SOLID-LIQUID CALCINATION (SLC) PROCESS FOR LIQUOR BURNING
Alvarado, J.M., Hillary, J.E., Hiscox, B.A. and Raabauge, B.E.
Liquor burning is an old and well known process for removal of organics in Bayer liquors, but in general it is not considered to be user friendly. A new drying technology for dust-free conversion of a pumpable slurry feed into coarse dry pellets ready for calcination has been proved and patented. The new SLC process has been tested in a 24 MITPH pilot plant embodying a Gas Suspension Dryer (GSD) and a fluid-bed calcination unit. This paper reports the results of laboratory and pilot-plant testing for deciding the design of an SLC process, tailor-made to the plant liquor and alummous materials available in a particular Bayer plant. The future developments planned for the SLC process are outlined together with the background and working experience obtained from carrying out a multi-party, international development project.