01/11/2024
Source: Energy & Management Powernews
Rohrdorfer Zement is launching a pilot project with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions in production. The main aim is to replace ingredients.
The CO2 avoidance project involves the development and construction of a pilot system at the cement plant in Rohrdorf, Upper Bavaria, which is to be integrated into plant operations. The aim is to develop a process that can be transferred to other cement plants and adapted by the entire industry. The project is 50 percent funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the European Union, according to a statement from Rohrdorfer Zement.
In order for cement to be produced in a CO2-neutral way, its production steps and ingredients must be decarbonized. An important lever in this process is the partial replacement of cement clinker - the processing of which releases the CO2 it contains - with low-CO2 or CO2-free alternatives. These include, for example, mineral components such as clays. However, their binding properties must be activated by thermal treatment ("tempering"). This process is to be tested in the planned pilot plant.
A further special feature is that the pilot plant will be integrated into an active cement plant: Previous test plants were decoupled from the cement production process as stand-alone plants. Those responsible at Rohrdorfer Zement are convinced that if the integration is successful, the technology can be rapidly disseminated throughout the cement industry. The funding amounts to 8.65 million euros.
Net Zero Emission Team
The Rohrdorfer "Net Zero Emission Team", which is responsible for the pilot, is going one step further: the plant concept aims to use existing waste heat from the clinker production line to reduce the primary energy requirement for the thermal treatment of the clays. Among other things, the use of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source is being considered for the additional amount of heat required. The exhaust gases produced during operation are fed back into the exhaust gas purification system of the clinker production line. This means that no additional emissions are produced.
After successful testing, a large-scale plant is to be realized. The team estimates that CO2 savings of 16 to 18 percent are possible if the energy mix remains the same. If the energy supply is CO2-free, up to 30 percent of CO2 emissions could be saved with the large-scale plant.
"As a cement component, tempered clays make a significant contribution to avoiding CO2. With the pilot project for the process-integrated production of tempered clays, we will not just be taking a step forward in our decarbonization roadmap, but a leap," says Dr. Helmut Leibinger confidently. He is the head of the Rohrdorf Net Zero Emission team.
2024, he expects, will be characterized by the planning of the pilot project and numerous process simulations. Commissioning of the plant is planned for spring 2025. The project should be completed by the end of 2026.
Author: Günter Drewnitzky
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