Assessment of Energy Performance and Emission Control Using Alternative Fuels in Cement Industry through a Process Model

Azad Rahman, Mohammad G. Rasul, M.M.K. Khan and Subhash C. Sharma
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Azad Rahman: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia
Mohammad G. Rasul: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia
M.M.K. Khan: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia
Subhash C. Sharma: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: Cement manufacturing is one of the most energy intensive processes and is accountable for substantial pollutant emissions. Increasing energy costs compel stakeholders and researchers to search for alternative options to improve energy performance and reduce CO 2 emissions. Alternative fuels offer a realistic solution towards the reduction of the usage of fossil fuels and the mitigation of pollutant emissions. This paper developed a process model of a precalciner kiln system in the cement industry using Aspen Plus software to simulate the effect of five alternative fuels on pollutant emissions and energy performance. The alternatives fuels used were tyre, municipal solid waste (MSW), meat and bone meal (MBM), plastic waste and sugarcane bagasse. The model was developed on the basis of energy and mass balance of the system and was validated against data from a reference cement plant. This study also investigated the effect of these alternative fuels on the quality of the clinker. The results indicated that up to a 4.4% reduction in CO 2 emissions and up to a 6.4% reduction in thermal energy requirement could be achieved using these alternative fuels with 20% mix in coal. It was also found that the alternative fuels had minimum influence on the clinker quality except in the case of MSW. Overall, MBM was found to be a better option as it is capable on reducing energy requirement and CO 2 emissions more than others. The outcomes of the study offer better understanding of the effects of solid alternative fuels to achieve higher energy performance and on mitigating pollutant emissions in cement industry.

Keywords: cement; alternative fuel; energy performance; emission; process modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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