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5 % recycled
50 % landfilled
44.5 % open dumped
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS
content of RDF (energy losses).
In Table 3, a substitution rate of 15% for all Tunisian
cement plants was calculated, corresponding to a vol-
ume of 230,000t/year.
Environment
The use of continuously-monitored secondary fuels in
the cement industry has been long acknowledged as an
environmentally-friendly method of waste recycling.
High temperatures, a residue-free combustion as well
as reduction of climate-harming greenhouse gases,
and PET-bottles. Recycling of the materials is made especially CO2 and methane gases from avoided waste-
Table 3, above: Calculation possible due to market value. But what about RDF? tipping, secure environmentally-friendly recycling.
of energy substitution by Studies carried out show that waste is tipped in For Tunisia, a theoretical savings volume of around
RDF in the Tunisian cement
a mixed form. At an organic content level of around 0.5Mt of CO2 results – calculated based on a substi-
industry (15% substitution
rate over all cement plants). 68%, consisting partly of very wet kitchen waste, food tution rate of 15% in all plants. Not included in this
remains and other biomass, later separation of the calculation is the saved methane gas volume from
Right: In 2007, Annual ce-
ment consumption in Tunisia ‘high calorific-value’ part from household waste is avoided landfill disposal.
stood at 580kg per habitant, problematic. Only around 15-20 %
or 6Mt in total. of such waste can be used as a possi- Economics
Below: ble secondary fuel constituent. This Production of secondary fuels is not
• Composition of municipal corresponds to a volume of around free of charge, even if the raw material
solid waste in Tunisia. 340,000t/year of RDF – in the whole (waste) is, as a rule, available at no cost.
• Treatment of leachate water of Tunisia! As a comparison: mod- The known production costs for RDF
(the run-off from landfill),
ern cement plants (precalciner) with in Tunisia amount to around US$50–
Djerbar.
1Mt/year of clinker production in 55/t and result from painstaking
Europe use up to 150,000t of ‘best sorting/separating of the calorific-
quality’ RDF. rich content, additional comminution, foreign-matter
The secondary fuel obtained from waste, in the release (metals, stones, etc.), homogenising, storage,
context of waste characteristics, corresponds to only transport and feeding in the cement plant.
3500kcal/kg compared to Germany, for example, where The investment for each cement plant – calcu-
mainly only suitable secondary fuels with calorific val- lated based on a theoretical substitution rate of 15%
ues of >5000kcal/kg are used. – amount to around Euro1m only for the feed and
conveying equipment. As natural gas is currently sub-
Effects on the process sidised by the Tunisian government for the cement
The main problem when using sec- industry, secondary fuel use can not currently be eco-
ondary fuels is firstly the chloride and nomically carried out – no disposal fees are offered by
moisture content. The most important the government for accepting the waste.
recirculation substances which can
affect the operation of a cement kiln Conclusion
system are alkali sulphates and alkali The cement industry can take on a significant role in
chlorides. Secondary fuel made from Tunisia’s sustainable development in regard to waste
MSW has a natural chlorine content disposal. However, suitable framework conditions have
of >0.4% resulting from natrium to be created first of all by the government. Consider-
chlorides (cooking able waste volumes – even defined and suitable special
salt). As sodium waste, such as oil sludge, dried sewage sludge and other
chlorides in the – can be recycled in an environmentally-friendly way
raw materials (es- in the cement industry.
pecially lime and Apart from immense savings potential for landfill
clay) in Tunisia are capacity, climate-harming emissions are avoided and
already quite high, valuable energy resources are saved. Also, from a socio-
this may result in economic point of view, the transformation of such an
operational prob- ‘environmental’ concept makes sense: Currency for
lems. Water, which raw material import is saved; new jobs are created in
is always in RDF the collection, transport and processing of waste.
up to 15%, reduces But all this costs money – and these costs can not
the available gas be simply added to the cement industry’s burden; also
volume in the kiln. the waste producer – in this case the Tunisian cities
Additional energy – must play their part in the costs involved in such an
is required to environmentally-friendly concept to create a win-win
destroy the water situation.
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