Accurately predicting cement plant emissions

Because of increasingly stringent emission constraints at cement plants, it is becoming more important to accurately predict emissions. Performing a complete chemical analysis on the raw materials provides a good starting point for estimating emissions, but it is not enough. The emission rates of some pollutants are a function of the temperature, so a test is needed to predict emissions versus temperature. Additionally, two plants using chemically similar raw materials can have vastly different emissions; therefore, plant specific information is needed. This paper describes the results of combining laboratory tests with plant specific information to predict emissions from the preheater, raw mill, and calciner. The emissions from the bypass, kiln, and coal mill are not considered in this paper. The results will be shown to have been verified by extensive plant testing.