Cement Drying Equipment
Also known as the Cement Dryer, this heavy-duty rotary drum dryer removes moisture from cement raw materials, slag, coal, and other minerals before grinding or calcination. With drum volumes from 9.0 to 285 m³ and capacities of 1.9 to 76.0 t/h, it is available in direct and indirect heat configurations for any material and moisture level.
Product Overview
The rotary kiln dryer — commonly called the cement dryer — is a rotating cylindrical drum used to reduce the moisture content of granular and powdery materials before they enter downstream processes such as grinding, blending, or calcination. In a cement plant, it is most often used to dry limestone, clay, slag, coal, fly ash, and other raw materials and additives that arrive with high moisture.
Wet raw materials reduce grinding efficiency, cause bin blockages, and disrupt the stoichiometry of the raw mix. By passing through the rotary dryer, materials are heated and tumbled in a stream of hot gas, evaporating surface and inherent moisture down to the 1–2% level required for stable raw-mill operation. LIMING dryers handle feed moistures up to 20–50% and deliver uniform, predictable final moisture.
LIMING Machinery manufactures both direct-heat (hot gas contacts material directly) and indirect-heat (heat transferred through the drum wall) dryers, in a wide range of drum diameters and lengths. Robust construction, efficient lifting flights, and well-engineered dust collection ensure low energy use, high evaporation rate, and reliable continuous duty.
Classification
Dryers are classified by how heat is transferred to the material. LIMING supplies both main types.
Hot combustion gas flows through the drum and contacts the material directly. Highest thermal efficiency and evaporation rate, suitable for most cement raw materials, slag, and coal where direct contact is acceptable.
Heat is transferred through the drum wall or steam tubes, keeping the material and heating gas separate. Used for dusty, sensitive, or contaminant-prone materials where direct contact would cause quality or emissions issues.
Key Benefits
Engineered for high evaporation rate, low energy use, and reliable continuous-duty drying.
Optimized lifting flights cascade the material through the hot gas stream, maximizing gas–solid contact. Evaporation rates are high, and final moisture is reduced to 1–2% consistently across a wide feed-moisture range.
Counter-current or co-current gas flow, well-insulated drum, and efficient heat recovery from exhaust gas keep fuel and power consumption per tonne of evaporated water among the lowest in the industry.
20+ drum sizes from 9.0 to 285 m³ cover capacities of 1.9 to 76.0 t/h. Variable-diameter and multi-pass designs let you match the dryer exactly to your material and throughput.
Thick boiler-steel drum, oversized riding tyres and trunnions, and sealed drive system deliver decades of continuous service with minimal maintenance. Integrated with bag filter for clean exhaust.
Technical Data
Select a model based on your material, feed moisture, and required throughput. LIMING can also customize drum dimensions.
| Model | Drum Dia. (m) | Drum Length (m) | Volume (m³) | Capacity (t/h) | Slope (%) | Speed (r/min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RKD-φ1.0×8 | 1.0 | 8 | 6.3 | 1.9-2.4 | 3-5 | 2.8-5.5 |
| RKD-φ1.2×10 | 1.2 | 10 | 9.0 | 2.5-3.1 | 3-5 | 2.5-5.0 |
| RKD-φ1.5×12 | 1.5 | 12 | 21.2 | 4.5-5.5 | 3-5 | 2.2-4.5 |
| RKD-φ1.8×14 | 1.8 | 14 | 35.6 | 7.0-9.0 | 3-5 | 2.0-4.0 |
| RKD-φ2.2×16 | 2.2 | 16 | 60.8 | 12.0-15.0 | 3-5 | 1.8-3.5 |
| RKD-φ2.4×18 | 2.4 | 18 | 81.4 | 16.0-20.0 | 3-5 | 1.5-3.0 |
| RKD-φ2.6×20 | 2.6 | 20 | 106 | 21.0-26.0 | 3-5 | 1.5-3.0 |
| RKD-φ2.8×24 | 2.8 | 24 | 148 | 30.0-37.0 | 3-5 | 1.3-2.6 |
| RKD-φ3.0×25 | 3.0 | 25 | 177 | 35.0-44.0 | 3-5 | 1.2-2.4 |
| RKD-φ3.2×28 | 3.2 | 28 | 226 | 45.0-56.0 | 3-5 | 1.1-2.2 |
| RKD-φ3.4×30 | 3.4 | 30 | 272 | 55.0-68.0 | 3-5 | 1.0-2.0 |
| RKD-φ3.6×32 | 3.6 | 32 | 326 | 65.0-76.0 | 3-5 | 1.0-2.0 |
* Specifications are for reference only. Actual capacity depends on material properties, feed moisture, and hot-gas temperature. Contact LIMING for model selection.
How It Works
The rotary dryer operates on the principle of convective heat and mass transfer between a hot gas stream and a tumbling bed of wet material. The inclined, rotating drum moves material from the feed end to the discharge end while hot gas flows co-current or counter-current through the drum:
Frequently Asked Questions