Lifter design for enhanced heat transfer in a rotary kiln reactor

Abstract

Rotary kiln reactors are frequently equipped with an axial burner with which solid burden material is directly heated. The burner flame provides the heat required for the vaporization of the water and the reaction of the solid phase. Lifters are commonly used along the length of the system to lift particulate solids and increase the heat transfer between the solid bed and the combustion gas. The material cascading from the lifters undergoes drying and reacting through direct contact with the gas stream. In this study, volume distribution of materials held within lifters was modeled according to the different lifter configuration and appropriate configuration was used for the design purpose. This was applied to the simplified one-dimensional heat balance model of a counter-current flow reactor, which contributes to the increase of the effective contact surface, and thereby enhances the heat transfer.