Kiln shell:
This is made from rolled mild steel plate, usually between 15 and 30mm thick, welded to form a cylinder which may be up to 230m in length and up to 6m in diameter. This will be usually situated on a east/west axis to prevent eddy currents.
Upper limits on diameter are set by the tendency of the shell to deform under its own weight to an oval cross section, with consequent flexure during rotation. Length is not necessarily limited, but it becomes difficult to cope with changes in length on heating and cooling (typically around 0.1 to 0.5% of the length) if the kiln is very long.