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Energy efficiency through ‘false air reduction’

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In the present environmental scenario, due to energy crisis and steep increase in the cost of energy and other input materials, it has become imperative to give a serious thought on how to make operations and equipment efficient towards use of energy and adopt latest technology equipment to retain the requisite competitive edge in the market, discusses KK Sharma of Invotech Industrial Solutions.

India was the second largest cement producer in the world in terms of cement capacity during 2020. Therefore, one can easily assume the amount of energy being consumed in cement production facilities and its wastage attributed to non-availability of proper technology to plug the leakages. We can find hundreds of research papers/case studies discussing the effect of different factors on energy consumption in cement manufacturing facilities. Some researchers also discuss this issue with the help of mathematical models. However, all the researchers more or less agree to the fact that ??alse air??not only but may be one of the factors of more energy consumption in cement industry. Further, based on the several studies in the field of operational audit, it can be concluded that production level can be improved and energy consumption minimised by reducing ??alse air??as well as improving energy efficiency.

What is false air?

False air is any unwanted air entering into the process system. The exact amount of false air is difficult to measure. However, an indicator of false air can be, increase of % of oxygen between two points (usable for gas stream containing less than 21 per cent of oxygen). Due to unwanted air, the power consumption increases and system?? temperature decreases. Therefore, to maintain the same temperature fuel consumption has to be increased.

  • Impact of false air in cement plant.

  • Increase of power consumption

  • Increase the fuel consumption

  • Unstable operation

  • Reduction in productivity

  • Higher wear of fans

False air intrusion points

In a cement plant, generally false air intrudes in kiln section through kiln outlet, inlet seal, TAD slide gate, inspection doors and flap box. Similarly, in mill section false air intrudes through rotary feeder at mill inlet, mill body, mill door, flaps, expansion joints, holes of ducts and tie rod entry point.

In a power plant, generally false air intrudes in CPP section through air pre-heater casing, boiler main door, fan casing, inspection doors, ESP main doors, ESP hopper doors, expansion bellows, ducts. Similarly, in GPP section false air intrudes through main holes, hammering, bellows, rotary air locks, damper casing, expansion bellow, etc.

How to measure false air

The formula used for measuring false air is as under:

Atmospheric air normally has a content of 0% CO and 20.99 % O2

How to measure false air across pre-heater and mill: Based on the oxygen content and flow measurement at particular location, we can find out amount of false air across the pre-heater and mill circuit. For this purpose, % of O2 is measured at different locations i.e., pre-heater inlet and outlet, cyclone inlet and outlet, mill inlet and outlet, mill outlet to fan inlet, across bag-house or ESP.

False air detection through ultrasonic leak detector: Ultrasonic Leak detectors often called sniffer, especially designed to find small leaks, are being used in power plants. However, cement plants are still lacking use of ultrasonic leak detector. Since ultrasonic leak detectors search for the sounds of leaks rather than escaping gases, they are able to detect leaks of any gas type. Though the device is unable to measure gas concentration, it is able to determine the leak rate of an escaping gas because the ultrasonic sound level depends on the gas pressure and size of the leak.

Functioning of ultrasonic leak detector: When gas escapes a pressurised line, it generates a sound in the range of 25 kHz to 10 MHz, well above the frequencies, the human ear is sensitive to but in a range easily identifiable to ultrasonic sensors. When the detector senses ultrasonic frequencies, they are isolated from normal background noise, amplified, and converted to a frequency audible to humans.

Detection principle: When a gas passes through a restricted orifice under pressure, it goes from a pressurised laminar flow to low pressure turbulent flow. The turbulence generates a broad spectrum of sound called ??hite noise?? There are ultrasonic components in this white noise. Since the ultrasound is loudest at the leak site, it can be detected very easily.

False air arresting in cement and power plants

Usually cement and its associated power plants use conventional methods to arrest false air, but these conventional methods are not reliable or permanent in nature. In fact, it works more like a silencer, and just after a few days, it gets damaged.

Therefore, Invotech Solution & Systems now Invotech Industrial Solutions, a Rajasthan-based company has come up with a unique product range after their years of extensive research, which are being used in many cement manufacturing facilities and their associated power plants. Their client list figures renowned names like JK Cement, Dalmia Bharat, Nirma Group (Nuvoco Vistas), UltraTech, India Cements, Sagar Cements, Birla Corporation, The Mehta Group, Shree Cement, Chettinad Cement, Tata Chemicals, Jindal saw and many more in pipeline.

Invotech Industrial Solutions provides innovative and cost-effective industrial solution for arresting false air in cement plants i.e., pyro-process, raw mill, coal mill, cement mill section and bag-house and its associated power plants. The ??rrest Master??(Product Name) is user friendly and safe to use.

Product range: false air arresting compound

  • Arrest Master 1001: For upper cyclones, VRM?? and power plants, shell temperature resistant up to 180 degree Celsius

  • Arrest Master 1002: For bag-house and bag-filters top doors.

  • Arrest Master 1003: For high temperature zone up to 500 degree Celsius

  • Arrest Master 1004: For high temperature zone up to 800 degree Celsius

  • Arrest Master 2001: For areas having vibrations, shell temperature resistant up to 180 degree Celsius

Properties of Arrest Master: False air arresting compound: Application of ??rrest Master series??of product brings down the level of false air and it is useful in all cement and power plants. It hugely impacts plant productivity and contributes towards better housekeeping. Its other characteristics are:

  • Gets further strong with heat

  • Once cured, Arrest Master becomes rock hard ensuring no leaks

  • High compressive strength and impact resistant, which can only be removed by hammering

  • Non-shrinkable properties and no tools required for application

CASE STUDIES

Case Study 1

  • Single string, 5-stage ILC Pre-heater, KHD

  • Annual losses due to false air- 46.26 lakh

  • Products used: 2.5 lakh

  • Payback period: 1 month

Case Study 2

  • Double string, 5-stage ILC Pre-heater, KHD

  • Annual losses due to false air: 42 lakh

  • Product used: 4.2 lakh

  • Payback period- 1.11 month


case 2

Case study 3

  • Single string, 5-stage SLC pre-heater, KHD

  • Annual losses due to false air: 79.20 lakh

  • Products used: 2.75 lakh

  • Payback period: 0.42 months


case 3

Invotech Industrial Solutions has also recently developed a product called Arrest Master ABS for enhancing energy efficiency. It can be used to cool down the area rapidly with less air consumption but gives output seven to eight times as compared to normal air consumption. It is a special design nozzle, works on COANDA EFFECT. Arrest Master ABS uses little amount of compressed air to deliver high volume output. Arrest Master ABS, a compressed air boost device, has been designed to give trouble free and maintenance free service as there is no moving part in it. It can also be used to cool down bearing housing, cutting hot material, cooling of lathe machine jobs, etc.

Product highlights of Arrest Master ABS:

  • Energy efficient device

  • Provides efficient cooling

  • User friendly and ready-to-use modules

  • Easy installation and Relocation

Invotech Industrial Solutions keeps itself abreast of latest development in cement and power industry so as to cater the need of the Industry using latest technology and quality systems. Also, with a view to retain the requisite competitive edge in the market, participated and will be participating in various seminars, details as under:

  • 15th & 16th NCB International Seminar on cement, concrete & building materials held from December 5-8, 2017 and December 3-6, 2019 at Manekshaw Center, New Delhi. Will also be participating in upcoming 17th NCB International Seminar to be held during December 2021.

  • ??ational workshop cum technology exhibition to promote energy efficient & cleaner production for sustainable industrial growth??held from March 8-9, 2018, at India Habitat center, New Delhi, where presented a Technical Paper on ??ignificant savings in energy through false air reduction??and received an award for ??pcoming entrepreneur in the field of energy efficiency??

  • 14th Green Cementech 2018 held from May 17-18, 2018 at Hyderabad International Convention Center, Hyderabad where presented a Technical Paper on ??nhancing Energy efficiency in Captive Power Plants by reduction of False Air??

  • Some of our articles also published in CMA?? Technical Journal ??ement Energy & Environment?? Vol. 17 No. 1 (January ??June 2018) and Vol. 18 No. 1 (January ??June 2019).

  • Our latest article ??ompressed air saving device: portable, economic hot spot cooling solution to plug and eliminate routine energy waste in cement plants??will be publishing in upcoming edition of CMA Technical Journal 2021.

Conclusion

Substantial potential for energy efficiency improvement exists in the cement and power industry. Persistent efforts are also being made to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy cost for the cement and power industry for survival and growth. Our baby step towards arresting ??alse air??and improving ??nergy efficiency??can contribute immensely towards cost cutting of cement and power manufacturing and improving energy efficiency. It is needless to mention that our efforts to improve energy efficiency will also minimise greenhouse gas and mitigate the environmental problems associated with cement and power production.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KK Sharma is a renowned Chemical Engineer, Process Expert & Founder of Invotech Industrial Solutions. Email: invotech@invotechsol.com | invotech_ajm@yahoo.com

Web: www.invotechsol.com | Tel: 8005521600 / 900145866.

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Concrete

Cement Margins Seen Rising 12–18 per cent in FY26

Healthy demand and GST cut to boost cement profits per tonne.

Published

9 hours ago

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September 29, 2025

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Cement companies’ operating profit for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) is projected to grow by 12–18 per cent, reaching Rs 900–950 per metric tonne (MT), supported by robust demand, improved realisations, and stable input costs, according to ratings agency Icra.
In FY25, operating profit before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation (OPBIDTA) stood at Rs 806 per MT, declining 16 per cent year-on-year due to weak realisations amid an extended monsoon and subdued government capital expenditure during the general elections.
Icra’s sample covers ACC, Ambuja Cements, JK Cements, JK Lakshmi Cement, The Ramco Cements, UltraTech Cement, Dalmia Bharat, Birla Corporation, Shree Cement, Sagar Cements, and Heidelberg Cement India, which together account for 74 per cent of industry capacity.
The recent GST cut on cement is expected to lower rural housing construction costs by 0.8–1.0 per cent, boosting volumes and supporting additional capacity. Average cement realisations are expected to rise 3–5 per cent in FY26.
Cement volumes increased by 8.5 per cent in the first five months of FY26, driven by strong demand from housing and infrastructure projects, despite early monsoons in some regions. During this period, cement prices rose 7.4 per cent year-on-year, particularly in northern and eastern markets. Input costs, especially for pet coke and freight, remain sensitive to global crude price movements and geopolitical factors.
Anupama Reddy, vice-president and co-group head of corporate ratings at Icra, said: “With the GST rate cut from 28 per cent to 18 per cent expected to be passed on to consumers, the average retail price of cement, currently Rs 350–360 per bag, will offer savings of Rs 26–28 per bag. Driven by strong demand, capacity additions may rise to 41–43 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in FY26 from 31 MMTPA in FY25, with the eastern region leading the growth in grinding capacity.”

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Concrete

Adani’s Strategic Emergence in India’s Cement Landscape

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2 weeks ago

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September 16, 2025

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Milind Khangan, Marketing Head, Vertex Market Research, sheds light on Adani’s rapid cement consolidation under its ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy while positioning it to rival UltraTech, and thus, shaping a potential duopoly in India’s booming cement market.

India is the second-largest cement-producing country in the world, following China. This expansion is being driven by tremendous public investment in the housing and infrastructure sectors. The industry is accelerating, with a boost from schemes such as PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, and the Vande Bharat corridors. An upsurge in affordable housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) further supports this expansion. In May 2025, local cement production increased about 9 per cent from last year to about 40 million metric tonnes for the month. The combined cement capacity in India was recorded at 670 million metric tonnes in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA). For the financial year 2026, this is set to grow by another 9 per cent.
In spite of the growing demand, the Indian cement industry is highly competitive. UltraTech Cement (Aditya Birla Group) is still the market leader with domestic installed capacity of more than 186 MTPA as on 2025. It is targeted to achieve 200 MTPA. Adani Cement recently became a major player and is now India’s second-largest cement company. It did this through aggressive consolidation, operational synergies, and scale efficiencies. Indian players in the cement industry are increasingly valuing operational efficiency and sustainability. Some of the strategies with high impact are alternative fuels and materials (AFR) adoption, green cement expansion, and digital technology investments to offset changing regulatory pressure and increasing energy prices.

Building Adani Cement brand
Vertex Market Research explains that the Adani Group is executing a comprehensive reorganisation and consolidation of its cement business under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy. The plan is to integrate its diversified holdings into one consolidated corporate entity named Adani Cement. The focus is on operating integration, governance streamlining, and cost reduction in its expanding cement business.
Integration roadmap and key milestones:

  • September 2022: The consolidation process started with the $6.4 billion buyout of Holcim’s majority stakes in Ambuja Cements and ACC, with Ambuja becoming the focal point of the consolidation.
  • December 2023: Bought Sanghi Industries to strengthen the firm’s presence in western India.
  • August 2024: Added Penna Cement to the portfolio, improving penetration of the southern market of India.
  • April 2025: Further holding addition in Orient Cement to 46.66 per cent by purchasing the same from CK Birla Group, becoming the promoter with control.
  • Ambuja Cements amalgamated with Adani Cement: This was sanctioned by the NCLT on 18th July 2025 with effect from April 1, 2024. This amalgamation brings in limestone reserves and fresh assets into Ambuja.
  • Subject to Sanghi and Penna merger with Ambuja: Board approvals in December 2024 with the aim to finish between September to December 2025.
  • Ambuja-ACC future integration: The latter is being contemplated as the final step towards consolidation.
  • Orient Cement: It would serve as a principal manufacturing facility following the merger.

Scale, capacity expansion and market position
In financial year-2025, Adani Cement, including Ambuja, surpassed 100 MTPA. This makes it one of the world’s top ten cement companies. Along with ACC’s operations, it is now firmly placed as India’s second-largest cement company. In FY25, the Adani group’s sales volume per annum clocked 65 million metric tonnes. Adani Group claims that it now supplies close to 30 per cent of the cement consumed in India’s homes and infrastructure as of June 2025.
The organisation is pursuing aggressive brownfield expansion:

  • By FY 2026: Reach 118 MTPA
  • By FY 2028: Target 140 MTPA

These goals will be driven by commissioning new clinker and grinding units at key sites, with civil and mechanical works underway.
As of 2024, Adani Cement had its market share pegged at around 14 to 15 per cent, with an ambition to scale this up to 20 per cent by FY?2028, emerging as a potent competitor to UltraTech’s 192?MTPA capacity (186 domestic and overseas).

Strategic advantages and competitive benefits
The consolidation simplifies decision-making by reducing legal entities, centralising oversight, and removing redundant functions. This drives compliance efficiency and transparent reporting. Using procurement power for raw materials and energy lowers costs per ton. Integrated logistics with Adani Ports and freight infrastructure has resulted in an estimated 6 per cent savings in logistics. The group aims for additional savings of INR 500 to 550 per tonne by FY 2028 by integrating green energy, using alternative fuel resources, and improving sourcing methods.

Market coverage and brand consistency
Brand integration under one strategy will provide uniform product quality and easier distribution networks. Integration with Orient Cement’s dealer base, 60 per cent of which already distributes Ambuja/ACC products, enhances outreach and responsiveness.
By having captive limestone reserves at Lakhpat (approximately 275 million tonnes) and proposed new manufacturing facilities in Raigad, Maharashtra, Adani Cement derives cost advantage, raw material security, and long-term operational robustness.

Strategic implications and risks
Consolidation at Adani Cement makes it not just a capacity leader but also an operationally agile competitor with the ability to reap digital and sustainability benefits. Its vertically integrated platform enables cost leadership, market responsiveness, and scalability.

Challenges potentially include:

  • Integration challenges across systems, corporate cultures, and plant operations
  • Regulatory sanctions for pending mergers and new capacity additions
  • Environmental clearances in environmentally sensitive areas and debt management with input price volatility

When materialised, this revolution would create a formidable Adani–UltraTech duopoly, redefining Indian cement on the basis of scale, innovation, and sustainability. India’s leading four cement players such as Adani (ACC and Ambuja), Dalmia Cement, Shree Cement, and UltraTech are expected to dominate the cement market.

Conclusion
Adani’s aggressive consolidation under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy signals a decisive shift in the Indian cement industry, positioning the group as a formidable challenger to UltraTech and setting the stage for a potential duopoly that could dominate the sector for years to come. By unifying operations, leveraging economies of scale, and securing vertical integration—from raw material reserves to distribution networks—Adani Cement is building both capacity and resilience, with clear advantages in cost efficiency, market reach, and sustainability. While integration complexities, regulatory hurdles, and environmental approvals remain key challenges, the scale and strategic alignment of this consolidation promise to redefine competition, pricing dynamics, and operational benchmarks in one of the world’s fastest-growing cement markets.

About the author:
Milind Khangan is the Marketing Head at Vertex Market Research and comes with over five years of experience in market research, lead generation and team management.

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Concrete

Precision in Motion: A Deep Dive into PowerBuild’s Core Gear Series

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1 month ago

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August 16, 2025

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PowerBuild’s flagship Series M, C, F, and K geared motors deliver robust, efficient, and versatile power transmission solutions for industries worldwide.

Products – M, C, F, K: At the heart of every high-performance industrial system lies the need for robust, reliable, and efficient power transmission. PowerBuild answers this need with its flagship geared motor series: M, C, F, and K. Each series is meticulously engineered to serve specific operational demands while maintaining the universal promise of durability, efficiency, and performance.
Series M – Helical Inline Geared Motors: Compact and powerful, the Series M delivers exceptional drive solutions for a broad range of applications. With power handling up to 160kW and torque capacity reaching 20,000 Nm, it is the trusted solution for industries requiring quiet operation, high efficiency, and space-saving design. Series M is available with multiple mounting and motor options, making it a versatile choice for manufacturers and OEMs globally.
Series C – Right Angled Heli-Worm Geared Motors: Combining the benefits of helical and worm gearing, the Series C is designed for right-angled power transmission. With gear ratios of up to 16,000:1 and torque capacities of up to 10,000 Nm, this series is optimal for applications demanding precision in compact spaces. Industries looking for a smooth, low-noise operation with maximum torque efficiency rely on Series C for dependable performance.
Series F – Parallel Shaft Mounted Geared Motors: Built for endurance in the most demanding environments, Series F is widely adopted in steel plants, hoists, cranes, and heavy-duty conveyors. Offering torque up to 10,000 Nm and high gear ratios up to 20,000:1, this product features an integral torque arm and diverse output configurations to meet industry-specific challenges head-on.
Series K – Right Angle Helical Bevel Geared Motors: For industries seeking high efficiency and torque-heavy performance, Series K is the answer. This right-angled geared motor series delivers torque up to 50,000 Nm, making it a preferred choice in core infrastructure sectors such as cement, power, mining, and material handling. Its flexibility in mounting and broad motor options offer engineers’ freedom in design and reliability in execution.
Together, these four series reflect PowerBuild’s commitment to excellence in mechanical power transmission. From compact inline designs to robust right-angle drives, each geared motor is a result of decades of engineering innovation, customer-focused design, and field-tested reliability. Whether the requirement is speed control, torque multiplication, or space efficiency, Radicon’s Series M, C, F, and K stand as trusted powerhouses for global industries.

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