The overriding aim of process tech-nology research is to optimise the energy consumption and the use of the workforce during cement pro-duction, and also the quality and uniformity of the cement. The Research Institute has extensive knowledge from wide-ranging and systematic studies on rotary kiln and grinding installations. The most recent measurements on kiln instal-lations should above all clarify the question of how increased material cycles can be reduced by process technology, so that disturbing kiln coating and process breakdowns can be avoided. Here, the effects that the composition of the raw material and the operation of the rotary kiln and preheater can have on the SO2.
A further major focus of the studies on precalciner plants concerns the possibilities for NOx reduction by carrying out staged combustion in the calciner.
Industrial and semi-industrial grinding and classifier installations are also being studied by the Research Institute. Above all, the effects of the different grinding systems and the modern classifier designs and modes of operation are tested. These affect the energy utilisation, the operating performance of the plants and the product properties. Particularly interesting here is the question as to how through different grinding plant systems, by grinding plants with high-pressure grinding rolls and cage rotor classifier, with ball-mills and cage rotor classifier, or with roller mills and cage rotor classifier, products can be manufactured which have different, deliberately adjusted particle size distributions. For the grinding of dry grinding feedstock the state of the technology is that the lowest use of electrical energy can be achieved by the use of the high-pressure grinding rolls, or else the roller mill. For the grinding and drying of moist feed, the roller mill is an efficient alternative.
