Numerical evaluation of co‐firing solid recovered fuel with petroleum coke in a cement rotary kiln: Influence of fuel moisture

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical simulation model for cocombustion of coarse Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) with pulverised petroleum coke in a rotary kiln producing cement clinker. The objective is to derive a reliable modelling methodology for design and optimisation of a kiln burner and for the control of the co-combustion process. In this simulation model both the solid fuels are treated as dispersed phases using the Lagrangian method. Two separate shape factors are used to account for the thermodynamic and aerodynamic behaviour of the coarse irregular-shaped SRF particles. Both the fuels undergo similar combustion process - heating, drying, devolatilisation followed by volatile and char combustion. Using such a numerical model the influence of fuel moisture on ignition, flame intensity, fuel burnout and heat output is evaluated. Further insight into the behaviour of SRF particles and the flame characteristics are obtained from video images of the combustion process recorded at a cement plant.