2012 International Conference on Future Electrical Power and Energy Systems

Lecture Notes in Information Technology, Vol.9

Co-Generation of Power Through Waste Heat Recovery

A Cement Plant Case Study
Engr. Zulfiqar Khattak1,a, Engr: Jamil Ahmad Khan1,b, Engr: Aasar
Ahmad2,c, Engr: Sifat Shah1,d, Engr: Sheryar Masaud 3,e
1

Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS, Abbottabbad, Pakistan,

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sarhad University, Peshawar, Pakistan

3

Department of Aerospace Engineering, KAIST, Korea,

zulfiqarkt@ciit.net.pk, jamilahmad@ciit.net.pk,caasar.me@suit.edu.pk;dsifat@ciit.net.pk,eshehryar.
masaud@gmail.com

Key words: Kiln, Calcinations, Grinding Mills, Conveyors.

Abstract. The Waste heat is heat, which is generated in a process by way of fuel combustion or
chemical reaction, and then dumped into the environment even though it could still be reused for
some useful and economic purpose. The essential quality of heat is not the amount but rather its
value. The strategy of how to recover this heat depends in part on the temperature of the waste heat
gases and the economics involved. Large quantity of hot flue gases is generated from Boilers, Kilns,
Ovens and Furnaces. If some of this waste heat could be recovered, a considerable amount of primary
fuel could be saved. The energy lost in waste gases cannot be fully recovered.
The case study focuses on the current day problem of energy crises being faced by industrial zones in
Pakistan with emphasis on the cement Industry which has been proved to be the 2nd revenue
generating hub after textile sector of the Pakistan. Cement production is one of the most energy
intensive industrial processes in the world. In many world regions, energy cost is 50% to 60% of the
direct production cost of cement. Energy cost is incurred due to the need for large quantities of
thermal heat for the kiln, calcination and drying processes and electrical energy for operation of
motors for grinding mills, fans, conveyers and other motor driven process equipment.
The objective of this work was to study the performance of the WHR technique in detail to be a useful
assistant in overcoming the present day energy shortage under different operational conditions and to
compare the results for efficiency with predictions by available theoretical models.
The study starts with brief & comprehensive discussion regarding importance of WHR methodology;
its suitability for heavy industries, flow sheets, design considerations & lastly an overview of
improvements in current Pakistani cement scenario by using this particular tool.
1. Introduction
The priority in the cement industry is to minimize the increase in energy expenditure, to be more
efficient & good competitor both internally & internationally. Also in current circumstances, both the
availability & cost of energy is becoming challenge to local industrial hubs.
In many countries, energy costs represent the largest component of direct production cost for
cement. Energy cost represents as much as 50% to 60% of cement direct production cost. Energy cost
is incurred due to the need for large quantities of thermal heat for the kiln, calcination and drying
processes and electrical energy for operation of motors for grinding mills, fans, conveyers and other
motor driven equipment. Although the fuel use and energy use will depend on the type of process,
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ICFEPES2012

equipment and System efficiency, and fuel heating value, typical requirements for coal use is in the
range of 150-250 kg per metric tonne of cement, and typical requirements for electrical energy use is
in the range of 80-125 kWhr per metric tonne of cement.[1]
Waste heat Recovery means allowing the waste heat to leave the process, but converting it
(partially) into electricity before it is discharged (at lower temperature level) to the environment.
Therefore, after the efficiency of a cement plant has been driven to the economic optimum, the
remaining waste heat is converted into electricity. It must be kept in mind that with any conversion
technology the thermal efficiency of the conversion (th) comes into the game. Therefore 1 kWh of
used waste heat only produces kWh of useful energy - but now it is electrical energy. One thing is
obvious: the more efficient the cement plant, the lower the waste heat temperatures, specifically the
temperature of the waste gas after the preheater tower. Temperatures after the preheater tower in
efficient cement plants can be considerably below 300 C. Therefore waste heat conversion
technology has to be configured to match this situation.
Uptill recent past energy generation from WHR technique was an alien idea to local industry but
now two successful commissioned plants are available in Pakistan & more factories are planning to
have such technologies.Under Kyoto Protocol industrial countries have to finance investment in
developing countries to generate credits to meet their own commitment. This way of interaction is
called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) & expected to raise its twin benefits .The mechanism
is seen by many as a trailblazer. It is the first global, environmental investment and credit scheme of
its kind, providing standardized emissions offset instrument, CERs. A CDM project activity might
involve, for example, a rural electrification project using solar panels or the installation of more
energy-efficient boilers.[2],[5]. As WHRPP at M.L.C.F.L. (under study Cement Plant) is an example
of CDM certified project.
In this paper, a waste heat recovery (WHR) captive power plant project with CDM (Clean
Development Mechanism) supporting near Mianwali City, Punjab, Pakistan is analyzed for economic
indicators regarding electricity generation & emissions cut downs.
2. Waster Heat Recovery Project-A Case Study
2.1 Types of available Technologies
There are mainly two developed technologies for heat conversation into electricity.
2.3.1Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC): The technique consists of following processes.
Heat Extraction
Heat Conversion
Heat dissipation
Electric Feed in and control
In this process organic fluids are used due to its evaporative ability at low temperature & good condensation
level which allows organic fluids to deliver considerable amount of energy during expansion in turbine. [3]

2.3.2Rankine Kalina Cycle (RKC)

The Kalina cycle is a new concept in heat recovery and power generation, which uses a mixture of
70% ammonia-30% water as the working fluid with the potential of significant efficiency gains over
the conventional Rankine cycle. Basically this concept is suitable for medium to low gas temperature
heat recovery systems with gas inlet temperatures in the range of 400 to 1000 F, offering more gains
(over Rankine cycle) as the gas temperature decreases. [4]

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2.2 Power Flow diagram of Waste Heat Recovery Power Plant System:
Following is the schematic flow sheet for a generalized waste Heat Recovery system from source to
final out put i-e electricity for a Cement Plant.

2.3 Possible Heat Extraction Sources in Cement Production Plant:

To manufacture 1 t of Portland cement, about 1.5 to 1.7 t raw materials, 0.1 t coal and 1 t clinker
(besides other cement constituents and sulfate agents) must be ground to dust fineness during
production, see fig-1. In this process, the steps of raw material processing, fuel preparation, clinker
burning and cement grinding constitute major emission sources for particulate components. While
particulate emissions of up to 3,000 mg/m3 were measured leaving the stack of cement rotary kiln
plants as recently as in the 1950s, legal limits are typically 30 mg/m3 today, and much lower levels
are achievable.

Fig- 2 Location Map of Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited

Fig 1: Heat Extraction Sources In Cement Plant

2.4 Under consideration Cement Plant Introduction

Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited is the third largest cement producer in Pakistan. It was setup in
1956 as a joint collaboration between the West Pakistan Industrial Development Cooperation and
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Government of Canada. In 1992 Kohinoor Group acquired the ownership and management of
M.L.C.F.L. under the privatization policy of the Government of Pakistan. Presently, Kohinoor Group
is the holding company for M.L.C.F.L. M.L.C.F.L. is strategically located at Iskanderabad (fig-2)near
the city of Daudkhel, an area which is rich in raw materials required for the production of cement.
M.L.C.F.L. has an ISO 9000/9001/9004/19011: 2000 certification and manufactures high quality
cement products (Ordinary Portland Cement, White Cement, Sulphate Resistant Cement, Low Alkali
Cement and Oil Well Cement).
2.5 Gas Flow Diagram of Cement Plant
The following diagram(fig-3) shows gas flow in a dry cement kiln.
2.6 Waste and Effective Energy Comparison
The schematic (fig-4) shows that how much effective is Waste Heat Recovery. Out of 38% Waste heat
in Cement dry process 18% heat can be saved by
installation of effective heat recovery equipment

Fig-3 Gas Flow Diagram of Cement Plant

Fig-4 Waste and Effective Energy Comparison

2.7 Building Blocks of WHRPP

The following blocks (fig-5) are involved in waste heat recovery system:

Fig-5 Simplified diagram of Power Flow

Grey Cement Plant

Process Description:
Waste gas discharged from the clinker cooler system, and the kiln pre-heater system all contain useful
energy that can be converted into power by installation of a waste heat boiler system that runs a steam
turbine system. This report focuses on the steam turbine system since these systems have been
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installed in many plants worldwide and have proven to be economic. Heat recovery has limited
application for plants with in-line raw mills, as the heat in the kiln exhaust is used for raw material
drying. So at each step in heat recovery system gases are re-circulated to existing system after Waste
heat recovery boilers. Waste Heat Recovery Boilers have been installed between pre-heater and Raw
Mill of Line-1 and Line-2. This step will lead to an energy efficient process and clinker electricity
(KWh) cost will be reduced by 26% without using any extra fuel.
Line-1 (4000 tons per day of clinker Kiln)
Its production is 4000 tons per day of clinker. Waste gases, rejected from preheater and clinker cooler,
properties are as given below:
Preheater Heat Exchanger 1 (Line 1 Preheater)
Waste Gas characteristics are as given below:
Waste Gas to be recovered = 214,000 Nm^3 / hour
Inlet Gas Temperature = 330C
Outlet Gas Temperature = 229C
Steam characteristics to be generated by waste gas are as given below:
Steam Generated = 15.4 t/h
Steam temperature = 312 C
Steam Pressure = 1.63 MPa
Clinker Cooler Heat Exchanger 1
Waste Gas characteristics are as given below:
Waste Gas to be recovered = 103,333 Nm^3 / hour
Inlet Gas Temperature = 380C
Outlet Gas Temperature = 98C
Steam characteristics to be generated by waste gas are as given below:
Steam generated = 8.5 t/h
Steam temperature = 355 C
Steam Pressure = 1.63 MPa
Line-2 (6700 tons per day of clinker Kiln)
Its production is 6700 tons per day of clinker. Waste gases, rejected from preheater and clinker cooler,
properties are as given below:
Preheater Heat Exchanger 2 (Two Boilers)
Line-2 is a state of art technology and its preheater is double string. So at each string one boiler is
installed and both are identical.
Waste Gas characteristics are as given below:
Waste Gas to be recovered =195,500x2 Nm^3 / hour
Inlet Gas Temperature =310C
Outlet Gas Temperature = 228C
Steam characteristics to be generated by waste gas are as given below:
Steam Generated=23 t/h
Steam temperature = 301 C
Steam Pressure = 1.63 MPa
Clinker Cooler Heat Exchanger 2
Waste Gas characteristics are as given below:
Waste Gas to be recovered =173,000 Nm^3 / hour
Inlet Gas Temperature =380C
Outlet Gas Temperature = 99C
Steam characteristics to be generated by waste gas are as given below:
Steam Generated=15.6 t/h
Steam temperature = 366 C
Steam Pressure = 1.63 MPa
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Fig-6 Block Diagram of Waste Heat Recovery Power with Two Cement Lines.
Table-1 Technical specifications of Heat Recovery units
ITEM

LOCATION

HRSG 1
HRSG 2
HRSG 3
HRSG 4
HRSG 5

Preheater line 1
Clinker cooler Line1
Preheater line 2
Preheater line 2
Clinker cooler Line2

WASTE GAS
Nm^3/Hr
214000
103333
195500
195500
173000

Steam Capcity
TPH
15.4
8.5
11.5
11.5
15.6

Steam Pres
MPa
1.63
1.63
1.63
1.63
1.63

Steam Temp
C
312
355
301
301
366

3. Percentile Electricity Generation

3.1 Line-1
I/p %age of Line-1= (Steam generated by Line 1)*100 / (Total Steam Generated)
I/p %age of Line-1 = 23.9*100/70.4
I/p %age of Line-1 = 34%
Electricity Proportion = 5MW
3.2 Line-2
I/p %age of Line-2= (Steam generated by Line-2)*100 / (Total Steam Generated)
I/p %age of Line-2 = 38.6*100/70.4
I/p %age of Line-2 = 55%
Electricity Proportion = 7.9MW
4. Conclusions.
Exponentially increasing Energy costs, its acute shortage in Pakistan and pressures to reduce CO2
emissions are compelling the big industries to spend on alternate ways of curtailing the issue. The
reasonable pay back times for heat recovery systems and the possibility to increase productivity
coupled with the promising environmental effects of this investment is now attracting the investors &
plant owners.
The paper deals with a WHR project in a cement manufacturing plant in Mainwali (Pakistan) for
generation of electricity from waste heat previously being emitted to atmosphere. Also the project
facilitates considerable reduction in Co2 Emission without any additional GHG discharge. The
installation of WHR has not only improve the energy efficiency but also the reliance on exhaustible
fossil fuel based power sources ,thus contributing a lot in the sustainable growth of cement sector in
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Pakistan. The analysis of under consideration plant has been performed on the methodology of
ACM004 of CDM. Following results are achieved.
CO2 Reduction Possibilities
From this project CO2 reduction potential is 47807 Ton/Year.
Economic Efficiency
Quantity of power generated
KW 12900
In house power consumption
KW 838(6.5%)
Acknowledgment
The authors acknowledge the valuable & prolific technical information furnished by the Operational
engineer of the M.L.C.F.L Cement plant.
References
[1] Mark D. M.irolli, Chief Technology Officer,
Recurrent Resources, LLC, 1079-9931/07 2007 IEEE
[2] China 21 Century Agenda Management Centre, Tinghua University, CDM, Beijing: Social
Science Academic Press, pp 6-7,
[3] Waste Heat Conversation into Electricity by Thomas Borrnet & Dr Thomas Burki
[4] The new Generation Kalina at ENGINE MWZ-Eng, 14.09.06 by Dr. Manfred Renz, Manfred
Engelhard.
[5] 978-1-4244-4543-1/09 2007 IEEE, by Yang Wei-hua, Xe Tao, Jia Li-yue.

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