Cyclone Calcination Furnace

Russia’s first cyclone calcination furnace, with a capacity of 500 tons/day, was built and placed in operation at the Ural Aluminum Plant of the Siberia-Ural Aluminum Company (in Kamensk-Ural’skii). The cyclone furnace took the place of rotary furnace No. 6 in March 2004. Operation of the furnace has shown that it offers the following advantages: a reduction in fuel consumption by a factor of 1.5; a 40% decrease in the emission of hazardous substances; the production of silica with a low (from 5 to 7%) content of the α-phase; an increase in the utilization factor from 0.82 to 0.973; low unit fuel consumption—95.9 kg/ton alumina. The furnace has now been in operation for 10 years without replacement of the lining or major repairs. Its successful use and cost-effectiveness (the capital investment was recouped in 2.5 years) show the need to replace the existing stock of inefficient and worn-out rotary furnaces used for the production of alumina.