming process equipment 1000). Additionally or alternatively, electrical energy can be produced within the equipment 1000.

[0127] The external source includes various support facilities provided for sustainable energy production. Thus, the power can be provided from a power generation system utilizing at least one renewable energy source, or a combination of power generation systems utilizing different renewable energy sources. The external source of renewable energy can be provided as solar power, wind power, and / or hydroelectric power. Thus, power can be received into the process from at least one of the following units: a solar power generation system, a wind power generation system, and a hydroelectric power generation system. In some exemplary examples, a nuclear power plant can be provided as an external power source. Nuclear power plants are generally considered to be emission-free. "Nuclear power plant" should be interpreted as using traditional nuclear power, and additionally or instead of nuclear fusion power.

[0128] Electricity can be provided from a power plant that utilizes a turbine as a kinetic energy source to drive a generator. In some cases, the power for driving at least one device 100 can be provided from at least one gas turbine (GT), for example provided as a separate unit or within a cogeneration unit and / or within a combined cycle power plant. The power can thus be provided from at least one of the following units: a combined cycle gas turbine plant (CCGT), and / or a cogeneration unit configured for electricity production combined with heat recovery and utilization through combined heat and power (CHP). In some examples, the CHP plant can be a biomass combustion plant to increase the share of renewable energy in the described process. Additionally or alternatively, the supply of power can be realized from a spark ignition engine, for example a gas engine, and / or a compression engine, for example a diesel engine, optionally provided as part of an engine power plant. Additionally, any conventional power plant configured to produce electrical energy from fossil feedstocks such as coal, oil, natural gas, gasoline, and the like, typically mediated through the use of steam turbines, may be used to generate electrical energy as an input energy for the rotating machine 100. Hydrogen may also be utilized as a renewable energy source and reconverted, for example, to electricity using fuel cells.

[0129] Any combination of the above power sources implemented as external and internal sources is contemplated. Capturing low emission power from another (external) source improves the energy efficiency of heat consuming process equipment.

[0130] The introduction of input energy, including electrical power, into the driving engine of the rotating equipment may be further accompanied by directing mechanical shaft power from a power turbine to the driving engine, optionally utilizing thermal energy generated elsewhere in the plant 1000 or external to the plant. Shaft power is defined as the mechanical power transferred from one rotating element to another, calculated as the sum of the shaft torque and rotational speed. Mechanical power is defined as the amount of work or energy (measured in watts) per unit time. In practice, the shaft power from, for example, the electric motor and the power turbine may be split so that either one of them may provide the entire shaft power or a portion thereof.

[0131] In practice, the shaft power from, for example, the electric motor and the power turbine may be split so that either one of them may provide the total shaft power or a portion thereof.

[0132] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the layout of a high-temperature heat-consuming process facility at 1000 configured to carry out a method according to an embodiment. The heat-consuming process 101 may be any process related to cement production and described in connection with Figures 1A and 1B. The block diagram sections shown in dashed lines are optional. The layout shown in Figure 3 may thus be applied in its entirety to any one of the process units 101 shown in Figures 1A and 1B. Depending on the nature of the heat-consuming process 101, necessary modifications may be introduced.

[0133] The rotating device 100 is configured to receive a feed stream 1, hereafter feed 1. Overall, feed 1 can comprise or consist of any suitable fluid, e.g. liquid or gas, or a combination thereof, provided as a pure component or a component mixture. The feed can be raw gas, process gas, make-up gas (so-called replacement / supplement gas), and the like. Gaseous feeds can comprise inert gases (air, nitrogen gas, and the like), or reactive gases, e.g. oxygen, flammable gases, e.g. hydrocarbons, or any other gas, such as hydrogen and ammonia. The feed is selected depending on the process; that is, the nature of the heat-consuming process 101 (and indeed the specific industry / industry sector to which said heat-consuming process 101 belongs) implies specific requirements and / or limitations for the choice of the feed material. Thus, in the production of cement, feed 1 is typically air, or a combination of air with additional oxygen, and / or combustion fuel. In some cases, (water) steam can be used. Other oxygen-free gases can be used, such as nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4). Carbon oxides can be used to the extent that their concentration in the feed gas does not affect the calcination reaction in the (pre)calciner 116.

[0134] Feed 1 preferably enters the apparatus 100 in essentially gaseous form. Preheating of the feed or conversion of liquid and essentially liquid feeds into gaseous form can be carried out in an optional preheater unit 102. The preheater unit is formed as a (pre)heater device or group of devices. In the preheater unit 102, the feed stream initially provided in gaseous form (e.g. process gas) can be further heated (e.g. superheated). In the preheater unit 102, feed 1 can be evaporated if it is not already in gaseous form and, optionally, superheated.

[0135] The preheater unit 102 may be any conventional device / system configured to provide heat to a fluid material. In some forms, the preheater unit 102 may be a fired heater (i.e., a direct fired heat exchanger that uses hot combustion gases (flue gases) to increase the temperature of a fluid feed, e.g., a process fluid, flowing through coils disposed within the heater). Additionally or alternatively, the preheater unit 102 may be configured to utilize energy made available by other units in the heat consuming facility (e.g., by extracting thermal energy from the hot stream 13 arriving from a heat recovery section). The preheater unit 102 may thus be configured to utilize other steam streams, as well as electrical and / or waste heat streams (not shown).

[0136] Depending on the heat consuming process, which in this embodiment is cement production, and the associated equipment, the feed stream 1 used to produce a heated fluid medium, e.g., air, by the rotary heater unit (apparatus 100) comprises unused feed (fresh feed) and / or recycle streams. Thus, feed 1 can consist of any one of fresh feed, recycle (fluid) streams, and mixtures thereof. Stream 2, representing the (pre)heated feed, may comprise, in addition to feed 1, all recycle streams, e.g. arriving from the purification section 105 and / or the heat recovery section 104.

[0137] In the rotating heater unit / rotating device 100, the temperature is increased to the level required by the heat consuming process 101 or to the maximum level achieved by the rotating device. If the temperature increase achieved by the rotating device 100 is not sufficient for the heat consuming process and / or if, for example, the temperature of the fluid needs to be increased again after it has transferred its heat to the heat consuming process, the temperature can be increased further by arranging additional heater units (100B, 103), further called "booster" heaters, downstream of the rotating heater unit 100 (100A). See the explanation regarding FIG. 4B. Each additional heater unit comprises or consists of an additional heating device realized according to:

[0138] The heat recovery section is shown in Figure 3 at 104. The recovered heat can be further used to heat the feed stream 1 and / or the recycle stream (a separate recycle stream is shown in Figure 3 at 11).

[0139] Heat recovery may be provided through collecting gases exiting the process unit 101 and recycling these gases to the preheater unit 102 and / or the rotary device 100. The heat recovery unit 104 may be represented by at least one heat exchange unit (not shown). Heat exchangers based on any suitable technology may be utilized. Heat recovery may be optional in heating the feed gas if the heat is consumed elsewhere or if it is not possible to recover the heat for safety or other reasons.

[0140] In the facility layout 1000, the heat recovery unit 104 can be located before and / or after the preheater 102. In the latter configuration, the heat recovery unit 104 is arranged to recover heat from the hot fluid medium (stream 5) flowing from the cement manufacturing process 101. This heat may be further utilized to heat the feed stream 1 and the recycle stream 11. On the other hand, if the heat recovery unit 104 is located before the preheater 102, the feed 1 is first directed to the unit 104 (as stream 12) and then returned to the preheating section 102 as stream 13. In such a case, the unit 104 acts as a first preheater.

[0141] In some cases the gases require purification, e.g. from dust and particulates, before being led to the heat recovery section. Purification can be achieved, e.g., by a series of filters arranged before the heat recovery section 104 (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, the gases leaving the process unit 101 may be led to a purification unit 105 (bypassing the heat recovery section 104) and returned to the heat recovery section after purification (not shown).

[0142] In addition to value products, the process gas may also contain unwanted impurities and by-products. The impurities and by-products may accumulate and / or be harmful to the heater apparatus 100, 103 and / or the process unit 101. The purification and separation of the stream discharged from the heat consuming process 101 is performed in the purification unit 105. The unit 105 may include several appliances, such as filters, cyclones, etc., configured to mechanically remove dust and solid particles. Any conventional purification / separation method and device may be utilized. Exemplary purification / separation methods include cryogenic separation, membrane processing, pressure swing adsorption (PSA), distillation, absorption, and any combination of these methods. The unit 105 may include devices configured to increase the gas pressure, for example by compression. Typically, the purification unit 105 operates at a lower temperature than the process unit 101. Therefore, the product gas stream is cooled (for example in the heat recovery section 104) before entering the purification unit. It is also important to control the composition of the recycle gas 11 in order to minimize the extent of reactor bed fouling at 101 .

[0143] The purification unit 105 can be further configured to purify waste gas, e.g., carbon dioxide, for further carbon capture. Waste gas discharged from the cement production facility as stream 7 (FIG. 3) can be further directed to carbon capture (not shown). Suitable waste gas purification methods include, e.g., PSA, distillation, absorption, etc.

[0144] The heated fluid medium required to carry out the heat consuming process 101 is generated by at least one rotating device 100 .

[0145] In one embodiment, the heated fluid medium is generated within the rotating device 100, where an amount of thermal energy is added directly into the fluid medium propagated through the device. In such a case, the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device may be, for example, a process gas, such as a hydrocarbon-containing gas.

[0146] In cement production, the heated fluid medium generated in the tumbling device is further used as a carrier for transferring thermal energy to a heat consuming unit 101, the carrier being configured to perform or mediate a heat consuming process (101). For example, an inert gas, such as air, nitrogen, or steam (H2O), is heated in the tumbling device 100 and the inert gas is further used to transport the heat generated by the tumbling device to a furnace configured to perform the process 101 related to the production of cement. In this regard, the generation of a heated medium (e.g. a fluid or solid stream utilized by the process 101) can be performed outside the tumbling device through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated in the tumbling device and a suitable medium utilized by the process 101 and thus bypassing the tumbling device. FIG. 3 thus shows stream 9 (process stream) bypassing the rotary device 100 and meaning in this context the feed / process stream (e.g. cement raw material, e.g. limestone, cement clinker, cement product, and / or coke), whereas streams 1-4 arriving at the process unit 101 via the rotary heater 100 mean the fluid medium (e.g. air, nitrogen, steam, carbon dioxide-containing gas, or other heating medium) led to the process unit 101 to heat the "cold" process stream 9. When the process fluid to be heated is at high temperature or under vacuum, it may be preferred to use an inert hot gas as heating medium in indirect heating applications. Stream 10 represents the "hot" process stream and / or product stream, respectively. In case unit 101 is a clinkerization kiln (FIGS. 1A, 1B, reference 118), stream 10 represents the cement clinker (led to unit 120 for cooling in FIG. 1B), whereas stream 5 represents the (inert) fluid medium stream (same as 1-4) leaving unit / process 101. In indirect heating, streams 9 and 10 refer to the working or process fluids, whereas streams 1-5 represent the heat transfer media. Thus, in indirect heating, unit 101 acts as a "heat exchanger" type device, which allows the transfer of thermal energy between two fluids flowing through the device, without direct contact between said fluids.

[0147] 4A-4D show an exemplary layout of a rotating equipment 100 in relation to a heat consuming unit / process 101.

[0148] FIG. 4A follows the implementation setup shown in FIG. 2A. In FIG. 4A, a basic embodiment of a rotating device 100 is shown in a schematic manner, configured to inject heat into a fluid medium stream (feed stream 1) led through the rotating device. The heated streams leaving the device 100 are respectively indicated with the reference number 2. In the basic embodiment, the rotor system of the rotating device 100 is aerodynamically configured so that a volume of fluid is heated to a predetermined temperature while propagating along a flow path formed between an inlet and an outlet in the casing of the device 100 (so-called "one-pass" embodiment). The device 100 allows a temperature increase (delta T, ΔT) in one stage in the range of about 10° C. to about 120° C., in some embodiments up to about 500° C. In the case of a multi-stage embodiment, the fluid can thus be heated up to 1000° C. in a "one-pass" implementation (a temperature increase of 100° C. per stage in the case of a 10-stage device). Since the residence times that the fluid medium spends passing through the device stages are on the order of a few seconds, for example on the order of about 0.01 to 1.0 milliseconds, fast and efficient heating can already be achieved in the basic configuration. The temperature rise can be optimized as required.

[0149] 4B illustrates the basic concept involved in so-called booster heating, which is any method of heating a fluid medium, e.g., a process gas, beyond the capabilities of a stand-alone heating device 100.

[0150] The temperature boost can be considered thermal, chemical or both. In the first configuration, also called "thermal boost", an additional rotary heater device (shown as 100B in Figs. 4B, 4C and 4D) is placed downstream of the "primary" rotary heater device (shown as 100A in Figs. 4B, 4C and 4D). The devices 100A, 100B are generally recognized within the scope of this disclosure as rotary heater unit 100. The production of a heated fluid medium can thus be achieved by providing at least two rotary devices 100A, 100B connected in series. A fluid medium stream (feed stream 1) is heated to a predetermined temperature in at least the first rotary device (100A) in the series, referred to here as the primary heater. The fluid medium flow (see flow 2) is then further heated in at least the second rotating device (100B) in the series by injecting an additional amount of thermal energy into the fluid medium flow (see flow 3) propagating through the second rotating device 100B, "preheated" in the first rotating device 100A. The device 100B is therefore called a booster heater. The devices 100A, 100B may be identical or may vary in terms of size or internal design. A train of two or more booster devices, for example 100B, may be arranged after the primary heater 100A. The booster devices may be arranged in parallel or in series, or in any combination that allows the optimization of their rotational speed and aerodynamic characteristics.

[0151] In a second additional or alternative configuration (also referred to as "chemical boost"), an additional heating device, designated by the numeral 103 (FIGS. 3, 4B), is configured to receive a reactive component 5, such as a combustible fuel, into the fluid media stream propagating therethrough, thereby providing heat by exothermic reaction prior to directing said fluid media stream to the heat consuming process 101 of cement production. In this configuration, a temperature boost can be achieved by introducing (e.g. injecting) a reactive chemical 5 into the fluid media stream directed through the additional heater unit / heating device 103. Note that stream 5 in FIG. 4B corresponds to stream 8 shown in FIG. 3.

[0152] The reactive chemical-based booster heater unit 103 may be placed after the thermal booster heater unit 100, 100B (FIG. 4B) or immediately after the primary heater 100, 100A (FIG. 3). The reactive chemicals (reactants) 5 may include combustion gases, such as hydrogen gas, hydrocarbons, ammonia, oxygen, air, other gases and / or any other suitable reactive compounds, optionally with a catalyst. In the unit 103, by exothermic reactions, the fluid stream can be heated to a level that typically cannot be achieved by a single rotating device that does not participate in chemical-mediated heating (see stream 4). For example, a fuel gas, such as hydrogen, can be introduced into an oxygen-containing process gas, such as air. At high temperatures, hydrogen and oxygen enter into an exothermic reaction to produce water molecules (hydrogen combustion).

[0153] The temperature of the gas may be increased by injecting fuel gas with air (or enriched oxygen) through a burner into the booster heater unit 103. Air and / or oxygen may be added if the heated gas contains flammable gases and these gases may be consumed only for heating. The process gas may contain H2, NH3, CO, fuel gases (methane, propane, etc.) that may be combusted to produce heat. If feasible, heat may also be produced by injecting other reactive gases.

[0154] The additional heater 103 configured for chemical boosting may be formed as a piece of pipe or as a chamber in which an exothermic reaction takes place and / or may include at least one rotating device 100 arranged to receive a reactive compound for supporting an exothermic reaction to produce additional heat energy. The booster section 103 may thus include at least one rotating device 100. Optionally, the reactive chemical may be injected directly into the heat consuming process 101 (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, reactive chemical mediated boosting may also be implemented in a single device 100, 103 modified accordingly.

[0155] In a configuration involving booster heating, the temperature of a fluid medium stream preheated to a predetermined temperature in a first rotating device (100A) can be further increased to a maximum limit in a subsequent heater unit (100B, 103). As an example, the temperature of a fluid medium stream preheated to about 1700° C. in the primary heater (100A) can be further increased to 2500° C. or more in a subsequent heater unit (100B, 103).

[0156] The above concepts can be used separately or in combination to introduce reactive chemicals 5 into any one of the parallel or series (in series) connected devices 100. A booster heater is optional.

[0157] Additionally or alternatively, pre-heating and additional heating may be performed in the same apparatus 100 (not shown). This may be accomplished in a multi-stage configuration, which includes several rotor units (e.g., 1-5 rotor blade rows arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft) alternating with a common diffuser region (vaned or vaned).

[0158] Additionally or alternatively, booster heating can be used (not shown), for example when the temperature of a fluid once heated in the rotating device 100 needs to be increased again after the fluid has transferred its heat to the heat consuming process 101.

[0159] A rotating device assembly can be established when at least two rotating devices, e.g. 100A, 100B and optionally 103 (if 103 is implemented as a rotating device 100), are connected in parallel or in series (see e.g. Figs. 4B-4D). The connection between the rotating devices 100 realized as "primary" heaters 100A or "booster" heaters 100B, 103 can be mechanical and / or functional. A functional connection (e.g. in terms of achievable heat input) can be established when there is coordination between at least two individual, physically integrated or not integrated, individual equipment units. In the latter case, the coordination between the at least two rotating devices can be established via some auxiliary equipment (not shown). In some forms, the assembly includes at least two devices connected in a mirror-like manner to each other. Thereby, said at least two devices are at least functionally connected via their central (rotor) axis. Such a mirrored configuration may be further defined as having at least two rotating devices 100 mechanically connected in series (in series), while the functional connection may be considered as a parallel (array) connection. In some cases, the "mirrored" array may be further modified to include at least two inlets and a common exhaust (ejection) module located essentially at the center of the array.

[0160] The rotating devices (see 100A, 100B, 103 in FIG. 4B) can be assembled on the same (rotor) shaft. Each rotating device can optionally be equipped with a separate drive (motor) allowing independent optimization of the device. If two or more separate rotating devices are used, the construction costs (materials, etc.) can be optimized in terms of operating temperatures and pressures.

[0161] Additionally or alternatively, at least one rotating device within the assembly can be designed to increase the pressure of the fluid flow, and thus at least one rotating device within the assembly can be assigned a combination of heater and blower functions.

[0162] Additionally or alternatively, a stream containing a reactive or inert gas (e.g., stream 8 in FIG. 3) can be fed to the rotating device 100 (not shown) or to any equipment downstream of said device (e.g., in the heat-consuming process section 101). Thus, a reactive gas (e.g., stream 8 in FIG. 3) may be injected directly into a heat-consuming process unit if the latter is configured to receive such a chemical.

[0163] FIG. 4C shows the use of a rotary heater arrangement 100A, optionally 100B, with indirect process heating (see also the description of FIGS. 3A-3C). The rotary arrangement 100 (100A, 100B) can be used for indirect heating of a fluid in a heat consuming unit 101. Heat is transferred between two immiscible fluids in a heat exchanger type configuration. Thus, a fluid, e.g. a gas or a liquid, can be evaporated (vaporized) or superheated in the heat exchanger arrangement 101, which can be realized for the fluid heated in the rotary arrangement 100. The heat consuming unit 101, which is configured to correspond to a heat consuming process, can be represented by any (existing) fired heater, reactor or furnace, or any conventional heat exchanger arrangement. The "heat exchanger" configuration (101) can be selected as required for optimal heat transfer. The heating gas (see streams 1-3) can be selected to be optimal for heating and safety (e.g. steam, N2, air). The gas heated in rotating devices 100A, 100B can be at near atmospheric pressure, or the pressure can be increased to improve heat transfer. The heat transfer medium 3 heated in device 100 (stream 3 exiting 100B) is directed to a heat consuming process 101, where heat is transferred from stream 3 to a "cold" process stream 6, thereby producing a "hot" process stream 7. Stream 4 represents the (inert) heat transfer medium effluent, respectively.

[0164] Process streams 6 and 7 in FIG. 4C thus correspond to streams 9 and 10, respectively, in FIG. 3 (indirect heating configuration), whereas heat transfer medium streams 3 and 4 in FIG. 4C correspond to streams 3 (optionally 4) and 5, respectively (indirect heating configuration).

[0165] FIG. 4D shows the rotary heater apparatus 100A with a preheater 102 and a recycled process fluid (stream 4) recycled from a heat consuming process (not shown). The preheater can be electric, fired, a combustion engine, a gas turbine, etc., and it can be a heat exchanger to recover excess heat from any hot stream in the process. The presence of the preheater 102 is optional. This concept can include an optional booster heater 100B located downstream of the apparatus 100A. Thermal or chemical booster heating can be utilized. Stream 1′ represents the (feed) fluid sent to the preheater 102. The fluid is further propagated through the rotary apparatus 100A, 100B, where the feed is heated and sent in stream 3 to the heat consuming process.

[0166] Any one of the rotating devices 100A, 100B can be equipped with a fluid recycle device (see flow 4 in FIG. 4D). Any combination of rotating devices and fluid recycle devices is contemplated. Recycling is possible through recirculation of the fluid media stream through at least one rotating device.

[0167] In some configurations, the rotary device 100 can utilize low oxygen content flue gas discharged from a conventional fired heater. In such cases, the hot flue gas discharged from the fired heater is mixed with recycled gas (stream 4 in FIG. 4D) and used for heating in the rotary heater 100, 100A. The oxygen content in the flue gas used in the described case is preferably below the flammability limit to allow safe heating.

[0168] As is clear to those skilled in the art, with the development of technology the basic idea of ​​the invention can be realized and combined in various ways, the invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the above examples, which may vary widely within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claim 1 A method of producing cement, the method comprising generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated within a cement production facility, the at least one rotating device comprising a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, a plurality of stationary vanes arranged upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades so as to form an assembly, wherein an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades respectively, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium, the method further comprising - introducing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated within the cement production facility, wherein the input energy includes electrical energy, - supplying a flow of heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device into the cement production facility, and - operating the at least one rotating device and the cement production facility so as to carry out cement production at a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 500 °C, further comprising a method of producing cement. Claim 2 The method according to claim 1, wherein within the cement production facility, the at least one rotating device is connected to and / or incorporated within at least one heat-consuming unit configured to carry out a process related to cement production. Claim 3 In the cement production facility, the at least one heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected and / or incorporated is (i) a clinkerizing unit configured to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker, (ii) a heater and / or dryer configured to heat and / or dry cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products, (iii) a mixer and / or homogenizer configured to act on any one of cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products, (iv) a post-clinkerization treatment unit configured to cool cement clinker and / or form cement products, (v) a mill configured to dry and grind solid fuel such as petroleum coke and / or coal, or (vi) any combination thereof, the method according to claim 1.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected in the cement production facility is at least one kiln configured to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising generating the fluid medium heated to a temperature essentially equal to 500 °C, or a temperature exceeding about 500 °C, preferably essentially equal to about 1200 °C, or exceeding about 1200 °C, more preferably essentially equal to about 1700 °C, or exceeding about 1700 °C.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device to create the conditions under which the heated fluid medium is generated.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heated fluid medium is generated by at least one rotating device comprising two or more rotor blade rows arranged continuously along the rotor shaft.

8. The heated fluid medium is generated by at least one rotating device further including a diffuser region disposed downstream of at least one rotor blade row, and the method is based on a series of energy conversions that occur when the fluid medium flow successively passes through the stationary vanes, the rotor blades, and the diffuser region, such that an amount of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along the flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium. The method includes operating the at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein in the rotating device, the diffuser region is formed with or without stationary diffuser vanes.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the amount of thermal energy applied to the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device is controlled by adjusting the amount of input energy guided into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the cement production facility.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further including disposing an additional heating device downstream of the at least one rotating device and introducing a reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium flow propagating through the additional heating device, whereby the amount of thermal energy is immediately applied to the fluid medium flow through an exothermic reaction.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reactive compound or the mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium flow preheated to a predetermined temperature.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reactive compound or the mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium flow preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 1700 °C.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the preheating of the fluid medium to the predetermined temperature is carried out in the rotating device.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heated fluid medium is generated by at least two rotating devices incorporated into the cement production facility, and the at least two rotating devices are connected in parallel or in series.

16. At least two continuously connected rotating devices produce the heated fluid medium, the fluid medium stream is preheated to a predetermined temperature in at least a first rotating device within the continuum, and an additional amount of thermal energy is introduced into the preheated fluid medium stream propagating through the second rotating device, whereby the fluid medium stream is further heated in at least a second rotating device within the continuum, the method according to claim 15.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein in at least the first rotating device within the continuum, the fluid medium stream is preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 1700 °C.

18. By introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into the stream, an additional amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium stream propagating through at least the second rotating device within the continuum, the method according to claim 16.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, including introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into a process related to the production of cement.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fluid medium entering the rotating device is essentially a gaseous medium.

21. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, including generating the heated fluid medium within the rotating device.

22. The heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device is air, steam (H ２ O), nitrogen (N ２ ), hydrogen (H ２ ), carbon dioxide (CO ２ ), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH ４ ), or any one of any combination thereof, the method according to claim 21.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device is a recycled gas recycled from the exhaust gas generated during a process related to the production of cement.

24. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further including generating the heated fluid medium, such as a gas, vapor, liquid, and mixtures thereof, and / or a heated solid material outside the rotating device through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device and any one of the above substances bypassing the rotating device.

25. The heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotary device is supplied into at least one heat-consuming unit inside the cement production facility, and the heat-consuming unit is (i) a clinkering unit formed to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker, (ii) a heater and / or dryer formed to heat and / or dry cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products, (iii) a mixer and / or homogenizer formed to act on any one of cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products, (iv) a post-clinker treatment unit formed to cool cement clinker and / or to form cement products, (v) a mill formed to dry and grind solid fuels such as petroleum coke and / or coal, or (vi) any combination thereof, and is provided as any one of them, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

26. The heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotary device is further supplied into at least one heat-consuming unit inside the cement production facility, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is provided as any one of a burner, a furnace, an oven, a reactor, an incinerator, a combustion chamber, a boiler, a conveyor device, or a combination thereof, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

27. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising increasing the pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotary device.

28. The certain amount of energy led as input energy into the at least one rotary device incorporated in the cement production facility is in the range of about 5 percent to 100 percent, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

29. The certain amount of electrical energy led as input energy into the at least one rotary device incorporated in the cement production facility can be obtained from a renewable energy source, or various different energy sources, optionally a combination of renewable energy sources, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

30. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one rotating device is incorporated into the cement production facility together with at least one heater device operable with non - electrical energy, thereby being utilized to balance fluctuations in the amount of electrical energy, optionally the amount of renewable electrical energy, such as supply surpluses and shortages.

31. The cement production facility according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the energy efficiency of the cement production facility is improved and / or the greenhouse gas emissions and particulate emissions within the cement production facility are reduced.

32. A cement production facility, comprising at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one heat - consuming unit configured to carry out a process related to cement production, wherein the at least one rotating device comprises a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of fixed vanes arranged upstream of at least the upstream side of the at least one row of rotor blades to form an assembly, and the at least one rotating device is formed to operate such that an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades respectively, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium, and the at least one rotating device is formed to receive an amount of input energy including electrical energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy into at least one heat - consuming unit, and the heat - consuming unit is formed to carry out a process related to cement production at a temperature essentially equal to about 500 °C or above about 500 °C. cement production facility.

33. The at least one heat-consuming unit is any one of: (i) a clinkerizing unit formed to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker; (ii) a heater and / or dryer formed to heat and / or dry cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products; (iii) a mixer and / or homogenizer formed to act on any one of cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products; (iv) a post-clinkerizing unit formed to cool cement clinker and / or to form cement products; (v) a mill formed to dry and grind solid fuel, such as petroleum coke and / or coal; or (vi) any combination thereof, and the at least one rotating device is connected to and / or incorporated in any one of (i) to (vi). The cement production facility according to claim 32.

34. The heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one kiln formed to thermally convert cement raw materials into cement clinker. The cement production facility according to claim 32.

35. The at least one rotating device is further connected to a heat-consuming unit formed as any one of a burner, a furnace, an oven, a reactor, an incinerator, a combustion chamber, a boiler, a conveyor device, or a combination thereof. The cement production facility according to any one of claims 32 to 34.

36. The at least one rotating device includes two or more rotor blade rows continuously arranged along the rotor shaft. The cement production facility according to claim 32.

37. The at least one rotating device further includes a diffuser region arranged downstream of the at least one rotor blade row. The cement production facility according to claim 32.

38. The rotating device includes the diffuser region formed with or without fixed diffuser vanes. The cement production facility according to claim 32.

39. The at least one rotating device is further formed to increase the pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device. The cement production facility according to claim 32.

40. The cement production facility according to any one of claims 32 to 34 and 36 to 39, wherein at least two rotating devices are arranged to form an assembly and are connected in parallel or in series.

41. A cement production facility formed to carry out a process related to producing cement through the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

42. A method of injecting thermal energy into a process related to producing cement within a cement production facility, the method including generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated within the cement production facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of fixed vanes arranged to form an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades, including, the method further including - incorporating the at least one rotating device into a cement production facility formed to carry out a process related to producing cement at a temperature essentially equal to about 500 °C or at a temperature exceeding about 500 °C, - directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated within the cement production facility, wherein the input energy includes electrical energy, and - operating the at least one rotating device incorporated within the cement production facility such that an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades, thereby generating a flow of the heated fluid medium. further including, A method of injecting thermal energy.

43. The process related to producing cement within the cement production facility is (i) a process for thermally converting cement raw materials into cement clinker, which is carried out within a clinkering unit, (ii) a process for heating and / or drying cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products, which is carried out within a heater and / or dryer, (iii) a process for mixing and / or homogenizing cement raw materials, cement clinker, and / or cement products, which is carried out within a mixer and / or homogenizer, (iv) a process for cooling cement clinker and / or forming cement products, which is carried out within a post-clinkering treatment unit, (v) a process for drying and pulverizing solid fuels such as petroleum coke and / or coal, which is carried out within a mill, or (iv) any one of any combinations thereof, the method according to claim 42.

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