Apparatus and method for the thermal treatment of lump or agglomerated material

An apparatus for the thermal treatment of lump or agglomerated material in a firing machine, the apparatus comprising:

• a travelling grate configured to convey the material through the firing machine;
• a firing chamber having a ceiling and side walls and being configured to generate temperatures required for the thermal treatment, the ceiling having a plurality of openings and the side walls having a plurality of burners that are directed obliquely upwards;
• a cooling zone configured to pass cooling gases through the thermally treated material so as to heat the cooling gases;
• and
• a recuperation tube configured to recirculate the heated cooling gases to the firing chamber through the openings in the ceiling.

A method for the thermal treatment of lump or agglomerated material in a firing machine, the method comprising:

• conveying the material through the firing machine on a travelling grate;
• thermally treating the material in at least one firing chamber of the firing machine, wherein temperatures required for the thermal treatment are generated by combustion of fuel, and wherein the firing chamber includes side walls having a plurality of burners that are directed obliquely upwards;
• cooling the thermally treated material by passing cooling gases therethrough so as to heat the cooling gases;
• and
• at least partly recirculating the heated cooling gases through a recuperation tube and into the firing chamber, wherein the heated cooling gases are sucked from the recuperation tube into the firing chamber through openings in a ceiling of the firing chamber.