A New Design for Energy Saving in the Rotary Kilns of Cements Plants

Abstract

The cement industry is ranked first among the energy consuming industries. This is the reason why the efficient use of energy has always been a priority in that kind of industries. This process requires very high temperatures in order to initiate the reaction and phase changes required to form the complex of mineral compounds that confer to the cement its unique properties. Significant energy consumption and greenhouse emissions are caused by the overall process. Heat losses occur through different process levels, such as furnace casing, exhaust, clinker outlet, dust, etc. The heat loss through the furnace shell by radiation and convection is very important. This work has been devoted to the evaluation of radiation and convection heat losses in the process; it includes the acquisition and use of data for evaluation and heat loss at the furnace shell. The results indicate that almost 4% of the energy supplied to the furnace is lost through the wall. Therefore, improved energy efficiency can reduce cement production costs that can be achieved through energy management, by using more efficient processing equipment, replacing old facilities with new ones or by new types of cement production processes, carrying out the research and development needed to develop new cement plants. An energy balance has been made on a kiln of a Moroccan process of cement production, based on data measured on it, showing the amount of energy loss and the importance of development of a new system of energy saving.