Utilization of alternative fuels and materials in cement kiln towards emissions of benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylenes (BTEX)

Abstract

Co-processing in cement industry has benefits for energy conservation and waste recycling. Nevertheless, emissions of benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, and xylenes (BTEX) tend to increase compared to a non co-processing kiln. A study was conducted in kiln feeding solid AFR (similar to municipal solid waste, MSW) having production capacity 4600-ton clinker/day (max. 5000 ton/day) and kiln feeding biomass having production capacity 7800-ton clinker/day (max. 8000 ton/day). The concentration of VOCs emissions tends to be higher at the raw mill on rather than the raw mill off. At the raw mill on, concentration of total volatile organic carbon (VOCs) emission from cement kiln stack feeding Solid AFR 1, biomass, Solid AFR 2, and mixture of Solid AFR and biomass is 16.18 mg/Nm3, 16.15 mg/Nm3, 9.02 mg/Nm3, and 14.11 mg/Nm3 respectively. The utilization of biomass resulted in the lower fraction of benzene and the higher fraction of xylenes in the total VOCs emission. Operating conditions such as thermal substitution rate, preheater temperature, and kiln speed are also likely to affect BTEX emissions.