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| Analysis and Calculation of Exergy Balance and Exergy Efficiency in the Cement Clinker Pyro System |
| Ma Jiaomei1, Yang Yang2, Wang Jiashuo1, Wang Shengjie3, Di Dongren3
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| 1 CNBM Equipment Group, Tianjin Cement Industry Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. , Tianjin 300133, China; 2 School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan Hubei 430074, China; 3 China Building Materials Federation, Beijing 100831, China |
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Abstract As one of the major industrial sources of carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency is a critical pathway for low-carbon transition of the cement industry. Based on the First Law of Thermodynamics, this paper further introduces the exergy analysis method derived from the Second Law of Thermodynamics to investigate the energy efficiency characteristics of the cement clinker pyro system, aiming to provide a novel theoretical analytical tool for energy conservation and carbon reduction. By shifting the analytical perspective from the "quantity" to the "quality" of energy, this study systematically reveals the exergy balance distribution within the cement clinker pyro system and establishes a standardized methodology for exergy efficiency calculation and analytical procedures. Taking a pyro system of the typical cement clinker line as the research object, an empirical exergy efficiency analysis is conducted using thermal calibration data. The results indicate that the exergy efficiency of the cement clinker pyro system is considerably lower than its thermal efficiency, and among the exergy output terms, "other outputs" account for the largest proportion. The output structure of the exergy balance differs significantly from that of the conventional heat balance, reflecting the irreversible losses inherent in combustion and heat transfer processes. Further analysis reveals that, compared with five-stage or six-stage preheaters, the seven-stage preheater can effectively enhance gas-solid heat exchange and improve the reversibility of heat transfer, thereby substantially reducing exergy losses and improving system energy efficiency. However, the overall design of the cement production line should also take into account comprehensive considerations such as raw material and fuel moisture drying, denitrification configuration, and alternative fuel utilization. The exergy-based analysis presented in this paper provides both a theoretical foundation and a quantitative methodology for achieving substantial energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in the cement industry.
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Received: 19 May 2026
Published: 24 September 2026
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