# US 7,461,466 B2 · Method and apparatus for drying wet bio-solids using excess heat from a cement clinker cooler

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- Number: US 7,461,466 B2
- Document ID: US7461466B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/866,999
- Filed: 2004-06-14
- Published: 2005-12-15
- Granted: 2008-12-09
- Earliest claimed: 2004-06-14
- Assignees: Lehigh Cement Company
- Inventors: Edward L. Morton; Laszlo Szabo; Rainer Nobis; Shane Alesi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7461466B2

## CPC

- C10L 5/44: on vegetable substances
- C04B 7/4438: {the fuel being introduced directly into the rotary kiln}
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Method and apparatus for drying wet bio-solids by utilizing waste heat from a clinker cooler in a cement making process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for drying wet bio-solid material for use as a fuel or fuel additive in a cement making process comprising the steps of:
extracting excess heat from a clinker cooling apparatus used in said cement making process;
using said excess heat extracted from said clinker cooler to heat a contact drying surface;
exposing said wet bio-solid material to said contact drying surface whereby said bio-solids are dried by evaporation of moisture and volatile components from said wet bio-solids;
condensing water evaporated from said bio-solids for reuse or safe disposed;
recovering said volatile vapors for introduction into a combustion process in said cement making process; and
recovering a dried bio-solid product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said contact drying surface is heated by a heat exchange fluid heated by said excess heat in said clinker cooler.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A method according to claim 2 wherein temperature of said heat exchange fluid is controlled to control the moisture content of said dried bio-solids.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said volatile organic components are introduced into a main burner of a kiln used in said cement making process.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said water condensed after evaporation from said bio-solids is used in a gas conditioning step in said cement making process.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said dried bio-solid product is inventoried in a storage device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A method according to claim 6 wherein said dried bio-solids are inventoried in a storage device with bio-solids dried off site.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said dried bio-solids are cooled to 40° C. or 104° F.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said recovered bio-solids are used in a main combustion zone of said cement making process.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 wherein said recovered bio-solids are used in one of a calciner, loop duct combustion zone or both in said cement making process.