Roanoke´s conversion to a 6-stage precalciner

Carolinas Cement Company made a decision in 1993 to modernize its Roanoke, Virginia plant to cut the costs of maintenance and fuel, and to reduce emissions. The decision was made to permanently shutdown the four long, dry kilns and to modify Kiln 5 from a traveling grate system to a modern preheater and precalciner system. The modified Kiln 5 would produce 2730 MTPD of clinker which equaled the total output of the four, long dry kilns and the traveling grate combined. Roanoke Cement and Fuller worked together to convert the existing kiln 5 into an efficient, easy to operate, low maintenance, and environmentally friendly clinker production line. This system can consistently run at low fuel consumptions even at high percentages of bypass and a clinker capacity at least 10% higher than the targeted amount. The run time for the kiln has increased significantly, as the knowledge and understanding of the process increases. This fact is very evident by the 90% runtime achieved in September of 1996, only weeks after completion of the commissioning phase