Energy resources optimization in industrial furnaces and kilns

If you strive in the industrial sector and have furnaces involved  in your processes, you will know that optimizing energy resources is one of the essential priorities. Failure to do so may affect your costs, the quality of your products, and your social and environmental responsibility.

Therefore, in this article, we share with you some of the technologies and services you can find at NUTEC Bickley to satisfy these needs within the sector to which you belong.

First steps to determine if your furnace needs to be more efficient

Before selecting an optimization technology, it is necessary to analyze whether your furnace needs it and, if it does, see which options are the best for your company.

1. First, benchmark the current energy efficiency of your furnace concerning the industry standard to which you belong. Some crucial indicators in this analysis are:

• The flow and temperature of the energy that leaves the chimney.
• The oxygen level within the furnace. Keep in mind that there are processes that require more oxygen than others.
  
  

2. Subsequently, carry out an analysis to identify the technology that provides the best results for energy savings regarding the lowest investment cost.

It is necessary to consider the process and the type of furnace you have since how the gases are extracted from the equipment may vary, in addition to the fact that there are processes where the temperature unit is not so critical to integrate particular solutions.

Our systems for heat recovery in industrial furnaces

After analyzing the need to invest in a technology or service for your oven, we explain below each of our options available at NUTEC Bickley.

Technologies

• Central recuperators for combustion air heating

They are installed in chimneys, where combustion air is indirectly preheated to temperatures up to 930°F (500°C).

This preheated air is injected into the furnace and can be used without a problem in combustion.

• Self-recuperative burners

These technologies take advantage of the energy usually eliminated through the chimney and reuse it to preheat the combustion air, reaching temperatures up to 1380°F (750°C).

They are compatible with our IMPS® system and save up to 45%.

• Regenerative burners

They are one of the most efficient ways to recover energy in industrial furnaces, as they preheat combustion air to temperatures of 1650°F - 1830°F (900°C - 1000°C).

• combustion

This system uses an algorithm that simultaneously monitors critical variables, such as oxygen levels and the air-fuel ratio, to optimize energy use. Likewise, its cost is usually more competitive compared to other technologies.

You can preheat combustion air closer to 1830°F (1000°C) process air temperature.

Services

Some of our services to help you optimize energy resources are the following:

• Energy audits

With a specific methodology to evaluate the current savings opportunities according to the ISO 50002:2014 standard.

Fig. 1 Technical services- audits for furnaces

• Corrective and preventive maintenance service

We review the current instruments' status and if they prevent you from achieving the desired temperature/time cycles.

• Computer simulation and laboratory tests (CFD)

We determine the best location for your product and the arrangement/configuration to achieve optimal production.

If you want more information about these and other solutions to improve the efficiency of your energy resources, do not hesitate to contact one of our advisors.Tips to maximize the efficiency of your energy resourcesTo help you achieve the optimization of the energy efficiency of your industrial furnaces, we recommend that you follow these recommendations:

1. Carry out periodic analyzes to detect possible heat losses and points for improvement.
2. Measure energy consumption before and after improving the system to evaluate its effectiveness
3. Consult with experts. At NUTEC Bickley, we guide you to learn about the various offerings available to maximize the efficiency of your furnaces and kilns, thus reducing your environmental impact.
4. Finally, we advise using high-quality insulating materials to minimize heat loss and prevent energy leaks.

Contact us today to learn more about our energy optimization. We will guide you in your analysis and choose the most appropriate option according to the needs of your industry.