Current Status of Energy Conservation Measures
Among the major energy conservation measures are:

• House keeping and operational control
• Process optimization
• Product innovation and fuel substation
• Waste heat utilization
• Technology/system upgradation

Among the house keeping measures, correct motor loading, prevention of false air entry in kilns and mills, preventive / condition monitoring play a very useful role in brining down the energy consumption.

Energy auditing and creation of energy conservation cell in the plants are very crucial for the success of energy conservation drive and for creating suitable culture in the organization.

Among the process optimization measures raw mix optimization, ball mill optimization, control of primary air in the kiln and clinker quality improvement play key role.

Diversification of cement quality such as PPC and PSC are known to reduce specific energy significantly. Over the years their percentage has in fact decreased in the overall mix. This may be due to general lack of availability of pozzolanic material near the site and also due to general belief that quality of PPC is inferior to OPC which is infact not true.

Fuel substitution has made a small beginning in the form of lignite in place of coal. Nothing much has been achieved by way of using natural gas or waste fuels.

Among the waste heat utilization measures the use is only being made to the extent of using preheater and cooler exhaust gases for drying raw meal. Beyond this the heat is not recovered. 5-stage preheater system have been installed to further recover heat from waste gases. Use of cogeneration system have not made any beginning.

Among the energy saving technologies the prominent areas are vertical roller mills for RM grinding, use of high efficiency separators in close circuit mills, use of improved mill internals, NSP kilns with latest precalcinator designs and computerized control systems with expert systems.

Support Infrastructure

Among the essential features of support infrastructure are:

• Fuel Poor coal quality, uncertain supply of lignite and non-availability of natural gas.
• Power Unreliable and poor supply
• RM Quality Generally marginal grade lime stone available.

• Cement Adequate capacity, all collaboration ventures Machinery almost 25% import content.
• Instrument Lack of sophisticated instruments for computer process control. Mostly imported.
• System Basic equipment design, detail engineering Design lacking. Basic system know how provided by collaborators
• Consulting Wide range offered but lack in latest design Support and system concept. Lack specialized cadres. Limitation in converting recommendations into practical solutions

• R&D Support Adequate but special energy conservation related projects to be added
• Energy Audit services Adequate
• Energy Mostly exists for large plants but not very Management productive due to multiple roles of the key individual vested with this responsibility

• Govt. Support More needs to be done on legislation front and overcoming of infrastructural bottle necks
  Constraints

The various constraints applicable to the industry are poor quality of coal and power supply; technology obsolescence, non-availability of reliable energy conservation devices; lack of incentives for cogeneration systems; poor reliability of expertise; attitudinal problems among plant personnel; lack of information on technology evaluation; lack of information sharing; deficiency of trained man power; poor training facilities and absence of proper organizational structure etc.  Back