As the creators of the most advanced alumina calciner systems in the industry, we value staying at the forefront of research and development. Our experts analysed every aspect of our Gas Suspension Calciner (GSC) system and discovered opportunities to address energy efficiency, economy of scale, and particle breakdown. Minor design changes on our end mean major productivity increases on yours. Our recent developments are a direct result of our customers’ desire to maximise throughput, cost efficiency and alumina quality.

Our new dust transport mode eliminates the dense-phase conveying system, resulting in:

• No compressed air requirement
• Reduced particle breakdown
• Reduced wear
• Reduced power consumption
• Lower CAPEX

 

An improved cyclone design reduces the cylindrical height and changes the inlet, leading to:

• Lower pressure drop
• Higher separation efficiency
• Reduced power consumption
• Improved vortex finder life
• Reduced particle breakdown for improved product quality

 

A more efficient holding vessel (HV) design now delivers:

• More reliable fluidisation
• Less risk of dead zones in the HV
• Reduced possibility of over-calcination
• Lower thermal impact to the HV refractory

 

Smarter digital interface with optional advanced process control (ECS/ProcessExpert®) gives you:

 

• Dynamic simulation
• Improved control on critical process parameters
• An operator training tool
• Reduced specific fuel consumption
• Increased productivity

 

A lower overall building height from the new design brings about:

 

• Reduced steel requirements
• Lower carbon footprint
• Reduced fuel consumption

 

With these new developments, our integrated alumina refinery concept features state-of-the-art process technology and proprietary equipment in a highly modular and standardised solution. We offer the ideal balance between customisability and cost-effectiveness.

Our alumina GSC features a vertical cylindrical design in which fuel is combusted in an external air heater. As fine ore (typically less than 1mm) is introduced above the GSD venturi, it directly contacts hot gases from the external air heater. Immediately entrained in the hot gases, the ore dries in seconds. Dry ore and spent gas then separate in a cyclone. Spent gas and dust report to a dust collector, and the gas vents to the atmosphere. The underflow from the cyclones and dust collector report as product.

 

The number of stages in the system can be custom designed, based on the materials being processed, process requirements, thermal and system efficiency optimisation and capacity. In addition, to preheating stages, cooling stages may also be incorporated to maximise heat recovery and limit downstream cooling requirements.

 

A closer look at our GSC components

Dust transport is a common cause of excessive power consumption. By eliminating the need to use compressed air, our newly developed transport system requires minimal power to transport dust particles back to the GSC system.

 

Our redesigned holding vessel (HV) provides the ideal retention time for solids to achieve the desired product quality. This new optimised design eliminates common deadstock issues and provides higher thermal efficiency, more reliable fluidisation and prolonged refractory life.

 

An improved cyclone design prolongs vortex finder life due to less wear on the equipment. A lower gas velocity in the cyclone reduces both pressure drop and wear on the vortex finder, which minimises the risk of particle breakdown. A shorter cyclone height helps to reduce the footprint and the building height. Fewer raw materials required for building further reduces your capital requirements as tied to structural costs.

Manual operation is notorious for wide fluctuations in temperature and excessive fuel consumption. Especially with advancements in digital technology, conditions remain more stable with an automated process. With ECS/ProcessExpert automatically keeping our GSC temperature zones stable and reducing fuel consumption, we offer the most efficient calcination process in the industry — with a marked reduction in CO₂ emissions.

 

Our renowned process control solution, ECS/ProcessExpert, is based on years of experience in advanced process control. It uses progressive techniques, such as model predictive control and fuzzy logic rules, to continuously monitor plant processes and quality parameters. ECS/ProcessExpert continuously computes new control set points, enabling it to fine-tune your processes more frequently and reliably than a human operator can do.