Improving Pulverized Coal and Biomass Co‐Combustion in a Cement Rotary Kiln by Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract The cement industry is one of the largest pollutant emitters. One way to cope with high pollutant emissions is to co‐combust biomass with pulverized coal. A mathematical model was developed, which is detailed enough to consider the complex physical and chemical behavior of the co‐combustion process but simple enough to perform simulations with a real geometry of cement rotary kiln within reasonable time. Numerical simulation with a 20‐% share of pulverized biomass of total fuel heating value was performed. An industrial rotary kiln geometry was simulated; temperature and velocity fields along with mass fractions of released volatiles and combustion products were analyzed. The model allows better insights in the co‐firing process with the main goal to reduce CO 2 emissions by optimizing the combustion process inside the rotary kiln.