the riyadh limestone desulfurization project saudi arabia
on the outskirts of riyadh the capital city of saudi arabia a massive industrial project is producing limestone powder for one of the most critical environmental applications in the kingdoms industrial sector. this is the riyadh limestone desulfurization project which features a massive vertical roller mill stone powder grinding mill with a capacity of 28 tons per hour. the raw material is high-purity limestone from deposits in central saudi arabia with a calcium carbonate content exceeding 95 percent.
the primary application of this limestone powder is in the desulfurization of flue gases at the riyadh power plant a large facility that provides electricity to millions of residents and businesses in the capital region. the limestone is ground to a very fine powder with a target fineness of 44 microns or 325 mesh and then injected into the power plants flue gas stream where it reacts with sulfur dioxide to form gypsum a harmless byproduct that can be used in the construction industry. this process known as flue gas desulfurization is essential for meeting the kingdoms increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
the project faced the challenge of producing a consistently fine powder with the high reactivity required for efficient sulfur capture. the vertical roller mill was chosen for its ability to produce a steep particle size distribution meaning that almost all particles are close to the target size with very few oversize or ultrafine particles. this uniformity ensures that every particle reacts completely in the flue gas stream maximizing sulfur removal efficiency and minimizing limestone consumption. the mill is equipped with an advanced classifier that uses centrifugal force to separate particles by size returning oversize material to the grinding table for further processing.
the 28 tons per hour output from this stone powder grinding mill represents one of the largest single-stream limestone grinding operations in the middle east. the plant operates continuously 24 hours a day 7 days a week to meet the power plants constant demand for desulfurization agent. the project has significantly reduced the environmental impact of power generation in the riyadh region and serves as a model for other utilities across the kingdom as saudi arabia pursues its vision 2030 goals of environmental sustainability and industrial diversification.
