Energy Conservation - Trends and Techniques

Doing an operating cost Vs energy savings analysis of higher energy consuming devices or systems could show if simply changing out less efficient components or systems for newer more efficient ones would prove to be valid reasons for updating your equipment or parts of your equipment.

Can heating systems be better insulted so that less parasitic losses are occurring?

Can motors be ran off of VFD units to reduce power consumption for certain processes?

Can waste energy from one process be recovered and used to off set expenditures for another system or process?

Things like this that are just shaving a few percent here and there when multiplied out can reduce the overall costs dramatically if done properly. But the potential savings and total time to recover that savings in avoided cost outlays must also be factored in as well. There is no point in doing updates to equipment and systems that will take 20 years to pay for themselves in avoided operating costs if the updates themselves wear out in far less time.

energy efficient lighting - not only the bulbs, but positioning too. What you want is the illumination at the work place, by positioning the source in the correct place, with less wattage (and even lesser if you use higher efficiency ones) you get the required illumination.

Powerfactor controls (since you are working with inductive load) - depending on the load rating- either near the load, in hubs or at the source.

As TCM said check the productive energy Vs unproductive energy and the wastages.

We have saved quite a bit by changing the lighting, machine drives for larger machines etc.

1. Can you please elaborate more on what type of plant and what size you are running.

2. You are from india, I am sure. Where are you located?

Dear Sir,

Compliances to your querries:

1.Type of Plant:Die manufacturing. And size of electrical motors from 5 HP to 90 HP.

2.Yes I am from Baroda Gujarat India. And my name is Ulhas Pradhan.

Pl feel free to ask me further details if required.

Regards,

Ulhas Pradhan

In many ways you can conserve the energy:

1. See the efficiency of all the motors. If the efficiency is at par with the available motors in market, continue with the motors. If efficiency is lower than the similar capacity motors, think of changing the motors to good efficiency motors. Of course you have to way between the saving in energy Vs. cost to be paid for new motors.

2. Lubricate all machines regularly. Make lubrication schedule to confirm the lubrication.

3. Confirm that the motors used are of appropriate capacity. Many a times those may be of higher capacity than the required. This will consume more energy.

4. For lighting of the plant, use high efficiency lamps and place those appropriately so that the illumination will be proper.. not less nor more than required. Use Occupancy sensors (Honeywell make those) for group of say 4 lamps. You will save about 20% electricity. Till then make a habit of switching the light off, while leaving the area. This habit should be imbibed in all the workers.

4. See that all computers are programed to switch off at least the monitors after say idle time of 10 minutes.

5. Confirm that no air leakages are there in any of the pneumatic lines.

6. Do not use all glass walls office. This looks good, but traps the heat inside consuming more air conditioning power. Keep temperature setting of air conditioner at about 25-- 26--- 27 deg C. Higher the temperature setting lower the energy consumption. The energy saved if you change the setting from 26 deg to 27 deg is much more than that when you change from 25 to 26. Use natural ventilation as far as possible. Thats energy saving as well as more healthy.

7. Use power factor correction capacitors to all the motors.

8. If you are using some hot water, see that the heating is achieved (to some extent) by using waste heat of various items like air conditioner.

9. See that all the air leakages are blocked for air conditioner.

10. Think of deputing some energy auditor, who will suggest many more ways to save energy

Dear Sir,

I am so thankful to you for your invaluable prompt suggestions on "Energy Conservation : Recent Trends and Techniques".

All the suggestions conveyed by you will be very useful to those who are interested in implementing them in their plants and factories.

Regards,

Ulhas Pradhan

Why don't you visit BEE Website? It has many useful articles on energy conservation in various types of industries.

Dear Sir,

This is a very good suggestion of studying BEE's URL.

Thanks and Regards,

Ulhas Pradhan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_Trust

There are many things you can do.

1. Eliminate waste. Educate the employees so that they know to turn off lights, fans, motors, computer monitors, printers, etc whenever they are not needed.

2. Install motion sensors on lights, especially in offices or areas that are often empty. Don't install motion sensors of HID lighting because of the restrike time, but do put them on fluorescent lighting.

3. Eliminate incandescent lighting. Use CFL instead. Use T8 or T5 fluorescent lighting instead of HID (Mercury Vapor, Metal Halide, or High Pressure Sodium).

4. Adjust your thermostats to avoid overheating or over cooling the space. Don't heat much past 67 degrees F on the plant floor. Keep the offices around 70.

5. Make sure the building envelope is tight and has no openings for the heat to get out. Replace single pane glass with double pane or spray foam over the windows.

6. If you are using compressed air in your process, make sure you eliminate all leaks. Turn the compressors off or lower the pressure when production in down, such as the weekends. Do not use compressed air for simple tasks like clean up. An electric blower is about seven times more efficient than an air driven one.

7. Do not leave production equipment running when not needed. Shut off task lights during lunch and breaks.

8. Use high efficiency motors or VFD's for any new application. It is usually not cost effective to replace an existing motor, unless it needs replaced due to failure or capacity problems.

9. Schedule operations to avoid peak demand charges.

10. Very important, start tracking, measuring and reporting your results.

Dear Sir,

Extremely thankful to you for furnishing promptly invaluable suggestions on "Energy Conservation:Recent Trends and Techniques".

Regards,

Ulhas Pradhan

Is it re-wording of post 5?!

The two entries are very similar and #5 provided a very good answer to the question. However, I had not read #5 when I started my response, so it is not a rewording, but an entirely new entry that is just close. I started entering my response and then my boss came by to talk so it was a while before I finished it and submitted it. Hopefully between the two entries the original poster can find some value.

Jim