Zero Waste Renewable Energy & Raw Materials from Rice Husk for Ceramics Industry

[Philippines] Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Incorporated

The Zero Waste Renewable Energy and Raw Material from Rice Husk for Ceramic Industry (ZWRR) is the first of its kind and a pioneering technology in the Philippines or probably in the world.  Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc. (MSC) implemented the ZWRR as an integrated manufacturing system and a model for ceramics industry because of its economic and environmental impact. The producer gas fuel from fluidized bed gasifier and hot air from hot air generator combustion process of rice husk are directly used in thermal processes of ceramics manufacturing as replacement for its fossil fuel requirements such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas (NG) and heavy fuel oil (HFO) with minor burner modification.  Ceramic manufacturing plants that use coal, NG, LPG, HFO for their thermal processes can also benefit in this innovative fuel switching technology as renewable energy resource and renewable raw materials.  The waste rice husk ash (RHA)  from biomass gasification and combustion, because of its high silica content, serves as a renewable raw material for ceramics industry which has higher value compared to using it as fertilizer, cement material substitute or simply dumping it in the scrap yard.  The ZWRR application is not limited to ceramics industry but also applicable to other industries that require heat and electric power.  ZWRR estimated yearly cost savings for fuel switching and ash utilization are 1.7 and 0.44 USD million dollars respectively.  4,000 tons of deflocculant and 8,700 tons high silica clay can be replaced with RHA utilization.  Aside from fuel and raw material savings, a potential reduction of 41,559 tons of CO2 emission can be realized based from MSC implementation.  Local farmers are given priority in selling their rice husk which give additional value to their rice crops.  Additional livelihood for local community is also generated to support logistics of bringing rice husks to the ceramic plant.

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