Systems, methods and devices for cement manufacture

A system for high temperature processing of limestone into cement clinker, the system comprising:

• a. a reactor, wherein the reactor is a vertical furnace, the reactor comprising:
• i. a first section, a body section, and a final section;
• ii. the first section defining a first volume for holding a material comprising limestone;
• iii. the body section comprising an outer housing, a refractory material and a heat shield;
• the body section defining a second volume for holding and processing the material;
• the body section in fluid communication with an oxyfuel inlet;
• iv. the final section comprising the outer housing and the refractory material;
• the final section defining a third volume for holding and cooling the material;
• the section further comprising a cooler and an outlet for a cement clinker;
• v. whereby the first volume, the second volume and the third volume are connected such that the material can move from the first volume to the second volume and from the second volume to the third volume and from the third volume through the outlet;
• b. wherein the reactor is configured for the ignition of the oxyfuel in a packed bed of the material in the second volume and for injection of oxygen in the third volume to cool the material in the third volume and to preheat the oxygen in the third volume;
• c. wherein the reactor is configured to provide and maintain in the second volume:
• i. a temperature of an ignited oxyfuel that is greater than 1,300° C. temperature, thereby defining a gas temperature;
• and,
• ii. a temperature of the packed bed of the material that is greater than 1,300° C. thereby defining a bed temperature;
• and,
• iii. wherein the gas temperature and the bed temperature are within 150 degrees of each other;
• and
• d. wherein the reactor is configured to move the material from the first volume through the second volume and third volume to the outlet with gravity.

A high temperature oxyfuel method for high temperature processing of materials, the method comprising:

• a. filling a vertical reactor with a material;
• wherein the reactor comprises an inlet and an outlet and defines an inner volume between the inlet and the outlet, the inner volume comprising an upper preheating stage, a middle sintering stage, and a lower cooling stage, wherein a distance between the inlet and the outlet defines a reactor length;
• b. flowing an oxyfuel into the middle sintering stage and igniting the oxyfuel in the middle sintering stage, whereby oxyfuel burns at a gas temperature, and flowing oxygen into the lower cooling stage to cool the material in the lower cooling stage and to preheat the oxygen in the lower cooling stage;
• c. heating the material in the inner volume to a process temperature;
• d. wherein the process temperature and the gas temperature are from about 1,300° C. to about 2,200° C.;
• e. thereby converting the material into a product;
• and,
• f. moving the product through the outlet and out of the reactor, wherein the reactor is configured to move the material from the inlet through the inner volume to the outlet with gravity.

A system for high temperature processing of raw materials, the system comprising:

• a. a vertical reactor, the reactor comprising:
• i. a first section, a body section, and a final section;
• ii. the first section defining a first volume for holding a material;
• iii. the body section comprising an outer housing and a refractory material;
• the body section defining a second volume for holding and processing the material;
• the body section further comprising an oxyfuel inlet;
• iv. the final section comprising the outer housing and the refractory material;
• the final section defining a third volume for holding and cooling the material;
• the final section further comprising an outlet;
• v. whereby the first volume, the second volume and the third volume are connected such that the material can move from the first volume to the second volume and from the second volume to the third volume and from the third volume through the outlet;
• b. wherein the majority of the first volume contains the material,
• c. wherein the second volume contains an oxyfuel and a packed bed of the material;
• wherein the oxyfuel is ignited and wherein the packed bed fills the entire second volume and defines spaces within the packed bed containing the oxyfuel;
• and wherein the system is configured to inject oxygen into the final section to cool the material in the final section and to preheat the oxygen in the final section;
• d. wherein the oxyfuel fuel has a gas temperature and the packed bed has a bed temperature;
• wherein the gas temperature is greater than 1,300° C. and the bed temperature is greater than 1,300° C.;
• and wherein the gas temperature and the bed temperature are within 50 degrees of each other;
• and
• e. wherein the reactor is configured to move the material from the first volume through the second volume and third volume to the outlet with gravity.