Portland Cement Association Sustainable Manufacturing Fact Sheet
TIRE-DERIVED FUEL
Portland Cement Association Sustainable Manufacturing Fact Sheet
TIRE-DERIVED FUEL
HORIZONTAL CONFIGURATION
VERTICAL CONFIGURATION
May 2008
Scrap tires, if not properly managed, can create an environmental nuisance
and eyesore. What’s more, they can constitute an environmental hazard if
they burn in an uncontrolled manner, such as in a field or landfill.
However, by utilizing cement kilns’ controlled combustion environment,
scrap tires can be an environmentally-sound source of energy in the
manufacture of cement. more
Under their program for the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases, the United States Department of Energy
(USDOE) has estimated that the combustion of TDF produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit of energy than
coal [USDOE 2007a]. This means that when TDF replaces coal in a portland cement kiln—for example, when
scrap tires are used to heat the precalciner vessel instead of coal—less CO2 will be produced. The Mojave Desert
Air Quality Management District in California has determined that TDF use is NOx RACT (“Reasonably Available
Control Technology”) for portland cement kilns [CARB, 2002].
The use of TDF is common in other parts of the world. In Japan, there were 103 million scrap tires generated in
2006 with 16% being used as a fuel in the cement industry. For that year Japan recycled 54% of all scrap tires
through heat utilization [JATMA 2007]. Of the approximately 3.2 million metric tons of scrap tires handled annually
in Europe, 31.6% are directed to energy recovery systems including portland cement kilns [ETRMA 2007].
continued
HORIZONTAL CONFIGURATION
VERTICAL CONFIGURATION
© Portland Cement Association. All rights reserved. IS325.02
Portland Cement Association
5420 Old Orchard Road
Skokie, Illinois 60077-1083
847.966.6200 Fax 847.966.9781
www.cement.org
500 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
202.408.9494 Fax 202.408.0877
Portland Cement Association is a trade association representing cement companies in the United States and
Canada. PCA’s U.S. membership consists of 30 companies operating 115 plants in 36 states. PCA members
account for more than 98 percent of cement-making capacity in the United States and 100 percent in Canada.
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References
Air Emissions Data Summary for Portland Cement Pyroprocessing Operations Firing Tire-Derived Fuels, PCA R&D Serial No.
3050, John Richards; David Goshaw; Danny Speer, and Tom Holder, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL, USA, 2008.
End of Life Tyres Management in Europe, European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association, Brussels, Belgium, July 2007.
http://www.etrma.org/public/activitieseoflttrenf.asp
Instructions for Form EIA-1605, Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases, Energy Information Administration, United States
Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA, October 2007a.
Management of Scrap Tires – Tired Derived Fuel, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA,
September 7, 2007b. http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/tires/tdf.htm
“Rule 1161 – Portland Cement Kilns,” (Adopted: 06/28/95; Amended: 10/22/01; Amended: 03/25/02), Mojave Desert Air
Quality Management District, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA, USA, 2002. http://www.arb.ca.gov/drdb/moj/curht-
ml/r1161.pdf
Tyre Industry of Japan 2007, Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, July 2007.
U.S. and Canadian 1994 Labor-Energy Input Survey, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL, USA, December 1995.
U.S. and Canadian 2000 Labor-Energy Input Survey, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL, USA, March 2002.
U.S. and Canadian 2006 Labor-Energy Input Survey, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL, USA, 2007a.
U.S. and Canadian Portland Cement Industry: Plant Information Summary, December 31, 2006, Portland Cement Association,
Skokie, IL, USA, 2007b.
U.S. Scrap Tire Markets 2005 Edition, Rubber Manufacturers Association, Washington, DC, USA, November 2006.
Portland Cement Association Sustainable Manufacturing Fact Sheet
TIRE-DERIVED FUEL
Like fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, tires contain hydrocarbons. Pound for pound,
tires have more fuel value than coal. Hundreds of millions of used tires are generated annually
in the United States. By simply disposing of these tires, we miss an important recycling oppor-
tunity: the chance to recover their energy and conserve our resources of fossil fuels.
Cement making is an ideal process for recovering this energy. The intense heat of the kiln
ensures complete destruction of the tires. There is no smoke or visible emissions from the tires.
In fact, the use of tires as fuel can actually reduce certain emissions.
An Alternative to Traditional Fossil Fuels
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) has estimated that 58 million scrap tires were
used as fuel in portland cement plants in 2005 out of the 299 million tires produced that year
[RMA 2006]. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) states that tire-
derived fuel (TDF) contains about the same amount of energy as oil and 25% more energy than
coal [USEPA 2007b]. This means that each ton of TDF used by a portland cement plant has
the potential to replace 1.25 tons of coal, and the impacts of coal mining, processing, and
transporting are avoided. In energy terms, the cement industry consumed 12.6 trillion BTUs of
TDF in 2006 which is approximately 3.6% of all of the non-electrical energy required by the
manufacturing process [PCA 2007a].
TDF Use Is Increasing
The number of cement
plants utilizing scrap
tires as a supplemental
fuel has risen dramati-
cally over the last 19
years. Figure 1 shows
the increase in portland
cement plants utilizing
TDF [PCA 1995, 2002,
and 2007a]. As of
2006, state and local
environmental agencies
have approved the use
of TDF at 48 plants in
21 states (Table 1).
Additional U.S. plants have expressed interest in obtaining a permit or have received a permit but
have not begun utilizing scrap tires as a fuel. The delay in utilizing TDF may be due to equipment
limitations at the cement plant, regional TDF availability, state regulatory agency review, and local
community discussions. Figure 2 shows the locations of all of the facilities currently utilizing in TDF.
Beneficial Effects
The environmental benefits of utilizing scrap tires as a supplemental fuel in the portland cement
manufacturing process are multifold. When whole tires are combusted in cement kilns, the steel
belting becomes a component of the clinker, replacing some or all of the iron required by the
manufacturing process.
In 2008, PCA member companies completed a study on the impact of TDF firing on cement kiln
air emissions. The study’s data set included emission tests from 31 of the cement plants presently
firing TDF. Dioxin-furan emission test results indicated that kilns firing TDF had emissions approxi-
mately one-third of those kilns firing conventional fuels – this difference was statistically significant.
Emissions of particulate matter (PM) from TDF-firing kilns were 35% less than the levels reported
for kilns firing conventional fuels (not statistically significant due to the low PM emissions reported
for essentially all cement plants). Nitrogen oxides, most metals, and sulfur dioxide emissions from
TDF-firing kilns also exhibited lower levels than those from conventional fuel kilns. The emission
values for carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbons were slightly higher in TDF versus non-TDF
firing kilns.
However, none of the differences in the emission data sets between TDF versus non-TDF firing
kilns for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, total hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and metals were
statistically significant. Separate studies conducted by governmental agencies and engineering
consulting firms have also indicated that TDF firing either reduces or does not significantly affect
emissions of various contaminants from cement kilns [PCA 2008].
ThE CEmEnT-mAkIng PRoCEss
Portland cement manufacturing is
a four-step process:
1. Raw materials, including limestone
and small amounts of sand and
clay, come from quarries usually
located near the cement manufac-
turing plant. Limestone is typically
about 80% of the raw mix and is
the source of calcium. The remain-
ing raw materials provide the silica
and the necessary small amounts
of alumina and iron.
2. The materials are carefully
analyzed, precisely combined
and blended, and then ground
for further processing.
3. The ground materials are heated in
an industrial furnace, called a kiln;
kilns are a rotating vessel ranging
in length from 60 to over 200
meters (200 to >650 feet) long
with a diameter ranging from 3 to
7.5 meters (10 to 25 feet). The
kiln reaches temperatures of
1,450° C (2,650° F). The heat
causes the materials to turn into a
new marble-sized substance called
clinker. The kiln flame is fueled by
powdered coal, powdered petro-
leum coke, natural gas, oil, and/or
recycled materials burned for
energy recovery.
4. Red-hot clinker is cooled and
ground with a small amount of
gypsum. The end-result is a fine
powder called portland cement. At
each stage, process data are con-
tinuously monitored to produce a
high-quality product, improve ener-
gy efficiency, and minimize
emissions.
CEmEnT oR ConCRETE?
The terms cement and concrete are
often misused. Cement is an ingredient
of concrete. It is the fine powder that,
when mixed with water, sand, and grav-
el or crushed stone, forms the rock-like
mass known as concrete. Cement acts
as the binding agent or glue in
concrete.
mID-kIln InjECTIon oF sCRAP TIREs
With every revolution of their kiln,
the Ash Grove Cement Company
plant in Midlothian, TX injects
one or two scrap tires through
a special port. This automated
system allows the plant to
utilize whole tires to replace
up to 25% of the traditional
fossil fuels required by the
manufacturing process.
continued
FIgURE 1
U.s. Portland Cement Plants Utilizing Tire-Derived Fuel [PCA 1995, 2002, and 2007a]
TABlE 1
summary of 48 Portland Cement manufacturing Plants Currently Permitted and Utilizing Tire-Derived Fuels
[PCA 2007b and RMA 2006]
FIgURE 2
U.s. Portland Cement Plants Currently Utilizing Tire-Derived Fuel
TIRE hAnDlIng sysTEm AT A
PoRTlAnD CEmEnT PlAnT
At the Capital Aggregates cement
plant in San Antonio, TX, scrap
tires are received and stored in
semi trailers. These trailers are
hydraulically lifted to allow the
tires to roll into a singulator which
extracts one tire at a time and
places it on the conveyor system.
The automated conveyor transports
the scrap tires to the injection
point in the kiln system.
FoR ADDITIonAl InFoRmATIon REgARDIng
ThIs sUBjECT, PlEAsE ConTACT:
Tyrone Wilson, Ph.D.
Portland Cement Association
500 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
Voice: 202.408.9494
Fax: 202.408.0877
Email: twilson@cement.org
more
Portland cement plants currently permitted and utilizing tire-derived fuels (48 plants)
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06
YEAR
N
U
M
BE
R
OF
P
LA
N
TS
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Ash grove Cement Co.
Chanute, KS
Durkee, OR
Foreman, AR
Inkom, ID
Midlothian, TX
Nephi, UT
Seattle, WA
Buzzi Unicem UsA, Inc.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Oglesby, IL
Pryor, OK
Sweetwater, TX
California Portland Cement Co.
Colton, CA
Capitol Aggregates, Inc.
San Antonio, TX
CEmEX
Brooksville, FL (South)
Brooksville, FL (North)
Clinchfield, GA
Demopolis, AL
Knoxville, TN
New Braunfels, TX
Odessa, TX
Victorville, CA
EssRoC Cement Corp.
Bessemer, PA
Frederick, MD
Florida Rock Industries, Inc.
Newberry, FL
holcim (Us) Inc.
Ada, OK
Clarksville, MO
Dundee, MI
Florence, CO
Hagerstown, MD
Mason City, IA
Midlothian, TX
Morgan, UT
Theodore, AL
lafarge north America Inc.
Calera, AL
Grand Chain, IL
Harleyville, SC
Tulsa, OK
Whitehall, PA
lehigh Cement Company
Fleetwood, PA
Leeds, AL
Redding, CA
mitsubishi Cement Corp.
Lucerne Valley, CA
monarch Cement Company
Humboldt, KS
national Cement Company
Lebec, CA
Ragland, AL
Texas Industries, Inc.
New Braunfels, TX
Oro Grande, CA
Texas-lehigh Cement Company
Buda, TX
Note: No cement plants
in Alaska and Hawaii
WA
OR
CA
NV
ID
MT
WY
UT
AZ
NM
CO
KS
OK
TX LA
AR
MO
IA
MN
WI
MI
IL IN
OH
KY
TN
MS AL
GA
SC
FL
NC
VA
WV
PA
NY
VT
NH
ME
MA
CT
NJ
MD DENE
SD
ND
Portland Cement Association Sustainable Manufacturing Fact Sheet
TIRE-DERIVED FUEL
Like fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, tires contain hydrocarbons. Pound for pound,
tires have more fuel value than coal. Hundreds of millions of used tires are generated annually
in the United States. By simply disposing of these tires, we miss an important recycling oppor-
tunity: the chance to recover their energy and conserve our resources of fossil fuels.
Cement making is an ideal process for recovering this energy. The intense heat of the kiln
ensures complete destruction of the tires. There is no smoke or visible emissions from the tires.
In fact, the use of tires as fuel can actually reduce certain emissions.
An Alternative to Traditional Fossil Fuels
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) has estimated that 58 million scrap tires were
used as fuel in portland cement plants in 2005 out of the 299 million tires produced that year
[RMA 2006]. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) states that tire-
derived fuel (TDF) contains about the same amount of energy as oil and 25% more energy than
coal [USEPA 2007b]. This means that each ton of TDF used by a portland cement plant has
the potential to replace 1.25 tons of coal, and the impacts of coal mining, processing, and
transporting are avoided. In energy terms, the cement industry consumed 12.6 trillion BTUs of
TDF in 2006 which is approximately 3.6% of all of the non-electrical energy required by the
manufacturing process [PCA 2007a].
TDF Use Is Increasing
The number of cement
plants utilizing scrap
tires as a supplemental
fuel has risen dramati-
cally over the last 19
years. Figure 1 shows
the increase in portland
cement plants utilizing
TDF [PCA 1995, 2002,
and 2007a]. As of
2006, state and local
environmental agencies
have approved the use
of TDF at 48 plants in
21 states (Table 1).
Additional U.S. plants have expressed interest in obtaining a permit or have received a permit but
have not begun utilizing scrap tires as a fuel. The delay in utilizing TDF may be due to equipment
limitations at the cement plant, regional TDF availability, state regulatory agency review, and local
community discussions. Figure 2 shows the locations of all of the facilities currently utilizing in TDF.
Beneficial Effects
The environmental benefits of utilizing scrap tires as a supplemental fuel in the portland cement
manufacturing process are multifold. When whole tires are combusted in cement kilns, the steel
belting becomes a component of the clinker, replacing some or all of the iron required by the
manufacturing process.
In 2008, PCA member companies completed a study on the impact of TDF firing on cement kiln
air emissions. The study’s data set included emission tests from 31 of the cement plants presently
firing TDF. Dioxin-furan emission test results indicated that kilns firing TDF had emissions approxi-
mately one-third of those kilns firing conventional fuels – this difference was statistically significant.
Emissions of particulate matter (PM) from TDF-firing kilns were 35% less than the levels reported
for kilns firing conventional fuels (not statistically significant due to the low PM emissions reported
for essentially all cement plants). Nitrogen oxides, most metals, and sulfur dioxide emissions from
TDF-firing kilns also exhibited lower levels than those from conventional fuel kilns. The emission
values for carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbons were slightly higher in TDF versus non-TDF
firing kilns.
However, none of the differences in the emission data sets between TDF versus non-TDF firing
kilns for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, total hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and metals were
statistically significant. Separate studies conducted by governmental agencies and engineering
consulting firms have also indicated that TDF firing either reduces or does not significantly affect
emissions of various contaminants from cement kilns [PCA 2008].
ThE CEmEnT-mAkIng PRoCEss
Portland cement manufacturing is
a four-step process:
1. Raw materials, including limestone
and small amounts of sand and
clay, come from quarries usually
located near the cement manufac-
turing plant. Limestone is typically
about 80% of the raw mix and is
the source of calcium. The remain-
ing raw materials provide the silica
and the necessary small amounts
of alumina and iron.
2. The materials are carefully
analyzed, precisely combined
and blended, and then ground
for further processing.
3. The ground materials are heated in
an industrial furnace, called a kiln;
kilns are a rotating vessel ranging
in length from 60 to over 200
meters (200 to >650 feet) long
with a diameter ranging from 3 to
7.5 meters (10 to 25 feet). The
kiln reaches temperatures of
1,450° C (2,650° F). The heat
causes the materials to turn into a
new marble-sized substance called
clinker. The kiln flame is fueled by
powdered coal, powdered petro-
leum coke, natural gas, oil, and/or
recycled materials burned for
energy recovery.
4. Red-hot clinker is cooled and
ground with a small amount of
gypsum. The end-result is a fine
powder called portland cement. At
each stage, process data are con-
tinuously monitored to produce a
high-quality product, improve ener-
gy efficiency, and minimize
emissions.
CEmEnT oR ConCRETE?
The terms cement and concrete are
often misused. Cement is an ingredient
of concrete. It is the fine powder that,
when mixed with water, sand, and grav-
el or crushed stone, forms the rock-like
mass known as concrete. Cement acts
as the binding agent or glue in
concrete.
mID-kIln InjECTIon oF sCRAP TIREs
With every revolution of their kiln,
the Ash Grove Cement Company
plant in Midlothian, TX injects
one or two scrap tires through
a special port. This automated
system allows the plant to
utilize whole tires to replace
up to 25% of the traditional
fossil fuels required by the
manufacturing process.
continued
FIgURE 1
U.s. Portland Cement Plants Utilizing Tire-Derived Fuel [PCA 1995, 2002, and 2007a]
TABlE 1
summary of 48 Portland Cement manufacturing Plants Currently Permitted and Utilizing Tire-Derived Fuels
[PCA 2007b and RMA 2006]
FIgURE 2
U.s. Portland Cement Plants Currently Utilizing Tire-Derived Fuel
TIRE hAnDlIng sysTEm AT A
PoRTlAnD CEmEnT PlAnT
At the Capital Aggregates cement
plant in San Antonio, TX, scrap
tires are received and stored in
semi trailers. These trailers are
hydraulically lifted to allow the
tires to roll into a singulator which
extracts one tire at a time and
places it on the conveyor system.
The automated conveyor transports
the scrap tires to the injection
point in the kiln system.
FoR ADDITIonAl InFoRmATIon REgARDIng
ThIs sUBjECT, PlEAsE ConTACT:
Tyrone Wilson, Ph.D.
Portland Cement Association
500 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
Voice: 202.408.9494
Fax: 202.408.0877
Email: twilson@cement.org
more
Portland cement plants currently permitted and utilizing tire-derived fuels (48 plants)
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02