Energetic and exergetic assessments of a cement clinker cooler integrated poly-generation plant

This study proposes a novel cooling method for white cement clinkers, using nitrogen and carbon dioxide as alternatives to conventional water cooling. The use of nitrogen enables recycling, while hot nitrogen can serve additional purposes, addressing water wastage in the clinker cooling process. Carbon dioxide's potential in cooling clinkers at 1,400–1,450°C is also evaluated. This approach aims to improve sustainability and resource efficiency in white cement manufacturing by reducing water consumption and introducing reusable cooling agents. The result shows that Wgrid increases from 386.316 kW to 1,444.651 kW, Qcooling rises from 585.4398 kW to 2189.2882 kW, and hydrogen production improves from 0.002723 kg/s to 0.101765 kg/s as CO2 inlet temperature increases from 150°C to 300°C. The proposed system offers a viable solution for addressing the environmental challenges of traditional white cement clinker cooling.