Identifying improvement potentials in cement production with life cycle assessment

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Cement production is a major source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (5%) and industrial fuel consumption (7%).
• Current fuel substitution rates in Europe (18%) and the USA (11%) indicate significant potential for improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate improvement potentials in European and USA cement production processes.
• To assess the impact of waste fuel coprocessing, technological upgrades, and clinker substitution on environmental footprints.

Main Methods:

• Life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to analyze cement production.
• Scenarios included increased waste fuel substitution and adoption of best available technology (BAT).

Main Results:

• A 50% thermal substitution rate with waste fuels, coupled with BAT, could reduce CO2 emissions by 9% in Europe and 18% in the USA per tonne of cement.
• Substituting clinker with mineral components (e.g., slag, fly ash) in blended cements substantially lowers environmental footprints.
• Combined strategies yield the highest savings in CO2 emissions and resource consumption.

Conclusions:

• Significant environmental benefits can be achieved by increasing waste fuel coprocessing in cement production.
• Technological upgrades are crucial, especially in the USA, to enhance energy efficiency.
• Clinker substitution through blended cements is an effective strategy to reduce the environmental impact of cement production.