The Unsung Hero of Waste-to-Energy

In today’s waste-to-energy systems, Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) has become a preferred energy source for cement plants aiming to cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.

While shredders and conveyors often get the most attention, the real backbone of RDF production is screening technology. Specifically, Disc Screens, Trommel Screens, and Ballistic Separators are the systems that ensure only clean, combustible, and correctly sized materials move forward.

At Duromech, our advanced screening solutions are engineered to extract the maximum amount of recoverable fuel from mixed waste streams. We ensure better efficiency and higher-quality RDF.

Why Screening Is Essential for High-Quality RDF

You cannot just shred waste and call it fuel. To work in a cement kiln, the material needs to be consistent. Here is why screening is the most critical step.

1. It Removes Non-Combustibles

Materials like metals, stones, bricks, and glass reduce the value of your RDF and damage downstream equipment. Screening eliminates these heavy items early, allowing only usable waste to move ahead.

2. It Ensures Correct Particle Size

Cement kilns require uniform-sized fuel for consistent burning. Proper screening ensures material is neither too large (which causes blockages) nor too small (which burns too fast), improving kiln stability and combustion efficiency.

3. It Enhances Calorific Value

By separating out wet organics, mud, and fines, screening ensures that only the dry, lightweight, and energy-rich materials—plastics, textiles, paper, rubber—form the final RDF stream.

4. It Improves Shredder Performance

Screened waste contains fewer hard impurities. This reduces wear and tear on your expensive shredders, lowers maintenance costs, and ensures uninterrupted plant operations.

Add an image here showing clean RDF output. ![High-quality, shredded RDF fuel ready for use in a cement kiln.](clean-rdf-fuel.jpg)

How Duromech Screening Machines Drive RDF Recovery

We design specific machines for specific separation tasks to maximize your fuel yield.

Disc Screen: Maximizing the Combustible Fraction

This machine separates oversize and undersize fractions with high accuracy.

  • What it does: It allows plastic films, papers, wood, and other RDF-rich materials to pass forward while retaining stones, wet food waste, and fine sticky material that reduce fuel quality.
  • Result: You get a higher recovery rate of clean, combustible feedstock.

Trommel Screen: Removing Moist, Low-Value Material

The rotating drum effectively separates fines and organics.

  • What it does: It prevents wet, heavy materials from mixing with your RDF streams. It ensures only dry and high-calorific components are transferred ahead.
  • Result: Higher calorific value and improved consistency of the final fuel.

Ballistic Separator: The Perfect Fuel Fraction Separation

This machine separates waste into three distinct streams: 2D (films, paper), 3D (rigid plastics, bottles), and fines.

  • What it does: The 2D and 3D fractions are the core components used for RDF in cement kilns. The machine removes all fine waste, sand, and debris that lower fuel quality.
  • Result: Clean, high-energy RDF with a predictable composition.

Add an image here showing a Duromech Ballistic Separator. ![A Duromech Ballistic Separator sorting waste into 2D and 3D fractions.](duromech-ballistic-separator.jpg)

Supporting a Greener, More Efficient Cement Industry

High-quality RDF helps cement plants achieve several critical goals:

  • Increase their thermal substitution rate (TSR).
  • Reduce dependency on expensive coal.
  • Achieve stricter environmental compliance.
  • Lower overall carbon emissions.

Duromech screening solutions ensure that every stage of your RDF production is efficient, reliable, and fully optimized for fuel recovery.

Contact Duromech today to upgrade your screening technology and produce fuel that cement plants actually want to buy.