Cement Manufacturers Association

17 Volvo Construction Equipment not only provides tips to reduce operating costs but also offers training courses for drivers both on real machines and in a simulator. And this is not the only company to use simulators for training purposes: Zeppelin Baumaschinen has recently introduced training courses using this technology in its in-house training center. This technology, which has long been an integral part of aviation and maritime training, is now becoming commonplace in the mechanical engineering industry, thanks to the increasing level of digitalization. Liebherr even brings its own simulators to construction sites in mobile classrooms, while the Wirtgen Group operates entire training centers – Centres for Training and Technology (CTT) – to train its customers’ employees in the operation of its machines. The Paver Driver’s License from Vögele is just one example of a training method which is being supported by BG Bau (employers’ liability insurance association for the construction industry). Building material plants – cement with potential While the focus in the construction machinery sector has shifted towards the optimal planning of processes and efficient operation of machinery, things are slightly different when it comes to building material plants.. The industry has begun developing solutions which could reduce this output to almost zero through the targeted deployment of concentration and separation procedures. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) are two processes that separate the CO 2 produced during the manufacture of cement, enabling it to be stored or used for subsequent chemical processes. CO 2 is found naturally in limestone, which is the main component of cement. The limestone is heated in large rotary kilns at high temperatures to produce Portland clinker, an intermediate product. During this process, the limestone is broken down and the carbon dioxide escapes into the air. It is therefore possible to substitute the heated cement clinker in the cement or concrete with alternative materials, resulting in a significant decrease of potential greenhouse gases. For example, approximately 30 percent of CO 2 emissions can be reduced in each ton of cement by substituting calcium clays. Currently, there is no complete replacement for the raw material, as the clinker which is derived from the limestone is responsible for the strength of the concrete. An alternative solution for reducing emissions must therefore be found. To this end, thyssenkrupp has been researching a new oxyfuel combustion process in which the combustion air is replaced by pure oxygen. The emissions would then almost completely consist of pure CO 2 and steam, thus radically simplifying the complicated separation process and enabling the CO 2 to be stored or processed. The first experimental plants for the cement industry in the USA and Europe were introduced in 2010, but the project has not yet moved beyond the experimental phase. The operators can retrofit their existing plants to the oxyfuel process. For older concepts (from around 2005 onwards), exhaust gas recirculation systems can be retrofitted to existing plants. This requires additional equipment, which in turn significantly increases the complexity and the operating costs. Engineers at the research center of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG are therefore working on an improved process, and success is within reach. The new polysius® pure oxyfuel procedure uses pure oxygen as a combustion gas and does not require exhaust gas recirculation, thus significantly reducing the effort required to separate CO 2 . For all known CCS or CCU procedures, retrofitting represents a notable change in plant operation. Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions is also researching processes to convert the separated CO 2 into reusable materials such as methane or methanol. Methane can be fed into the natural gas network, while methanol is a base for synthetic fuels such as kerosene. This process enables CO 2 to be used in a sensible way while also reducing the demand for fossil fuels. The “Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry” 1 technology roadmap from the OECD / International Energy Agency has calculated that using new technologies such as carbon capture and storage or carbon capture and utilization would result in a substantial reduction of CO 2 emissions. “Innovative technologies including carbon capture (CO 2 emissions reduction of 48%) and reduction of the clinker to cement ratio (CO 2 emissions reduction of 37%) lead the way in cumulative CO 2 emissions reductions in cement making in the roadmap vision compared to the RTS by 2050.” 2