Messebo Biomass Project

1. INTRODUCTION

Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. In the
context of biomass for energy this is often used to mean plant based material, but biomass
can equally apply to both animal and vegetable derived material.

Messebo cement factory is working to partially replace its fuel consumption with biomass
(sesame husk), which have been considered as waste and ignited at farmlands in woreda
kafta Humera.
Sesame husk is considered to be carbon-neutral or green energy because the crop grown
to replace the combusted sesame husk is considered to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere
while growing, thereby in effect canceling out the CO2 emissions associated with the
combustion of the cultivated crop each year, the net effect on the atmospheric carbon
balance is zero.

2. Farming information

The sesame farm lands are concentrated around Humera town. The farm areas
are accessible only during dry seasons through rural roads. Kafta Humera wereda
is the main producer of the sesame crops in Tigrai region. The total area covered
by sesame crop in this wereda is about 223,918 hectares. The average yield found
is 3 quintals of sesame seed per hectare. The weight of the stalks is on average 2
tons per hectare. Therefore, 223,918hectare2tons/hectare= 447,836 tons could
be collected per annum in Kafta Humera Wereda. The stalk is currently mowed
from the middle but we can train the farmers to cut it from the bottom.

3. COLLECTION

Depending on the agricultural residue, collection can be a major component of the

densification process. For example, materials such as sesame stalks tend to be widely

1
dispersed in the fields as the stalks are cut and stacked in piles. As a result it must be
collected and transported to central location (baling plant).

For the time being the plant is collecting the straw from the fields for commissioning.
But later on the plant have a plan to outsource the collection and baling jobs to
micro and small enterprises (MSE) which is expected to create a very huge job
opportunity to the region.

4. Process flow diagram

Figer-1

Truck
Sesame stalk Densificati loading
collection storage on (Baling)

shredder Chain belt Densified Truck

conveyor bale unloading
storage
Hummer Intermediat Pullrod
mill e storage Double screw
discharge
conveyor

Rubber belt Weigh

Sewing Rotary feeder
conveyor
chute feeder

Calciner
2
5. Project description

Table.1

Station
Station Group Description Location
Group No

Sesame stalks Collection, and

01 Kafta Humera
densification for economical transport

Densified(baled) sesame stalks

02 storage, de-binding, Transport Mekelle
,weighing and firing

All agricultural residues feeds are relatively light, with bulk densities ranging
from 0.05-0.08 g/cc (50-180 kg/m3). Therefore, it will be necessary to compact
(increase the density) them for economical transportation up to Messebo
Cement Factory. Baler is hydraulic press device made of a box with dimensions
900mmx1200mmx2500mm

The sesame stalks will then be fed to the densifier machine via the hopper and
conveyor to result in sesame stalk compression. The sesame stalk particles will

Then be densified up to not less than 0.7 ton/m3 by the densifier (baler)
machine for economic transport by trucks.

The plant in the future is expected to cover an area of 5600m2 and required to
supply 60% heat requirement of two kilns having the capacity of 2350 and
3000ton/day which amounts approximately 225,000tons of sesame straw per
annum. But for the time being only 40% heat requirement for the new line

3
(line-2) with the capacity of 3000 ton/day is going to be replaced by sesame
husk.

5.1 Unite operation in kafta humera site

Sesame stalk is very light in weight and occupy volume. Therefore, it will be
necessary to compact (increase the density) for economical transportation
up to Messebo Cement Factory.
The machinery to compact the sesame straw is called Baler. In humera two
baler machine each with baling capacity of 16.6 t/h is installed and the
weight of the bale is 450 Kg/bale.With this weight a truck and its trolley can
transport 40 tons of sesame straw to mekelle.

Fig 1 Unbaled sesame husk

4
 Fig 2 Baler machine

Fig 3 Baling press output (baled sesame husk)

5
5.2 Unit process and unit operation at Messebo site
Baled materials like as shown on fig.3 with bale size 900*1200*2500 mm and bale density 600
kg/m3 is transported by trucks to messebo cement factory and stored in a store size
48000*75000*10000mm Equipped with firefighting and sprinkler system.

Fig.4 Baled sesame storage

The bales transported to messebo has to be reduced its size so as to use it as energy in
precalciner. Therefore is feed in to shereder machine with the capacity of 2*5-6 ton/hr via
chain belt conveyor transportation system for size reduction up to 80 mm.

6
Fig.5 Chain belt conveyor

Fig.6 Shredder machine

7
 For further size reduction pneumatically the material is transported to a
machine called hummer mill. Hummer mill is grinding machine that
converts the dust size up to less than or equal to 50 mm. this machine is
also equipped with fire detection sensor and sprinkler system.

Fig.6 Hummer mill

The transportation system from hummer mill to the intermediate

storage is also pneumatic controlled with bag filter cyclone system.

Intermediate storage is made of concrete with holding capacity of

350 m3 of grounded sesame husk. From this intermediate storage
material is fed in to double screw conveyor through pull rod

8
discharge and grating roll transportation system. Next with gravity
fine sesame husk is flow in to weigh feeder. The capacity of flow rate
of the weigh feeder is 0.5-22 ton/hour. Since the plc system is
directly configured with CCR the flow can be controlled.

Fig.7 dedusting with Bag filter cyclone type

9
Fig.8 intermediate storage with pull rod discharge

10
Fig.9 Weigh feeder

Fig. 10 rubber belt conveyor

11
6. Advantage of use of sesame husk
To ensure natural resource preservation and total emission
reduction
To enhance use of waste material (as a fuel)
To insure environmentally sustainable waste management and
important saving of agricultural wastes.
To use of suitable alternative materials because it does not have
any negative impact in emission.
To encourage environmental, social, economically equally and
friendly relationship.
To improve Ethiopians climate resilient green economy strategy.
The company may obtain acceptance from international and
financial institutions as well as from governmental institutions
because it supports current globalization issues.
To create job opportunity to the local community (small and micro
enterprises)
To reduce greenhouse gases emission.
To obtain revenue from carbon trade.
To insure socio economic and ecological sustainability.
To reduce foreign currency.

7. Cost wise and environmental advantage

7.1 fuel replacement

The benefit of using sesame husk is not only to displace coal used in Messebo cement factory but it
also help full to environmental protection. The fuel displacement is step wise up to 60%, currently
the plant installed all the machinery and equipment designed for 40% heat required. Assuming the
average specific energy consumption of Messebo cement factory for the pyro processing system to
be 750 k.cal/Kg of clinker and the heating value of imported coal to be 6000 k.cal/Kg of coal, hourly
fuel consumption of Messebo cement factory, with a production capacity of 125 tons of clinker per
hour, is estimated at 15.63 ton/hour of imported coal. Replacing 40% this imported coal with
sesame husk, would require about 9.26 ton/hour of sesame husk fuel (assuming a heating value of
4050 K.cal/Kg). This is a considerable amount of fuel to handle on a hourly basis.

12
Considering 40% of fuel consumption of kiln line-2, equivalent to 6.25 ton/hour of coal is replaced
with 9.26 ton/hour of sesame husk. Assuming the average sesame husk cost to be Birr 1900 per ton
the hourly sesame husk fuel cost would, therefore, be approximately birr 17,594.

Considering the current price of coal to be birr 4450 per ton of coal, the cost of the substituted 40%
of coal on hourly base would be approximately birr 27,813.

The estimated net saving from fuel replacement is, therefore, Birr 10,219 per hour. Since line-2
has the capacity to produce 3000 ton of clinker per day and accordingly 125 ton of clinker per hour
messebo cement factory can earn birr 8.18 per quintal of clinker.

7.2 Reduction of CO2 gas as greenhouse gas (GHG)

As a result of substituting 40% consumption of coal of line-2 with sesame husk Messebo can reduce
carbon dioxide emitted from combustion of fossil fuel coal. The CO2 emission factor of coal is about
96kg/GJ and the average heating value of imported coal is 6000 k.cal/Kg of coal and the amount of
40%coal replaced by sesame husk is estimated to be 45,000 ton/year. The estimated CO2 emission
reduction would, therefore, be about 108,452 tons of CO2 per year.

8. REVENUE FROM CDM

The reduction of CO2 emissions can enable Messebo cement factory to apply for revenue from the
CDM (Clean Development Mechanism).
With 40% fuel switching, a minimum of 45,000 ton/year of coal can be displaced and about 108,452
tons of CO2 per year can be reduced.
With this reduction, revenue from the CDM (at US$14/tonne of CO2) would be about US$ 1,518,328
per year.

13