Fives to supply grinding unit for Xeuilley cement plant

Fives has been selected by Vicat for the modernisation of a grinding unit for the Xeuilley cement plant, France. The project involves the integration of a new FCB TSV™ 3600 THF classifier and a TGT^® filter with a filtration area of 2840m², a 550kW circulation fan and associated equipment to link with the existing circuit.

The control and electrical equipment is also part of the order, except for the PLC program, which will be carried out by Vicat teams for standardisation purposes. The FCB TSV™ THF classifier will reduce the workshop's electricity consumption and its quality of separation will ensure an optimal particle size for the finished product, guaranteeing good hydraulic properties. 

The erection work will be carried out in two stages to minimise the shutdown time of the grinding mill. The first stage will involve the dismantling of some redundant equipment and the installation of new equipment, with a minimum of disturbance to the mill's production. In the following stage the new equipment will be connected during a production stoppage. This new order confirms Vicat's confidence in the process solutions provided by Fives FCB and also the company's ability to manage turnkey projects in a complex environment (co-activity, production constraints, etc).

As part of the modernisation of its grinding plant, Vicat was looking to increase production capacity and improve the quality of the cements produced while reducing the energy consumption of its installation. The new plant will implement Fives technologies that meet Vicat's performance requirements, to reduce and improve energy consumption. The facility will also ultimately produce new lower-carbon cements incorporating calcined clay, which will be produced on the site as part of the Argilor project.

Argilor project, supported by France Relance
Clinker production is the most CO₂ emitting activity during cement production. Vicat Group has invested in new activated clay production capacities that will be used as a partial substitute to Portland clinker (the semi-finished product of cement, concentrating CO₂), to produce low-carbon cements. At the scale of the cement plant, the Argilor project, named after the contraction between ‘clay’ ('argile' in French) and ‘Lorraine’, will reduce the plant's CO₂ emissions by 48,500t each year, a decrease of about 16 per cent at the site level. 

“These new cements will complement our DECA range of low-carbon solutions, with performances equivalent to conventional cements. They will provide an additional response to the latest environmental regulation for new buildings (RE2020)”, according to Guy Sidos, chairman and CEO of Vicat Group.