Method and installation for making cement clinker

A method of making clinker, which comprises:

• introducing previously decarbonated cement-making raw material into the baking zone of a kiln,
• baking said raw material under reducing conditions so as to complete the decarbonation of said raw material,
• clinkerizing said material in the baking zone whereby a major part of the volatile substances contained in said material are volatilized and carried by the combustion gases,
• diverting at least a portion of said gases from said kiln at a location upstream of the said baking zone,
• quenching the diverted gases by injecting into the flow of said gases a cool powderous or granular material to remove at least a portion of the volatile substances from the diverted gases and form a heated material loaded with volatile substances,
• causing heat exchange to take place between the heated material loaded with volatile substances and a flow of cool air to which said material transfers a major part of its thermal energy while being cooled,
• re-introducing at least a portion of the thus cooled material into the flow of combustion gases diverted at said location upstream of the baking zone, and
• removing the non re-introduced part of said material from the circuit.