Refractories and the Sustainability Challenge

When It Comes To The Sustainability Of Cement Production, Refractories Have A Broad And Essential Role To Play, As Experts From Calderys Group, Including Hwi, And Refratechnik Told Cement Products. Since the early days of cement production, the industry has worked to reduce its specific energy consumption. This has changed the landscape of the cement plant as “today’s preheater-precalciner kilns…

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Electric Cement Production: The Technologies

Electrification Is Increasingly Being Mentioned In Discussions Around The Decarbonization Of Cement. By Jonathan Rowland Electrification of process heat is still very much in the nascent stages of development in the cement industry. It’s not without interest, however. According to the experts at the European Cement Research Academy (ECRA), electrification of cement production “appears promising.” Researchers Sebastian Quevedo Parra and…

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Finding Value in Carbon

A Calgary-Based Company Is Turning CO2 Emissions And Industrial Byproducts Into High-Quality Supplementary Cementitious Materials. by Jonathan Rowland Carbon capture is recognized as a key element in most pathways to a decarbonized cement industry. As the Portland Cement Association (PCA) noted in its 2021 Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) “directly avoids a significant portion of…

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Using Coarse Alternative Fuels

The Availability Of High-Quality Alternative Fuels Is A Key Barrier To The Widespread Adoption Of Alternative Fuels In The Cement Industry. However, There Are Now A Number Of Solutions On The Market That Allow The Use Of Coarse And Low-Quality Materials, Without The Traditional Preparation Requirements.  by Jonathan Rowland The use of alternative fuels (AF) is widely promoted within the…

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The Variability Challenge

As The Use Of Alternative Fuels Grows, So Too The Challenges They Pose To Equipment And Process. by Jonathan Rowland Fossil fuels are often maligned for their carbon emissions. Yet they are not the world’s most successful energy source without reason. Fossil fuels pack a punch when it comes to calorific value and offer consistent chemical composition, moisture content and…

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There is an Alternative

Alternative Fuels Are Not Without Their Controversies And Challenges, Both In The United States And  European Union. By Jonathan Rowland Cement Products spoke to the European cement association (CEMBUREAU) and the Portland Cement Association (PCA) about the use of alternative fuels in the European Union (EU) and United States. – Ed. While widely acknowledged to be an essential element in the cement…

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Sticky, Inconsistent, Potentially Hazardous: Handling and Storing Alternative Fuels

Use Of Alternative Fuels Is Spreading Around The World As Part Of Global Efforts To Reduce The Carbon Intensity Of Cement Production. But Alternative Fuels Are Not A Homogenous, Easily Handled Product. Cement Products Talked To A Number Of Experts About The Practical Issues Involved In Moving And Storing These Fuels. by Jonathan Rowland Alternative fuels (AF) are a hot…

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Let’s Talk

The World Cement Association’s PEGASUS Benchmarking Program Aims To Bring A New Culture Of Collaboration And Communication To The Cement Industry. CEO Ian Riley, Explains How. By Jonathan Rowland Traditionally, the cement industry has been relatively reticent about sharing of best practices. There are ad hoc exchanges at trade conferences and within the pages of trade magazines. But more often…

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COVID-19 and the Global Cement Industry

It has not been the year anyone was expecting. That is as true in the cement industry as anywhere else. The impact of COVID-19 has brought many challenges, perhaps most visibly in the headline figures for cement demand around the world. But it has impacted the industry in other, more subtle, ways too: from sourcing fuels in a locked-down world…

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