Energy and Economic Comparison of Different Fuels in Cement Production

Abstract

Cement clinkerisation is the major energy-consuming process in cement manufacturing due to the high-temperature requirement. In this paper, energy data including specific energy consumption, forms, and types of energy used at different units of cement manufacturing processes were analyzed and compared for effectiveness, availability, cost, environmental, and health impact. Data from three different cement industries in Nigeria labeled as A, B, and C were used for the analysis in this study. The results of this research work established that coal is the cheapest energy source but environmental issues exonerate it from being the choice energy source. LPFO and Natural gas give better production output while minimizing pollution and health issues. When benchmarked against each other, Factory B was found to be the most energy-efficient in terms of output and cost of production. Although coal is cheaper compared to fuel oil and supposed to contribute a share of fuel used in cement industries, the industries are moving towards the use of alternative and conventional fuels to reduce environmental pollution. It is therefore recommended that deliberate effort to achieve appreciable energy-efficient levels should be the priorities of the cement industries in Nigeria.

Assessment the impact of different fuels used in cement industry on pollutant emissions and ambient air quality: a case study in Egypt

“…Consequently, increasing the percentage of TDF and RDF with decreasing the percentage of DSS, diesel, and coal will decrease the emissions and concentrations of TSP, NO 2 , and SO 2 and enhance the ambient air quality. Then, the use of an alternative fuel by cement plants is environmentally and economically justified and will reduce the environmental pollution [7,11], which is agreed with Chatziaras et al [7] and Fadayini et al [11]. Thus, it is recommended to increase the percentage of TDF and RDF and decrease the percentage of DSS, diesel, and coal in cement plants to maintain fossil fuel reserves, reduce air pollution levels, and improve ambient air quality providing substantial health benefits.…”

Calcium wastes as an additive for a low calcium fly ash geopolymer

“…In 2017, the world cement production reached 4100 million tons, resulting in the third-largest source of CO 2 emissions 2 . It has been reported that a ton of cement production consumes 60–130 kg of fuel depending on the production process; the primary fuels used in the cement kiln are coal, petroleum coke, and natural gas 3 , 4 . Recently, green cements or low-carbon cements have been developed to reduce CO 2 emissions and energy consumption in cement production.…”