electricity savings

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CONSULTING SERVICES IN

ELECTRICAL (MOTIVE) ENERGY EFFICIENCY

OF INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES

Many simple and cost-effective electric energy saving measures are applicable in industrial processes to numerous equipments like:

centrifugal pumps

fans

blowers

air compressors

vacuum compressors

chillers

These equipments consume all together important amounts of energy and money that can be reduced significantly and cost-effectively. Many studies and implementations done by our people during the last 10 years in several industries have shown that, in the majority of cases, between 15 and 30% of electricity savings have been achieved with payback periods from a few months to 2 years.

Key factors to successful and cost-effective results

Step 1: Selection of good candidates, done by an expert.

A 1 to 2-day visit is done to identify equipments with promising energy saving potential. This phase warrants the study success.

Step 2: The energy study, done by a process engineer with the help of specialized and efficient computer tools.

Maybe surprisingly, process engineers, not electrical engineers, are the best persons to undertake these studies. The reason is simple: the most important savings found are related to some changes in the process operating conditions. For example, major savings can be obtained for a pumping system if the pump's head can be reduced. This would require some modifications to the process.

Step 3: Final engineering and implementation of profitable solutions.

Motive vs electric energy

The topic here is motive energy efficiency. Since most of the motive power is supplied by electric motors, electricity savings are then obtained. But if, for example, a steam turbine drives an equipment, an energy efficiency improvement will then produce some steam economy.

Computer analysis of pumping system operation and data reconciliation: wrong impeller size ? Wrong motor speed ? ...

Computerized automatic screening of energy saving measures for pumping systems

The most popular and profitable energy saving measures usually recommended are:
For pumping systems :
Adjustable speed drive,
Impeller downsizing,
Reduction of the circuit's pressure / head requirement,
Load / service relocalisation and pump shutoff,
In a multi-pump service, change in impeller size and pump shutoff.

For fans and blowers :
Adjustable speed drive,
Speed reduction,
Reduction of the circuit's pressure requirement,
Installation of a more efficient control device (ex.: inlet vanes).

For air compressors :
Operating pressure reduction,
Pressure losses reduction in the circuit (close the loop),
Reduction of the air requirements,
Elimination of leakages,
Operating sequence optimization of all compressors.

For chillers :
Load reduction through heat recovery, => Pinch analysis,
Free cooling,
Load optimization for each fridge level, => Pinch analysis,
Condensing pressure reduction, optimization of condensors controls,
Operating sequence optimization of all chillers.