Our photo this week comes from a processing plant where a rotary kiln is being used to process a bulk solid.
The equipment in the image is a direct-fired rotary kiln with insulation on the exterior of the drum shell. Insulation helps to increase efficiency by reducing heat losses. This is often important in a direct-fired kiln, where heat can be lost through the shell. Insulating the shell, therefore, helps to keep the heat inside for processing.
This is critical when processing material in a rotary kiln, because the temperature within the kiln must be carefully controlled in order to maintain the temperature needed to carry out the chemical reaction or phase change.
Insulation can also be used when a direct-fired kiln does not utilize refractory. Refractory is a lining on the interior of the kiln that protects the shell of the kiln from the high temperatures within the kiln. However, it is sometimes desirable to utilize flights in a kiln in order to aerate the material and maximize heat transfer. In these settings, refractory would not be an option, and therefore insulation would increase your heating efficiency.
FEECO has been an expert in thermal processing for over 60 years. Our kilns are engineered around the material to be processed, providing a custom thermal processing solution to suit your exact needs. For more information on our custom rotary kilns, contact us today!