CEMENT INDUSTRY

ENERGY BASELINE STUDY

OCTOBER 2006

PG&E NON-RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION

PROGRAM*

PREPARED BY:
Resource Dynamics Corporation
Vienna, VA 22182

*
The Program is funded by California utility customers and is administered by Pacific Gas and Electric
Company under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Copyright© 2006 Pacific Gas
and Electric Co. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer

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 Table of Contents

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 4

Background ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Process Operations .......................................................................................................................... 6
Limestone Mining and Quarrying ............................................................................................... 7
1. Material Preparation, Crushing, and Grinding ....................................................................... 7
2. Clinker Production ................................................................................................................. 7
3. Finish Grinding....................................................................................................................... 7
4. Fuel Preparation ..................................................................................................................... 8
5. Transportation Systems .......................................................................................................... 8
Finished Cement.......................................................................................................................... 8
Energy Efficiency Opportunities..................................................................................................... 9
1. Materials Preparation, Crushing, and Grinding...................................................................... 9
Wet Process ............................................................................................................................. 9
Dry Process.............................................................................................................................. 9
2. Clinker Production ................................................................................................................. 9
Wet Process ............................................................................................................................. 9
Dry Process............................................................................................................................ 10
3. Finish Grinding..................................................................................................................... 10
4. Fuel Preparation ................................................................................................................... 10
5. Transportation Systems ........................................................................................................ 10
Dry Process............................................................................................................................ 10
Wet Process ........................................................................................................................... 10
Plant-Wide Measures ................................................................................................................ 10
Motors ................................................................................................................................... 10
Variable Speed Drives on Fans and Pumps........................................................................... 15
Baseline for the Entire Cement Making Process ....................................................................... 15
Cement Industry Baseline Study

Executive Summary
Cement making is an energy intensive process with numerous opportunities to improve energy
efficiency. The current demand for cement in the U.S. is outstripping supply, so additional plants
and plant expansions are expected.

This project has identified several areas where new construction/plant expansion incentives can
be offered to cement making plants. Before higher-efficiency design and practice can be
recognized and encouraged, metrics need to be established and a baseline of a typical design
metrics needs to be established.

Metrics and the associated baselines for different steps in the cement making processes have been
established. In addition to these cement-specific metrics, a number of general, plant-wide
measures have been identified and metrics and the associated baselines have also been
established.

A baseline for the entire cement making process has also been developed to establish incentives
as an alternative to the metrics and baselines for individual steps mentioned above. A cement
plant must use the dry process to be eligible. These baselines are set at a level 15 percent more
efficient than the average energy consumption for cement plants within the United States to
reflect more efficient technology that is currently available.

This document was prepared for the Non-Residential New Construction program at Pacific Gas
and Electric Company. The Non-Residential New Construction program is an energy efficiency
program administered by California gas and electric utilities under the auspices of the California
Public Utilities Commission, and is funded by the ratepayers. It provides design assistance and
financial incentives for new construction, expansion, or gut rehab projects (where there is an
increase in load or production) in order to improve the energy efficiency of the installations.
Participating customers are eligible to receive free design assistance and a one-time financial
incentive, based on the energy saved in one year when compared to what would have been
installed in a typical or “baseline” design. Incentives for “process” measures, such as those found
in cement making plants, are paid at $0.08/kWh and $0.80/therm of natural gas (1 therm is
100,000 British Thermal Units) and are intended to help defray some of the incremental costs of
designing and installing more energy efficient equipment. Incentives are not intended for
standard industry items, and there should be an extra investment in the energy efficient design as
compared to the baseline design.

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Background
The cement manufacturing industry falls under the North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS) code 32731. Under the old Standard Industry Classification (SIC) it was
identified by SIC code 3241. As describe in the NAICS handbook, “this industry comprises
establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing Portland, natural, masonry, pozzalanic, and
other hydraulic cements”.

Cement is the binding agent in the masonry products of concrete and mortar. Limestone is
mined, crushed, mixed with other ingredients, and heated to make cement. The terms cement and
concrete should not be used interchangeably – concrete only contains approximately 10-15%
cement, with the remainder being aggregate (gravel, crushed stone and sand) and water.

The cement industry is very energy intensive and fuel costs are the largest variable production
cost besides raw materials. Cement plants use considerable amounts of electricity and sometimes
natural gas, and can also consume coal, distillates, residual oil, coke, and waste fuels such as
municipal solid waste and tire derived fuels. The cement industry consumes approximately 220
MW of electricity and 22 million therms of natural gas per year in California, although coal is the
primary energy source i .

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Process Operations
Figure 1shows a simplified schematic of the steps involved in the cement making process.

Limestone Mining
and Quarrying

1. Materials
Preparation,
4. Transport System
Crushing, and
Grinding

2. Clinker 5. Fuel
Production Preparation

3. Finish
Grinding

Finished
Cement
Figure 1. Cement Production Step Schematic

There are three types of cement manufacturing processes; the wet process, the semi-dry process,
and the dry process. With the wet process, raw material is blended with water to produce a slurry
which is pumped into the kiln. Adding water helps homogenize the raw materials. The wet
process is the most energy intensive because the water must be evaporated in the kiln. The semi-
dry process uses less water and the raw material is also exposed to the exit gases from the kiln
prior to introduction to the kiln chamber, reducing the amount of energy required to evaporate the
water. In the dry process, raw material enters the kiln in a dry powdered form.

Each production step is summarized below. This baseline focuses on the numbered steps in
Figure 1, which have opportunities for electricity and natural gas efficiency improvement.

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Limestone Mining and Quarrying

Cement production facilities are typically located close to limestone mines. In California, the
limestone is typically extracted from open-face quarries using mining equipment. Since
limestone mines are not considered part of cement production and because there are few
significant opportunities for electricity or natural gas efficiency improvements available, mining
and quarrying are not part of this baseline.

1. Material Preparation, Crushing, and Grinding

Cement raw materials (limestone, chalk, and clay) are selected and crushed. Classifiers are used
to separate the fine particles from the coarse ones. Grinding is then used to further reduce the
size of the raw materials. The resulting material is then proportioned so that is has the proper
chemical composition and fineness and is then homogenized.

With the wet process, each raw material is added in the proper proportion and fed to a rotating
ball mill along with water where they are ground to the proper size to form a slurry, which is then
pumped to blending tanks and homogenized.

With the dry process, each raw material is added in the proper proportion and fed to either a
rotating ball mill or vertical roller mill for grinding. The raw material is dried with waste process
gases and ground to produce "kiln feed". The kiln feed is pneumatically blended to insure the
chemical composition of the kiln feed is well homogenized.

A number of energy savings opportunities are available in the crushing and grinding processes,
such as high-efficiency roller mills and high-efficiency classifiers/separators.

2. Clinker Production
The clinker production process is the most energy intensive step in cement making. Clinkers are
produced by pyroprocessing kiln feed to remove moisture and form cement minerals. Most
pyroprocessing is done in rotary kilns.

With both the wet and dry process the same chemical reaction takes place; evaporation, calcining
the limestone to produce free calcium oxide, and reaction of the calcium oxide with materials like
sand, shale, clay, and iron. The resulting product is black nodular product known as a "clinker".
In the wet process, the slurry is pumped to a rotary kiln where temperatures can reach as high as
1450oC during the clinker making process. In the dry process, the kiln feed is fed to a preheater
tower of kiln, and then discharged to a rotary kiln where it is heated at high temperature. The
rotary kiln then discharges the clinker to the clinker cooler. Some systems use a long dry kiln
without external preheaters.

Energy efficiency opportunities include process control systems, combustion improvements,

oxygen enrichment, and shell heat loss reduction.

3. Finish Grinding
The clinker, gypsum, and other additives are ground together by mills or presses to form the final
cement product. The fineness of the cement and amount of gypsum and other additives depend on
the type of cement being produced. Efficiency opportunities include high-efficiency roller mills,
high-efficiency classifiers, and improved process control systems.

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

4. Fuel Preparation
Solid fuels such a coal or tire-derived fuels need to be prepared prior to entering the combustion
process. Fuel preparation processes can include crushing, grinding, and drying. Efficiency
opportunities include using roller presses instead of grinding mills for coal preparation.

5. Transportation Systems
Transportation systems include pumps, conveyors, and the use of compressed air. For the dry
process, materials are transported by pneumatic or mechanical conveyors, with mechanical units
being more efficient. For the wet process, pumps are used to transport the slurry. A number of
energy efficiency opportunities exist, such as the use of mechanical conveyors instead of
pneumatic ones.

Finished Cement
Finished cement is typically stored in silos. Bulk cement is distributed by truck, rail, or water.
Because there are few significant opportunities for electricity or natural gas efficiency
improvements available in this process, the finished cement step is not part of this baseline.

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Energy Efficiency Opportunities

Numerous opportunities exist to improve the energy efficiency of a cement making operation.
Metrics and baselines for the different processes in cement making are now discussed.

1. Materials Preparation, Crushing, and Grinding

A number of energy savings opportunities are available in the crushing and grinding processes,
such as high-efficiency roller mills and high-efficiency classifiers/separators. The metric for
steps within the crushing and grinding process is kWh/ton of raw meal. Baselines for these steps
are described below:

Wet Process
Wash Mills and Classifiers. Use of wash mills instead of tube mills and circuit classifiers.
Baseline set at efficient tube mill: 13 kWh/ton of raw meal.

Slurry Blending and Homogenizing. Savings involve efficient compressed air systems. See
plant-wide measures.

Dry Process
Grinding. Use of roller mills or other efficient mills instead of ball mills or other mills. Baseline
set at an efficient ball mill system: 17 kWh/ton of raw meal.

Raw Material Blending. Use of gravity-type homogenizing silos instead of mechanical or air-
fluidized bed systems. Baseline set at efficient mechanical system: 2.0 kWh/ton raw meal.

2. Clinker Production
Energy efficiency opportunities include process control systems, combustion improvements,
oxygen enrichment, improved seals, and shell heat loss reduction.

Because of the many systems involved in clinker product, a metric has been developed for the
entire step, in MMBtu/ton clinker. This is because systems like process control system do not
lend themselves to metrics.

Wet Process
Because the dry process is more efficient than the wet process, no baseline has been developed
for wet kilns. A baseline was to be developed for conversion of the wet process to the semi-dry
process by the addition of a slurry drier and filter press, but this leads to increased electricity
consumption and a reduction in clinker fuel use (which might not be natural gas), so no baseline
was established.

Slurry drier. Because this retrofit increases electricity consumption and reduces clinker fuel use
(which might not be natural gas), no baseline has been established.

Filter press. Facilities with filter presses are sometimes referred as “semi-dry processes”.
Because this retrofit increases electricity consumption and reduces clinker fuel use (which might
not be natural gas), no baseline has been established.

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Dry Process
Dry process cement making can use different styles of kilns, pre-heaters, and pre-calciners.
Efficiency opportunities include improved process and management control systems, kiln
combustion improvements, oxygen enrichment, better refractories, and improved seals. The
baseline is set at a level 15% more efficient than the average system in the United States to reflect
more efficient modern technology that is currently available: 3.06 MMBtu/ton clinker for the
entire clinker production process. To be eligible, the fuel must be entirely natural gas.

3. Finish Grinding
Efficiency opportunities include high-efficiency roller mills, high-efficiency classifiers, and
improved process control systems.

Because of the many systems involved in finish grinding, a metric has been developed for the
entire step, in kWh/ton cement. This is because systems like process control systems do not lend
themselves to metrics. The baseline is set at an efficient system using a ball mill: 30 kWh/ton
cement.

4. Fuel Preparation
Since coal is the most widely used fuel for cement production, coal will be the focus of the fuel
preparation step. Coal is shipped wet to prevent dust formation and fire. Coal is typically dried
using waste heat from the kiln, so no baseline will be developed for the drying step. The metric
for crushing and grinding is in kWh/ton of coal. Use of roller mill or other efficient technology
instead of tube mill or impact mill. The baseline is set at an efficient tube mill: 3.2 kWh/ton coal.

5. Transportation Systems

Dry Process
Efficient Transport System. Use of mechanical conveyors instead of pneumatic system to convey
powdered materials throughout the plant. Measurement of energy consumption for these systems
may be difficult. Baseline set at an efficient pneumatic system: 10 kWh/ton of clinker.

Wet Process
Energy savings center around using efficient motors, pumps, and variable speed drives, which are
covered under plant-wide measures.

Plant-Wide Measures
Additional metrics and baselines for plant-wide measures are now discussed.

Motors
The energy policy act of 1992 (EPAct) requires most polyphase (3-phase) electric motors
between 1-200 hp to meet minimum efficiency standards. The act applies to general-purpose, T-
Frame, single-speed, foot-mounted, continuous rated, polyphase squirrel-cage induction motors
of NEMA Designs A and B. The subject motors are designed to operate on 230/460 volts and 60
Hertz and have open and closed enclosures. The Act applies to 6 pole (1200 RPM), 4 pole (1800
RPM), and 2 pole (3600 RPM) open and enclosed motors rated 1 through 200 horsepower. The

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Act does not apply to definite-purpose motors (i.e., those designed for use under unusual
conditions or for use on a particular type of application which cannot be used in most general
applications) or special-purpose motors (i.e., those designed for a particular application with
special operating characteristics or mechanical construction).

In 2002, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) developed specifications for
premium efficiency motors from 1-500 hp (NEMA Premium™) that have higher efficiencies than
EPACT motors. The NEMA Motor and Generator Section established a NEMA Premium™
energy efficiency motors program to provide highly energy efficient products that meet the needs
and applications of users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) based on a consensus
definition of "premium efficiency" and use of the NEMA Premium™ logo for premium products.
The NEMA Premium™ efficiency electric motor program scope is single-speed, polyphase, 1-
500 horsepower, 2, 4, and 6 pole, squirrel cage induction motors, NEMA Design A or B,
continuous rated.

The baseline metric for NEMA Design A and B motors is set at the EPAct level for motors
between 1-200 hp and at the EPACT 200 hp level for motors between 200-500 hp, as shown in
the following tables.

Purchasing a motor that just meets the EPAct level will not result in an incentive, because the
baseline metric is just being met. Purchasing a motor with an efficiency between the EPAct and
NEMA levels will result in an incentive. Motors at or above the NEMA premium level will result
in the highest incentives.

Other designs of polyphase induction motors, such as explosion proof motors or total enclosed
air-over motors, could be eligible for incentives if the motor is more efficient than the average
motor of its given size and speed, as listed in the compare module in the latest version of
MotorMaster+ software, available from the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

NEMA Design A and B Polyphase Induction Motors

Open Drip-Proof

1200 RPM (6-pole) 1800 RPM (4-pole) 3600 RPM (2-pole)

hp
EPACT/ EPACT/ EPACT/
Baseline Baseline Baseline

1 80.0 82.5 82.5 85.5 77.0 77.0

1.5 84.0 86.5 84.0 86.5 82.5 84.0

2 85.5 87.5 84.0 86.5 84.0 85.5

3 86.5 88.5 86.5 89.5 84.0 85.5

5 87.5 89.5 87.5 89.5 85.5 86.5

7.5 88.5 90.2 88.5 91.0 87.5 88.5

10 90.2 91.7 89.5 91.7 88.5 89.5

15 90.2 91.7 91.0 93.0 89.5 90.2

20 91.0 92.4 91.0 93.0 90.2 91.0

25 91.7 93.0 91.7 93.6 91.0 91.7

30 92.4 93.6 92.4 94.1 91.0 91.7

40 93.0 94.1 93.0 94.1 91.7 92.4

50 93.0 94.1 93.0 94.5 92.4 93.0

60 93.6 94.5 93.6 95.0 93.0 93.6

75 93.6 94.5 94.1 95.0 93.0 93.6

100 94.1 95.0 94.1 95.4 93.0 93.6

125 94.1 95.0 94.5 95.4 93.6 94.1

150 94.5 95.4 95.0 95.8 93.6 94.1

200 94.5 95.4 95.0 95.8 94.5 95.0

259 94.5 95.4 95.0 95.8 94.5 95.0

300 94.5 95.4 95.0 95.8 94.5 95.4

350 94.5 95.4 95.0 95.8 94.5 95.4

400 94.5 95.8 95.0 95.8 94.5 95.8

450 94.5 96.2 95.0 96.2 94.5 95.8

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

500 94.5 96.2 95.0 96.2 94.5 95.8

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Cement Industry Baseline Study
NEMA Design A and B Polyphase Induction Motors

Totally Enclosed Fan-Cooled

1200 RPM (6-pole) 1800 RPM (4-pole) 3600 RPM (2-pole)

hp
EPACT/ EPACT/ EPACT/
Baseline Baseline Baseline

1 80.0 82.5 82.5 85.5 75.5 77.0

1.5 85.5 87.5 84.0 86.5 82.5 84.0

2 86.5 88.5 84.0 86.5 84.0 85.5

3 87.5 89.5 87.5 89.5 85.5 86.5

5 87.5 89.5 87.5 89.5 87.5 88.5

7.5 89.5 91.0 89.5 91.7 88.5 89.5

10 89.5 91.0 89.5 91.7 89.5 90.2

15 90.2 91.7 91.0 92.4 90.2 91.0

20 90.2 91.7 91.0 93.0 90.2 91.0

25 91.7 93.0 92.4 93.6 91.0 91.7

30 91.7 93.0 92.4 93.6 91.0 91.7

40 93.0 94.1 93.0 94.1 91.7 92.4

50 93.0 94.1 93.0 94.5 92.4 93.0

60 93.6 94.5 93.6 95.0 93.0 93.6

75 93.6 94.5 94.1 95.4 93.0 93.6

100 94.1 95.0 94.5 95.4 93.6 94.1

125 94.1 95.0 94.5 95.4 94.5 95.0

150 95.0 95.8 95.0 95.8 94.5 95.0

200 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.4

250 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.8

300 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.8

350 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.8

400 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.8

450 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.8

500 95.0 95.8 95.0 96.2 95.0 95.8

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Cement Industry Baseline Study

Compressed Air
A separate baseline has already been established for compressed air systems. See the document
titled “Compressed Air System New Construction Energy Baselines and Program Requirements”.

Variable Speed Drives on Fans and Pumps

Variable speed drives (VSD) installed on fan, motor, pump and compressed air systems that serve
a load that varies over time can save electricity. Some laundry operations have large varying
loads that are served by fixed-speed machines. Installing VSDs on these motors will allow these
motors’ speed to match demand, reducing energy consumption and achieving a better power
factor.

For these systems, the baseline is set at an estimate of annual energy consumption of the system
running without the VSD (e.g., using a flow control system like throttling). If the system type is
normally installed with a VSD because it requires very precise control (e.g., a belt drive that
requires accurate regulation), it is not eligible. Energy savings should be estimated with
ASDMaster, available from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) at
http://www.eprisolutions.com/. This Windows-based software program can help a plant or
operations professional determine the economic feasibility of a VSD application, predict how
much electrical energy using a VSD may save, and search a database of standard drives.

Baseline for the Entire Cement Making Process

A baseline for the entire cement making process has also been developed to establish incentives
as an alternative to the metrics and baselines for individual steps previously discussed. The
baseline for electricity is set at 127 kWh/ton of clinker and the baseline for natural gas is set at
3.06 MMBtu/ton of clinker (note: natural gas can be the only fuel source used in the cement
making process to qualify for this baseline). A cement plant must use the dry process to be
eligible. These baselines are set at a level 15 percent more efficient than the average energy
consumption for dry process cement plants within the United States, as referenced in Energy
Efficiency Improvement Opportunities for Cement Making. This level reflects the more efficient
technologies that are currently available, compared with the U.S. average, which includes many
older facilities using outdated technologies.

i
Coito, F., Powell, F., Worrel, E., Price, L., and Friedmann, R. Case Study of the California
Cement Industry. ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry. 2005

General reference used as data source throughout the document:

Worrel, E., Galitsky, C. Energy Efficiency Improvement Opportunities for Cement Making.
Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. 2004

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