• Ceramics Industry
• CUBA: LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AFFECTING CONSTRUCTION

From November 10, for the first time in more than 50 years, Cuba will allow the sale, exchange, donation and allocation of private homes. The measure, which aims to "eliminate prohibitions", will allow each resident to own two homes, one used as a normal place of residence and another as a holiday home.

The decision is part of a set of economic adjustments to "update" the socialist model of the island's president, Raúl Castro, in his desire to eliminate "prohibitions". The different options for the transfer of property are to be made before a public notary and will be subject to the payment of a tax which has not yet been clarified.

For the first time in more than half a century citizens will be able to buy and sell homes legally, without resorting to the black market. Last month the Cuban government authorized the sale of vehicles for its residents and is expected to soon make emigration from the island more flexible.

With 11.2 million people, Cuba, up until 2010, had a recognized deficit of about 600,000 homes, in part due to three hurricanes that caused damage in 2008, though according to official figures more than 50% of the buildings on the island are in poor condition and about 8.5 out of 10 buildings are in need of repair, in addition to unfulfilled government construction plans.

BERALMAR has experience in the Cuban market, having supplied engineering projects and equipment to a total of eight ceramic plants.

• Corporate
• BERALMAR AT “TÉGLAS NAPOK” IN HUNGARY

Good atmosphere at the event dinner.

BERALMAR was present at "Téglas Napok", the Association of Hungarian Ceramists' brick day, which this year took place in the town of Balatonvilagós, which as its name suggests, is located on the shores of Lake Balaton.

BERALMAR took the opportunity to deliver a presentation entitled "Solid fuel in the manufacture of bricks" by Carlos Acosta and Miquel Moix, in which existing technologies for the use of solid fuels both in the firing and drying processes were explained.

On the one hand BERALMAR has a great deal of experience in the field of solid fuel firing, having supplied more than 200 facilities in the last 25 years, of which about 15 have been in Central Europe. In the case of Hungary and depending on current fuel prices, the use of solid fuel in the firing process can reduce energy costs by 40 to 50 percent.

On the other hand, solid fuels are also gaining importance as a source of heat for the drying process, both for their low cost compared to gas or fuel oil and as additional revenue from the sale of excess CO2 emission rights.

The day ended with a lively dinner with the musical skills of some of those present providing a highlight, and an interesting visit the following morning to the Herend porcelain factory.

• News and Accomplishments
• COMMISSIONING OF A SOLID FUEL HEAT GENERATOR IN MOROCCO

The fuel feed.

The PULS model combustion chamber (foreground) coupled to a GB heat exchanger.

BERALMAR has just commissioned an installation consisting of a PULS combustion chamber for solid fuels coupled to a GB heat exchanger, to provide the clean, warm air needed in the dryer at the MIDABRIQ ceramics plant in Midar (Morocco).

The fuel used in this installation is olive pomace (solid residue from the pressing of olives) of about 3,500 Kcal/kg and widely available in Morocco.

The pomace is loaded into the main feeder and is reduced with a hammermill to be transported and injected pneumatically through the roof of the PULS combustion chamber. Gravity combustion is hugely effective, so much so that very small amounts of ash are produced, which dramatically reduces the maintenance requirements of the chamber. The PULS combustion chamber is coupled to a GB heat exchanger that performs heat exchange, heating clean air and sending combustion fumes up the chimney. The hot, clean air is sent to the dryer at temperatures of up to 150 °C.

The result of the implementation of this installation has been very positive, so much so that the substitution of fuel oil consumption in the dryer will bring savings.

BERALMAR is already finishing the implementation of another similar PULS + GB installation for the TETOUAN CERAMICS PLANT in Tetouan (Morocco).