With an increasing use of alternative fuel in cement production, chlorine excess in the kiln system is a common issue. To address this challenge, Cimpor, the Iberian region's leading producer of cement, has called upon FLSmidth to deliver a chlorine bypass solution for their site in Souselas, Portugal.
Following a new EPC order from Cimpor, booked at the end of last year, FLSmidth will deliver a chlorine bypass solution, eliminating chlorine build-up in the flue gas as Cimpor plan to increase their alternative fuel rate to above 60%. Work on the chlorine bypass is expected to start in Q3 2021 with production returning to normal in early 2022.
“Investing in the chlorine bypass is a key step on our journey towards reducing our environmental footprint,” explains Paulo Evangelista, Project Manager at Cimpor. “On top of the obvious incentives to increase our fuel substitution like; less CO2 emissions and financial savings, we are experiencing better waste handling infrastructure in the local area, all this has made it an easy choice to make”.
Back in 2001, FLSmidth upgraded the kiln and installed an SF Cooler and Downdraft calciner at Souselas.
Cimpor expects around 40% of future heat consumption to come from refuse-derived fuel (RDF). RDF tends to lead to higher concentrations of chlorine in the gas streams. When chlorine can no longer be absorbed in the calcination and clinker process, the flue gas is funneled via bypass, cooled down and filtered.
The benefits enabled by the chlorine bypass, such as reduced CO2 emissions and higher substitution rates, make this solution a flagship for FLSmidth’s MissionZero programme in Cement. MissionZero is our sustainability ambition to enable customers to run cement production at zero emissions in 2030.
