Cement News tagged under: manufacturing technology

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The ins and outs of silo construction

24 April 2024, Published under Cement News

To keep up with increasing demands for materials, as well as manage expenses, nearly all cement manufacturing plants have the capacity for onsite bulk materials storage. Each type of storage structure has different advantages and construction requirements, the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of which are outlined below. By Dennis Blauser, US Silo Service, USA. Figure 1: 38.1m (125ft) tall x f54.9m (180ft) cement storage dome (© US Silo Service) When it comes to cement storage, protecti...

Achieving critical Mass in Iraq’s cement industry

15 April 2024, Published under Cement News

The Mass Cement plant is one of several located in the Bazian area in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. As an established cement plant and the largest in the country, it has been under strict environmental performance regulations and has targeted energy efficiency improvements in recent years.  From its humble beginnings in 2010, Mass Cement's plant in the Bazian district of Iraqi Kurdistan, the company has  developed into a key cement producer in the country ( © Mass Iraq Co for Cem...

Electric kilns power revolution

10 April 2024, Published under Cement News

With the global cement industry on the road to net zero cement production, new technologies for a decarbonised pyroprocessing line have been developed. These include electric kilns, which offer a fossil fuel-free alternative to the traditional kiln fired with carbon-rich fuels. Coolbrook explains the benefits of this new technology. By Dr Thomas Ouni, Coolbrook, Finland  Coolbrook's RotoDynamic Heater has the potential of generating temperatures of up to 1700°C solely usin...

Accelerated carbonation of concrete to sequester CO2

10 April 2024, Published under Cement News

This month Arthur Harrisson looks at the phenomenon of accelerated carbonation, its effects in concrete and carbonation methods. Figure 1: hydrated concrete – optical microscopy (©  A Harrisson) In a recent issue of ‘Concrete’, Davies and Ho 1 discussed the possibilities for carbon storage in concrete through accelerated carbonation. The methods proposed were the use of a chamber to force CO 2 into precast concrete or to include a CO 2 -bearing mineral in the cement to cause c...

Higher AF rates through new satellite burner design

25 March 2024, Published under Cement News

To achieve higher thermal substitution rates (TSRs) cement producers rely on advances in kiln burner technology and suitable strategies to overcome any issues in the burning process. The use of innovative satellite burners in the kiln firing process can support higher TSR rates. By ROCKTEQ GmbH, Germany. Figure 1: comparison of SRF from a kiln burner and a satellite burner trajectories derived from Analytical Air Classification results and an assumed burner setting. The residence t...

Cement additives supporting carbon neutrality

27 February 2024, Published under Cement News

Cement producers are reducing the clinker content in cement as one way of achieving their goals of carbon-neutral cement production. The use of chemical additives to the cement can support these efforts. By Paolo Forni and Emanuele Gotti, MAPEI Spa, Italy. Grinding additives can lower the dosage of the concrete admixture significantly, while maintaining slump (© MAPEI Spa) To achieve carbon neutrality goals by 2050, reducing the clinker content of cement offers an effective, fa...

Compressed air as a resource

27 February 2024, Published under Cement News

Compressed air is a valuable resource in any industrial plant. It is critical for the proper operation of the plants and in some cases can be linked to either the success or failure of specific equipment in the plant. This is 100 per cent true for air cannons. An air cannon’s reliability as well as cleaning capability is based upon a good air supply that can deliver sufficient energy for a sufficient duration to dislodge build-ups. Dracyon Corp explains the factors that impact on air cannon ...

ML/AI-based maintenance to enhance energy efficiency

14 February 2024, Published under Cement News

Recently, CemAI representatives were invited to present to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® division on the topic of machine learning/artificial intelligence’s (ML/AI) use in increasing energy efficiency. The ENERGY STAR programme was interested in the role that better maintenance and control of processes could play in cement manufacturing performance. By CemAI, USA. CemAI CEO Scott Ziegler outlined the benefits of machine learning and artifici...

Unlocking cement plant potential with digital twins

30 January 2024, Published under Cement News

Cement manufacturers operate in an increasingly complex environment, facing pressure to maximise production while minimising costs and environmental impact. However, leveraging data to optimise operations can be hindered by antiquated assets and disconnected data systems. Digital twins enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) present a solution. By Wizata SA, Luxembourg Cement producers operate under increasingly complex conditions, but by leveraging data to optimise operations thro...

Net zero shipping strategies

30 January 2024, Published under Cement News

As the maritime sector looks to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, fostering collaboration between cement producers and cement carrier operators can be of benefit to both industries. Decarbonisation options for both existing and newly constructed vessels can also enable more effective and efficient shipping operations. By Lukky Prasetyo, PT Indobaruna Bulk Transport, Indonesia. The International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) came into force on 1 ...