Biomass Utilization for Cement Manufacturing

Abstract

India generates around 750 million tonnes of agro waste with surplus availability of 230 million tonnes, this huge quantity of biomass can act as a potential resource for energy recovery to the tune of 28 GW of power. The biomass as a raw material for energy generation is encouraged by different government policies. The biomass has to be utilized in a sustainable way for maximum resource re-circulation enhancing circular economy. Although the utilization of biomass for direct energy recovery is encouraged, it has an inherent problem of ash generation. But co-processing of this biomass in cement plant leads to an effective solution as it helps in complete thermal and material recovery without any formation of ash. Pre-processing is not needed for single type of biomass, while for mixed and heterogeneous biomass, preprocessing may be needed similar to the case of industrial wastes in coprocessing. Thus co-processing of biomass in cement plant as an alternative way of addressing the surplus agro waste was studied. A one-year study was carried out at one of the cement plants to analyse the potential of co-processing of agro waste such as rice husk, soya bean agro waste and gram husk in cement kiln. The study based on statistical data revealed operational & environmental sustainability. The economic potential was analysed based on the substitution benefit. The analysis further revealed insignificant impact on parameter like stack emission, clinker quality, leach property and cement property. The findings of study thus revealed the sustainability of co-processing agro waste in cement kilns.