Fermanagh-based manufacturer Mannok and Danish engineering company FLSmidth have successfully implemented the world’s first pilot of the FUELFLEX® Pyrolyzer. This new combustion system has almost eliminated the use of fossil fuel in the most carbon-intensive stage of cement production at Mannok’s plant, reducing 240 tonnes of carbon emissions per day and NOx emissions. The new FUELFLEX® system is enabling Mannok to replace 90% of its coal use with solid recovered fuels (SRF), which would otherwise go to the landfill, in the pre-calcination stage of cement production. The company is working towards eliminating the use of coal.
“The SRF we use is sourced from the counties surrounding the plant, so we are reducing shipping costs and carbon footprint of imported fossil fuels,” commented Damian Reilly, Cement General Manager at Mannok. “There are obvious environmental benefits and this SRF is a much more commercially viable fuel source. The more SRF we can use in NI, the less will be exported to cement kilns across Europe, so it’s a win-win.”
