MSWI fly ash was used as a major cement raw material in sintering sulphoaluminate cement clinker successfully in the laboratory. Sintering system, mechanical performance, hydration process and microstructure of the clinker was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), etc. The result shows that the clinker can be sintered properly under the temperature of 1200-1300 degrees C and sintered time of 120 min. Cl- content in the clinker made with MSWI fly ash is about 1.08%. However most Cl- cannot leach out in water solution from the hardened cement paste during curing age between 1 d and 28 d because of the Cl- being combined in clinker minerals and its hydrates. The compressive strength of the sulphoaluminate cement was high in early age while that developed smoothly in later age. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.