Production line and factory setup overview
An integrated medium/large lime plant converting tested limestone into quicklime and a controlled portion into hydrated lime. The route comprises limestone receiving, crushing and screening, kiln-feed storage and weighing, fuel preparation, vertical-shaft kiln calcination, lime cooling, quicklime screening and silo storage, controlled slaking with water, hydration ageing and classification, dust collection, separate silos, bulk or bag packing, laboratory release and environmental monitoring.
Recommended lowest-entry line configuration Proceed only after quarry chemistry, decrepitation, kiln fuel and permitted emissions are proven. Screen an integrated 50-100 t/day vertical-shaft kiln with calibrated stone sizing, fuel dosing, cooler, enclosed quicklime handling, a 3-5 t/h multi-stage hydrator, classifier, baghouses, separate quicklime and hydrated-lime silos, packing and laboratory. The hydrator cannot replace the kiln: it converts purchased or produced CaO into Ca(OH)2.
Production process and implementation sequence
- Limestone receiving, chemistry release and sizing
- Crushing, screening and kiln-feed storage
- Fuel preparation, dosing and kiln charging
- Vertical-shaft calcination and process control
- Quicklime cooling, screening and sealed storage
- Controlled slaking and multi-stage hydration
- Classification, dust collection and ageing
- Separate packing, laboratory release and dispatch
Products, capacity and market fit
- Afghan limestone can supply construction, water-treatment, mining and selected agricultural markets after product qualification.
- An integrated kiln and hydrator creates two products but requires strict material, fuel and safety control.
- A vertical shaft kiln offers a lower-capacity entry than a large rotary kiln when stone sizing and fuel are stable.
- Air emissions, caustic dust, high temperature and hydration heat require engineered controls and permits.
- Quicklime - Buyer-defined available CaO, reactivity, size, loss on ignition and residual carbonate - Mining, metallurgy, construction and water-treatment users after trials
- Hydrated lime - Available Ca(OH)2/CaO, fineness, moisture, bulk density and reactivity - Mortar, water treatment, mining and environmental users
Core production machinery and line specifications
| Machine / stage | Function / value | Production note |
|---|---|---|
| Limestone crusher, screens and storage | Produces narrow, clean kiln-feed sizing | Quarry-test dependent |
| Fuel preparation and gravimetric dosing | Feeds stable heat input to the kiln | Selected legal fuel |
| Vertical shaft lime kiln | Calcines CaCO3 into CaO | 50-100 t/day basis |
| Lime cooler and enclosed conveyors | Recovers heat and handles hot caustic quicklime | Low-air-inleak design |
| Quicklime screen and silo | Separates saleable lump/fine grades | Dedicated dry storage |
| Multi-stage lime hydrator | Slakes controlled quicklime with measured water | 3-5 t/h study basis |
| Classifier, ageing and hydrate silo | Controls fineness and completes reaction | Separate product route |
| Baghouse, packing and laboratory | Controls dust and releases both products | Emission and chemistry monitoring |
Raw materials, utilities and factory requirements
- Tested limestone with controlled CaCO3, MgCO3, silica, sulfur, alkalis and physical strength
- Permitted kiln fuel with stable calorific value, ash and sulfur
- Clean hydration water with controlled dosing
- Heat-resistant refractory, bags/bulk loading consumables, filters and critical kiln/hydrator spares
- Quarry-to-plant stone supply and covered graded feed storage
- Stable three-phase power and emergency/critical control backup
- Kiln fuel receiving, fire safety and combustion-air system
- High-temperature refractory, induced draft and continuous process instrumentation
- Baghouses, stack monitoring, sealed caustic-product handling and emergency showers
Indicative low-entry investment and implementation plan
These planning ranges prioritize economical machinery, local labor and local civil works. Final pricing follows confirmed capacity, product specification, delivery terms and site conditions.
| Scope | Indicative range | Entry-plan note |
|---|---|---|
| Stone preparation, storage and fuel systems | US$450k-1.20m | 50-100 t/day integrated basis |
| Vertical shaft kiln, cooler and quicklime handling | US$1.10m-3.00m | Core high-temperature plant |
| Hydrator, classifier, silos and packing | US$450k-1.35m | 3-5 t/h hydrate route |
| Civil works, utilities, emissions, erection and spares | US$700k-2.25m | Site and permit dependent |
| Indicative installed project total | US$2.70m-7.80m | Quarry fleet, land, building and working capital excluded |
Detailed proposal and next step
The proposal contains the complete line flow, machinery scope, raw-material and utility requirements, implementation stages and indicative entry planning. Final configuration follows confirmed products, capacity, site and budget.