Construction materials giant CEMEX has contracted Air Products to provide five of its Spanish' cement plants with its Prism on-site oxygen generators and oxy-combustion system.
CEMEX believes that this combination of technologies will generate significant savings at each operating site, while considerably reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Oxy-combustion technology consists of injecting oxygen directly into the furnace burners, leading to greater yield, accelerated combustion and a potential of increasing the use of alternative fuels by up to 80% – so decreasing the consumption of fossil fuel and reducing CO2 emissions.
The project consists of installing a Prism vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) oxygen generator coupled to a backup tank, designed to supply the furnace with gas at low cost, and with maximum flexibility.
The benefits of this on-site generation solution include: elimination of oxygen deliveries by tanker, meaning reduced transport costs and carbon footprint; and standardised generators, meaning they are interchangeable plant to plant, should the need arise.
A team consisting of CEMEX and Air Products' innovation department has completed trials, and to date results largely exceeding expectations.
The five Spanish facilities capable of using this new technology are: Buñol (Valencia), Castillejo (Toledo), Alicante, Alcanar (Tarragona) and Morata de Jalón (Saragossa).
CEMEX has set itself a goal of using alternative fuels to cover 35% of its energy consumption by 2015. Reduction of CO2 emissions to atmosphere is expected to be 450,000 tonnes.
