Comparison of Energy Intensities at the Ghacem Cement Factories at Tema and Takoradi
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Date
February 2010
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Abstract
Cement factories at Tema and Takoradi were among the number of industries
that were established after the nation attained independence in 1957. They were
intended to provide cement for the infrastructure developments that were going on at
that time, reduce importation bills on cement and create employment. This was
intended to support the government policy of changing the agrarian society into
industrialized one. As the nation industrialized and increased its Gross National
Product (GNP), there was a clear trend towards higher consumption of energy.
There was a rapid increase in the demand for electricity which the Electricity
Company of Ghana, the supply authority, could not meet. It became necessary,
therefore, to look at demand-side management of the power sector.
This research has studied the production of cement at Ghacem cement
factories at Tema and Takoradi. Major energy consuming items were identified and
listed. Electric energy consumption data documented at the two factories, from the
year 2000 to 2005, were obtained. The load factor was computed, on monthly basis,
for the six-year period, for the two factories and graphs drawn to show the variations.
Power factor at the two factories were found to be low so causes of the low levels of
power factor were identified and ways of improving the power factor were
suggested. Lists, showing the currents which would have been drawn by the two
plants, had the power factor been improved to unity had been provided. Finally,
electric energy intensities were also computed on monthly basis, graphs were drawn
to depict the differences. The results were compared and discussed. The maximum
difference of the energy intensity was found to be 10% in favour of Takoradi factory.
The research identified this outcome to the installation of extra powerful dust plants
at the Tema factory to control environmental pollution and the occasional use of
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concrete plant and shortcrete mortar plant which are not available at the Takoradi
factory.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, in
Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Faculty of Mechanical and Agricultural Engineering,