New supply line for alternative fuels supports journey towards climate-neutral cement production

With the goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2045, Märker Zement GmbH decided to build a new supply line for alternative fuels at their cement plant in Harburg, Germany. By introducing an increased biogenic proportion in the fuel mix for the combustion process, the new kiln 8 contributes to saving energy, lowering the consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels considerably, and reducing CO2 emissions. In their search for an alternative fuels handling system for this new supply line, Märker Zement turned to BEUMER Group to provide them with a solution that covers everything from reception and unloading of the trucks to the storing, conveying, and feeding process of solid AFR materials.

Extensive alternative fuels handling system: streamlined solution from a single source

This extensive project comprises of almost 40 components, with the majority produced by BEUMER Group, including all steel structures, the transfer tower, and the intermediate storage building. BEUMER Group was responsible for the design, delivery, mechanical and electrical installation, and commissioning of the entire system.

The new storage hall for preparing the alternative fuels for processing was equipped with a fully automatic overhead crane and three extraction bins with screw conveyors for material distribution. A belt conveyor transports the material from the storage hall to the transfer tower, where oversized pieces and ferromagnetic particles are separated from the material. To protect the environment, dedusting filters have been implemented at every material transfer point.

A 700-metre-long pipe conveyor ensures that the alternative fuel is transported safely to the interim storage with a continuous feeding capacity of 40t/h. With its flexible tubular shape, the pipe conveyor overcomes challenging terrain while protecting the transported material from the elements and protecting the environment from contamination and spillage, making it the perfect choice for this AFR handling system, as the installation is right next to a road and part of it had to be constructed across train tracks.

Versatile supply line manages two RDF types with advanced storage and distribution analytics

The alternative fuel handling system for Märker Zement includes an interim storage with sophisticated material distribution. The line handles two different qualities of residue-derived fuel (RDF), which differ in their material grain size and calorific value: coarse material (KBS) for the calciner and fine material (Fesbo) for the main burner. The interim storage building is therefore equipped with two silos on the first floor: one with 400m3 storage capacity for the coarse material and one with 135m3 capacity for the fine material. This provides Märker Zement with the possibility to create an interim reserve of material while another material type is conveyed between storage hall and interim storage. Using sophisticated material distribution, the system allows the use of just one pipe conveyor for all material transport between the storage hall and interim storage.