Red River

RED RIVER IN CLINKER COOLER

1. Fine dusty clinker

3. Cooler design, air flow distribution Non-uniform clinker bed

2.Segregtion in kiln due to wide range in particle size. Material characteristics , and rotation of kiln

4.Operation and maintenance of cooler

Reason for red river Hot fine dust , wide granulometry in size and the consequent segregation are the key reasons for the red river formation in cooler When the cooling air tries to penetrate the closely packed fine clinker dust layer the air gets heated and expands manifold in volume , fluidizes dust and it stars flowing like water much faster than the grate speed and stops when it becomes black with bubbles. The shear stress exerted by the air results in kinetic energy of the mass, like thixotrpic in non newtonian fluids. Higher the shear force ( here air flow velocity ) higher the fluidity over a period of time. Finer and hotter the dust the more it shoots like flooded wild river. Some designers tried to put some dam ring in conventional grate coolers or flow arrestors on its way to reduce its velocity but it did not help as it jumps over the hurdles. This hot clinker dust erode and burn the plates . These are the reasons that make the cooler designers to invent new generation coolers .The stationary inclined grates with control flow aeration and controlled flow air regulators reduced red river problems considerably .In some new generation also coolers the problems still exists.

1.Dusty clinker and improvements To day it is common problem that clinker is dusty. In 1 mm sieve, if pass- through is 15-20 % it is a normal clinker. In classic wet process the clinker nodules are very good like pebbles. In this dry process with precalciner and higher production ,the fines generation is on the higher Side. Volatiles like sulfur ,alkalies and alternate fuels further aggravate this . Forced kilns and reduced conditions are also key reasons for dusty Clinker. Ring formation in the outlet or in the burning zone deteriorates nodulisation and force the kiln to operate on higher rpm which shifts clnker discharge away from center of the cooler • The nodulisation can be improved by modifying Alumina and silica ratio, to great extent. Optimise the liquid with right viscosity yield good nodules • Grinding the raw meal finer helps too especially when quartz and calcite are present . • Good homogenised raw meal having standard deviation in CaO Least Resistance To air flow

Q2

More resistance To air flow