Thermal Behavior and Gas Emissions of Biomass and Industrial Wastes as Alternative Fuels in Cement Production: A TGA-DSC and TGA-MS Approach

Ofelia Rivera Sasso, Caleb Carreño Gallardo, Jose Ernesto Ledezma Sillas, Francisco C. Robles Hernandez, Omar Farid Ojeda Farias (), Carolina Prieto Gomez () and Jose Martin Herrera Ramirez ()
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Ofelia Rivera Sasso: Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados, S.C. (CIMAV), Av. Miguel de Cervantes #120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico
Caleb Carreño Gallardo: Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados, S.C. (CIMAV), Av. Miguel de Cervantes #120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico
Jose Ernesto Ledezma Sillas: Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados, S.C. (CIMAV), Av. Miguel de Cervantes #120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico
Francisco C. Robles Hernandez: Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Advanced Manufacturing Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
Omar Farid Ojeda Farias: GCC, Vicente Suarez y Sexta s/n, Zona Industrial Nombre de Dios, Chihuahua 31105, Mexico
Carolina Prieto Gomez: GCC, Vicente Suarez y Sexta s/n, Zona Industrial Nombre de Dios, Chihuahua 31105, Mexico
Jose Martin Herrera Ramirez: Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados, S.C. (CIMAV), Av. Miguel de Cervantes #120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31136, Mexico

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: The cement industry contributes approximately 7% of global anthropogenic CO 2 emissions, primarily through energy-intensive clinker production. This study evaluates the thermal behavior and gas emissions of seven waste materials (sawdust, pecan nutshell, wind blade waste, industrial hose waste, tire-derived fuel, plastic waste, and automotive shredder residue) as alternative fuels for cement manufacturing, motivated by the limited information available regarding their performance and environmental impact, with bituminous coal used as a reference. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC) were used to quantify mass loss and energy changes, while TGA coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) was used to identify volatile compounds released during thermal degradation. Both TGA-DSC and TGA-MS were conducted under oxidative conditions. The analysis revealed that these waste materials can generate up to 70% of coal’s energy, with combustion primarily occurring between 200 °C and 600 °C. The thermal profiles demonstrated that these materials can effectively replace fossil fuels without releasing harmful toxic gases like HCl, dioxins, or furans. Combustion predominantly emitted CO 2 and H 2 O, with only trace volatile organic compounds such as C 3 H 3 and COOH. The findings highlight the potential of alternative fuels to provide substantial energy for cement production while addressing waste management challenges and reducing the industry’s environmental impact through innovative resource valorization.

Keywords: cement production; thermal analysis; mass spectrometry; gas emissions; alternative fuels (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: 2025
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