BridgeGap Engineering Blog » Green cement

China Unveils Kiln Fired with Solid Waste

Lehigh Ben — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 13:40:55 +0000

China’s Tongling Conch unveiled a new technology earlier this year that allows for the reduction of landfills while maintaining plant productiveness. The Tongling Conch Municipal Garbage Incineration Demonstration Project is under construction in the mountain village of Tongling in the Anhui province.

The project is the first municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration kiln in the world. The plant is planned to be built in two phases, with the first already completed. The completed section is already processing approximately 250 tons of garbage each day. The second phase will be able to handle roughly the same amount of garbage as the first. The MSW is initially sent into a pre-treatment plant that vaporizes it. The gases are pumped into a new type of rotary kiln for further burning while the un-burnt solids are used as additives in clinker material and raw materials.

Concerns have been raised over emissions of odors into the city’s atmosphere, but Tongling has provided a solution. They sealed the pre-treatment plant and use negative pressure to pump the combusted gases into the kiln. The project, costing approximately $36.3 million, has already allowed city officials to close the local landfill. Li Quanfeng, Tongling Cement’s general manager, said, “This is an effective energy conservation project that benefits the local residents immensely.”

With this new technology, China can face their problem of overcrowded landfills and subsequent environmental difficulties. The Chinese have once again shown their determination to lead the way in green expertise.

Volcanic Ash or Coal Ash in Cement

Lehigh Ben — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:21:50 +0000

The Philippines-based cement company, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc. (TCPI), has the options to use volcanic ash or fly ash as additives in their cement – both of which are aimed at environmental conservation and lower production costs.

Environmental and safety manager for TCPI, Nilo Yap, stated that – for the time being – the company prefers natural additives for its cement given the option of procuring ash from nearby cities. The additive, called tuff, is made from volcanic rock that has hardened or compacted. TCPI has considered the use of coal ash instead of its volcanic cousin, but for the time being decided in favor of volcanic ash. The company expressed more concern for the chemical composition of the coal ash, especially in regards to potential leaks while the ash is being transported to the cement plants. Yap said, “Handling pozzolan or volcanic ash is easier than handling coal ash because of its chemical composition. We do not like its [coal ash] effect on our water supply. There will be more problems with coal ash.”

TCPI has stated that its new cement mix is comparable to traditional Portland Cement. “Using tuff, you will attain the same and even higher strength cement. It also prevents thermal stress,” said Yap. This product is intended for use in the construction of high rise buildings, water pipes, hollow block filling, and sewer systems. It is a viable, green option in areas with high volcanic ash concentrations.

The Race for Alternative Fuels

Lehigh Ben — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:35:53 +0000

Sustainable energy is a major concern in many industries around the world today. Companies are trying to develop new ways to make their products and methods of operation more efficient and eco-friendly. For companies that rely heavily on the combustion of oil and other fossil fuels, this concern for energy has manifested itself into the research of solar, wind, and hydro-electric power.

Unfortunately for manufacturers based in the United States, most of the research into alternative fuels is being conducted overseas in countries like Germany, China, and Spain. All of these nations have adopted aggressive government policies and incentives aimed at stimulating the growth of cleantech businesses. The US has fallen behind in government reform despite President Obama’s stimulus package giving $80 billion for renewable energy, but it is not enough.

The cement industry, however, has taken positive steps towards reducing its carbon footprint and sustaining green energy. Many plants are now using industrial waste, such as discarded tires, as the fuel source for firing their kilns for up to 70% of their energy demands. Resulting in lower emissions and preserving fossil fuels for future generations, the cement industry is still on the lookout for more efficient, greener methods of creating concrete products.

If the trend in American cleantech industry continues, though, American cement firms may find themselves at the mercy of foreign energy producers such as China. If the US takes a backseat in clean energy production and research, we will no longer be dependent on the Middle East for oil; but we will be indebted to Europe and Asia for our energy needs. As production and consumer costs rise, customers will leave American cement producers for cheaper foreign producers. The American cement industry needs to take a stand for sustainable, green energy and lead the way for the US to become a leader in the global energy market.

EPA Claims Authority to Regulate Emissions of Carbon Dioxide

experts@bridgegap — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:41:39 +0000

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson yesterday announced that carbon dioxide endangers the public health under the Clean Air Act and is therefore subject to EPA regulation. USA Today (12/8, Vergano) reports that the EPA ruling gave “the Obama administration power to regulate smokestack and tailpipe emissions that feed global warming,” explaining that it “covers six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide.” The AP (12/8, Hebert, Cappiello) reports the “price could be steep for both industry and consumers.” But McClatchy (12/8, Schoof) reports that it “probably would be years before new EPA rules took effect for existing coal-fired power plants.” Still, the Los Angeles Times (12/8, Tankersley) reports the finding “will allow the EPA to proceed with tough new vehicle emissions standards and a proposal to regulate factory and power-plant emissions.” In response, the Washington Times (12/8, Felker) reports “Business, farm and oil organizations decried what they called a misguided step that will raise consumer energy bills during economic turmoil.”
EPA Ruling Feared To Have Negative Impact On Coal Industry. McClatchy (12/8, Abdullah, Hjalmarson) reports that the EPA’s declaration “could deeply impact Kentucky’s coal economy.” Rep. Hal Rogers warned that the declaration would give the EPA the power to “tell coal-burning utilities how much, or little, coal can be burned,” adding, “It could prove devastating to Kentucky’s coal industry.” David Gooch, president of Coal Operators & Associates Inc. in Pikeville, Kentucky, said that “the coal industry suffers when overly stringent environmental regulations are put in place.”
WVNS-TV Ghent, WV (12/8, Hupp) reports on its website that the EPA’s announcement “has caused mixed reactions in West Virginia,” as “the EPA has already pulled several mountaintop mining permits throughout the state under provisions in the Clean Water Act, leaving some to fear this announcement may destroy the coal industry in the state.” In response, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, one of the state’s two Democratic senators, said in a statement, “This action today reinforces the need for Congress to pass a climate bill to protect coal jobs and to help the industry transition to the future,” adding, “If we do nothing, the EPA will act unilaterally, and more jobs may be lost.”
Arkansas News (12/8, Lyon) reports a Sierra Club spokesman said that the EPA’s ruling “is bad news for an energy company seeking a permit to build a new coal-fired power plant in Arkansas, but the company says the permitting process won’t be affected.” Glen Hooks, senior regional representative for the Sierra Club, which opposes the plant proposed by Southwestern Electric Power Co., said, “I can’t think of any way that today’s news is anything but bad news for the coal industry.” However, Scott McCloud, spokesman for SWEPCO parent company American Electric Power, said that “today’s ruling by the EPA will have no immediate impact on the permitting process” for its proposed $1.6 billion, 600-megawatt power plant, adding “EPA’s action isn’t a surprise.”

Carbon management

Demosthenes — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:27:34 +0000

BGE has been hitting the pavement hard in recent weeks serving our customers and exploring opportunities, as a result, the blog has fallen a bit too silent. We won’t let that become a habit (well, serving customers and exploring opportunities are habits we intend to keep). Nevertheless, interesting news has not rested!

Through an article on tonic today, we found a story on The Guardian about “Liquid Granite”, a so called carbon neutral cement substitute developed by Prof Pal Mangat of Sheffield Hallam University. As is normal, details are sketchy. Professor Mangat says only that Liquid Granite is made from an inorganic powder, 30-70% of which is recycled industrial waste materials. Using the same aggregates as normal concrete, it could be used anywhere cement is but with a fraction of the carbon footprint.

The same article points to an earlier story we have mentioned previously about a carbon negative cement developed by Novacem which, in theory, absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere at a greater fraction than is released during manufacture. The tonic article also mentions our favorite press release pixie dust company, Calera, who manages to stay in the news despite no real signs of a marketable product yet (and much scientific skepticism).

Finally (phew) Recycling Product News has a feature not cement specific, but about how much time and effort is being put into research for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) without considering what to do with all that stored CO2. Many companies are sprouting up around methods to turn captured CO2 into valuable products such as formic acid, algae biofuel, methanol, etc. All very real processes with very real commercial results.

BGE has the skills and knowledge required to integrate CCS and CO2 conversion technologies into cement production facilities. Contact us to discuss the possibilities. The future is now.

New Developments for CO2 Capture Technology

experts@bridgegap — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:38:00 +0000

The AP (10/8) reports, “Cemex Inc. said Wednesday it has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop technology to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions at one of its U.S. cement plants.” According to Cemex, the company “will work with RTI International and others to design a dry sorbent CO2 capture and compression system; a pipeline, if necessary; and an injection station.” Cemex said that “the so-called carbon capture and sequestration technology may remove up to a million tons of CO2 annually. A company spokeswoman said Cemex has not yet chosen the plant where the technology will be used.”

The Houston Business Journal (10/8) reports that the DOE “will provide $1.14 million to the project, while Cemex will fund 20 percent of the first phase.” Gilberto Perez, president of Cemex, stated that “through this project, Cemex is pioneering a new frontier, working to develop cutting-edge technology that could offer a CO2 reduction option for not only Cemex plants, but for the U.S. cement industry. … This project could also lead to the creation of green jobs in America.”

Locally, Bridge Gap Engineering has been introduced to a novel thermal swing chemisorption (TSC) process by researchers at Lehigh University. The advantage of Lehigh’s chemisorbent is the removal and recovery of CO2 from a flue gas at 200 degrees Celcius without precooling, predrying or precompression. The Lehigh researchers have demonstrated high CO2 recovery and remarkably increased CO2 product pressure without external compression which has the potential to offer significant economic advantages in sequestration applications for the recovered CO2.

Pixie Dust Redux

Demosthenes — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:21:58 +0000

Calera is back in the news with it’s CO2 eating cement made by reacting stack emissions with a magnesium salt rich water solution. The San Francisco Chronical is reporting on his pilot plant and California and the fact that Constantz has managed to get himself invited to speak about Calera to the World of Concrete trade show in Las Vegas next February. They quote a spokesman from The Sierra Club declaring the technology “a game changer”.

We wrote about Calera before in our “Magic Pixie Dust” post, a term taken from one of the critics of the technology. At BGE we don’t know if Calera is engaging in science, magic or fraud but we do know this kind of publicity and attention is “game changing” at the end of the day.

This is mainstream press in a large, environmentally sensitive market. Whatever it is that Calera is producing, game changing or not, you can bet the political pressure will be turned up to legitimize it. Further, every article about Calera “educates” the public further about the CO2 costs of cement, and turns up the heat on the government to mandate cleaner production.

Cement is certainly one of the most important building materials in the world and is critical to continued economic development, however cement is going to have a CO2 image problem in a hurry. The green benefits of concrete construction need to be better understood by the public and better articulated by the industry.In addition, the industry has to show that it is genuinely interested in investing in technology that will reduce or sequester CO2 emissions, and that it is not content to wait until it is regulated to do so.

Technology is available today to reduce plant emissions, without resorting to magic. BGE can help every producers find the right technologies to apply to their facilities to make a real difference.

Lehigh tests mercury reduction

Demosthenes — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:30:15 +0000

Lehigh Cement will begin voluntarily testing of activated carbon injection technology, commonly used to reduce mercury at power plants, to reduce the emissions at its plant in Union Bridge Maryland. The mercury will be permanently sequestered in the final product. Lehigh believes it can meet the EPA proposal for 2013 mercury levels without negatively impacting the quality of its cement.

Positive press for waste fuels program

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:39:38 +0000

It doesn’t happen often, so we should celebrate when the mainstream media praises a waste fuel program. This Tulsa World article includes some very positive statements about the Lafarge tire burning program at the Tulsa plant, and avoids the FUD that normally accompanies such an article (only to provide “balance” of course!) They even make a point to reveal that the cement plant burns at a much higher temperature than the (no doubt government funded) trash-to-energy plant, and how this results in less pollution. Lafarge gets more positive press in the article for their methane pipeline from the local landfill.

The article closes describing how all of these efforts help Lafarge control costs, AND provide a cleaner environment in the bargain. It’s nice to see the press “get it right” on the waste fuels issue, we need more of this across the nation.

Magic pixie dust

Demosthenes — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:04:00 +0000

It was about a year ago that I first heard about Calera, a mysterious company that claims to be able to make cement by reacting CO2 and seawater with some “magic pixie dust” to produce a cement like material. Their claims have been widely disputed and their secretive nature has not done much to help the cause, but for some reason they seem to be getting a lot of press lately. Green building material articles from Reuters, the Contra Costa Times and other sources have been giving them ink. Also, the Greentech blog has been following the story and presenting scientific opinion for some time.

I fall into the camp of skeptical but seriously interested on this one. Even if Calera can only produce a cement additive it will be a breakthrough in sequestration technology. Cement can already be (and is) considered a green building material by a number of measures, and carbon capture could really boost the cause. Notably other commercial enterprises are looking to join the fray with this mystery technology.

What do you think? Fish oil or a greenhouse gas breakthrough? Let us know in the comments.