Delivering high thermal efficiency, excellent product quality and homogeneity, and low operating costs, our high-temperature shaft kilns meet the complex and specific needs of the refractory industry for single-step sintering of raw materials up to 2300°C.
By using the hot air previously used for cooling the product as secondary combustion air, we ensure very little heat is lost from the process. This allows FLS shaft kilns to achieve superior thermal efficiency, reducing overall energy consumption, even as we deliver the highest process temperatures on the market. Our kilns also fire a range of liquid, gaseous, and solid fuels, allowing fuel supply and costs to be optimised according to local fuel availability.
Our shaft kilns feature radially arranged burner lances that reach into the material bed to ensure optimal temperature distribution. The number of lances and levels can also be customised to deliver the optimal operating temperature and thermal profile for your application. Meanwhile, the variable-speed discharge device enables precise control of material retention time. This firing system-discharge mechanism combination ensures you consistently meet process and product quality specifications, whatever raw materials are in the mix.
Our shaft kilns are designed to reduce maintenance requirements. For example, the latest discharge mechanism design features a segmented top plate, with reduced diameter and height, improving thermal expansion properties and lowering thermal load and temperature profile. Cast from a high-temperature, wear-resistant alloy and incorporating autogenous wear protection, the top plate experiences less wear and tear than previous designs and can be retrofitted to existing kilns.
Our natural gas- or hydrogen-fired start-up burners offer the safest way to start or restart the shaft furnace for commissioning/recommissioning. Included as standard on new kilns, they are also available to retrofit existing installations. Meanwhile, the innovative top plate design – also available as a retrofit – reduces thermal load and temperature profile in the discharge mechanism. Made from a high temperature-resistant alloy, the top plate thus mitigates the safety risks associated with exposure to higher temperatures.