7th RUSC National Science Fiesta 2023

(Report Proposal)

Team Name

Solution Seekers

Team Members

1. Abdullahil Muhsee (Undergraduate Student, Dept. of

Civil Engineering)
2. Md Marjan Jahan Tazin (Undergraduate Student, Dept.
of Mechanical Engineering)

Name of the Institution

Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology

Group

University
Pictures of the Project

Fig. 1, Model Generation of the Eco-friendly Cement Factory on SolidWorks

Fig. 2, Pilot Reactor Mechanism for Carbon Dioxide Removal

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Fig. 3, Handcrafted layout of the Eco-friendly Cement Factory

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1. Information Related to the Project

1.1 Working Principles

The eco-friendly cement factory is a modified version of a conventional
Portland Cement Factory. Therefore, the working principles of the modified
sections are described below.

1.1.1 50-50 Mixing of Limestone and Sand

In a conventional cement factory, the sand and limestone are mixed at a
proportion of 30-70 percent. However, if the proportion is done at 50-50
mixing, the temperature can be reduced for preparing clinker can be reduced
from 1450 degree Celsius to 1200 degree Celsius. But the variation of the
proportion does not affect the final strength of the concrete made from the
modified cement (reference is given later).

1.1.2 Carbon Dioxide Removal Mechanism

Cement factories emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide while producing
cement. This carbon dioxide is a biproduct of the fuel combustion, limestone,
and burning of sugarcane bagasse.
There are other biproducts of combustion besides carbon dioxide, such as H 2O
(Vapor), SOx, and NOx for complete combustion and CO, PM, etc., for
incomplete combustion. But the project only focuses on removing carbon
dioxide, a greenhouse gas. This is done by a device called Pilot Reactor. The
working principle of the pilot reactor is given below (follow fig. 2 whiling
studying the principle)
1. The exhaust emissions go to the first column of the pilot reactor named
Absorber. These emissions come from combustion chamber of sugarcane
bagasse and the preheater.
2. When the exhaust gas enters the column, a substance named
monoethanolamine or MEA (liquid) is sprayed from the top. As the gas
tends to go upward due to natural circulation, gas and MEA carries a
crossflow. As MEA is sprayed, the surface area is massive. Thus, the

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 chemical reaction of capturing carbon dioxide is done effectively. But the
maximum removal of carbon dioxide is around 5%.
3. Then the reduced carbon dioxide gas is released to the atmosphere from
the top of the absorber column, and carbon dioxide rich MEA is
condensed below the column.
4. To reuse MEA, the condensed MEA is pumped to another column named
separator where MEA is gradually heated to 110 degrees Celsius. At that
temperature, MEA’s absorbability reduces and releases carbon dioxide.
The carbon dioxide gas is then collected from the top of the separator
column and lean mixture of MEA-CO2 is condensed at the bottom of the
column.
5. This lean mixture is then pumped to the top of absorber column for the
reuse. But this has heat energy that can be used to preheat the rich
mixture of MEA. For this, a shell and tube heat exchanger are used called
regenerator.
(The mechanism is designed based on the science a Canadian Cement Plant has
used where our honorable Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahed Hasan Khan
Tushar, department of Mechanical Engineering).

1.1.3 Waste Management

For waste management, sugarcane bagasse is used. Sugarcane bagasse has been
burned to create ash. This ash is replaced with the final cement by 5%. This
replacement does not affect the final cement quality (The test results are in
feasibility section.)

1.2 Cost
The cost of the project was around 2000 BDT as the model built for the project
showcase was made of cardboard and glue. But to make an implementation of
our project idea, collaboration with industrialists is needed.
Now, for the cost analysis, in the case of cement production in our project,
around 145 BDT can be saved due to using sugarcane bagasse ash.
Tables are given below that contains the cost analysis of the final cement
production when sugarcane bagasse ash is used.

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Table 1: Cost of 1 cubic-meter concrete production

Table 2: Cost of 1 cubic-meter concrete production with 5% replacement of

cement by sugarcane bagasse ash

1.3 Workings
1. Waste Management
2. Emission control
3. Cement production cost reduction

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2. Conclusion

2.1 Feasibility
This project has been reviewed by our honorable teacher Dr. Bulbul Ahmed,
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering. The following
sustainability analysis is taken from research journals and lab testing.
 SBA contains 58.6% - 59.55% Si𝑂2, 7.32% - 7.55% 𝐴𝑙2𝑂3, and 9.45% -
9.83% 𝐹𝑒2𝑂3 [5].
 SBA gives proper amount of Si𝑂2, 𝐴𝑙2𝑂3, and 𝐹𝑒2𝑂3 which is in line with
ASTM C618-17a requirement [6].
 As the failure load lies between 511.2 KN and 306 KN, sugarcane
bagasse ash increases the strength of cement bricks [7].
 SBA meets the requirements for a pozzolanic action.

2.2 Future Plan

The project has been presented in front of our honorable Vice Chancellor Dr.
Engr. Md. Jahangir Alam, RUET. We have been told to present our project to
cement factory visit soon for the implementation of our idea.

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3. References
[1] Manoj Katiyar, [2019] Concrete with Alternative Aggregates – Green
Concrete.
[2] The Business Standard Report. [3] Zhao et al (2017) Evaluation of dioxins
and dioxin-like compounds from a cement plant using carbide slag from chlor-
alkali industry as the major raw material. J Hazard Mater 330:135–141. [4] Ara
Cho, Hong-Seok Jang, Seok Roh, Environmental Toxicology and
Pharmacology, Volume 36, Issue 3, [2013] Detrimental effects of cement mortar
and fly ash mortar on asthma progression
[5] Ahmed Sagban Saadoon, Abdulnasser Mohammed Abbas, Abdulamir Atalla
Almayah, ‘Revisional Study of Green Concrete’ Basrah Journal for Engineering
Sciences, Vol. 19. No.2, September 2019.
[6] Kiyasudeen K, Ibrahim MH, Quaik S, Ismail SA. Prospects of organic waste
management and the significance of earthworms. Applied Environmental
science and Engineering for a sustainable future. Springer International
Publishing Switzerland
Standard Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan
for Use in Concrete.
[7] Amany Michael, Rania Rushdy, Ain Shams Engineering Journal, Volume 12.
Issue 3, [2011], “Investigating the economic and environmental effect of
Sugarcane Bagasse Ash in Cement Bricks.
[8] Shaikh Mohammad Shamim Reza, Sherajul Islam, ISSN: 2309-1185,
Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques, Volume 7, 2019, “Utilization
Potential of Waste from Sugarcane Factory of Bangladesh as Partial
Replacement of Cement in Concrete.”

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