Hima Cement invests in bag filter technology

Hima Cement, part of Bamburi Cement, Lafarge, has announced the installation of big filter technology at its Kasese plant in Uganda. Hima invested US$3.2 million in the technology, which was installed on the plant’s RK2 lines. The project involved the conversion of the existing electrostatic precipitator, which had seen its efficiency reduced due to frequent power cuts. Following an investment in a gas conditioning tower in 2010, the new bag filter technology will help to reduce stack emissions and thereby meet global standards.

“Hima Cement invested significant resources to conduct environmental impact assessments so as to ensure that the Plant operations met all the required environmental standards for its manufacturing processes and operations. This significant investment of US$3.2 million into converting the Electrostatic Precipitator with the more efficient bag filter technology, apart from the benefit of improved efficiencies, also goes a long way in compliance to global environmental standards,” commented Peter Robson, Hima Cement's Plant Manager.

It has been predicted that the new filter technology will mean that the plant’s emission levels will be well below Lafarge Industrial targets. “We will know for sure in July once we have tested it,” said Jackson Molo, Project Manager. “But at the Bamburi plant in Mombasa, we achieved 0.01 mg/m³ emissions with the same technology last year.”

The project was developed in consultation with the National Environmental Management Authority. The plant was shutdown on 29 April 2013 to allow for the installation of the filter system, before starting up again in early June.

In 2010, Hima Cement commissioned a new line at the plant to increase capacity from 300 000 tpa to 850 000 tpa. This third line was designed to include in-built bag filter technology in line with global standards on emissions.

Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/africa-middle-east/10072013/hima_cement_invests_in_bag_filter_technology_203/