How alternative fuels became accessible
The logic is simple: with our global population set to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, these extra people are going to need more houses, schools, and infrastructure, driving demand for cement. And with the cement industry already accounting for 8% of planet-warming global emissions, at a time when cutting these emissions has never been more important, the cement industry needs to find new, more sustainable ways to operate.
Across many parts of the world, then, the cement industry is on a quest for sustainable alternatives. One solution? Waste-derived fuels. And – as we’ll see below – ensuring their safe and efficient application requires robust analytical tools.
The hurdles of alternative fuels
While the cement industry has been quick to innovate – finding alternative fuel sources from household and industrial waste, used tires, and even sewage sludge – these fuels also introduce a range of variables that need close monitoring. Though more sustainable, for example, these fuels have variable compositions and sometimes contain elements detrimental to both the cement quality and the environment.
Meeting the analytical challenge
Enter X-ray fluorescence (XRF) – a reliable analytical technique that ensures the elemental composition of these fuels is in compliance with safety standards. But, speaking of standards, the variability inherent in alternative fuels also makes them challenging to analyze. Unlike more homogeneous materials, the possibility of unknown elements means that standards or reference materials are not useful – although careful monitoring remains essential.
This is where Malvern Panalytical’s Omnian software can help. Omnian is a combination of advanced software and setup samples, which are used to fine-tune the software to spectrometer subtleties while incorporating spectral elements features that overcome the limitations of other semi-quantitative strategies. Omnian’s advanced analysis algorithms ensure qualitative screening and concentration evaluation without demanding dedicated calibration, making standardless XRF analysis straightforward and easy – whether for powders, solids, or liquids.
Across a series of tests, further detailed in our application note, Omnian facilitates elemental composition analyses to a high standard for a range of waste-derived fuel ingredients and compounds:
- Biomass: Using the NCS DC73349 standard, Omnian was able to pinpoint concentrations of various elements, aligning well with certified values.
- Animal remains: Using the bovine liver standard as an example, the Omnian analysis indicates that preparing samples as pressed pellets improves accuracy, especially for low Z elements like Na, Mg, and P.
- Fuels, oils, and petrochemicals: Omnian’s analysis of the Lube Oil 16 standard showed a strong correlation between certified and measured values for minor to trace concentrations in liquid petrochemical samples.
- Sewage sludge: Again, the Omnian results showed excellent correlations to certified concentration values in municipal water treatment-derived sludge.
Shaping the future of cement manufacturing
Across the broad range of tests, the results are clear: Omnian delivers reliable precision. As such, it helps cement manufacturers ensure that alternative fuels, no matter how heterogeneous, are safe for the environment and cement production. And if users need heightened accuracy, especially for lighter elements, they can simply modify the sample presentation.
So, while the future is always uncertain to a degree, the building materials industry can rest assured that data-driven innovations like Omnian will help reliably steer the course to a greener, more sustainable future.
Dive deep into Omnian’s capabilities and accelerate your journey toward sustainability by downloading your brochure here.
Discover our broad array of solutions tailored for the building materials industry here.
For more in-depth insights, explore our extensive repository of application notes, articles, and whitepapers here.
Further reading