Oxygen technology helps CEMEX achieve ambitious environmental objectives 11 September 2012

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.

Brian Tinham

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