Alican Aktaş / Project Manager
Fil-Tek Makine
“We offer turnkey solutions for the disposal of toxic gases. We excel in designing and implementing facilities with over 95% efficiency, particularly in the field of Desulfurization, leveraging our own cutting-edge technology. Our goal is to reduce emission values to a level close to zero.”
You are a standout company, renowned for the innovative gas cleaning systems you have recently developed for industrial facilities. Could you tell us about the establishment and general structuring of the company?
One of the biggest cost items in industry is energy. Hence, our customers are increasingly embracing alternative fuels, biomass power plants, and recycling facilities as means to drive down energy unit costs. This approach not only reduces energy costs but also provides an effective solution for waste disposal. However, the incineration of domestic waste, in particular, gives rise to numerous harmful gases including sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen chloride, dioxin, and furan. At this point, we offer turnkey solutions for the disposal of toxic gases. We excel in designing and implementing facilities with over 95% efficiency, particularly in the field of Desulfurization, leveraging our own cutting-edge technology.
Nowadays, dust disposal alone is not enough. For this reason, we are actively pursuing necessary R&D efforts to eliminate toxic gases. Our goal is to reduce emission values to a level close to zero. The overall structure of our company is designed to best fulfill customer requirements and accomplish this objective. From R&D studies to production, project management, and field services, every department diligently pursues development and innovation, closely monitoring market and technological advancements. This approach contributes to cleaner and more sustainable production in industrial facilities by offering environmentally friendly and costeffective solutions.
You provide effective solutions within the framework of legal regulations for different sectors, especially cement, energy, and chemistry. Can you give some information about your products and the areas they are used in?
During its initial years of operation, Fil-Tek Makine solely offered turnkey solutions exclusively in the field of dust collection systems. In this context, cyclone, multicyclone, horizontal cyclone and bag filter designs were being developed. Today, we successfully install our systems in facilities across various industrial sectors including cement, iron and steel, mining, chemistry, wood, plaster, and lime, where dust control is paramount. We have completed many turnkey projects domestically and exported to approximately 18 countries so far.
Recognizing that simply disposing of dust will no longer suffice in light of advancing technology and evolving legal regulations, we started Desulphurization initiatives in 2018. We undertook the design and engineering of all components such as dosing, reactors, and recirculation systems required for these systems and have completed three different facility projects to date.
Currently, our two overseas projects are still ongoing. In these turnkey systems, we rely solely on receiving the dirty gas parameters from our customers. From there, our experienced team takes charge of designing and calculating all equipment, gas ducts, and steel up to the chimney outlet. As a result of these services, we offer our customers mechanical warranties as well as performance and environmental warranties.
Our company’s mission is to advance the sustainability goals of the industry through the production of environmentally friendly solutions. While tailoring solutions to meet specific customer needs, we persistently innovate and refine sector-specific solutions, integrating the latest technologies and adhering to current legal requirements.
As second-generation representatives of Fil-Tek Makine, we uphold the core values inherited from the previous generation, which are customer satisfaction and sharing. During our projects, our primary objective is to deliver a sustainable system tailored to meet both customer requirements and on-site conditions. The most economically viable solution is typically the correct one. Nevertheless, we make it clear to our customers from the outset that the systems we propose are the most precise when considering factors such as energy consumption, compressed air usage, maintenance expenses, and production interruptions during maintenance. Furthermore, we prioritize continuous improvement by conducting thorough analyses on each project and integrating customer feedback, which enables us to provide the most suitable solutions tailored to our customers’ needs. All these elements constitute our working principle.
You have a service process that includes engineering. With what kind of R&D team do you work with in this area?
Our company has been operating with low personnel turnover and efficient teamwork since its establishment. The main reason for this stability is that all our colleagues in our administrative and technical staff are open to project-oriented innovations and change, especially thanks to the complexity and diversity of our turnkey projects. If we were solely a manufacturer, we would not be able to provide our colleagues with such a diverse array of professional development, learning, and motivation opportunities. With this awareness, I would like to emphasize the value and importance of working together with our design team for more than 10 years.
Additionally, the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses we’ve conducted in nearly all our systems since the inception of our projects offer the chance to scrutinize not only the gas movement within the filter but also the dynamics of the entire system. This approach increases the effectiveness of our systems and enables us to offer the most appropriate solutions to our customers’ needs. In our efforts within the field of desulfurization, we have chosen to extend beyond CFD analyses and are planning to establish a pilot plant by the middle of this year. This step provides the opportunity to test and verify our theoretical findings in practice. Thus, we aim to maximize the cleaning efficiency of our systems and reduce the consumption of injected substances such as activated carbon and lime. This strategy will not only reduce our environmental impact, but will also help reduce our customers’ operating costs.
2024 will be a year focused on sustainability, innovation, and global growth for Fil-Tek Makine. We are committed to achieving our goals and reinforcing our leading position in the sector by leveraging the latest developments and opportunities within the industry.
How do your products contribute to the zero carbon production targets, which is also on the cement industry’s agenda?
Our products play a crucial role in advancing zero carbon production goals within the cement industry by offering solutions aimed at reducing carbon emissions, particularly in industrial processes. The majority of carbon emissions in the cement industry stem from the calcination process, where significant carbon dioxide emissions arise due to the chemical reactions involving limestone at high temperatures. In this context, utilizing low-carbon alternative fuels is of paramount importance to reduce carbon emissions. The adoption of alternative fuels offers a significant reduction in carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels, and this approach has been increasingly embraced, particularly within the cement sector, since 2016. Our company’s products and technologies have a critical role in this transition process. With our systems, pollutants that may arise during the use of alternative fuels, such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and hydrogen chloride, are effectively eliminated with up to 99% efficiency, thus establishing a fully environmentally friendly system.
In addition, our R&D studies continue to reduce active carbon and lime consumption thanks to the recirculation systems in our systems. Today, through recirculation at a ratio of 5:1, we are able to achieve activated carbon and lime consumption well below the design criteria. This approach significantly contributes to the attainment of zero carbon targets in the cement production process.
Fil-Tek Makine continues to develop and offer innovative solutions that support sustainability in the cement industry and encourage environmentally friendly production processes. In doing so, it actively contributes to reducing the carbon footprint in the sector and elevating environmental standards.
What do you think cement factories should do in their restructuring processes in terms of zero carbon? How should the production be revised?
The most important issues for the zero carbon target in the cement industry are:
Correct execution of the calcination process: When traditional fuels are utilized, cement kilns necessitate a very high temperature flame to facilitate the proper reaction. (~2.000°C) Issues such as failure to achieve this condition, insufficient flame length, or improper heat transfer within the furnace directly impact the amount of carbon released during the reactions. Therefore, it is extremely important that the calcination process is carried out correctly.
Use of alternative fuel and biomass: Employing carbon-free and near-zero emission energy sources in combustion processes results in a reduction of total emissions from cement production by 30% – 40% compared to its traditional fuel equivalent. Moreover, utilizing biomass, which is economically unfeasible to recycle, presents a promising opportunity for achieving the zero carbon target in the cement industry, given its low carbon content. As long as the right quality and quantity of waste is achieved, the use of non-recyclable waste is an important element to both reduce carbon emissions and ensure the ecological cycle.
Reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of alternative energy sources is another important factor. The biggest cost item in the cement industry is energy;
• Using high energy efficient equipment,
• Obtaining energy from waste heat,
• And using solar energy will reduce energy consumption.
Lastly, there is the issue of utilization of additives to decrease energy consumption in the grinding process. Roughly, 35% of the energy expended in the production process is allocated to clinker grinding, while approximately 33% is dedicated to raw material grinding. Therefore, reducing the energy spent on grinding is extremely important to reduce carbon emissions. As the particle size of the material to be ground decreases, its surface area increases, leading to potential aggregation, which can decrease mill efficiency. In such instances, the use of grinding facilitating chemicals creates the requisite environment for particles to effectively separate from each other. By enabling more efficient grinding with reduced energy consumption, this approach minimizes the carbon footprint associated with unit grinding.
Dust emissions occur at very high levels in cement factories. How can this be prevented?
Dust sources are unavoidable wherever processes like production, transportation, storage, grinding, and screening take place. For instance, in a cement factory, this holds true at every stage, from the raw material preparation unit to the packaging unit.
A way to prevent dust emissions is:
• Being able to trap the dust at its source,
• Being able to draw the trapped dust into the filter unit with a correct design,
• And by selecting the appropriate filter, so the necessary filtration can be provided.
To conduct these tasks effectively, precise pressure loss calculations, critical line calculations, and balancing calculations must be done, beginning from the dust source and extending to the chimney exit. Moreover, equipment appropriate for the chemical and physical properties of the powder or gas must be carefully selected. Upon the successful completion of these studies, it is entirely feasible to achieve flue gas dust exit concentrations of 5mg/Nm³. Furthermore, we are currently dedicated to offering dust emission guarantees of 1mg/Nm³ in our projects within developed European countries, following meticulous studies.
As is the case in our country, regrettably, in many parts of the world, dust collection systems in the cement industry often do not receive the recognition they deserve, particularly if a filter system is not employed. Therefore, the most important element to prevent high dust concentrations is to raise awareness. With growing awareness and the meticulous engineering calculations and subsequent equipment selections we have discussed, high dust concentrations become unattainable even if desired.
Another factor is the lack of adequate maintenance of existing systems. We have observed that approximately 60% of the dust issues in the factories we visit throughout the year stem from inadequate maintenance and additional interventions on the production lines. As long as regular maintenance of electrofilters or bag filters is conducted, and operating conditions aligned with the design criteria are maintained, achieving low dust concentrations remains feasible in existing facilities.
Another prominent issue is toxic gases. Disposal of toxic gases is a difficult and arduous task. What kind of solutions do you offer in this regard?
Various factors including the type of fuel used, combustion reactions, chemical reaction times, and process temperature contribute to the formation of different chemical gases. The disposal of each chemical gas produced is carried out through different processes. Therefore, the disposal of toxic gases must be addressed separately for each process.
The systems offered by our company typically aim to eliminate toxic gases containing sulfur, chlorine, carbon, mercury, furan, and arsenic. Our systems are designed to facilitate reactions within the temperature range of 140-190°C, employing catalysts such as atomized water, activated carbon, and slaked lime. We ensure suitable physical conditions in the gas beforehand to facilitate the necessary reactions, after which catalysts are injected into the gas to initiate the reactions within our reactor system. Residence times in the reactor and full interaction of the gas with the catalyst are then ensured. In the last step, disposal is carried out by creating a filtration field.
This system is established with a design exclusively owned by our company, and we have made the necessary arrangements with our partner companies abroad for the removal of nitrogen oxides in both wet and dry systems.
The most significant cost item in the cement industry is energy, and employing energy-efficient equipment, harnessing energy from waste heat and integrating solar energy will help reduce energy consumption.
Over the years, you have worked on major projects with leading companies in the industry. What do you think are the positive developments in the sector and the issues that need attention within the scope of the services you provide?
As Filtek, we are proud to deliver many important projects to cement production companies both domestically and worldwide. While every project presents its unique challenges, we have successfully managed them through precise engineering studies, efficient field practices, and, notably, open communication. In the light of these experiences, the main issues that need to be considered in the sector are:
1. Communication: Clear and effective communication is vital to the success of projects.
2. Engineering Works: Detailed and precise engineering is required to solve the unique challenges of each project.
3. Use of Technology: Making maximum use of developing technology simplifies business processes and increases efficiency.
4. Originality of the Process: Accurately identifying the distinct challenges of each process and devising tailored solutions is paramount for the success of our projects.
The sensitivity and attention devoted to these areas are the cornerstones of sustainable success and advancement in the sector.
How did you, as Fil-Tek Makine, spend the year 2023, which was hard for all sectors?
It was a good year for us. Since our establishment, excluding the years of the pandemic, we have consistently seen growth in the number of projects completed, the number of projects bid for, and our annual turnover compared to the previous year. Therefore, we can say that we had a year in line with our goals.
One of the two most significant events for us in 2023 was the successful completion of the installation of Türkiye’s largest capacity bag filter in a single body. The provisional acceptances for this project were signed in August, marking a moment of great pride for us. In this project, where physical challenges were at their peak, many worldrenowned rival companies did not even want to submit an offer due to these conditions, expressing doubts about the project’s feasibility. We completed the project without experiencing the slightest loss of workforce, successfully passed our performance tests and signed our provisional acceptance.
The second thing we are proud of is that we established our sales office in Germany. We have full confidence in our technology, knowledge, and team. We delivered projects to numerous esteemed customers across different continents, ranging from Australia to Kazakhstan, and from Denmark to Libya. During this process, there were times when we functioned solely as manufacturers, and other times when we supplied complete equipment. We took this leap, believing that the time is now right for us to establish our presence in the global market for turnkey projects. We are merely at the outset of our journey, but we embarked on our endeavors by securing our first project at the end of 2023. Therefore, 2023 has been very positive for us.
What are your sectoral predictions and targets for 2024?
Türkiye has always had a high potential in the cement industry. Taking into account our country’s geopolitical position, cement production capacities, the expanding construction sector both domestically and abroad, as well as our position in the global market, we anticipate that the cement industry will experience growth in 2024, surmounting both national and international challenges.
The goals we have set as Fil-Tek Makine for 2024 are as follows:
1. Gas Cleaning Systems: We aim to increase our projects not only in dust collection systems but also in gas cleaning systems. This initiative will aid us in reducing environmental impacts within the industry and advancing towards our sustainability objectives.
2. International Activities: We aim to achieve our 2023 international turnover within the first half of 2024 and further expand our international operations. This step is critical to expand the global footprint of our brand and strengthen our position in the international market.
3. Zero Carbon Project: Our goal is to establish a pilot facility that enhances the efficiency of our systems and accelerates our R&D efforts, thereby contributing to zero carbon targets. This initiative forms part of our endeavors to integrate innovations in energy efficiency into the sector and enhance its environmental sustainability.
