Energy Management in a Wet Process Cement Plant

Abstract

Cement manufacture is one of the most energy intensive industries in the Philippines. This paper discusses the overall approach undertaken by Bacnotan Consolidated Industries Cement Plant in reducing its fuel consumption form a level of 1700 kcal/kg of clinker to the current level of 1450 kcal/kg. This approach was an application of systems analysis wherein a problem such as high fuel consumption is treated as a result of faults in a system where man, machines, materials and processes interact. This is in contrast to the common approach of putting the blame entirely on the machines or on the materials, failing to see that for a problem such as this, one is dealing with a system. Fishbone analysis was used to identify the various faults and corrective actions were then planned and undertaken. Plant energy management organization, audit procedures as well as the system improvements which lead to improved fuel consumption are likewise discussed in the paper.