To mitigate global warming, transformative action is needed in carbon dioxide-emitting industries. Industries such as the cement industry which rely on carbonate-based raw materials, face a major challenge due to the carbon dioxide inherent in the raw material, in addition to the carbon dioxide produced during the combustion of fossil fuels. Typically, 60% of the carbon dioxide is generated during the calcination of the raw material.
Replacing fossil fuel combustion, with an electrically generated thermal plasma, for example, could potentially reduce emissions by up to 40%. Furthermore, by using the carbon dioxide formed in the calcination reaction as the plasma working gas, as combustion air is avoided, a highly concentrated carbon dioxide flue gas stream is achieved allowing for efficient and direct carbon capture.
The presentation will include:
- The benefits of electrifying cement clinker production,
- The technical challenges of electrification,
- The areas of research,
- Results from modelling, laboratory, and experimental testing related to electrified clinker production.
Heidelberg Materials is one of the world’s largest integrated producers of building materials and solutions, with leading market positions in cement, aggregates, and concrete. We are present in more than 50 countries with over 51,000 employees. Responsibility for the environment is at the heart of everything we do. As the forerunner on the path to carbon neutrality and circular economy in the building materials industry, we work on sustainable building materials and solutions for the future. We create new opportunities for our customers through digitalisation.
The Centre for Sustainable Cement and Quicklime Production at Umeå University generates new knowledge related to the production of cement clinker and quicklime, with a focus on energy efficiency, product quality, emissions, and sustainability. Supporting industry in the application of new knowledge, provides a platform where research projects and industry work together to contribute to the sustainable development of the mineral processing industry.
About the Speaker:
Bodil Wilhelmsson (former Hökfors) has since 1998, after achieving her MSc in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, worked with Research and Development projects at Heidelberg Materials. In parallel, she has undertaken doctoral studies and in 2015 she received her PhD with the dissertation – ‘Phase chemistry in process models for cement clinker and lime production’ – within the area of high temperature and thermal process chemistry. Today she is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Cement and Quicklime Production at Umeå University. From May 2021 she is Chairperson at MinFo – the Swedish Mineral Processing Research Association.
Throughout her career, she has worked with sustainability in cement production. Most recently in research projects focusing on fundamental issues related to the electrification of clinker production and since January 2024 in a European-funded project named Electra, focusing on taking electrification to a higher technology readiness level.
- Heidelberg Materials Cement Sverige AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Centre for Sustainable Cement and Quicklime Production, Thermochemical Energy Conversion Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- The Swedish Mineral Processing Research Association – MinFo, Stockholm, Sweden.
Bodil Wilhelmsson : If we succeed in producing cement using electrical heat sources, the capturing step of carbon dioxide in future CCS chains is redundant, meaning that the complete CCS chain compared to today’s BAT will be reduced in energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, as well as costs.
Join us at the Sustainability & ESG International Summit 2024, (11 and 12 December 2024 – Madeira, Portugal, VidaMar Resort Hotel) and meet speakers bringing case studies from all around the world including India, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Colombia, Brazil and the USA.
Prior to the Summit, on December 11, at the same venue, Dr. Wilhelmsson will present her journey in the cement sector at the Women in Cement and Construction International Congress (Dec 10-11, Vidamar Resort Madeira). Our newsletter subscribers receive a free pass to the Women Congress with the ticket for Sustainability and ESG Summit. Register to the newsletter here: industrylink.eu/#signupnow.
