Holcim operates a 1.6 Mta cement plant in Dotternhausen/Germany. The plant uses oil shale for the production of cement. About 300,000 t of oil shale per year is supplied to the thermal treatment plant for electricity generation and the burnt oil shale is used as a hydraulic binder with up to 35 % contents in different Portland-burnt shale cements, corresponding to CEM II/A-T and CEM II/B-T cements. The oil shale saves costs for electric energy and provides the clinker substitute for low-CO2 cements.
The silo has a raised bottom for direct bulk loading into trucks and rail cars. The outer ring silo has four compartments, each of 2,000 m3, while the central (inner) silo has a 9.5 m diameter and likewise a capacity of 2,000 m3. The outer ring section compartments have two discharge sections each, while the inner cell has one central discharge. Each discharge section is connected via fluid-slides to one of the three IBAU Simplex loaders, which provide a loading range of 4-5 m and 250 t/h loading capacity. Two of the mobile loaders are for the loading of railcars, while one mobile loader is used for the truck loading lane.