Method and apparatus for drying wet bio-solids using excess heat from a cement clinker cooler
Method and apparatus for drying wet bio-solids by utilizing waste heat from a clinker cooler in a cement making process.
1. A method for drying wet bio-solid material for use as a fuel or fuel additive in a cement making process comprising the steps of:
extracting excess heat from a clinker cooling apparatus used in said cement making process;
using said excess heat extracted from said clinker cooler to heat a contact drying surface;
exposing said wet bio-solid material to said contact drying surface whereby said bio-solids are dried by evaporation of moisture and volatile components from said wet bio-solids;
condensing water evaporated from said bio-solids for reuse or safe disposed;
recovering said volatile vapors for introduction into a combustion process in said cement making process; and
recovering a dried bio-solid product.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said contact drying surface is heated by a heat exchange fluid heated by said excess heat in said clinker cooler.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein temperature of said heat exchange fluid is controlled to control the moisture content of said dried bio-solids.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said volatile organic components are introduced into a main burner of a kiln used in said cement making process.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said water condensed after evaporation from said bio-solids is used in a gas conditioning step in said cement making process.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said dried bio-solid product is inventoried in a storage device.
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said dried bio-solids are inventoried in a storage device with bio-solids dried off site.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said dried bio-solids are cooled to 40° C. or 104° F.
9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said recovered bio-solids are used in a main combustion zone of said cement making process.
10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said recovered bio-solids are used in one of a calciner, loop duct combustion zone or both in said cement making process.