Energetic and Exergetic Analytical Approaches in Optimizing Grate Clinker Cooler Performances: A Case Study of a Cement Plant in Nigeria

Optimizing energy, reduction of global warming and de-carbonization in a cement production is becoming a global discuss. This research work seek ways of optimizing energy recovery and exergy recovery of a clinker cooler in a running cement plant in Nigeria. The cement plant used for this research has production capacity of 6000 tons of clinker per day, and with an energy mix of natural gas and heavy fuel oil (HFO). Energy recovery and exergy recovery in a clinker cooler was a major factor in optimizing clinker production and cement grinding process, the running clinker cooler has an energy recovery was 48.31% which was despite the high energy efficiency of clinker cooler which was above 90%. The exergy recovery of the clinker which was 43.31%, which was also observed to be lower when compared to exergy efficiency of the running clinker cooler which was 63.2%. The low energy and exergy recovery can be improved upon by reducing energy losses through convection, radiation, and hot clinker leaving the clinker cooler.