June 2024

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CONTENTS
03 Comment
05 News
REGIONAL REPORT: EUROPE
10 Here Comes The Sun
Evie Gardner, World Cement, provides a
snapshot of some of Europe’s climate policies,
highlighting a range of decarbonisation projects
underway in the cement industry.
BURNER DESIGN
15 World Cement Burner Design Q&A 2024
World Cement invited experts from the field
of burner design to share their insights on a
range of related topics, covering everything
from alternative fuels to cutting-edge design.
Contributions to this year’s edition come from:
FCT Combustion, KHD Humboldt Wedag,
ROCKTEQ, and Unitherm Cemcon.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
40 Revving Up Recycling
Jean Philippe Faure, Aliapur, delves into
a life cycle assessment of end-of-life tyres
and explores the benefits of their use as an
alternative fuel.
45 Finding Feeding Solutions
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Sven Mersmann,
DI MATTEO Group, and Dr. Dominik Aufderheide,
provide an overview of conveying concepts for
the continuous feeding of bulk materials.
MAINTENANCE & REPAIR
52 The New Age Of Cement Maintenance
Simona Serban, Castolin Eutectic, explains
how cement plants can minimise maintenance
downtime via 3D scanning and reverse
engineering.

CONVEYING CEMENT DECARBONISATION

26 The Power Trade-off
Andrew Timmerman, Martin Engineering,
considers the consequences of spillage in the
loading zone of a belt conveyor, and explains
how to calculate the cost of transfer point
efficiency.
58 Going Green With CNT
Dave Arthur and Hari Harikumar,
CHASM Advanced Materials, focus on the role
of carbon nanotubes in decarbonising cement
production.

BAGGING & PACKING

31 Taking Advantage Of Automation
Concetti discusses the benefits of using PE
bags for packaging in combination with an
automated packaging line.

35 Going Circular With Paper Sacks

Catherine Plitzko-Kerninon, EUROSAC, and
Elin Gordon, CEPI Eurokraft, discuss why
recycling paper sacks can support the European
cement industry on its way towards a circular
June 2024

economy and its net-zero targets.

ON THE COVER
Unitherm Cemcon, based in Austria, specialises in innovative industrial
solutions for the cement and mineral processing industries. With a
focus on sustainable and efficient processes, we always challenge
ourselves and try to rethink the current technologies used for
solid alternative fuels in the main burner. Elevate your production
capabilities with Unitherm Cemcon’s expertise and forward-looking
solutions – to decarbonise your production!

2024-04_World_Cement_Front Cover druck.indd 1 12.04.24 11:59

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 COMMENT
Managing Editor: James Little
james.little@palladianpublications.com
Senior Editor: David Bizley
david.bizley@palladianpublications.com
Editorial Assistant: Evie Gardner
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Production: Iona MacLeod
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Digital Administrator: Nicole Harman-Smith
nicole.harman-smith@palladianpublications.com
Administration Manager: Laura White
laura.white@palladianpublications.com
Reprints
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June 2024 World Cement
2
DAVID BIZLEY, SENIOR EDITOR
024 is turning out to be a banner
year for elections, with more than
80 countries (representing over half
the global population) heading to
the polls and engaging in one of the most
fundamental acts of democracy at some point
this year.
Why is that of interest to the cement
industry? Well, elections (quite often) mean
new governments, new policies, new spending promises, and new economic
priorities – all of which can have a huge impact on industry.
Taking the US, for example, a pledge to spend on infrastructure made in
Joe Biden’s 2020 election campaign resulted in the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law being signed in 2021. As of mid-May 2024, that legislation has
resulted in: US$454 billion of funding for 56 000 infrastructure projects
across 4500 communities, over all 50 states. Some examples of these
projects include: 165 000 miles of road improvements, 9400 bridge repair
projects, 450 port and waterway projects, 300 airport terminal projects, and
1400 drinking water and wastewater projects.
And it doesn’t stop there; according to the PCA’s Chief Economist,
Ed Sullivan, the impact of the Infrastucture Law is “expected to materialise in
a much more meaningful way this year and next.” Indeed, Sullivan continues:
“the federal funding of infrastructure underpins the PCA’s broadly positive
outlook for the cement industry in 2024.” (World Cement, April 2024).
Another Biden campaign pledge was to invest in tackling climate
change, and set the US on a target for net zero emissions by 2050. This
policy has come to fruition in the form of major grants to industry to
trial green technologies, with US Department of Energy announcing in
March of this year that US$1.2 billion in funding was going to be split
across Heidelberg Materials, National Cement, Summit Materials, and
Roanoke Cement Company. This funding will allow the beneficiaries to invest
in projects covering CCUS, calcined clay, alternative fuels, and even training
and education programmes.
Back on the other side of the pond, and after months of speculation, the
UK has now officially entered election season with voters due to head to the
polls on 4 July. With just a little over a month to sway voters, campaigns here
are already in full swing with politicians travelling around the country, smiling
for photos and occasionally embarrassing themselves. As for policies, detail is
a little thin on the ground currently, with neither of the two main contenders
having yet released a full manifesto. For now then, we have little more than
bullet points like ‘Get Britain building again’ (Labour) or ‘Grow the economy’
(Conservatives) to rely on. However, given that YouGov’s weekly ‘important
issues’ tracker routinely places ‘Housing’ and ‘The Environment’ amongst the
areas of greatest concern for UK voters across all demographics, perhaps we’ll
soon see proposals for a British Infrastructure Law?
Speaking of democracy and the environment, EnviroTech 2025 will be
taking place in Athens, Greece on 9 – 12 March. Join us for an agenda filled
with expert-led presentations, panel discussions, networking events, and the
chance to meet cement industry leaders from around the world to discuss the
decarbonisation of the cement industry. Register your interest here:
www.worldcement.com/envirotech2025
3
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 NEWS
Cemex signs agreement to operate
the first Regenera facility in Egypt
Cemex has signed an agreement with
Gharbia Governorate to operate the first Regenera
facility in Egypt. The facility receives more than
800 tpd of municipal solid waste and through this
agreement, Cemex will be treating the waste to
generate alternative fuels as well as producing
compost – ensuring minimal residual waste to
landfill.
This agreement promotes circularity while saving
approximately 50 000 tpy of CO2 and decreasing
methane generation through avoidance of
landfill. Methane has a much stronger greenhouse
effect of more than 80 times that of CO2 within
the first 20 years of emission. Additionally, this
initiative benefits the residents of the governorate
by ensuring safe treatment of all daily waste
collection, while reducing the negative impacts
associated with landfilling.
As an industry leader in climate action and the
commitment towards being a net-zero company in
2050, Cemex’s Regenera business comes as a part
of Cemex’s efforts to support circular economy
including the receiving, managing, recycling,
composting and recovering of waste. Regenera
supports the ambition to use more non-recyclable
waste and industrial by-products as a more
sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and natural
raw materials.
About the new facility, Yago Castro Izaguirre,
Cemex Egypt & UAE president, said: “At Cemex,
we are committed to leading climate action in the
industry. This is reflected in the progressive and
innovative work to actualise the vision of becoming
a net-zero company by 2050. The Regenera facility
helps us make greater headway in preserving
natural resources by relying on sustainable
substitutes for fossil fuels.”
European cement industry issues
updated net-zero roadmap
CEMBUREAU, the European Cement Association,
has published its Net Zero Roadmap update,
outlining the sector’s climate ambition along the
cement and concrete value chain.
“In the past four years, the European cement
sector has clearly moved from ambition
June 2024 World Cement
to deployment. We have the potential to scale up
our climate ambition, but we need policymakers
to match this ambition through decisive policies”,
says Ken McKnight, President of CEMBUREAU.
The roadmap update looks at the progress
achieved since the publication of CEMBUREAU’s
carbon neutrality roadmap in May 2020. In light of
the significant decarbonisation projects ongoing
throughout the EU industry, it revisits the sector’s
ambition as follows:
f By 2030, the roadmap projects a 37%
reduction in CO2 emissions related to cement
production, and 50% down the value chain.
f By 2040, a 78% reduction on cement, and 93%
down the value chain.
f By 2050, the roadmap projects net-zero
cement production in Europe, and looks at the
potential to become carbon negative over the
value chain.
The roadmap also highlights key policy measures
which are indispensable to meet this ambition,
including:
f The implementation of a watertight Carbon
Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
f The ramping up of financial support to support
decarbonisation investments.
f The need for guaranteed access to affordable
decarbonised energy, infrastructure and raw
materials.
f The creation of lead markets for low carbon,
circular products.
Koen Coppenholle, Chief Executive of
CEMBUREAU, adds: “The next European political
cycle must be about an industrial deal. We need
a strong mobilisation at all levels of governments
to create a business case for decarbonisation
investments.”
Christian Pfeiffer designs grinding
plant for Schwenk Latvija
Promising completion of a comprehensive EPC
project to realise one of the most sustainable
grinding plants in Europe.
Schwenk Latvia, a company of
Schwenk Zement KG, commissioned
Christian Pfeiffer Maschinenfabrik GmbH for the
Broceni plant in Latvia to erect an efficient grinding
5
 NEWS
DIARY
plant for high-quality cements. The EPC project encompasses all
engineering aspects, from plant and project construction planning,
foundation design to detailed electrical engineering. Christian Pfeiffer
also handled steel and facade construction, electrical installation,
ACHEMA 2024 including assembly and commissioning of the grinding plant, including
10 – 14 June, 2024 implementation into the existing clinker silo to increase storage
Frankfurt, Germany capacity and modification of the existing gypsum silo.
www.achema.de The project’s special requirement was to ensure plant availability
from an ambient temperature of up to -25˚C. Schwenk Latvija’s
starting point was to become one of the most sustainable plants
in Europe with the expansion and modernisation of the existing
HILLHEAD 2024 facility, aiming to meet EU climate targets. The energy-efficient
25 – 27 June, 2024 grinding plant additionally enables the production of two more types
Buxton, UK of cement, thus expanding Schwenk Latvia’s product portfolio to
www.hillhead.com include more environmentally friendly types of cement with fineness
up to 5600 cm2/g according to Blaine. Since 2009, the Broceni plant
has successfully operated a coal grinding plant for kiln firing by
Christian Pfeiffer.
FICEM TECHNICAL CONGRESS The efficiency of the grinding plant is ensured by its well-founded
02 – 04 September, 2024 process engineering design.
Guatamala The intelligent design of the mill internals – the progressive lifting
www.ficem.org liners in the first grinding chamber and sorting liners with waves in
the second grinding chamber as well as the MONOBLOC transfer
diaphragm – developed and produced by Christian Pfeiffer, along
with the grinding balls, allows for a significant reduction in energy
SOLIDS Dortmund 2024 consumption during grinding operation. The high-performance
09 – 10 October, 2024 separator QDK completed the portfolio for the energy-saving potential
Dortmund, Germany of a grinding plant.
www.solids-dortmund.de Auxiliary equipment such as hose filters, conveying equipment,
water injection, and grinding aids are also crucial for stable plant
operation.
The process was precisely tailored to the customer’s needs based on
VDZ CONGRESS product analysis before the start of the project. The successful concept
06 – 08 November, 2024 of the new grinding plant also includes the process control system,
Düsseldorf, Germany which is part of Christian Pfeiffer’s scope of supply.
www.vdz-online.de The raw materials are taken over from the existing transport routes
and distributed to various feed hoppers with additional conveying
routes – also part of the scope of supply. In addition to the bulk
material bins, de-dusting silos for chromium reduction (Fe2 sulfate)
AUCBM AICCE27 and bypass dust have been implemented. Two additional grinding
26 – 28 November, 2024 aid tanks, each 25 000 l, complete the group of material feeders.
Tunis, Tunisia Through dosing devices, the material enters the ball mill with a
www.aucbm.net diameter of Ø 4.4 m and an effective grinding path length of 14.0 m
with an attached high-performance separator (QDK 187-Z) and filter
separation. Due to special process engineering requirements for
machine design and plant layout, it is ensured to produce high-value
cements, such as CEM I 52.5R, with high target fineness as efficiently
as possible.
The project was successfully completed after a runtime of only
20 months.

6 World Cement June 2024

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 NEWS
Muller Beltex reveals innovations in
sand & gravel bucket elevators
In the heart of Belgium, amidst the bustling
concrete industry, De Hoop’s Ready Beton plant
stood as a testament to efficiency and productivity.
However, their cornerstone equipment, the bucket
elevator, began showing signs of wear and tear,
threatening to disrupt operations. Ready Beton, a
vital component of the De Hoop group Terneuzen,
recognised the urgency to rejuvenate their ageing
bucket elevator to maintain their production
output of 250 000 m3 of concrete annually.
This is where Muller Beltex, known for its
expertise in enhancing industrial machinery
longevity, came in. After a detailed inspection,
it was revealed that the bucket elevator’s casing
had succumbed to rust due to the corrosive
nature of the materials it handled. Furthermore,
excessive spillage and wear on the discharge plate
compounded the reliability issues. The return
Problems such as adhesive issues, reduced
capacity, downtime, and belt misalignment
demanded a holistic approach.
8 World Cement June 2024
pulley, nearing the end of its lifecycle, posed
another challenge.
To combat these hurdles, a comprehensive
overhaul was imperative. Muller Beltex
spearheaded the transformation by introducing a
range of solutions. The worn out components were
replaced with state-of-the-art Zytel Nylon Maxi-lift
CC Tiger buckets, designed to mitigate adhesive
challenges and bolstered with Hardox digging
strips for extended durability. The Maxi-Super
elevator belt splice, a brainchild of Muller Beltex,
ensured a smoother belt operation, minimising
wear and tear at the belt ends with its replaceable
parts.
However, more needed to be done than merely
patching up the existing structure. Collaborating
with Breston, a trusted construction partner, a
new era of bucket elevators was envisioned,
incorporating a range of futuristic features. But
before the unveiling, interim measures were
adopted to maximise the longevity of the current
setup. A specially engineered wing pulley replaced
the return bar pulley, optimising product handling
and reducing spillage, thus paving the way for
smoother operations.
The inlet section also underwent a strategic
overhaul to align with the bucket width, curbing
unnecessary spillage and energy consumption. By
elevating and narrowing the inlet, optimal bucket
filling was achieved, significantly reducing wear
and tear on vital components.
The problems encountered – adhesive issues,
reduced capacity, downtime, and belt misalignment
– demanded a holistic approach. The introduction of
belt misalignment monitoring, product flow sensors,
and an adjustable discharge plate with Redi-liners
Polyurethane and ceramic wear-reducing panels
heralded a new era in bucket elevator technology.
A belt cleaner equipped with KS03 polyurethane
and Kryptane® wear-resistant polyurethane in critical
sections enabled enhanced performance and
longevity.
In essence, this journey from refurbishment
to innovation showcases a pursuit of excellence
in industrial craftsmanship. The revitalised sand
and gravel bucket elevator stands as a symbol
of reliability, efficiency, and sustainability in the
dynamic landscape of concrete production, setting
new benchmarks for vertical material handling
worldwide.
10

Evie Gardner, World Cement,
provides a snapshot of
some of Europe’s climate
policies, highlighting a range
of decarbonisation projects
underway in the cement
industry.
A
s the summer months approach in
Europe, the effects of climate change will
again become impossible to ignore. If
2024’s summer resembles last year, the
continent is facing intense heat waves and extreme
weather events, ranging from floods, droughts
and wildfires. As the fastest-warming continent,
the pressure is mounting among governments,
industries and individuals to adapt.
Yet, meeting net-zero targets is no easy feat. At
a time when many European countries’ economies
are facing other pressing challenges, committing
to climate policies becomes tougher. Europe
is navigating this balance, but has much to feel
hopeful about, as can be seen in Germany, the UK
and Italy. It is also evident in the European cement
industry. The cement production process is energy
11
intensive and results in high levels of emissions.
Yet, cement is essential to the economy, being
fundamental for construction and civil engineering.
The industry is therefore making real efforts to
combat its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
pioneering exciting projects that will allow it to
continue to prosper.
Germany
As the largest economy in Europe, Germany has
an influential role to play, helping to navigate the
continent’s journey to decarbonisation. However,
with an economy that is largely dominated
by exports of vehicles and chemical products,
becoming climate-neutral is not a simple path.1
Despite this, Germany is ambitious with its targets.
After some reforms in 2021, the country’s first
national climate law legally enshrined the goals to
reduce GHG emissions by 65% by 2030 (compared
to 1990 levels) and to become net zero by 2045.2
The targets were divided into Germany’s economic
sectors, with relevant ministries required to present
an emergency programme of measures to remedy
any missed targets.3
Three years on from this reform, the country is
largely on track to meet its goals. However, certain
sectors are falling behind – namely transport and
buildings – meaning that Germany risks not meeting
the EU’s targets. This would perhaps explain
the country’s recently proposed reform to stop
classifying the Climate Action Law by sector, and to
cease the obligation to enact short-term measures
if targets are missed. Negotiations have dragged,
as the reform has proven to be contentious –
Kai Niebert, president of DNR, (the umbrella
organisation of environmental NGOs) pointed out
that, “An aggregate view of emissions can conceal
the failure of individual ministries and prevent
climate targets from being achieved in the medium
to long term.”4
While some worry that Germany is not doing
enough, there is a small contingent who believe
that the country’s green fervour has gone too far.
As reported in The Guardian, marches have been
held in Görlitz to express a frustration with the
Green Party and climate activists.
Those involved have explained that their concerns
lie more with keeping the cost of living at bay, rather
than preventing climate change. Since the Russian
invasion of Ukraine, the country has suffered from
high energy costs and inflation, as the BBC has
reported, it entered a technical recession at the end
of 2023 after experiencing two negative quarters
in a row. While the economy is set to grow in 2024,
predictions have been adjusted from 1.3% to 0.2%.
It can thus be understood the reluctance among
some to prioritise becoming net zero.
Meanwhile, the cement industry faces its own
challenges. Many of the world’s leading cement
and concrete companies have committed to
12
become net zero by 2050. However, the difficulty
lies in maintaining production levels to meet global
construction needs – concrete being the world’s
most used material. Moreover, there is no single
solution to reduce the emissions involved in the
process.
As the largest cement producer in Germany,
Heidelberg Materials is exploring decarbonisation
methods. At its Geseke facility, the company is
launching the GeZero Project, which is set to begin
construction in 2026, and be commissioned in
2029. The company aims to build Germany’s first
inland cement plant with an industrial-scale carbon
capture and storage (CCS) solution. Using oxyfuel
technology, its aim is to capture and permanently
store 700 000 tpy of CO2, which is equivalent to
3.5% of the German cement industry’s annual
emissions.
Heidelberg Materials is not alone in its carbon
capture ventures. Dyckerhoff, a Buzzi company
operating seven plants in Germany, plans to invest
around €350 million to build a carbon capture
installation at its Deuna plant, Thuringia. According
to the current planning status, it could go into
operation in 2029. The aim of this installation is to
reduce the plant’s emissions by around 620 000 tpy.
Moreover, in the not too far future, (2025)
SCHWENK Zement plans to commission a
demonstration plant for the production of
activated clay without calcination, to be built by
thyssenkrupp Polysius. This plant will be based
on an all-electric clay activation process, without
calcination or fuels. According to Luc Rudowski,
Head of Innovation at thyssenkrupp Polysius,
‘compared to average, conventional cement
production, the CO2 footprint can be reduced by
around 42%.’ These projects highlight how the
German cement industry is acting responsibly to
limit its environmental impact.
United Kingdom
The UK has a strong track record of taking the
dangers of climate change seriously, setting targets
and plans to meet net zero by 2050, and adapting
to the reality of this environmental emergency. For
example, since 1990, the UK’s carbon emissions
from electricity supply have already fallen by more
than three-quarters.5
However, in recent years, the pace, according
to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), has
become ‘worryingly slow’.6 This is supported by the
High Court who, in May, ruled for the second time
in two years that the government’s plan to meet
net zero needs to be redrafted, clarifying a more
detailed strategy. In the case of renewables, while
progress is evident, if the UK is to meet its pledge
it signed up to at COP28, (which would require a
global trebling of deployment of renewables and
a doubling of energy efficiency by 2030) significant
work and investments are required.7
World Cement June 2024
 Yet this comes at a challenging time. Impacted
by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,
inflation has been at an all-time high, hitting 11.1%
in October 2022 (the highest rate in 40 years),
causing food and energy prices to soar.8 In order to
power the country and reduce reliance on ‘hostile
states’, the government decided to grant 100 new
North Sea oil and gas licences.
In terms of the UK public’s attitude to these
licences, polling by Ipsos showed that people were
not so opposed, half believing that it would have a
positive impact on the UK’s economy. This response
can be explained by further polling statistics
demonstrating a similar tension to that of Germany
between fear of climate change and a desire to
bring down the cost of living – with half stating that
they cannot afford at present to do anything about
climate change.
Despite this slower pace, some exciting projects
are underway. The UK government has ambitions
to transform the country into a strong competitor
in the carbon capture and storage market. Named
the ‘CCUS Vision’, the plan is to transition the
country from early projects partially funded by the
government, into a competitive market by 2035,
expecting to boost the economy by £5 billion a
year by 2050. As an island nation, the UK has a
geological advantage, capable of storing 78 billion t
of CO2 under the North Sea. Backed already by a
£20 billion investment, more companies can start
to connect to and expand the HyNet Cluster in the
North-West and Wales.
One of these companies is Heidelberg Materials.
At its Padeswood plant in North Wales, the
company intends to construct a carbon capture
facility, capable of capturing 800 000 tpy of CO2,
the equivalent of taking 320 000 cars off the road.
Hoping to be operational by 2028, this would be
the first carbon capture enabled cement works in
the UK.
The same company has also recently been
involved in launching another carbon capture trial
at its Ketton cement works in Rutland. Working
with C-Capture, the companies plan to use a
solvent to selectively capture CO2, which will
then be compressed and sent for storage in safe,
geological reserves. This process will require 40%
less energy than other carbon capture technologies,
and is partly funded by the Department for
Energy Security and Net Zero’s £1 billion Net Zero
Innovation Portfolio.
Italy
For Italy, the effects of climate change are dramatic.
Last summer, the country tackled floods in the north
and wildfires in the south, with firefighters putting
out 1400 fires over the space of just three days in
July (The Guardian). The growing sense of alarm is
therefore unsurprising, as Italians witness the climate
emergency unfold at home.

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 To tackle this crisis, Italy, like the UK, aims to
become net zero by 2050, and has begun to
make progress. For example, the country has cut
its GHG emissions by 20% compared to 1990
levels. Moreover, according to IEA, the country
is on track to meet its 2030 goals regarding
further emission reductions and increasing energy
efficiency, planning to reach 30% of renewables in
total energy consumption and 55% of renewables
in electricity generation as laid out in its National
Energy and Climate Plan.
However, just as is the case for all countries,
more could be done. Despite meeting the EU
2020 target early to increase the renewable
energy capacity, (between 2010 – 2013, 20 GW
were added to renewable energy capacity) the
impulse has slowed. Like the UK and Germany, an
expansion of use of renewable energy would be
highly beneficial, considering that 41% of Italy’s
natural gas imports came from Russia in 2021, as
the IEA reports.
The government’s response to the energy
crisis effectively assisted the public in dealing
with the surge in energy prices. However, the
initial response has slowed the pace of the green
transition, as a return to coal was the first solution,
(despite the government agreeing to phase this
fossil fuel out by 2025). Moreover, the government
set its sights on safer sources of gas, substituting
the imports from Northern Europe, Azerbaijan,
Algeria and increasing the use of LNG terminals.9
According to Clean Energy Wire, under
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the government has
an ambition to make the country an ‘energy hub’
in the Mediterranean, as a longer-term solution
for energy security. Thus, under the recently
announced Mattei Plan, gas could be distributed
from North Africa and the Mediterranean to the
rest of Europe. However, as IEA recommends,
the use of alternative energy sources could be
more effective, particularly if Italy wants to meet
the targets of the EU’s Fit-for-55 package. This
would require the government to introduce each
year around 5 GW of renewable energy capacity
between 2020 – 2030, when, according to EUI
Florence School of Regulation, between 2014 –
2022, the country only managed to incorporate 8.6
GW in total.
Like Germany and the UK, Italy has skin in the
carbon capture game. Buzzi Unicem, an Italian
cement and ready-mix concrete company, has
many projects in the pipeline, including that of its
subsidiary Dyckerhoff in Germany. Meanwhile, at
home, in 2020 the pilot plant for the CLEANKER
project was inaugurated at the company’s
Vernasca facility. Funded by the European Union’s
Horizon2020 Research and Innovation Programme,
the aim of the project is to demonstrate a
technology for capturing CO2 in cement plants,
using calcium looping technology.
14
The same plant has also been involved in the
HERCCULES project, which plans to accelerate
the CCUS supply chain in Mediterranean Europe,
leveraging transport and storage initiatives in Italy
and Greece as well as developing carbon capture
technologies. This project involves testing based on
advanced oxy-combustion and post-combustion
capture technologies combined with cryogenic
purification processes. It will also include
transporting CO2 from industrial capture sites to
two geological storage sites – the Italian one being
Ravenna.
Conclusion
With ambitious targets and plans taking shape,
Germany, the UK and Italy are responding seriously
to climate change. Balancing climate policies whilst
trying to keep the economy stable and growing
is a complex task, however, the three countries
are successfully negotiating their journeys to net
zero. The same can be said for their respective
cement industries, which are taking important steps
to mitigate the GHG emissions involved in the
production process.
References
1. KPMG, ‘Economic Key Facts Germany as of May
2024’, https://kpmg.com/de/en/home/insights/overview/
economic-key-facts-germany.html#:~:text=With%20
a%20gross%20domestic%20product,the%20largest%20
economy%20in%20Europe.
2. Clean Energy Wire, ‘Germany’s Climate Action Law’,
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-
climate-action-law-begins-take-shape
3. Ibid.
4. Clean Energy Wire, ‘Germany on track to reaching
national 2030 climate target but set to fail EU goal – env
agency’, https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/germany-
track-reaching-national-2030-climate-target-set-fail-eu-
goal-env-agency#:~:text=Germany%20is%20largely%20
on%20track,Federal%20Environment%20Agency%20(UBA)
5. BBC, ‘Climate change: Is the UK on track to
meet its net zero targets?’, https://www.bbc.co.uk/
news/58160547#:~:text=The%20UK%20has%20been%20
relatively,%22worryingly%20slow%22%20recent%20
progress.
6. Ibid.
7. Chatham House, ‘Labour’s ditched £28 billion climate
pledge sends the wrong message on UK COP energy
commitments’, https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/02/
labours-ditched-ps28-billion-climate-pledge-sends-wrong-
message-uk-cop-energy-commitments
8. BBC, UK inflation rate: How fast are prices rising?’,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12196322
9. EUI Florence School of Regulation, ‘Italy’s
energy transition: Managing the energy crisis and
shaping the future’, https://fsr.eui.eu/italys-energy-
transition-strong-action-is-needed-to-achieve-climate-
targets/#:~:text=They%20employed%20a%20tool%20
designed,burden%20of%20rising%20energy%20bills.
World Cement June 2024
World Cement invited
experts from the field
of burner design to
share their insights on a
range of related topics,
covering everything
from alternative fuels
to cutting-edge design.
Contributions to this Variability in the
year’s edition come consistency and quality
of alternative fuels can
from: FCT Combustion, pose a challenge for
KHD Humboldt Wedag, reliable burner operation.
What can be done to
ROCKTEQ, and mitigate this?
Unitherm Cemcon.
FCT Combustion
Different fuel means different
particle sizes, densities,
moistures, and calorific values
together with different drying,
ignition, and burnout times as
well as combustion kinetics. The
type of alternative fuel (AF), the
variation in types and the ratios
in which they are delivered to
the burner can impact the flame
15
length and heat flux profile inside the kiln as
well as emissions. Most fuel dosing systems also
work on a volumetric basis, which means that
the thermal energy being supplied to the burner
is variable over time, even if the volumetric
dosing is constant, due to the variable fuel
characteristics.
To mitigate all these effects, the burner must
be designed to allow very flexible operating in
such a way to allow for proper aerodynamic and
combustion control, enhancing entrainment of
secondary air into the flame. FCT recommends
the use of our Turbu-Flex™ Burner with its unique
axial air tip design, reconfigured swirl, AF lofting
air which is split between lifting the material from
the bottom of the conveying pipe and dispersion
air which disperses the fuel into the primary and
secondary air as it leaves the burner tip.
Apart from the challenges at the kiln burner,
it is important to mention that some fuels are
inherently better suited to the calciner, and
it would not make sense to overcome the
difficulties of using them at the kiln, when it
would be much easier to use them at the calciner.
Such fuels include those with higher moisture,
lower calorific value, larger particle size, longer
required combustion time, or low volatile
content, among others.
As a general rule, easier to burn AF should be
targeted at the kiln burner, and harder to burn
fuels at the calciner. In case there is no calciner
available, a mix between hard and easier to burn
AF would be the best compromise to increase
the overall substitution rate, with lower impact on
the kiln operation. Other solutions could also be
the use of satellite burners or CFD modelling.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel in cement
production is also an emerging trend which can
impact burner performance. Due to its high
cost and low availability at present, hydrogen
could be considered an AF in the short to
medium term. Production of hydrogen through
electrolysis also produces oxygen, so that the
availability of either or both for the burner
systems opens new possibilities for control
of flame characteristics optimised for cement
production.
KHD
There are two aspects to consider here: the AF
themselves, and then the design of the burner.
Cement plants should first consider optimising
their AF supply chain to reduce fuel variability.
Selection of a fuel supplier is key here. Choose
reputable and reliable suppliers known for
providing AF of consistent quality and who aim
to establish a long-term partnership to ensure a
stable and reliable fuel supply. Plants should also
consider blending different AF to achieve more
consistent fuel composition.
16
When it comes to burner design, modern
multi-fuel burner technology has allowed cement
plants to optimise combustion when using
AF. These burners are designed to adjust and
react to the actual AF quality with the following
features:
f Primary air: The burner must be designed
with primary air reserves that allow
combustion to be intensified and to increase
burner momentum.
f AF features: The burner lance must be
designed with a supply of distribution air
to improve the distribution of fuel particles
within the flame for fast ignition and
complete burn out.
f Substituting fuel: The overall fuel mix fired
at the burner must be homogenous and
consistent. Periods of low-quality AF should
therefore be balanced by higher-quality AF.
This control loop could be realised with the
KHD Real Time Optimiser, which is part of
the KHD ProMax digital suite.
KHD offers the PYROJET main burner and
the PYROSAT satellite burner for reliable AF
combustion in the rotary kiln.
ROCKTEQ
At ROCKTEQ, we anticipate changes in the
type and quality of AF in the coming years.
There is a noticeable shift towards increased
utilisation of CO2-neutral fuels, such as biofuels
derived from sources like rice husks, wheat straw,
sunflower residue, crushed corncob residue, and
waste-based fuels with a biogenic component,
like solid recovered fuels (SRF) (primarily plastics,
papers, fabrics, etc.), which are abundantly
available in certain regions. Pure biofuels typically
have a lower Lower Calorific Value (LCV) than
SRF and may exhibit unstable moisture content
depending on weather conditions. Additionally,
LCV-rich AF are advisable, if accessible, to
stabilise fluctuations by adjusting the mixed
average heat value of AF.
With the rising thermal substitution rate (TSR),
it is crucial to continuously monitor these AF.
Automatic fuel samplers can be employed to
ensure stable kiln operation or, at the very least,
to enable proactive control of the clinker burning
process in response to varying fuel quality.
To address fluctuating heat values of AF or to
take advantage of low-calorific fuels, ROCKTEQ
has developed a system called AF-Booster®.
This system utilises waste heat to dry biofuels
and classifies them before introduction into
the pyro process at the most suitable injection
point, whether it be the main burner or satellite
burner(s). An additional benefit is the reduction
of fuel moisture and kiln gas volume, optimising
kiln and ID fan efficiency.
World Cement June 2024
 Unitherm Cemcon
To ensure reliable burner operation with AF, the
following strategies should be considered:
f Quality control: Implement rigorous measures
to control particle size, moisture content, and
other factors crucial for fuel consistency.
f Standardisation: Develop procedures for
handling and blending fuels to maintain
consistent quality across suppliers and
batches.
f Adaptive burner technology: Invest in
burners that adjust combustion parameters
in real-time, like Unitherm’s products
equipped with M.A.S. Technology, optimising
performance for varying fuel qualities.
f Training: Educate operators on handling AF
effectively. Implementing these measures
mitigates variability, ensuring reliable and
efficient burner operation with AF.
Some cement plants are considering
the use of hydrogen fuel. What
burner design considerations have to
be made when using hydrogen?
FCT Combustion
There are a number of considerations,
including:
f In the main burner, radiation heat transfer
is dominant and hydrogen produces very
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little radiative heat transfer compared with
solid fuels or carbon sooting fuels (like HFO
and to some degree natural gas). Therefore,
the use of hydrogen along with AF such
as RDF or biomass, bio-oils, and similar, is
necessary to maintain sufficient radiation
from the flame.
f Hydrogen on the other hand has a very fast
flame speed, wide flammability range in air
(4 – 75% cf natural gas 5 – 15%) and low
ignition energy (100x lower than gasoline)
meaning that hydrogen will help to stabilise
the flame and provide more heat closer
to the burner tip and therefore dry and
devolatilise the RDF quicker.
f Hydrogen burnt in air produces a very high
flame temperature which can lead to high
NOx emissions. Therefore, once again, the
use of hydrogen with AF can be beneficial
as the moisture from AF suppresses the
peak flame temperature and keeps NOx
emissions under control.
f Hydrogen has a propensity to leak, as it
is the smallest molecule. Therefore, more
attention needs to be given to connections
such as flanged and threaded joints
and the hazardous area rating around
valve trains. The burner may impact the
instrumentation selection in the region of
these.
f From a safety perspective, consideration
needs to be given to fuel handling, burner
design and burner management system
(safety controls) as the explosion severity
for hydrogen is 10x that of methane.
Therefore, the safety integrity of hydrogen
safety systems needs to be 10x or more
than that of natural gas and other fossil fuel
systems.
KHD
We strongly recommend the use of hydrogen as
a fuel booster to increase AF substitution rates.
With its high flame speed, wide flammability
range, and low ignition point, hydrogen’s
combustion characteristics ideally compensate
for the variability and lower combustibility of
AF.
For the burner design, the appropriate steel
must be selected to ensure tightness and avoid
embrittlement. Further safety measures must
also be considered and installed in the auxiliary
equipment to fulfil standards and regulations
for the use of hydrogen.
Unitherm Cemcon
To mitigate carbon footprint sustainably,
consider green hydrogen as a fuel option.
Unitherm Cemcon’s M.A.S. kiln burner with integrated satellite
burner.
18
Its carbon-free nature makes it appealing,
but challenges in flame propagation and very
high nozzle outlet velocities require attention.
Unitherm’s dynamic burners with M.A.S.
technology excel here. Key burner design
considerations include material compatibility,
flame stability, and heat management. Using
materials like stainless steel or nickel alloys
ensures durability. Stable flame characteristics
are crucial to prevent flashback, especially
given hydrogen’s fast combustion rate.
Effective heat management maintains
temperature distribution in kilns where it is
needed. Addressing these considerations
enables cement plants to harness green
hydrogen effectively, ensuring safe and efficient
combustion together with other low/no carbon
AF.
Is there a role for satellite burners in
modern cement production?
FCT Combustion
If a cement producer wishes to increase AF
usage at very high levels, the ideal course is
to adopt a custom burner designed for their
fuel type(s). However, if this is not possible,
the use of a satellite burner is a good way to
introduce more AF into
the process.
The satellite burner is a
piece of equipment that
injects the AF directly
at the hot secondary air,
recessed from the burner
and a bit higher up in
the kiln. It has additional
primary air injection
to provide cooling
and especially some
turbulence and mixing
of the AF particles with
the secondary air. During
the travelling time of
the RDF between the
satellite burner injection
and the main flame, there
is a drying, preheating
and devolatilising
effect, improving the
combustion of this AF
when it comes to the
main flame.
The satellite burner
is a good entry or
complementing option
for injecting AF in the
kiln because:
f It is easy and cheap
to implement.
World Cement June 2024
 f It allows the use of ‘worse’ AF (larger
particles, 3D particles, higher moisture) in
the kiln as it provides drying and preheating
before combustion.
f It injects the AF in a high O2 environment.
However, the satellite burners have their
limitations in terms of TSR, which is around
40 – 60% depending on the conditions in the
kiln, because:
f Above that threshold, it is not good for the
clinkerisation process and clinker quality to
shift fuel away from the centre of the kiln.
f The control and mixing over the AF
particles is somehow limited.
f The satellite does not have the full
capability of a modern high AF burner,
therefore it has more difficulty handling
larger amounts of fuel.
KHD
Yes, satellite burners will continue to play a
significant role in modern cement production,
particularly in brownfield plant sites to upgrade
and retrofit existing rotary kiln firing systems to
increase the use of AF. Furthermore, satellite
burners provide the opportunity to install two
independent AF firing systems in the rotary kiln
and thus use two independent fuel streams,
one entering through the main burner and one
entering through the satellite burner. This can
help improve the stability and consistency of
combustion and provides highest flexibility of
AF mix.
ROCKTEQ
At ROCKTEQ, we firmly believe in the
effectivity of satellite burners. Previous studies
and practical experiences have demonstrated
that satellite burners can increase the TSR of
AF and provide a more stable kiln operation
compared to other methods. The technical
developments in kiln burners concerning AF
date back approximately 25 years. Initially,
various designs were tested during the
operation of solid AF.
These designs involved installing a pipe
above the kiln burner, which was then
cast together with the burner’s refractory.
Subsequently, the AF-pipe was integrated into
the kiln burner, sometimes with 2 – 3 centrally
arranged AF-pipes. These multifuel kiln burners
were designed to accommodate different types
of AF. However, difficulties emerged in two
main areas:
f The ignition and burnout behaviour of
different AF varied, leading to long and
hard-to-control flames.
f The diameter of the kiln burner was
dramatically increased to meet critical

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 design numbers, adversely impacting even
the combustion of ‘standard’ coal.
Satellite burners offer the advantage of
independent control from the main burner,
providing operators with greater flexibility
in controlling the clinker burning process.
At ROCKTEQ, we have further enhanced
satellite burner performance by implementing
independent suspensions, allowing for
maximum adjustment of flame formation and
position.
Unitherm Cemcon
Satellite burners are vital in modern cement
production for optimising the use of biogenic
secondary fuels, reducing environmental
impact, especially at high TSR levels (between
70 – 100%). Here is why:
f Temperature control: Strategically placed
satellite burners provide localised heat
input for precise temperature control
and uniform heat distribution, enhancing
cement clinker formation and product
quality.
f Fuel flexibility: They enable the use of
various AF, reducing reliance on fossil
fuels, lowering emissions, and improving
sustainability.
f Emissions reduction: Satellite burners
promote efficient combustion and cleaner
fuel use, reducing greenhouse gases (GHG)
and pollutants, meeting environmental
regulations.
f Cost savings: By increasing the TSR,
reducing fossil fuel consumption, and
minimising CO2 emissions, they offer
long-term cost savings and operational
efficiency improvements.
Integrating satellite burners into cement kiln
systems enhances competitiveness and drives
sustainable development in the industry.
How can burner design be optimised
to minimise harmful emissions like
NOx?
FCT Combustion
It is generally believed that minimising
primary air amount is one way to reduce NOx
generation at the burner. However, in practice,
the answer is not so simple. In isolation, the
reduction of primary air amount can lead to an
increase in NOx if it causes a delayed ignition
of the fuel, for example. Apart from that, the
reduction of primary air alone can also affect
clinker quality, decreasing cement strength
and can cause issues with the kiln operation in
terms of slower responsiveness, increased alkalis
20
and sulfur cycles in the kiln, and uncontrolled
combustion.
The important point is that NOx emissions
can be minimised with reduced primary air,
as long as it comes with the same or better
combustion control. Apart from the quantity
of primary air, the distribution in the flame can
have a significant impact on NOx emissions.
Delayed entrainment of secondary air can
decrease NOx, as long as it does not cause
delayed fuel ignition. Early ignition of the
flame has long been known to reduce NOx and
burner tip and primary air design is critical to
the ignition point. The location and momentum
of the primary air at the burner tip is critical in
how and where secondary air is entrained into
the flame. It should allow for a fast fuel ignition
but a slower combustion overall – a very fine
balance. Water injection into the flame from the
burner tip can also be useful in controlling peak
temperatures which are another factor in NOx
generation, but obviously it has its penalties.
Where possible, a very effective and
economically advantageous strategy to reduce
NOx emissions is to use AF. Their characteristics
such as higher moisture, larger particle sizes,
or low calorific values, among others are such
that they slow down combustion. Fuels with
lower nitrogen content can also be used to
reduce NOx, though with limited results. A
flexible burner that can be adjusted to different
conditions and fuels is paramount.
The actual burner technology can in some
cases have a huge impact on NOx emissions,
for example, the Gyro-Therm™ burner for
natural gas uses completely new technology
for mixing fuel and air that minimises NOx
formation while producing a short hot heat
flux profile ideal for cement kiln operation.
Generally speaking though, it is undesirable
to compromise product quality, kiln output,
fuel consumption, refractory life, etc., to
control NOx emissions. It is better to treat the
flue gases to remove NOx from the exhaust
stream.
KHD
The optimisation of the burner design to
reduce NOx emissions relies strongly on the
amount of primary air used, nozzle geometry,
and location. These parameters influence
the flame temperature, which directly
influences NOx production: the lower and
more consistent the flame temperature (while
maintaining process requirements), the lower
the NOx emission levels. Our PYROJET burner
uses high-pressure primary air, which helps to
reduce primary air consumption to a minimum,
while still obtaining high combustion efficiency,
thus reducing NOx emissions to a minimum.
World Cement June 2024
ROCKTEQ
The main burner typically utilises 8 – 12% of the
required combustion air for fuel combustion
in the kiln to regulate emissions. The flow and
temperature of the oxygen-rich secondary air
also influence the main burner’s emissions. To
mitigate thermal NOx emissions (generated
above 1250˚C with exponential development),
the kiln burner design must incorporate either
‘stepped combustion’ or utilise fuel with
moisture, which delays ignition and prevents
flame peak temperatures. The design of stepped
combustion relies on delaying the oxygen-fuel
reaction velocity. NOx emissions result from the
reactions of N2 as an air component with O2 from
combustion air, intensifying with high combustion
temperatures.
Reducing oxygen supply to the flame centre
delays the carbon reaction, resulting in lower
flame-peak temperatures and consequently lower
thermal NOx emissions. However, achieving
this balance can be challenging when primary
and transport air are required for solid AF in
the burner centre. Trials conducted over a
decade ago explored the use of combustion flue
gases as a replacement for primary air, yielding
positive results with a significant reduction in
NOx emissions. Unfortunately, condensing and
aggressive flue gas residues posed challenges by
blocking and damaging the kiln burner internals.
Investigating the use of flue gas as a transport gas
for AF holds potential for further exploration.
At ROCKTEQ, independent control of
different primary air flows via control dampers is
mandatory for main burner design, ensuring the
necessary settings are achievable.
Unitherm Cemcon
Burner design is pivotal for fuel emission
reduction in cement production, with
Unitherm Cemcon offering advanced solutions
for nearly 80 years. Here is how burner design can
help:
f Efficient combustion: Proper design ensures
thorough fuel-air mixing for complete
combustion, minimising harmful emissions like
CO and UHC.
f Low-NOx technology: Unitherm Cemcon’s
designs integrate low-NOx technology, such
as staged combustion and FGR, reducing
NOx emissions significantly.
f Precise control: Advanced control systems
enable precise management of combustion
parameters, optimising conditions to
minimise emissions.
f AF: Burner designs accommodate AF usage,
with features like the PNEUMO-DEFLECTOR©
or UNISAT satellite burner for efficient
combustion and lower emissions, even with
high moisture content.
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In summary, Unitherm Cemcon’s burner solutions
optimise combustion efficiency, control emissions,
and facilitate AF usage, aligning with emission
reduction goals in cement production.
What can cement plants do to
ensure the maximum availability and
operational lifetime of their burners?
FCT Combustion
The interaction of the flame and kiln
aerodynamics can be a critical determinant of
refractory life. The burner design drives the
heat flux profile, which is a key driver of coating
building and stability. Good stable coating in
the burning zone is the best way to increase
refractory lifetime in the kiln region under the
most thermal stress.
However, the burner works in a specific
environment, which is different in each kiln.
The burner design should be tailored to the
unique kiln in which it is installed, taking into
consideration specificities in terms of secondary
air conditions, kiln, kiln hood and cooler
geometries, temperatures in different streams
and parts of the process, as these can influence
reasonably how the burner should be designed,
how the flame and kiln heat flux profile are
affected, and how these impact on stable coating,
and volatile cycles among other factors. In some
extreme cases, such as when a new burner is
being sought to solve an existing problem in
the kiln, modelling can be an effective tool for
optimisation.
The fundamental design choices underlying
the burner’s architecture can have a major effect
on the lifespan of the burner itself. Moving
elements at the front of the burner are key weak
points, where wear or thermal damage can cause
significant alteration of the burner’s performance,
potentially leading to kiln refractory damage.
FCT’s design philosophy is based on simple and
robust construction methods which are intended
to maintain the aerodynamic integrity of the
burner, coupled with science and modelling driven
detail design aimed to meet the specific kiln’s
operational requirements.
The right choice of materials against wear, as well
as better instrumentation to monitor and adjust
operating conditions, are extremely important for
extended burner lifetime. FCT is also a pioneer
in the use of thermal treatments on burner tip
components to improve cooling.
Burner thermal management is a very important
component in the work required to extend burner
operational lifetime and the ability of the burner to
survive adverse events such as power failures.
A design which is maintenance-friendly is
paramount to bringing the burner back to its
original state if a problem does occur.
22
KHD
Ensuring maximum availability of a burner implies
regular maintenance and continuous monitoring
of the machinery to respond to and prevent upset
conditions.
In the rough conditions of the rotary kiln, the
burner must be particularly well protected by
the refractory lining and cooling air to resist
the very hot temperatures. Monitoring of the
refractory temperature is an early indication of
potential damage and increases the time to plan
stoppages.
ROCKTEQ
Interactions between kiln operation, fuel
mix, and kiln shell impose overlapping
thermal, mechanical, and chemical stresses
on refractory materials and constructions.
Unfortunately, some customers underestimate
the combined impact of heat, chemicals, and
abrasion, leading to damage after a short
service life. Factors such as alternating flame
position, overheating, significant temperature
variations, operational interruptions, and fuel
inhomogeneity can result in worn burner tips
and lances. Additionally, excessive transport
air velocities can cause abrasion problems,
resulting in high wear.
It is imperative that the burner supplier is
informed about any fuel changes and variations
in fuel quality. While these changes may
necessitate minor adaptations, they ultimately
ensure a longer operational lifetime for the
burner. To maximise burner lifespan, the plant
must adhere strictly to the burner’s design
parameters and operate within those limits.
Modern ROCKTEQ burners are equipped with
flow, pressure, and temperature transmitters,
serving as a detection system for operators to
anticipate potential wear.
Careful selection and installation of suitable
refractory materials and anchors are essential.
Utilising low cement castables, optimising
anchor systems for burner pipes, and
employing appropriate casting procedures
for burner jacket pipes, along with tempering
them according to predefined heating curves,
are prerequisites for achieving maximum
burner availability. Casting sections individually,
preferably in a vertical position, helps prevent
cracks at cast seams. Expansion joints filled with
ceramic fibre not only prevent thermal-induced
cracks in the refractory but also ensure
a longer thermal lifetime for the burner.
Monolithic casting in one piece typically proves
disadvantageous for the main burner refractory.
Unitherm Cemcon
To enhance kiln burner longevity and reduce
maintenance costs:
World Cement June 2024

VIDMAR GROUP
TRS.NET
As part of their constant drive to
improve the quality of service to
customers, cement manufactu-
rers are automating truck transit
and bulk loading systems to dis-
patch cement. Several aspects
need to be addressed in order to
introduce such a system.
The first is automatic control of
bulk loading, so the truck loads
the required quantity, while not ex-
ceeding the maximum permitted
vehicle weight. It is also becoming
increasingly common to request
loading at unusual times, such as
at night or the weekend. This is
often the case for plants near lar-
ge cities, where traffic is at a stand
still during normal working hours.
With an automated facility, trucks
can load at any time of day or night
to avoid delivery delays.
To these ends, Vidmar has de-
veloped TRS.Net, an automatic
system that manages the flow of
trucks inside the cement plant.
This enables companies to ro-
ll-out automatic control of entry/
exit to the facilities, loading/un-
loading, weighing and finished
product dispatch, both for bulk
cement and packed product. It
can also control the movements
of workers’, visitors’ and contrac-
tors’ movements within the plant.
Successful operation lies in the
system/human dialogue, which
must be facilitated by the equip-
ment. This can be divided into the
following areas: identification,
dialogue, weighing, automa-
tion and printing solutions.
Advertisement Feature
AUTOMATIC DISPATCH SYSTEMS:
THE SOLUTION FOR TRUCK FLOW OPTIMISATION
TRS.Net Process
The truck transit process is based on self-service, au-
tomatic or manual operations. Different levels of auto-
mation can be achieved depending on the equipment
installed.
There are two types of vehicles: Regular and non-re-
gular. Regular vehicles are those with their own identifi-
cation system, through which the data associated with
the vehicle can be used by the main TRS.Net system. As
regular visitors, they will only require some data to be en-
tered, either automatically or by the driver. Non-regular
vehicles must operate through a kiosk or be attended to
manually.
The TRS/Net system is normally based at the primary
entry point or points into the plant. Here, regular and
non-regular vehicles are identified and the data that the
system requires to carry out the transaction is selected
and a ticket with relevant significant data is issued.
After registering its arrival, the truck must remain in the
waiting area until the system calls it to enter the plant.
This waiting time avoids congestion within the plant
itself. The system will direct vehicle entries in accordan-
ce with the product to be loaded, its availability and the Customer ERP
number of trucks already in circulation. Once the truck The dispatch system must be
has been called, it must go onto the entry weighbridge to closely related to the custo-
measure the tare, and then go to the allocated loading/ mer’s management system
unloading point. to ensure rapid and full data
exchange between the two
In the case of bulk loading, once in position there must parties. The most common
be a signal to indicate that it is safe to start loading. This method is web services.
will be done completely automatically, as the system
will have informed the corresponding PLC of the exact Third party systems
amount to be loaded, and the origin of the material. A third party system such as
a traffic management system
For bag loading, the forklift operator will have a mobile (exterior to the plant), securi-
device that can select the truck and see what should ty access, etc., can be linked
be loaded onto it. It can also be used to modify the load with the TRS.Net system, to
order with the final quantity loaded if it differs from the enable total integration of
ordered amount. In case of unloading raw materials, the plant access control.
dispatch system can send a permit to the automation
PLC to obtain authorisation. Conclusion
With an automatic dispatch
If there are any errors in the steps described, the system system, a better service avai-
will inform the driver and the operator so that the pro- lability may be offered to the
blem may be resolved. customer, as significant im-
Once the loading/unloading provement will be obtained
process is complete, the ve- in terms of waiting times, total
hicle must go to the exit zone flexibility of loading/unloading
to obtain the corresponding schedules, the optimisation
delivery note. All the control is of truck flows and ease of
carried out by an application traceability of all the transac-
and database server. tions carried out.
f Regular inspection: Conduct routine
cleaning and checks for wear, following
Unitherm Cemcon’s maintenance guidelines
diligently.
f Fuel and air quality: Maintain fuel and air
quality as per manufacturer specifications to
prevent wear, inefficiency, and emissions.
f Proper operation: Adhere to recommended
procedures for startup, shutdown, and
operation to optimise performance and
extend burner life.
f Training and support: Train personnel
in correct operation and maintenance
procedures, utilising Unitherm Cemcon’s
support services.
f Genuine spare parts: Use authentic spare
parts to ensure durability and compatibility,
minimising premature failures and long-term
maintenance expenses.
What role can automation and burner
management systems play in enhancing
burner operation?
KHD
Burner management systems play a key role in
enhancing burner operations, ensuring fail-safe
burner operating conditions. These systems
also provide transparent reporting of operating
conditions to digital plant control platforms,
allowing simple overview and easy adjustment,
with tracked historical data, to improve burner
performance.
When requested by the cement plant, modern
burner management systems can also be
connected to remote-access points, which allow
experts from the burner manufacturer to access
burner operating data and provide remote
optimisation and troubleshooting services.
ROCKTEQ
Installing a thermography camera from the kiln
hood side can offer insights into plume length.
Kilns operating at high rates of AF can benefit
from monitoring plume size, position, flame
ignition point, size, and shape.
The use of a thermography camera
enables operators to respond to changes in
AF properties such as lower heating value
(LHV), moisture content, particle size, etc.
When combined with a robust expert system,
operators can effectively control the fuel ratio
and maintain a constant AF fuel rate in terms
of energy input. Achieving stable kiln operation
results in increased AF rates and improved
clinker quality.
Moreover, integrating the kiln shell scanner
signal into the expert system allows for
adjustments to total flame length and diameter.
This integration facilitates appropriate kiln shell
24
cooler arrangements to stabilise the coating in
the sinter zone of the rotary kiln.
Unitherm Cemcon
Automation and burner management systems
improve burner operation by precise control,
real-time monitoring, and safety features. They
optimise combustion efficiency by detecting
deviations, and prevent unsafe conditions. Remote
monitoring and control enhance oversight, while
data analysis aids in performance optimisation.
Integration with process control systems ensures
coordination and optimisation of burner operation
with other processes, while implementing energy
management features minimise fuel costs and
environmental impact.
Looking ahead, what do you see as
the next steps in burner design? What
developments can the cement sector
expect to see over the coming years?
FCT Combustion
The next steps in burner design depend on the
global region, as different areas have different
environmental concerns, expectations, fuels,
different stages of technological development,
etc. Broadly, obvious next steps are going to be
the utilisation of hydrogen and oxygen due to the
appeal of CO2 reduction. Depending on the very
many supply possibilities, these may be available
and used either separately or together, in quite
small or potentially even quite large quantities.
In terms of AF usage, we may continue to see
utilisation of ‘worse’ AF, including fuels with larger
particles, 3D particles, or higher moisture, and
this should be considered in the burner design.
In the AF area, we may also see a higher focus on
oxyfuel mode capabilities in either a partial or full
capacity.
Apart from the obvious challenges of
incorporating hydrogen into the process, such
as cost and availability, another consideration is
the effect that hydrogen-firing can have on flame
radiance. To ensure flame radiance is optimal,
there are two main options: a design allowing
small quantities of hydrogen to enhance the use
of AF or alternatively, for higher quantities of
hydrogen, the design may consider dual-firing
with carbon-based AF.
Novel materials and treatments are likely to
feature in near future designs, particularly in the
areas of wear and thermal management.
Modular burner designs might well become
the norm where plants are forced to adapt to
rapid changes of their AF. Rather than designing a
burner for several different fuels that may or may
not come into operation, which may compromise
the overall design in benefit of the flexibility, it
may prove substantially better to provide an easily
World Cement June 2024
 upgradeable burner with replaceable sections
that allow a smaller set of conditions (for example
fuels), to be used closer to their optimum design.
Looking further ahead, the availability
of real-time information on kiln operating
conditions could lead to kiln modelling and
some automated burner adjustments to maintain
real-time optimised burning conditions as process
operations fluctuate.
KHD
In the near future, the flexible use of different
fuels will continue to be the major development.
Burner designs will likely continue to evolve to
accommodate a wider range of AF and enable
cement plants to further diversify their fuel
sources, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and
enhance sustainability on the path to net zero.
In the mid-term, we expect oxyfuel combustion
to be rolled-out in the cement industry. Oxyfuel
changes process combustion conditions
dramatically, as ambient air injection is replaced
by pure oxygen injection. This raises the CO2
concentration in the combustion gases – which
is the aim of oxyfuel combustion as the CO2
then becomes easier to capture. But higher CO2
concentration also impacts heat transfer and
results in a heat shift in the process, which burner
designs should take into consideration. On the
flip side, the high combustibility of pure oxygen
injection positively impacts fuel combustion and
burn-out, making it easier to use higher amounts
of AF, while maintaining combustion stability.
For the long term, ongoing R&D will drive
innovation in alternative combustion technologies,
such as chemical looping, plasma-assisted
combustion, and electrification. These
technologies offer potential benefits in terms
of emissions reduction, energy efficiency, and
process flexibility in the cement industry.
ROCKTEQ
In recent years, the fuel market has experienced
increased volatility due to political and energy
crises, alongside rising costs for fossil fuels.
Kiln Burners • Satellite Burners • Calciner Burners • AF-Booster System • Engineering for AF-Handling Systems • AF-Flash
Dryer with Hoover Top • Optimizations to increase the TSR 
www.rockteq.com
To address these challenges, the burner fuel
mix must become more flexible in the future.
Operators need greater flexibility to switch to
fuels and AF that are currently available and
cost-effective. Climate change will also require
a reduction in the use of traditional fuels such as
coal, gas, and oil.
ROCKTEQ envisions smaller diameter main
burners with fewer fuel channels. The combined
use of satellite burners for AF on the kiln allows
for flexible control of fuels based on their
conditions and burnability. We anticipate a drive
towards achieving a higher TSR of up to 100%
in some regions. At ROCKTEQ, as specialists
in the kiln pyro process, we have developed
the AF-Booster System. This system includes
solid fuel drying by waste gas, AF classification,
and feeding to main and/or satellite burners,
serving as a space-saving integral system for
future applications in cement plants. A stable
kiln operation with a very high TSR can only be
achieved sustainably with well-conditioned and
prepared AF of predictable quality. This approach
enables cement plants to procure cost-effective
AF while gaining more independence from
fuel suppliers, as the final quality is produced
in-house.
Unitherm Cemcon
The cement industry is prioritising carbon
emission reduction and energy efficiency, driving
innovation in burner designs like Unitherm’s
latest product developments (e.g. M.A.S.
technology, UNISAT). These burners efficiently
combust solid AF with a TSR of 70% up to almost
100%, emitting fewer GHG pollutants. As fuel
specifications diversify for circular economy
goals, the industry may shift towards gaseous
alternatives like biofuels and green hydrogen,
necessitating specialised burner designs,
especially under oxyfuel conditions. Additionally,
the integration of digital technologies such as
AI and IoT into burner systems is anticipated to
optimise performance, reduce downtime, and
enhance safety.
 The power
trade-off

26
Andrew Timmerman, Martin Engineering, considers the
consequences of spillage in the loading zone of a belt
conveyor, and explains how to calculate the cost of transfer
S
point efficiency.
pillage in the loading zone of a belt
conveyor can raise the cost of operation
significantly both from an efficiency
and safety standpoint. One of the main
sources of spillage stems from the weight of the
cargo, causing the belt to sag and create gaps
in-between idlers. Aided by air pressure in the
transfer chute, dust and fines escape, resulting
in fouled idler bearings and mechanical parts,
causing them to fail and be replaced.
The spillage piles below the system and clutters
walkways requiring additional workers to clean
it up which raises the cost of labour and causes
a possible workplace hazard. If not regularly
addressed, the spilled material can encapsulate
the belt and tail pulley, fouling the unprotected
return side of the belt. By far the most expensive
single component on any conveyor system, a belt
with material adhered to the underside leads to
abrasion damage, mistracking and slippage which
increases the power requirements.
To avoid these consequences and mitigate belt
sag, conveyor designers recommend constructing
a sealed environment in the transfer chute.
This can be achieved by reducing the distance
between idlers or adding cradles. Cradles are
slick urethane pads on a rigid steel frame that
produce an even belt path, allowing the rubber
skirting to form a tight seal along the entire length
of the chute. Not only does the cradle/skirting
27
combination eliminate gaps, it allows for greater
airflow control through the loading, settling and stilling
zone for superior dust and spillage suppression.
However, a tight seal can induce additional friction.
Although field tests have shown minimal erosion of
the belting or splice, it calls for slightly more power,
the ongoing cost of which is no small concern to
operators. This article provides the calculations
Figure 1. Belt sag calculation.
Figure 2. Tension added to the belt due to sealing
support.
Figure 3. Tension added to the belt due to an impact
cradle.
28
required to determine the distance between idlers to
reduce belt sag. It will also discuss how engineers can
calculate the power requirements of a cradle system.
The data will help operators decide if installing
preventive measures – such as modern conveyor
transfer point sealing equipment like cradles and
skirting – is more cost-effective over the long run
than reactive measures like cleanup and ongoing
equipment replacement.
Determining sag and idler distance
In Belt Conveyors for Bulk Materials,
Sixth Edition, the Conveyor Equipment
Manufacturer’s Association (CEMA)
recommends that conveyor belt sag between
idlers be limited to 2% for 35˚ idlers and 3%
for 20˚ idlers. The CEMA method refers to
limiting sag outside the load zone to prevent
spillage.
To fully prevent spillage, dust, premature
belt wear, wearliner depreciation, and skirt
seal wear in the load zone, the sag must be
significantly less than that recommended
by CEMA. For example, using the CEMA
method results in a recommended maximum
sag between idlers of 12.5 mm (0.5 in.) for
35˚ idlers and 19 mm (0.75 in.) for 20˚ idlers
(Figure 1). For loading zones with many
gaps and tons of material escaping from
the chute, field tests have shown that this is
clearly unacceptable sag for control of fugitive
materials in the load zone.
Sag (ΔYs) is proportional to the weight
(force) of the belt and bulk material
(Wb + Wm) (newtons (lbf )) and the idler
spacing (SI ) (mm (in.)), and it is inversely
proportional to the minimum belt tension in
the load zone (Tm) (newtons (lbf)) (Figure 1).
To control fugitive materials, designers should
consider managing the belt tension and idler
spacing in the load zone to keep belt sag at
no more than 3 mm (0.12 in.) and preferably
0.0. Even with very little sag, if belt support is
not continuous, fugitive materials can escape
and cause wear.
The example in Figure 1 shows that, with
idler spacing of 600 mm (24 in.), there is
3.37 mm (0.135 in.) of sag. If the idler spacing
in the example is reduced to 178 mm (7 in.),
the belt sag drops to 1.0 mm (0.039 in.). On
the other hand, if a belt-support system such
as an impact cradle or air-supported conveyor
section is used, idler spacing (SI) can be
assumed to be 0.0. The calculation then yields
belt sag of 0.0, because there should be no
sag when the belt is a continuous, flat surface.
Cradles and power requirements
Belt-support systems have a significant effect
on the power requirements of a conveyor.
World Cement June 2024
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Changes in belt support will have a particularly
noticeable effect on short or under-powered systems.
Conveyor designers should ensure there is adequate
conveyor drive power available to compensate for
the additional friction placed on the conveyor when
calculating the theoretical power requirements of
proposed changes in belt-support systems.
Figure 4. Power consumption added to drive due to
impact cradles and belt support.
Figure 5. Cradles offer low friction surfaces at
specified trough angles for superior belt sealing.
Figure 6. A well-designed chute structure provides a sealed
environment to control spillage and offer enough space for
dust to settle.
30
Added kilowatts (hp) consumption can be
calculated by determining the added belt tension,
using the standard methods recommended by
CEMA. The coefficient of friction of the new (or
proposed) support systems, multiplied by the load
placed on the belt support from belt weight, material
load, and sealing system, equals the tension. There
is no need to allow for the removal of idlers,
the incline of the conveyor, or other possible
factors, as estimates provided by this method
will, in most cases, produce results higher than
the power consumption experienced in actual
use. In applications where there is a lubricant
consistently present, such as water, the actual
power requirements may be one-half, or even
less, of the amount estimated through these
calculations (Figures 2, 3, 4).
Conclusion
Additional power requirements and costs will
seem minor when compared to the power
consumed by operating with one ‘frozen’
idler or several idlers operating with a material
accumulation. By implementing the proper
belt-support systems, a plant can prevent the
costlier problems that arise from the escape
of fugitive material. Cleanup of spillage not
only increases labour costs but, in lieu of
unscheduled downtime, exposes workers
to activities around and under a running
conveyor, a major cause of injuries and death
in the bulk handling industries.
Testing has found that a well-designed
system incorporates slightly elevated power
consumption required to prevent spillage,
rather than suffer the much higher power
consumption and greater consequences
that arise from fugitive material. The costs
for installation and operation of proper
belt-support systems represent an investment
and commitment to ongoing efficiency and
workplace safety.
About the author
Andrew Timmerman earned a Mechanical
Engineering degree with a minor in Applied
Mathematics from Northern Illinois University.
He joined Martin Engineering in 2011 as a
Product Development Engineer and
currently holds the position of Global
Engineering Manager. Timmerman’s
primary responsibilities are in R&D
and Engineering, where the bulk of his
time is dedicated to the mechanical
design of products and processes,
as well as integration of electronic
components into the company’s
mechanical systems to continue
development of ‘smart’ products for
bulk material handling applications.
World Cement June 2024
Concetti discusses the benefits
of using PE bags for packaging
in combination with an
automated packaging line.
F
reedom Packaging Products LLC
(FPP) of Alabama is the latest cement
packaging company to offer its
customers products in clean, sealed,
dust-free PE bags instead of kraft paper sacks
with unsealed internal valves. Located in a
31
brand new purpose-built facility at Altoona,
Alabama, in Blount County, a new fully
automated packaging line will handle a range
of general purpose and high-strength masonry
cements (Types N and S according to ASTM
C-91) as well as Ordinary Portland Cement.
FPP’s founder and owner Danny O’Toole, with
his long history in the construction business
and previous experience of cement packaging
using valve filling machines, became convinced
that the future lay in PE film following a visit
to an Italian plant producing specialist mortars
using the latest technology. He was particularly
impressed by the unusually clean packing area
and the tight, water resistant plastic packaging.
Working with powders
Filling any fine powder into bags of any kind
has always been problematic due to the
amount of air mixed with the product at the
point of filling. Granular materials readily
release entrained air and reach their final
density almost instantaneously after being
discharged into the bag. But fine powders like
cement with a typical particle size of around
10 – 20 μm behave differently and need far
more time to ‘settle’. A bag with the capacity
to hold the volume of a fine powder as it exists
at the point of filling would be oversized after
settlement, leaving it unsightly and loosely
filled, difficult to palletise automatically or
handle safely.
Valve type filling machines overcome this
by forcing the product into paper bags using
compressed air or a motor-driven impeller, or
auger. In many cases, dust laden excess air is
evacuated back out through the valve opening
and also via micro-perforations in the bag walls,
a process that can be extremely dusty and
dirty. Moreover, the product itself is at risk of
absorbing water through the same unsealed
valve, even where the paper bag contains a
moisture barrier.
Essentially, poorer working conditions for
operators, reduced shelf life and the risk of
degradation and wastage is the trade off for
higher output speeds and reasonable pack
stability.
Fortunately, that compromise is no longer
necessary. The latest developments in PE film
technology allows cement packers to take
advantage of clean form, fill and seal (FFS)
systems and, in particular, robust horizontal
machines such as that of the Italian company
Concetti SpA, based near Perugia, Umbria.
These machines are capable of packing very
fine powders into clean, water resistant bags
that can vent excess air and still be stored
safely outside without risk of product quality
being degraded.
32
The advantages of PE film in reel form are
already well known, including low cost and long
automatic production. However, the benefit of
a vastly superior protection against moisture
ingress can be added, a crucial factor for any
cement based material, appealing to packers,
distributors, retailers and users alike. Being
able to store outside also cuts warehousing
costs, extends the product’s useful shelf life and
minimises wastage right up to the moment of
use.
The key feature is the overlapping double
seam running the entire length of the reel,
providing a route for any excess air to escape
after filling and sealing. The seam, virtually
impervious to water entry from the outside,
uses internal micro-perforations to vent any
remaining air even after the bag is closed and
sealed.
A complete package
The new FPP plant at Altoona houses two
Concetti Continua FFS machines working
side-by-side, a Concetti automatic high level
palletiser and a rotating arm pallet stretch
wrapper, forming an integrated system capable
of around 600 x 70 – 75 lb bags per hour. All
the equipment was part of a complete package
designed and installed by Concetti, including
all necessary safety systems, mesh guarding,
interlocked gates, access barriers and so on
to ensure operator wellbeing, together with
necessary dust aspiration connection points.
Product is stored in a small buffer hopper
with twin outlets serving the two FFS lines
and dispensed by Concetti double screw fed
net weighers, delivering main and fine feed
rates with variable speed drives enabling the
screw capacity to be programmed for different
products.
To avoid cross contamination during product
changes, a unique cleaning system is included.
The screws are reversible and any residue left
at the end of a production run is expelled via
a rear flap and chute into a waiting container
at ground level. Internal air jets then clean the
screw surfaces. This is programme controlled
and helps minimises changeover times. It is a
key part of the Concetti philosophy to provide
flexible packaging systems able to switch
rapidly between different products with as little
manual intervention as possible.
The screw casings are equipped with
interlocked inspection doors and screws can
be quickly withdrawn and demounted for
deeper cleaning if necessary. Product contact
parts liable to wear including screw surfaces,
weigh hopper doors and discharge chutes, are
covered with abrasion resistant material. The
weigh hopper is divided into two chambers,
World Cement June 2024
allowing the weighment to be delivered in two
separate charges.
Each FFS machine is fed from a reel of printed
tubular film up to 4 ft (1200 mm ) diameter,
either flat or gusseted, with printed registration
marks determining the cutting and sealing
positions and therefore the bag length for
each product. A motorised arm lifts the reel
into place. A device for creating 45˚ corner or
‘K’ seals is fitted to improve bag stability and
appearance.
Bags advance horizontally through the
Continua’s six stations. The first station forms
the bag and seals the bottom. The second
is equipped with a dust tight filling spout
channelling the first charge of the weighment.
Micro-porous de-aeration probes carry out the
first stage of air removal from the filled bag. The
bag is closed and indexed to the third station
where the bag is topped up to its final weight by
a second charge from a holding chamber, having
received additional deaeration time.
Further deaeration is carried out at the fourth
station with additional micro-porous probes.
Vibrators assist in further settling the product.
Station number five has an integral device for
applying a partial vacuum together with an
air blast system to clean any residue from the
internal film surfaces. Once the air is evacuated
and the bag top cleaned, heat is applied
through temperature controlled Teflon coated
sealing jaws to provide a virtually hermetically
sealed pack.
Finished bags exit the two FFS machines,
passing over a device which checks they are
properly sealed, before merging into a single
belt conveying line with an ink jet coder. Bags
enter a belt type flattener with motorised
height adjustment before reaching the Concetti
PS-AA/20S high-level palletiser.
A double stack, 45 pallet capacity magazine
handling 40 in. x 48 in. (1000 mm x 1200 mm)
2-way entry and GMA (Grocery Manufacturers
Association) pallets supplies the automatic
palletiser. Ardboard bottom sheets can be
applied from a vacuum operated dispenser.
The conventional push-type palletiser has
an overhead bag turner, row grouping belt,
motorised row pusher and programmable
motorised layer conforming plates. Layer
compression is achieved by using the pallet
elevator drive and the underside of the closed
stripper plate. Pallets can be stacked up to
63 in. (1600 mm) high and then conveyed by
close-pitched rollers to a rotating arm pallet
stretch wrapper.
An infeed/removal station between the
palletiser and wrapper enables part pallets to
be removed from the line or manually stacked
pallets to be inserted for wrapping.
34
The automatic stretch wrapper, provided to
unitise the pallet rather that provide weather
protection, comes with a power pre-stretch
film carriage, cut and grip system with heat
sealing and a roping device to narrow the
20 in. (500 mm) film web for extra load security.
No top sheet is provided or needed to guard
against water ingress during transportation and
storage, highlighting the advantage of using PE
film. Covered warehousing is not essential.
Concetti’s extensive use of servomotors to
replace manual adjustments allows changes
to product or film dimensions to be made
under programme control without the need for
spanner adjustments. Each programme is a list
of the variable parameters and the PLCs are
linked by a network so switching programmes on
the FFS operator panel makes all the necessary
physical changes on the whole line automatically.
This includes the target weight, the bag length
and width, screw speeds, compaction time,
settling times and vacuum level in addition
to bag flattener height and palletiser layer
pattern/size.
These automated programme changes avoid
set-up errors. The most important decisions
affecting the line’s operation are beyond the
operator’s control.
After clean down, this changeover can be
completed, ready to run, in under 90 sec. and
represents the ideal use of digital technology to
simplify complexity and make the line easy to
manage as well as more reliable and efficient.
Only the film reel then needs to be changed
before restarting the line, and usually, one
operator per shift is enough.
Manufacture and assembly
Concetti has the added advantage of
manufacturing every element of the dosing,
filling and palletising system in its own plant
where the integration is made. The complete
system is assembled fully and undergoes
pre-shipment testing using the customer’s
own materials, film reels and pallets to ensure
everything performs as planned making
re-assembly on site quick and trouble free and
reducing commissioning time.
The PLCs are provided with a broadband
internet connection for remote factory
diagnostics to assist with trouble-shooting.
Service is provided out of Concetti’s office in
Braselton, Ga.
Combined with the very latest PE films and
Concetti’s own extensive experience in many
cement based applications, the result is a low
cost, secure, clean, colourful and well-presented
pack able to withstand outside storage without
impacting the quality or performance of the
products when they come to be used.
World Cement June 2024
 Going circular
with paper
sacks

Image copyright: Alier.

K
eeping valuable raw materials in the Catherine Plitzko-Kerninon,
loop is one of the European Circular
Economy Action Plan’s targets. This EUROSAC, and Elin Gordon,
entails recycling packaging waste.
Thanks to their performance and efficiency, paper CEPI Eurokraft, discuss why
sacks are widely used for packaging cement and recycling paper sacks can
other building materials. Their environmental
credentials can also support the European cement support the European cement
industry in reducing packaging waste and CO2
emissions. As there is no Europe-wide recycling industry on its way towards a
system solely for paper sacks, they are mostly circular economy and its
collected as part of a mixed paper packaging for
recycling stream. However, not all paper sacks are net-zero targets.
35

Paper sacks are widely used for cement and other
building materials. Copyright: GemPSI.
Cleaned kraft paper is a valuable raw material for
technically sophisticated packaging. Copyright:
Interzero Repasack.
Table 1. Summary of recyclability scores and suitability for standard
mill recycling.
Sample
Sample 1: Printed valve sack
for 25 kg flour
Sample 2: Printed valve sack
for 25 kg cement building
material
Sample 3: Printed open mouth
bag for animal feed
Sample 4: Printed open mouth
bag with plastic tube for
powdered milk
Sample 5: Printed open mouth
bag for 15 kg pet food
Sample 6: Used printed valve
sack for 25 kg cement building 83
material
36
currently collected and recycled. The
European sack kraft paper and paper
sack industry sees potential to change
this. As the largest customer segment
of the European sack kraft paper and
paper sack industry, the cement sector
can play an important role. More than
3 billion paper sacks for cement and
other building materials were placed on
the European market in 2023.1 Some
paper sacks combine other materials
with the paper layers to add functionality,
for example polymer coatings and
free films, such as polyethylene and
bio-based barriers. These materials, as
well as possible product residues, have
contributed to ingrained perceptions
amongst key stakeholders that paper
sacks are not compatible with standard
high-volume recycling processes.
Study to demonstrate
recyclability
EUROSAC and CEPI Eurokraft have
commissioned independent research to
understand if these perceptions reflect
reality. For the recyclability testing,
the harmonised European laboratory
test method by the Confederation of
European Paper Industries (Cepi) was
used which provides a common approach
to evaluate the grade of recyclability of
fibre-based packaging materials.2 It tests
parameters such as yield, coarse and
fine rejects that are relevant to process
efficiency as well as visual impurities and
sheet adhesion that
influence the quality
of recycled paper. The
recyclability of five
Recyclability Suitable for standard paper sack variants was
Notes
score mill recycling assessed, which are
representative of over
96 Yes
80% of paper sacks
placed on the European
75 Yes market. Among them
was a 25 kg printed
valve sack typically used
80 Yes for cement or other
building materials made
LDPE film recovered as coarse reject
negatively impacts yield score. Would
from three plies: 70 gsm
be suitable for standard mill recycling white kraft, a 9.5 gsm
-27 No
if the paper portion of the sack was (10 μm) HDPE free-film
recovered for recycling as part of and 70 gsm brown kraft
intended use.
with a paper reinforced
63 Yes
valve. In addition, the
same sack previously
filled with cement was
Yes Residue did not impact recyclability. investigated. The sum
of the scores obtained
World Cement June 2024
for yield, visual impurities and sheet adhesiveness
were translated into a recyclability score.3
According to the Cepi test method, fibre-based
packaging needs to attain a score between 0 and
100 to be considered ‘suitable for standard mill
recycling’.
Excellent recyclability performances
The study results (presented in Table 1) show that
five of the six samples are suitable for standard
mill recycling.4 Recyclability scores ranged from 63
to 96 for the recyclable sacks. The highest score
is to be judged as ‘Best in Class’ which means
it is unlikely to pose any repulpability issues.
Both cement paper sacks tested have obtained
excellent repulpability scores. While the unused
cement sack achieved a recyclability score of 75,
the used cement sack, carefully emptied of its
contents before the test, achieved a score of 83.
The slightly better result can be
attributed to a natural variability in
the test results due to the number
of samples analysed. The residual
traces of the contents remaining
inside the agitated sack did neither
impact fibre dispersion nor sheet
quality parameters.
As increased tear, burst and tensile indices
indicate a stronger paper sheet, the test results
clearly show that even relatively low percentages of
sack kraft fibres in the fibre furnish will contribute
to more tear-resistant recycled paper. Adding
to that, improved drainage has the potential to
contribute to reduced energy consumption for
drying which could equate to reduced production
costs and carbon emissions. Lower quantities of
dissolved and colloidal substances and ash suggest
a beneficially high fibre yield. To pave the way
for the recycling of paper sacks on a larger scale,
the next step will be to run trials with standard,
high-volume recycling mills and promote collection
circuits.
Insights for future developments
Thanks to new production technologies, sack
manufacturers have reduced the use of polymer

Results from fibre

inclusion
Lose the
To evaluate the potential of
including sack kraft fibres in a
typical recycled fibre mix, sack
kraft paper was repulped with
a 100 gsm testliner, a recycled
wait.
fibre-based paper, at various
mixes. The pulp was used to
prepare paper hand sheets from
which different properties were
measured. Among them, fibre
length, optical coarseness, pulp
drainage rate, dissolved and
colloidal substances <10 μm
as well as ash and paper sheet
mechanical properties. The results
(presented in Table 2) show a
linear improvement of the paper
quality with increasing percentages
of sack kraft fibre in the fibre
furnish. By including just 5% sack Ro-Flo knows that on-time means more uptime
kraft fibre, the tear index of the for your pneumatic conveying systems. That’s why
recycled paper increased by 15.5%,
the burst index by 2%, and pulp we make sure the parts and support you need are
drainage improved by 7.1%. With available when you need them.
20% sack kraft fibre, the increase
for the tear index was 44.4%,
and for the burst index 45.1%.
Pulp drainage improved by 12.5%
and the ash content was reduced
by 5.5%.
(855) 427-6356 ro-flo.com
required for the barrier properties of paper sacks
by almost half in recent years. Today, the HDPE
content in a cement sack is already less than 5%
of the total weight of the sack. Minimising the
plastic content of paper sacks or eliminating and
replacing them with other materials is one area
that the European sack kraft paper and paper
sack industry aims to keep working on to further
improve paper sack recyclability. These strategies
align with those being proposed within EUROSAC
and CEPI Eurokraft’s recently published ‘Paper
Sacks – Design for Recyclability Guidelines’.5 The
document provides recommendations for all
players in the paper sack supply chain on how to
maximise the recyclability of the paper sacks they
place on the market.
Recycling in practice
Examples from recycling facilities and paper mills
throughout Europe demonstrate that recycling
paper sacks is feasible and beneficial not only in
laboratory testing. In Germany, a system for the
collection of used paper sacks was established
more than 30 years ago. Today, it has a throughput
of 100 million sacks annually. As part of the
collection, the sacks are sorted by product use,
Sack kraft paper in the recycling mix is used to
produce strong recycled paper. Copyright: Alier.
freed from product residues and then processed
in a recycling plant into a valuable secondary raw
material. The residues retrieved from building
materials sacks are also recycled – specialised
companies utilise them for road construction on
landfills which also conserves primary resources.
In other countries such as Italy and Spain, several
mills integrate paper sacks and other kraft paper
products purposefully into their fibre mix to
produce strong recycled paper which can then be
produced into new packaging products that need
extra strength, such as paper sacks, paper carrier
bags or kraft liners for corrugated board. The
residual contents of the plastic layers are also given
a second life. They are cleaned and processed into
granules and pellets which can be used to produce
new plastic products. In Spain, a pilot project has
been initiated involving the entire value chain
of paper sack manufacturers, building material
manufacturers, construction companies, collectors
and recyclers. It aims to increase the collection of
paper sacks on construction sites to have more
valuable paper sack fibres available for recycling. It
is planned to extend this type of initiative to other
countries.
Low fossil CO2 emissions
Recycling paper sacks does not only save
valuable natural resources; it also reduces
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Fillers of
cement and other building materials can
minimise their scope 3 emissions with paper
sack recycling. As young trees grow, they
absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. The CO2
is stored in forest products such as paper
sacks during their life cycle and also when the
sacks are recycled. According to a study by
the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, paper sack
recycling saves an average of 183 kg of GHG
and 3150 kg of primary resources (wood)
per tonne of recycled paper sacks.6 Paper
sacks are already a low carbon packaging
solution. The European sack kraft paper

Table 2. Impacts from step wise substitution of recycled liner with sack kraft fibre.
Recycled Sack Length
Optical Burst Tensile Tear Schopper-
liner kraft weighted fibre Ash
coarseness index index index Riegler
(100 gsm) paper length

Trial % % % % % % % % %

1 100 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0

2 95 5 8.2 0.0 2.0 2.2 15.5 -7.1 3.3

3 80 20 19.8 2.6 45.1 16.6 44.4 -12.5 -5.5

4 50 50 52.2 17.0 102.3 42.1 88.7 -26.8 -28.6

5 20 80 75.0 15.7 166.2 70.6 144.5 -30.4 -37.4

6 5 95 94.8 34.6 192.2 85.8 170.5 -35.7 -51.6

7 0 100 99.9 30.7 231.2 107.0 170.5 -39.3 -70.9

38 World Cement June 2024

and paper sack industry continuously works on
improving the sustainability of their operations
and products. A recent carbon footprint study by
RISE found that the carbon intensity of a single
average European paper sack was reduced by
28% between 2007 – 2021, from 118 g CO2e per
sack in 2007 to 86 g CO2e per sack in 2021.7 This
can be attributed to reductions in sack weight and
in fossil fuel consumption. When looking at the
carbon footprint of paper cement sacks, another
study found that it is 2.5 times smaller than the
carbon footprint of form-fill-seal (FFS) polyethylene
cement sacks.8
Energy efficient production
The production of sack kraft paper, the main
component of paper sacks, is very energy-efficient
and uses a high degree of renewable energy
sources. According to the latest study, in 2021,
biofuels accounted for 92% of all fuels consumed
on-site, the majority (78%) of which was internally
produced.9 The mills also produced 59% of their
own electricity requirements. Of the purchased
grid electricity, 29% was identified as low carbon
electricity which means it was generated by wind,
solar, hydro, nuclear, etc.
Extending the system boundaries
Besides the cradle-to-gate fossil carbon footprint
of sack kraft paper and paper sacks, the study
investigated the total carbon impact. When
including cradle-to-gate biogenic removals and
emissions in the calculation, the carbon footprint
of a paper sack would even be negative. This
reinforces the fact that paper sacks are potentially
a carbon-negative solution. Incorporating a sack’s
end-of-life would give a more complete picture.
However, this methodology is problematic due to
data accuracy and sensitivity. In general, it can be
stated that the recycling of paper sacks should be
encouraged and pursued.
Conclusion
The lab test showed that whether with or without
a plastic film layer, used or unused, most paper
sacks are perfectly recyclable.
It also identified that the
2007 Main reasons:
inclusion of sack kraft
fibres enhanced important
properties of the recycled
paper. Therefore, recovering
valuable fibre from paper
sacks makes economic,
technical and environmental
118 g
CO2e
/sack
sense.
It will benefit mills and
support the paper packaging
industry’s efforts to meet
the recycling targets under The fossil carbon impact of an average European paper sack was
the revised packaging and reduced significantly between 2007 – 2021.
June 2024 World Cement
packaging waste directive. For the European
cement industry, recycling paper sacks can be one
further piece of the puzzle in its progress towards a
circular economy and net-zero targets.
References
1. EUROSAC, EUROSAC Statistics, (December 2023)
(February 2024).
2. Cepi,‘Harmonised European laboratory test method
to produce parameters enabling the assessment of the
recycling of paper and board products in standard paper
and board recycling mills‘, (December 2020).
3. ‘Industry tools and guidelines’
– https://4evergreenforum.eu/about/
guidelinesandprotocol
4. KAY, M., STURGES, M., LANGLEY, R., ‘Investigating
the papermaking potential from recycling kraft paper
sacks within standard high volume paper mills’, in
Paper Technology International, PITA, Vol. 64, No. 3
(Autumn 2023).
5. EUROSAC/CEPI Eurokraft, ‘Paper Sacks – Design for
Recyclability Guidelines’, (June 2023).
6. Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Resources SAVED by
Recycling, (2022).
7. RISE, ‘The carbon footprint of kraft sack paper and
kraft paper sacks’, (2021) (2023).
8. RISE (formerly Innventia), ‘European Paper Sack
Research Group LCI Study 2017. The evolution of
important environmental trends of sack kraft paper and
paper sacks and a comparison between paper sacks and
polyethylene form-fill-seal sacks used for cement’, (2018).
9. RISE, ‘The carbon footprint of kraft sack paper and
kraft paper sacks’, (2021) (2023).
About the authors
Catherine Plitzko-Kerninon is General Delegate of
EUROSAC. The European Federation of Multiwall
Paper Sack Manufacturers represents over 80% of
European paper sack manufacturers.
Elin Gordon is Chairperson and Secretary General
of Cepi Eurokraft, the European Association
for Producers of Sack Kraft Paper for the Paper
Sack Industry and Kraft Paper for the Packaging
Industry.
2021
emissions reductions from paper impact,
sack weight and fossil fuel consumption
–28% 86 g
CO2e
/sack
39
40
 Jean Philippe Faure,
Aliapur, delves into a
life cycle assessment
of end-of-life tyres
and explores the
benefits of their use
as an alternative fuel.

A
life cycle analysis (LCA)
of the recovery routes for
end-of-life tyres (ELT) on
different recovery routes
was commissioned by Aliapur. This
article explores the main results of the
ISO LCA carried out with a focus on
one of the recovery routes studied for
a cement plant. The study was carried
out by Deloitte Sustainability France
and the critical review was conducted
by Ciraig.

41
Scope of the study Scope of the system and main
For this study, the chosen functional unit was assumptions
to ‘Recover 1 t of ELT from collection points Figure 1 shows the scope of the system studied
located in France in 2021’. and the substitutions associated with the valuation.
The impact indicators selected for this study The amount of pollutants emitted during cement
were those recommended by the European production depends on other factors such as
Commission in the 15 December 2021 the physico-chemical characteristics of the raw
recommendation developed as part of the materials and fuels used.
Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), Studies on the influence of ELTs on atmospheric
EF3.0 version. The list of impact categories pollutants’ emissions other than CO2 (especially
is presented in Table 1. The climate change SOx and NOx) are not unanimous, meaning
characterisation model has been updated with that no conclusions can be drawn on this matter.
the most recent version of the 2021 IPCC. Moreover, the emissions are within the regulatory
thresholds with or without
the integration of tyres. Thus,
Table 1. Environmental impacts.
the environmental impact
ELT Classical fuel Total saving Gap/avoided assessment carried out only
Impact categories Units
impacts impacts (Cl.Fuel – ELT) impact takes into account CO2
Climate change kg e.CO2 186E+03 340E+03 -154E+03 -45%
emissions.
This choice is also
Ozone depletion
kg
378E-05 413E-04 -375E-04 -91% supported by the lack of
e.CFC11
data from the actors who
Particulate matter Disease participated in the study,
114E-05 285E-05 -171E-05 -60%
emission inc. investigating the different
pollutant emissions caused
Air acidification mol e.H+ 148E+00 403E+00 -256E+00 -63%
by the use of ELTs and other
Eutrophication,
kg e.P -166E-04 608E-02 -609E-02 -100%
products.
freshwater In relation to the emissions
Eutrophication, of biogenic CO2, these
marine
kg e.N 430E-01 636E-01 -206E-01 -32%
were accounted for with
an emission factor of zero.
Eutrophication,
terrestrial
mol e.N 475E+00 720E+00 -246E+00 -34% This decision was based on
a balance between the CO2
Depletion of captured in the atmosphere
resources, fossil MJ 241E+03 323E+04 -298E+04 -93%
during the growth of Hevea
fuels
(the raw material used in
Depletion of tyres) and the emissions at
resources, minerals kg e.Sb 881E-06 193E-05 -105E-05 -54% the end of the tyre’s life,
and metals
which contain biogenic CO2.

Figure 1. The scope of the system studied and the substitutions associated with the valuation.

42 World Cement June 2024

 An energy substitution rate of 100% was
modelled for a fuel mix consisting of 74%
petroleum coke and 26% coal. SILO CONVEYING DOSING ALTERNATIVE PROCESSING
SYSTEMS FUELS
A material substitution rate of 100% was
modelled, 1 t of ELT allowed the replacement of
around 140 kg of iron ore.
A mixture of 14% whole tyres and 86% shredded
tyres was sent to a cement plant in 2020.
Aliapur’s primary customer base consists mainly
4 Farb-Euroskala
Grün:

of clients in Europe, Morocco, and Turkey. The

80 % Cyan / 0 % Magenta / 100 % Gelb / 10 % Schwarz

analysis also takes into account transportation by

Grau:
75 % Schwarz

boat for export.

Results and analysis

The results of the environmental impacts
generated and avoided during the recovery of 1 t
of ELT in cement plants in 2021 are presented in
Figure 3.
The results show that for all the selected impact
categories, the avoided impacts are higher than
the generated impacts.
The use of ELT in cement plants thus leads
to environmental benefits of around 30 – 100%
depending on the indicators considered.
Apart from the impact categories of marine,
terrestrial eutrophication and resource depletion
(minerals and metals), the differences between
the results of the generated and avoided impacts
are all significant, demonstrating the existence of
environmental benefits in favour of the use of ELT
in cement plants on the other selected impact
categories.
Regarding the climate change indicator, the
Construction
combustion stage of ELT (generated impacts)
and fossil fuels (avoided impacts) are responsible
becomes Reality
for the majority of emissions, respectively at 90%
of the generated impacts and nearly 90% of the with DI MATTEO Group
avoided impacts.
These results should be compared with the
quality of the activity data used and the sensitivity
analyses carried out in the complete study:

With over 50 years of experi-

ence, DI MATTEO has set many
standards in the construction of
state-of-the-art dosing systems.

The automatic online-calibra-

tion during operation and the
unique weighing principle ma-
kes the dosing scale WeighTUBE®
a revolution in exact gravimetric
dosing of “green fuels” such as
household garbage, industrial
waste or biomass, as well as any
other powder and bulk material.
Figure 2. The result of using tyres as an
alterative fuel.
WWW.DIMATTEO.DE
DI MATTEO Group, Römerstr. 1-16, D-59269 Beckum,
Tel: +49 2521 9344-0, Fax: +49 2521 9344-222,
info@dimatteo.de
f For climate change, the main contributing life indicators of ozone depletion, eutrophication
cycle stages correspond to the combustion of (freshwater, marine and terrestrial) and resource
ELT and fossil fuels. Attention should be paid depletion, minerals and metals. Increasing the
to the quality of the data relating to the share petroleum coke ratio significantly reduces the
of petroleum coke and coal, which is based total impact on ozone depletion.
on average French data from 2021 and not on
activity data from cement manufacturers using Equivalents
ELT as an alternative fuel. To fully appreciate the total impact of the valorisation
f The types of tyre categories entering the of ELT in cement plants, Table 2 presents the
recovery route can also have a significant normalised results for equivalents on some of the
impact on some indicators, according to the indicators studied. Note that a negative normalised
first sensitivity analysis carried out, due to their value should be interpreted as an environmental
characteristics (mainly carbon biomass content). benefit.
f According to the second sensitivity analysis
carried out, by changing the mix of fossil fuels Conclusion
in cement plants, the total impact remains This study demonstrates that the use of shredded
negative for all the initial impact categories. This tyres is environmentally beneficial. This premium
parameter can be sensitive in particular for the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) serves as an excellent
alternative to fossil fuels. It is the result of transforming
Table 2. Impact categories. ELTs into quality-controlled shred formats.
The high calorific value of RDF means it can replace
Impact
Units Total impact coal as an industrial fuel, while its substantial carbon
categories
content can serve as a substitute for anthracite
Global warming in steel manufacturing. Notably, by opting for
kg e.CO2/ t ELT -1540
potential Powergom over coal, the cement industry can reduce
its fossil fuel consumption and limit CO2 emissions by
Air acidification mol e.H+/ t ELT -2.56 up to 45%.
Depletion of
natural resource, MJ / t ELT -29 800
About the author
fossil fuel
Jean Philippe Faure has been the R&D Director
at Aliapur for 15 years, with an engineering
Depletion of background. He oversees sustainable development,
natural resource, standardisation, and pioneers new valorisation
kg e.Sb/ t ELT -0.0000105
minerals and pathways. His expertise extends from tyre recycling
metals processes to regulatory affairs.

Figure 3. Environmental impact.

44 World Cement June 2024


Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Sven Mersmann,
DI MATTEO Group, and
Dr. Dominik Aufderheide, provide
an overview of conveying
concepts for the continuous
feeding of bulk materials.
T
he day-to-day work within the cement
industry, both in headquarters
and plant offices, is now largely
determined by ecological drivers,
with the long-term vision of achieving climate
neutral cement production. In this context,
the optimisation of energy resources and raw
material supply are important factors, which
are already considered by most plants. Thus,
the increased substitution of conventional fossil
45
fuels with alternative energy resources has been
an ongoing process throughout the last few
decades and the utilisation of energy-from-waste
Figure 1. Seven stages of AF feeding equipment.
Figure 2. General setup of the reception station
(on the right), the main storage hall with an
automatic crane system (in the middle) and
preparation tower.
Figure 3. Classification of different continuous
mechanical conveying systems.
46
concepts will continue to accelerate over the
next few years, on a worldwide scale.1
Therefore, the efficient planning and
implementation of alternative fuels (AF)
feeding installations is key to staying
competitive in an economic and ecological
sense. All new feeding lines must follow strict
guidelines in terms of sustainability and a fast
return on investment.
As a supplier of turn-key solutions for
the co-processing of waste streams in all
energy-intensive industries (cement, limestone,
steel, etc.), DI MATTEO has developed a wide
range of plant concepts and corresponding
machines for almost all kinds of AF and
possible application fields. Since the very first
AF feeding lines were installed in Germany
almost three decades ago, specialised
pieces of equipment have been successfully
developed according to the typical AF fuel mix
with their volatile bulk material characteristics.
In order to provide a clear guideline for the
selection and combination of different AF
handling systems, a systematic approach
based on seven distinct steps can be used.2
This article will thus help to develop
an understanding of the different
stages, introducing a case study from a
Heidelberg Materials plant in France. The
specific challenge for the designers of the
installation was the need to cover a quite
complex transport route from the position
of the reception and storage facilities to the
injection point at the precalciner. For this,
a pipe conveyor was specifically designed,
manufactured and installed in the plant by
DI MATTEO.
The remainder of this article is organised
as follows: in section 1, a short overview
for a systematic planning approach for AF
installations will be introduced. Followed by
a general classification of different conveying
systems in section 2, which will be used
in order to provide a comparison matrix
between different conveying concepts based
on specific selection criteria. Section 3 will
describe the installed AF feeding line at a
French plant in detail. Finally, section 4 will
conclude and summarise the article.
1. A systematic planning approach
for AF feeding lines
The ongoing development of machines and
concepts within the co-processing of waste
streams field has been accompanied and
driven by the introduction of a systematic
planning approach, consisting of seven
distinct plant stages. This concept, as
depicted in Figure 1, summarises the thermal
utilisation of AFs, e.g. within a cement plant,
World Cement June 2024
as a setup of machines from seven different
stages.3
f Reception: For example, plants for the
reception of AFs from trailers, such as
docking stations or from dumper trucks, etc.
f Preparation: Machinery for the preparation
of the received material prior to the
combustion process, such as screening
(ODM-DiscSCREEN), magnetic separation
(ODM-MAS), deagglomeration, drying, etc.
f Storage: Silo and bunker systems for the
intermediate storage of AFs within the
plant and their corresponding discharge
systems, such as screw dischargers
(ODM-ScrewDOS®), moving floors
(ODM-MovingFLOOR), etc.
f Transport: All types of conveyors for the
transport of AFs in the plant, such as screw
conveyors, drag chain conveyors, pipe
conveyors, bucket elevators, etc.
f Metering: Metering devices for the
gravimetrical dosing of AFs for a precise
control of the combustion process (e.g.
the ODM-WeighTUBE® tubular weighing
system, ODM-GraviSCALE belt weighers,
etc.).4
f Feeding to the kiln process: The mechanical
feeding of kiln inlets or calciners (e.g.
by screw feeders, injectomisers, etc.) or
pneumatic feeding of main burners by
injector rotary valves (ODM-IZS) and the
corresponding pneumatic transport lines.
f Combustion: Successful and efficient
combustion of the AF. It is essential to
realise that the successful substitution of
higher rates of fossil fuels by AF requires
the right combination and implementation
of the previous process steps.5

One of the main tasks within the

aforementioned concept is the efficient
transport of AF materials. Accordingly, the
following section will introduce a classification
and comparison of different conveying systems
for AF.

2. General plant setup and complex

conveying route
The general concept, as introduced in the
previous section, provides a systematic way to
plan and design AF conveying systems. For the
case study, the main aspects for the installation
and planning are defined in Table 1.
According to the aforementioned aspects,
the overall plant was designed based on the
following main elements. For the reception, pits
were used to unload trailers with moving floors
directly into the AF installation. The material
was subsequently transported in a storage hall,
with a fully automated crane system, allowing
 Table 1. Main aspects for the AF feeding
line planning.
Type of reception in the
plant:
Type of storage:
Fuel injection point:
Maximum dosing error:
Distance for transport from
storage to MB:
Type of fuel:
Figure 4. ODM-Pipe conveyor RGF for complex
conveying routes.
Figure 5. Complex ODM-Pipe conveyor route.
48
a complex logistic operation, where fuels of
different qualities and/or characteristics could
be separated within the storage hall. For this,
By Movingfloor trucks
a specifically designed crane grab was used to
load and unload the storage hall according to
the current requirements of the AF combustion
Big capacity storage for
and the different fuel properties.
different materials
The actual feeding of the precalciner started
Precalciner with the prior preparation of the fuel in order
to guarantee that coarse fuel particles and/
+/- 1% or impurities, such as stones, metallic pieces,
etc., could be sorted from the fuel stream.
Approximately 300 m For this, the crane unloaded stored material
to a buffer system, from where the material
Precalciner fuel (high was transported to a preparation tower, which
calorific fraction) mainly included screeners (ODM-DiscSCREEN) and
RDF magnetic separators. The overall setup of the
reception, storage and preparation equipment
is shown in Figure 2.
The main challenge of the project was the
subsequent transport from the preparation
tower to the injection point at the precalciner.
For this, a distance of more than 300 m needed
to be covered. Furthermore, a straight line
of transport was not possible, due to the fact
that numerous different obstacles and other
conveying systems were in the way. In order
to provide an idea of the systematic selection
of the conveying system, the following section
will provide a generalised overview of different
transport systems.
3. Classification and comparison of
conveying systems for AF
During the last few decades, enormous efforts
have been made to standardise all available
conveying products offered by the industry,
which can be considered as a helpful step for
engineers and project managers to select the
correct conveying principle for their specific
applications. The Association of German
Engineers VDI (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure)
and the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers
Association (CEMA) in America developed
comprehensive guidelines for the classification
of different conveying principles and their
design and main elements. For instance, the
German Standards Institute DIN proposes in
their DIN 15201 standard a general taxonomy
and terminology for continuous mechanical
handling equipment.6 Figure 3 shows an
example of a classification framework of
Continuous Mechanical Conveyors (CMCs)
from the DI MATTEO portfolio based on that
standard. It should be noted in this context, that
there is also a classification of each subcategory
available, which further defines the exact nature
of the specific machine. Thus, for example, for
chain conveyors it is possible to distinguish
between drag chain conveyors (ODM-TKF),
World Cement June 2024
apron conveyors (ODM-FZF), surface feeders
(ODM-GFK), etc.
Since its establishment in 1961, the
DI MATTEO Group has developed an
immense portfolio of different CMCs for each
and every possible application field and all
kinds of possible bulk materials. Naturally,
each concept has its own advantages and
drawbacks and therefore, even today, it is
not reasonable from a design point of view to
follow a one-system-fits-all approach. When
considering the increased demand for energy
efficiency and the need to be able to handle
problematic bulk materials (e.g. in the field
of AF)7, it is important to choose the optimal
conveying technique for a certain utilisation
carefully. Figure 6. Installation of a pipe conveyor.

4. Transport systems for complex

routes
To meet the ever-growing need of increased
conveying capacities, longer transportation
distances, limited material spillages, high
inclination angles and more complex routing,
DI MATTEO developed its ODM-Pipe
conveyor RGF, as shown in Figure 4. It
overcomes numerous challenges associated
with conventional conveyor systems. Pipe
conveyors have the best capabilities of
transferring materials between two points,
managing both horizontal and vertical curves
as well as high inclinations, which are difficult
in the case of trough conveyors. It eliminates
multiple transfer points and the exposure of Figure 7. Closing the belt within the pipe
material to the atmosphere. conveyor.
In DI MATTEO’s current project,
a pipe conveyor was selected Table 2. Comparison matrix for different conveying systems.
to cover a long distance (more
Ability
than 300 m) which could not be Energy Curve
for
Dust
Capacity
Multiple

covered by a straight line. The demand mobility

elevation
formation outlets

pipe conveyor was the most

reasonable solution technically
Belt conveyors + - = -- ++ -

and economically. A pipe conveyor ODM-

+ - = + ++ -
typically outperforms all other InBoxBelt

conveying solutions due to its ODM-

ability to cover long distances with PipeConveyor
+ ++ + + + -

great height differences and tight

curves (in horizontal and vertical
Drag Chain
- - + ++ + ++
Conveyor
directions). Since other transport
systems would only allow more Apron
= - = + + -
or less straight routes, each curve Conveyors

would require the installation Bucket

+ - ++ + + -
of a handover station from one elevator

conveyor to the other. The complex Screw

route of the installed conveyor is conveyor
- - + ++ + +

illustrated in Figure 5.
Due to the large number of ODM-
+ - - = + -
MovingFLOOR
projects using pipe conveyors,
DI MATTEO has developed a Vibrating
+ + = + - +
modular system, so that projects conveyor

June 2024 World Cement 49

can be designed and realised as quickly as
possible. When it comes to special curves, i.e.
rising vertical curves, this requirement demands
a twisted curve. A self-designed device makes
it possible to produce such ‘special curves’
with a perfect fit. The accuracy of fit of the
different belt segments enables a smooth and
easy assembly. The support structure can be
assembled and erected in advance. Due to the
stable construction of the truss girders, large
distances between supports can be realised. For
inspection and maintenance purposes, walkways
can be mounted on one or both sides of the
conveyor. Here, there is the option of installing
a cable route along the walkway, which typically
leads to an easier electrical installation. The
belt segments are fitted with protective grids
on the walkway side. On the conveyor side,
which faces the catwalk, as well as on the roof of
the pipe conveyor, facade sheets are installed.
This protects the conveyor and the belt from
the weather and reduces wear and tear of the
overall system. Figure 6 provides an example of
the installation of the pipe conveyor.
As with the troughed belt conveyor, the
conveyor belt is open in the feed area to receive
the bulk material through the infeed chute.
Impact beams with special side guide seals in
the feed area, allow a dust-free material feed.
A filter unit with suction can be installed as
an option at this point, in order to reduce the
possible dust emission even further. The filter
dust can be fed onto the incoming conveyor belt
by means of a rotary feeder, such that a closed
loop of material is assured. The degree of filling
is controlled by a device so that no damage can
occur to belt rollers or the carcass. The rolling-in
area forms the conveyor belt into a closed tube,
as shown in Figure 7.
From this point on, the bulk material is
protected from environmental influences
and enables dust-free conveying with low
emissions. The conveyor belt always remains
clean on the outside, as the bulk material is
transported on the inside. The belt segments
with welded-in bulkhead plates keep the belt
in shape by means of a belt roller arrangement.
The course of the line (curve radii, gradients,
etc.) and the resulting calculation, result in
the spacing for the bulkhead plates. The bulk
material is conveyed through the route to the
drive station or a transfer tower. The conveyor
belt is unrolled again in the unwinding area
in reverse order and discharges the material
into the transfer chute. In the drive station,
the belt is cleaned. Depending on the material
composition of the bulk material, various
scraper systems are used here. Cleaning rollers
can also be installed if the scrapers reach their
limit.
50
The conveyor belt is deflected and
automatically rolls back to the closed pipe in
the lower run. The design allows bulk material
to be conveyed in the lower run. This is used
when different bulk materials are exchanged or
have been treated by a process and have to be
conveyed back to the point of origin.
5. Summary and conclusion
This article has provided an overview of
conveying concepts for the continuous
feeding of bulk materials. Based on a general
classification following the DIN 15201, a
comparison matrix was presented, which
provides a general guideline for planners and
engineers to select the best possible solution for
their specific application. Due to DI MATTEO’s
experience of over 50 years of planning and
realising conveying and handling projects in
numerous industries worldwide, a wide range
of conveying systems for almost every type of
bulk material is available today. However, the
careful selection of the best option is one of the
fundamental engineering phases and should be
consulted by experts from the specific field.
In addition to the actual selection of
the machines, it is also essential to have
a trustworthy partner for the design and
verification of the accompanied drive system.
This report summarised the available options
today and provided a comparison between the
classical modes of operation and the constant
flux option for an extended speed range.
References
1. AUFDERHEIDE, D., and DI MATTEO, L., ‘A Holistic
Approach for Alternative Fuel Utilisation in Cement
Manufacturing,’ In Proceedings of the 61st Annual
IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference 2019,
St. Louis, USA.
2. German Standards Institute, ‘Continuous Mechanical
Handling Equipment,’ Terminology (1994).
3. AUFDERHEIDE, D., and DI MATTEO, L.,
‘ODM-GravitAS for DI MATTEO WeighTUBE feeders –
A Full Modular Control System for Gravimetric Dosing
Applications,’ in Global Cement Magazine 2, Pro Global
Media Ltd (2015).
4. AUFDERHEIDE, D., and DI MATTEO, L., ‘Towards
High-Precision Metering and Dosing of Alternative Fuels: A
Taxonomic Approach,’ in Cement International, Vol. 19, No.
1 (January 2021) pp. 40 – 49.
5. AUFDERHEIDE, D., STROTKAMP, U. and WAGNER, K.,
‘Increasing Alternative Fuel Utilization at Phoenix Cement,’ in
Cement International, Vol. 18, No. 1 (January 2020), pp. 2 – 8.
6. German Standards Institute, ‘Continuous Mechanical
Handling Equipment’ Terminology (1994).
7. DI MATTEO, L., and AUFDERHEIDE, D., ‘Systematic
Classification and Modularization of Handling Systems for
Alternative Fuels,’ in Cement International, Vol. 13, No. 2
(March 2016), pp. 54 – 61.
World Cement June 2024
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 The new
age of cement
52
maintenance
Simona Serban,

C
ement plants must avoid shutdowns at all
costs to meet construction demand, but how
Castolin Eutectic, can they navigate the complex landscape of
explains how cement ageing machinery, environmental regulations,
and the unpredictable nature of spare parts supplies?
plants can minimise The answer may lie in an approach that has been
maintenance downtime gaining traction, involving increased digitisation,
reverse engineering, along with round-the-clock
via 3D scanning and refurbishment jobs. To accelerate the manufacturing
reverse engineering. of wear parts, the Castolin Eutectic workshops have
adopted 3D scanners in recent years along with
digital quality control methods and prototyping. The
selected 3D scanners, characterised by their portability
and accuracy up to 0.1 mm, marked a significant
53
leap forward in enabling accurate on-site part
measurements, speed of service for customers
and reducing the risk of non-conformities.
The process begins with a handheld 3D scan
of the worn part, followed by the creation of a
Material falling out of worn out roller press.
Refurbished roller with zig-zag anti-wear pattern in
Castolin Eutectic workshop.
54
detailed 3D model. This model serves as the
basis for generating accurate drawings, which are
then used to manufacture the replacement part.
Not only does this method drastically reduce the
measurement and postprocessing time, but it also
ensures that the new components fit
precisely even if the customer lost their
technical drawings, thereby minimising
the risk of rework and back & forth
shipping.
Life-extenders for roller press
with different wear patterns
With the aim of reducing the energy
cost of operation and the level of noise
pollution associated with the traditional
grinding mill process (ball mill), the roller
press was developed. Its installation in a
cement plant has enabled energy cost
savings of >50% and a noise reduction
from 115 dB to 85 dB. The process
consists of compressing the material
to be ground between two cylinders,
turning in opposite directions, having a
distance between them of 20 – 25 mm.
The pressure compressive stress that
builds up in the material is extremely
high. This stress produces micro-
cracking in the material with ~30%
conversion to a fine powder. At the mill
exit, a separator divides the ground
material and sends the fine fraction
to the finish mills, while the coarser
material is returned into the same roller
press for further grinding.
To avoid material having to be
recirculated because of worn-out rollers,
thus increasing energy consumption,
the roller press refurbishment
can be performed either in the
Castolin Eutectic workshops or on-site.
The process starts with the removal of
worn surfaces and old wear patterns via
machining, followed by the rebuilding
of the roller with approved procedures
and certified workers. The profiles
welded onto the grinding rolls can be
customised (various zig-zag patterns)
to provide optimum draw-in conditions
and minimise relative movements
between the comminuted material
and the roll surface. Even complex
geometries can be programmed
with the Castolin Eutectic flexible
control system, providing significantly
improved lifetime compared to standard
welding and wear resistance near to
the performance of ceramic castings.
The rollers can also be re-welded if
necessary. For example, to resurface
World Cement June 2024
 a KHD type roller press on-site, it took 12 days, a low dilution and the overlay chemistry is not
handling 4500 kg of different wires with four negatively affected by the base material.
workers in two shifts. The wear resistance is far superior to steel
hardened plates or usual chromium carbide
A coating for extreme wear resistance wearplates as measured with ASTM G65 test. To
of VRM nozzle ring & casing provide optimal wear-resistance and competitive
The nozzle ring around the VRM table is pricing, the automated changeover allows the
exposed to erosion. In general, standard liners production of continuous beads of different alloys
are used and may be sufficient. Nevertheless, on the same surface. This ensures a smooth and
when high throughput is required, standard regular surface which is critical in demanding
wearplates are not resistant enough or can applications. The area that is exposed to the
be judged too heavy. For this purpose, highest wear can be coated with HD8 while an
Castolin Eutectic developed HD8, an extremely iron-based powder can be deposited where the
wear-resistant coating made
with a high-deposition welding
technique.
Engineered in Wiener
Neudorf, HD8 presents a high
density of tungsten carbides
homogeneously distributed
within a nickel-based matrix
at high deposition rates.
The critical parameters of
the process, particularly the
temperature, are automatically
controlled to avoid severe
carbide dissolution as may
happen in standard welding
techniques. Furthermore,
the coating is optimised with HD8 wear protection solution with smooth surface.

Your conveyor
specialist

DESIGN
AND
MANUFACTURING
~ BELT CONVEYORS
~ BELT ELEVATORS

OWN ENGINEERING
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
PREASSEMBLED DELIVERY

SERVICES
~ TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
~ INSTALLATION
~ COMMISSIONING
~ SPARE PARTS
cintasa@cintasa.com • www.cintasa.com
wear phenomena is not severe. This optimises the
part service life and offers a cost-efficient solution.
The situation is similar for certain VRM
casings. Often, standard wearplates do not offer
satisfying wear resistance and HD8 is the better
option. In one case, HD8 improved a service
life by 6x compared to standard wearplates.
From existing worn out tube full of patches to 3D scan
and new wear-resistant piping manufactured via reverse
engineering.
Kiln tyre round-the-clock on-site repair.
Roller press repair in Castolin Eutectic Austrian workshop.
56
Despite the higher initial investment cost, the
savings calculations amounted to €22 000 per year.
With its extreme wear-resistance, smooth and
regular surface, HD8 is a strong contender for
applications subjected to:
f Low angle, high speed erosion caused by fine
particles.
f Abrasion, where large production
throughput is critical.
f Difficult maintenance (impossible
access or machine stoppage).
f Maximum lifetime is vital.
Challenges for cement
pipework
Cement plants burning waste
containing plastics often have
corrosion problems due to the
presence of chlorides in the upper part
of the kiln and lower portion of the
pre-calcination tower. There are various
methods of solving this problem,
such as spray-and-fuse coatings with
Eutalloy powders. An alternative is
the installation of a bypass, which is
a tube connected to the pre-calciner
right above the inlet to the kiln and
to the clinker cooler on the other end
of the kiln. It pumps hot air with dust
and entrapped chlorides to the clinker
cooler. The bypass is mainly subject
to erosion. The solution applied by
Castolin Eutectic can be either made
of CastoTubes or tubes rolled out
of CDP wearplates, depending on
the diameter, which can vary from
80 – 600 mm.
In comparison to other wear
resistant tubes available on the
market, CastoTubes have the following
advantages:
f Compared to basalt lined tubes,
they are lighter, smaller in external
diameter and have better impact
resistance.
f Compared to hard concrete lined
tubes, they are significantly lighter,
which means they are easier to
install and have longer service life.
f Compared to hardened steel tubes,
CastoTubes have much higher wear
resistance.
To provide an example, a dry mortar
plant in Romania had to patch or
change its pipework every three weeks
because of the strong sand abrasion.
The sand used in the production
of adhesives and dry mortars was
transported from the ground at a
World Cement June 2024
height of 15 m to the mixer via a pneumatic as there is less carbon pick-up by the surface.
conveying tube made of DN 125 low-alloy steel. ChamferTrode® 03 is the most effective, with
By replacing the low-alloy steel tubes and elbows DC preferred and straight polarity. After
with CastoTubes, the service life of the installation grinding and cleaning, both sides of the repair
was increased to six months. area are buttered with the Xuper NucleoTec
2222 3.2 mm electrodes before the main filler
How to rescue a damaged kiln tyre welds are deposited. A root weld is deposited
Cement and lime kilns are vulnerable to thermal using 3.2 mm electrodes. The area is then filled
shock and cycling, torsion stress, compressive entirely using 4 mm and 5 mm electrodes to
loading and even fatigue. This is due to their size accelerate the deposition rate. Welders usually
and length as well as the operating conditions work simultaneously in round-the-clock shifts,
and extreme loading they must endure. The kiln significantly reducing the repair time.
tyres carry all the weight of the kiln, supported The direct cost of the repair is about 20% of
between two relatively small diameter trunnions, the cost of purchasing and installing a new tyre
creating rather high ratios of line loading on the and the required replacement kiln sections. In
surface of the cast steel tyres. addition, the repairs are typically accomplished
Due to the high fatigue accumulation, these in less than three weeks total time, saving
stresses can eventually result in cracks. The approximately 20 weeks production time
fracture mechanism is one of fatigue and will when compared to the 24 weeks best possible
typically propagate from weaknesses in the delivery typically quoted for the replacement
original material such as casting inclusions tyre and kiln sections. Downtime savings,
adjacent to the original riser positions. Because therefore, amount to €50 million, using
of the ongoing work hardening and associated an estimated loss of €0.3 million for every
strengthening of the tyre surface, defects or standstill day.
cracks initially form almost invariably below In an industry where time is intrinsically linked
the surface. The defects propagate unnoticed the foundation of profitability, the speed at
until the cross-sectional area is large enough which plants can return to full operational
to weaken the tyre and cause a sudden and capacity after maintenance or upgrades is of
unforeseen crack through the entire section. the essence.
The base metal most generally used in
kiln tyres is a low alloy cast steel containing
approximately 0.3% carbon. Whilst each
manufacturer seems to prefer and use
their own specific composition, they will
generally fall into the classification of ASTM SINCE 1928
A356 or equivalent National Standard
BS3100-A5. Although this is not considered an CONVEYOR & ELEVATOR BELTS
exceptionally difficult grade of steel to weld, it STEEL CORD & TEXTILE
must be remembered that the part has been
subjected to severe mechanical stresses and
S.I.G. Società Italiana Gomma SpA
some degree of work hardening. 21055 Gorla Minore (Va) Italy
To perform the repair, the first step is to Via A. Colombo, 144
rotate the kiln until the area of the fracture Phone +39 0331 36.51.35
is at the top dead centre. The tyre can then
be accurately realigned using, for example,
‘screw blocks’. Restraining bars and brackets
should be installed to ensure that the two
halves of the tyre do not move during cutting
and welding. The area around the fracture is
then degreased and thoroughly cleaned of
any contaminants, rust and surface debris and
imperfections. Dye penetrant or preferably
ultrasonic testing is used to establish the full
extent of the fracture and any associated
cracks or fissures. The areas requiring weld
repair are identified and marked. A ‘U’-
shaped groove is made through the width of
the tyre, using the Air Carbon Arc process.
The best results are obtained using special
electrodes for the final gouging operations
 Going green
with CNT

58
 Dave Arthur and Hari Harikumar,
CHASM Advanced Materials, focus
on the role of carbon nanotubes in
decarbonising cement production.

I
n the field of global construction, the quest
to improve environmental sustainability has
become paramount. The cement industry
is a major contributor to global carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions, accounting for 8%
of the world’s annual total. Mitigating CO2
emissions while ensuring cost-effective business
practices, stands as a central challenge for the
cement industry. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have
emerged as one solution, offering new ways
to enhance both efficiency and environmental
responsibility in concrete production. This
article examines key technical aspects of CNT
utilisation, focusing on their role in decarbonising
cement production and enhancing concrete
efficiency through advancements pioneered by
CHASM Advanced Materials, Inc. (CHASM).
Technical studies and applications
Almost two decades of research has
underscored the ability of CNTs to enhance
the durability and mechanical performance of

59
cement-based materials. Recently for example, a
collaboration between CHASM and the Centre
for Advanced Construction Materials (CACM)
at University of Texas, Arlington has yielded
significant results, including a 29% increase in 3-day
compressive strength and a 73% increase in flexural
strength at just 0.15% CNT loading. These results,
achieved with CHASM’s NTeC®-C reinforcing CNT
additives, enable more efficient use of concrete in
pavements and slabs, as well as a higher volume
of clinker replacement, while achieving greater
durability. The resulting CNT-reinforced concrete
may also be amenable to ‘smart concrete’
applications.
NTeC-C reinforcing CNT additives facilitate
several key applications including:
f Thinner pavements and slabs
f Higher volume clinker replacements
Average increase in mortar properties with CNT loading
at 0.15% versus mortars containing no CNT.
More efficient use of concrete, including thinner
pavements and slabs, is a top strategy for
decarbonisation.
Increasing flexural strength enables thickness
reduction in pavements and slabs.
60
f More durable concrete
f Smart concrete
Enhancing concrete efficiency for
pavements and slabs
Challenge
Pavement for roads and slabs for buildings
constitute over 40% of concrete usage in the US and
a significant proportion globally. Flexural strength
and modulus are key demands in pavement
performance, but current approaches provide
limited potential to enhance these properties.
Solution
By boosting flexural strength, NTeC-C reinforcing
CNT additives enable the deployment of durable,
code-compliant structures with markedly reduced
steel and concrete consumption. The
increased flexural strength enables the
reduction of concrete usage, along with a
corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions,
without compromising performance.
Inspired by flexural strength enhancements
observed in early testing, CHASM is now
collaborating with leading engineering
firms to deploy this technology for
code-compliant concrete pavements.
Conservative estimates suggest that a 73%
increase in flexural strength observed with
NTeC-C additives would permit a reduction
in pavement thickness from 12 in. to under
9 in., equating to a 30% reduction in
concrete usage and a corresponding 30%
reduction in CO2 emissions. Further, this
reduced thickness would allow downsizing
of dowel bars from 1.5 in. diameter to
1.25 in. diameter, resulting in a 30%
decrease of steel usage for additional
material and cost savings.
Traditionally, improving concrete’s flexural
strength has required the incorporation
of metal or polymer fibres – ‘macrofibres’
– a method that often means reduced
workability of the concrete. These
macrofibres tend to complicate the mixing,
handling, placement, and finishing processes
by changing the viscosity and texture of
the concrete mix. In contrast, reinforcing
nano-materials, such as NTeC-C additives,
offer a reinforcing solution that preserves
concrete’s normal workability. Such
innovations enable the efficient construction
of durable concrete structures without
compromising ease of use, thus avoiding the
need for additional labour or modifications
to standard procedures, equipment, or work
practices.
From a sustainability perspective, an
increase in flexural strength that allows for a
World Cement June 2024
reduction in concrete thickness is a cost-saving and
practical path to significantly lower CO2 emissions.
For example, a 30% reduction in concrete used for
pavement and slabs, has the potential to mitigate
around 300 million tpy of CO2 global emissions
while reducing construction costs, emphasising the
importance of solutions such as NTeC-C reinforcing
additives.
Leading CHASM partners in the US are currently
working towards incorporating NTeC-C additives
into highway projects, which aligns well with major
transportation infrastructure efforts underpinned
by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA). The IIJA allocates significant resources
towards infrastructure, including roads, bridges,
mass transit, water infrastructure, resilience, and
broadband. Solutions such as NteC-C
additives enable these improvements with
reduced environmental burden.
enhances overall operational efficiency and growth
potential by increasing virtual capacity by more
than 30%.
More durable concrete
Challenge
Conventional concrete faces durability issues due
to steel corrosion and cracking of the concrete.
Solution
CNT-reinforced concrete is known to address
durability challenges effectively. CNT additives
significantly improve concrete durability by
reducing steel corrosion and enhancing concrete
crack resistance through various mechanisms.

Enabling high-volume clinker

replacements

Challenge
The strategic replacement of high-carbon
clinker with lower-carbon supplementary
cementitious materials (SCMs) is a critical
pressure on the cement and concrete
industries as they aim to reduce CO2 Reducing clinker in concrete production through
emissions. Achieving this switch, without greater use of SCMs is a top strategy for
compromising early-stage compressive decarbonisation.
strength, is a huge challenge. For example,
substituting clinker with most SCMs is
known to reduce 2-day strength and, in
many cases, 28-day strength. Existing
admixture choices offer only marginal
improvements in strength, leaving cement
producers to make trade-offs in selecting
SCMs that balance sustainability, local SCM
availability, local environmental conditions,
cost, and final concrete performance.

Solution
CHASM’s NTeC-C CNT reinforcing
additives deliver a significant 29% average Increase in early compressive strength enables
enhancement in 3-day compressive much higher SCM loading without compromising
strength with even higher increases in performance. Applicable to: raw limestone, limestone
shorter time periods. For example, mortar calcinated clay, fly ash, silica fume, and slag.
tests yield 25 – 41% increases in 2-day
compressive strength. These increases
in early compressive strength enable the
replacement of more than 30% of clinker
with SCMs without affecting baseline
properties. In a cement plant with a
capacity of 2 million tpy, this reduction has
the potential to cut annual CO2 emissions
by over 420 000 t. This not only contributes
to reduced environmental impact but
also yields cost savings and higher profit CNTs reduce steel corrosion and improve crack
margins. Furthermore, it significantly resistance addressing durability challenges of concrete.

June 2024 World Cement 61


CNTs enable self-sensing capability for early
detection of cracks, addressing disaster prevention
challenges for concrete structures.
Piezoresistive properties of CNTs enable ‘smart
concrete’ for early detection of cracks, proactive
maintenance and disaster prevention.
CHASM’s low-cost, scalable CNT production
process.
CHASM’s safe and easy dispersion technology
firmly deposits CNTs onto cement particles.
62
These mechanisms include reduced porosity,
which minimises water absorption, and higher
tensile strength, which reduces crack initiation.
Additionally, crack propagation can be halted
at the nanoscale level, as cracks initially form,
ensuring longer-lasting concrete structures. With
NTeC-C reinforcing CNT additives, concrete
becomes more resilient against environmental
stressors, offering a sustainable solution for
infrastructure projects that require enhanced
durability and longevity.
In high-salinity areas like the
Middle East, addressing durability challenges
with innovations like CNT-reinforced
concrete is critical. These regions experience
accelerated steel corrosion, reducing structural
lifespan. NTeC-C additives counteract this
by enhancing corrosion protection and crack
resistance, thereby extending the durability
and sustainability of structures in saline
environments. This makes NTeC-C additives an
attractive option for maintaining infrastructure
integrity in such challenging conditions.
Additionally, utilising NTeC-C CNT additives
can enable a reduction in the use of slag,
thereby reducing costs in regions like the
Middle East where slag must be imported. In
these regions CNT reinforcing additives can
enable concrete producers to optimise material
usage to maximise durability while utilising
more local materials and reducing costs.
Smart concrete
Challenge
Traditional concrete lacks self-sensing
capabilities, making it difficult to detect early
signs of structural damage, which can lead to
disaster.
Solution
‘Smart concrete’, which can sense and
communicate damage, would enable early
detection of invisible structural compromise to
enable preventive maintenance and mitigate
the potential for disaster. One method to
enable smart concrete is to leverage the
natural ability of CNTs to form conductive
networks within the cement at extremely low
loadings, enabling a piezoresistive response
for the concrete (i.e., there is a change in
electrical resistance that happens upon a
change in load applied to the concrete). This
piezoresistive response is very consistent, as
long as the concrete structure has not been
compromised with cracks. If a change in the
response is detected, this allows for early
detection of cracks and other forms of damage
(i.e., self-sensing capability). By leveraging
the piezoresistive properties of CNTs, smart
World Cement June 2024
concrete offers real-time monitoring, enhancing
safety and enabling early preventative maintenance.
With this advanced technology, infrastructure
managers can identify potential issues before they
escalate, ensuring the integrity and longevity of
concrete structures in a cost-effective and efficient
manner. Smart concrete represents a significant
advancement in structural engineering and
maintenance practices.
Challenges in CNT utilisation history
Despite their proven efficacy in strengthening
concrete, CNTs have historically encountered
barriers to widespread adoption. These challenges
include high costs, compounded by technical
difficulties in achieving uniform dispersion within
cement applications. Traditional CNT synthesis
methods, utilising fluidised bed reactors, have
proven economically prohibitive, rendering
large-scale CNT use commercially unattractive.
Moreover, conventional dispersion techniques have
failed to meet the stringent demands of the cement
industry, yielding subpar or unreliable performance.
Finally, most CNT producers have focused on
product development for the lithium-ion battery
industry.
A scalable and cost-effective solution
CHASM’s NTeC-C solution delivers a paradigm
shift for the cement industry, effectively overcoming
these barriers by means of a scalable and
cost-effective manufacturing process, backed up
by a strong technical focus on the cement industry.
Leveraging rotary kiln reactor technology familiar to
any cement producer, CHASM’s process synthesises
CNT-hybrids on cement-compatible particles,
such as alumina. CHASM has also demonstrated
a unique process of pre-depositing CNTs onto
cement particles, enabling seamless integration into
conventional concrete production.
Central to this achievement is a scalable and
cost-efficient production platform that employs
proprietary catalysts and rotary kiln reactors.
This approach is five times more capital-efficient
and offers a 50% reduction in operational costs
compared to the traditional fluidised bed reactors
employed by other CNT producers. Furthermore,
the process can use a variety of hydrocarbon
feedstocks, making it suitable for on-site
deployment in a wide variety of locations.
Dispersion methods
CHASM’s proprietary methods mark a significant
technological breakthrough in achieving efficient
dispersion of CNTs within construction materials. By
focusing on the needs of the cement industry and
successfully overcoming the inherent challenges
associated with CNT dispersion in concrete,
CHASM is developing two options for using CNT
additives: 1) CNTs pre-deposited on cement
June 2024 World Cement
powder; 2) self-dispersing CNT granules (‘instant
coffee’ approach).
A commercial business model to
expand globally
CHASM’s NTeC-C reinforcing CNT additives are
produced at CHASM’s manufacturing plant in
Norman, Oklahoma, USA. The company is currently
producing its portfolio of NTeC CNT additives
at pilot-scale (50 t) and plans to complete the
construction of the world’s largest CNT production
reactor (1500 t) during Q4 2024.
CHASM’s business model includes manufacturing
NTeC-C additives and also providing licenses to
strategic partners to mass-produce their own
NTeC-C additives.
To accelerate high-volume scale-up and facilitate
global CNT production, and in contrast to other
CNT producers, CHASM seeks to collaborate with
cement and concrete manufacturers, as well as
other key supply-chain participants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, NTeC-C carbon nanotube reinforcing
additives mark an advancement in cement
technology, offering a range of advantages.
NTeC-C additives decrease concrete’s carbon
emission intensity and costs, paving the way for
low-cost and low-carbon concrete solutions.
Independent testing has clearly demonstrated
the transformative potential of CNTs, showcasing
significant improvements in flexural strength,
modulus, and compressive strength. Moreover,
these benefits extend across different cement
powders from various regions, such as US, Europe,
and the Middle East, underlining the versatility and
applicability of NTeC-C technology.
Commercially viable methods ensuring adequate
CNT dispersion, coupled with plans for the world’s
most cost-effective and scalable CNT production
platform, means that CHASM is actively seeking
partnerships within the concrete industry and
manufacturing sector for widespread adoption and
further innovation.
About the authors
Dave Arthur is the Co-Founder and CEO of
CHASM with 35 years’ experience as a chemical
engineer and business leader focused on advancing
commercial utilisation of carbon nanotube
technology. He was recognised by NanoBusiness
Alliance as one of the top ten most influential
people in the field of Nanotechnology and is an
inventor with more than 30 patents.
Hari Harikumar is Vice President of the Performance
Additives business within CHASM. He is
responsible for global strategic initiatives to bring
CHASM technology to the cement, concrete and
construction industries.
63
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ABC NAK Kiln Services

33 17
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ATD Abbausysteme GmbH ROCKTEQ

47 25
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Cintasa RoFlo Compressors

55 37
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Concetti Scheuch
29 21
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DI MATTEO SIG
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09 29
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EnviroTech Athens TotalEnergies

IBC 04
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KettenWulf Unitherm Cemcon

07 OFC
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Lubrication Engineers World Cement

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