Calcining furnace with gas-permeable wall structure

A regenerative shaft kiln for burning limestone or similar raw materials comprising:

• wall means formed of refractory material defining a kiln interior;
• burner means including at least one burner located in said kiln interior, said at least one burner having a burner opening arranged within said kiln at a distance from said wall means;
• an outer metallic shell surrounding said wall means on the outer side thereof and spaced therefrom in order to define an annular gap between said outer metalic shell and said wall means;
• and means for supplying a compressed gaseous medium into said gap between said outer metallic shell and said wall means;
• said wall means consisting essentially of refractory bricks having formed therein grooves in at least one lateral wall of said bricks, said grooves being formed to extend from an outer side of said bricks to an inner side thereof in order thereby to form said wall means to be gas-permeable at least in the region of said burner opening, said grooves being thus formed to extend completely through said wall means in flow communication between said gap and the interior of said furnace thereby effecting flow of said compressed gaseous medium therethrough.