Achieve Energy Savings in Plant Facilities
Whether it’s turning off lights, idling back process equipment and fixing compressed air leaks to energy audits and installing compressed air management systems, reducing utility costs to achieve energy savings in plant facilities can take several forms. As with any project, the return on investment should guide you on the projects that you select.
Let’s start with lighting and air leaks. While turning off lights and idling process equipment may generate a huge savings, it sends a message about conservation and preventing waste. The key is to not create any safety hazards and have a plan for start-up. Larger savings can be found with air leaks.
From my experience, air leaks happen over time and are often unnoticed or ignored. Air leaks can be detected the old fashioned way by listening for the leaks when the plant is shut down, or you can use an ultrasonic detector. The ultrasonic detector detects sound waves and can also be used for predictive maintenance.
Moving up the cost curve, you should consider an energy audit. The energy audit will identify ways to save energy and can sometimes spot tax or utility bill savings. Like most audits, you will receive some practical suggestions along with some off-the-wall ideas. Evaluate the report and use your judgment on what to implement. Remember, you’re trying to reduce energy costs—not win a high school science fair.
One suggestion that always raises questions from senior management involves the installation of new full spectrum, high-bay fixtures and bulbs. The questions stem from the fact that these fixtures look like the old fluorescent fixtures, which we replaced with metal-halide fixtures years ago. These lights, however, really work. Lighting levels will go up and you save money. Another consideration is how large is the power factor in your plant? Are you being charged for it by the local utility?
Don’t forget the power factor is the measure of reactive power, which results in increased current flow between the power source and the load. The power company charges the power-factor correction surcharge to cover the undocumented additional power. Reactive power is typically caused by the inductance from electric motors and can be corrected by adding capacitors to the electrical system. The cost for the capacitors is based on their size, which will depend on where they’re placed in the circuit.
Because of the decisions and resultant cost, think carefully and don’t be afraid to seek additional advice before making an investment.
Typically, power-factor correction usually works best when applied to larger motors. To justify the cost, make sure that you understand electricity savings before making any purchases. My last suggestion deals with compressed-air management systems. These systems save money by storing compressed air at higher pressure than your plant system, while allowing compressors to idle. As a result, you save money.
These cost-effective systems can smooth out your plant’s air pressure. It can get expensive, however, if you have older compressors and don’t have a large air-storage system. Years ago, I lucked out when installing one of these systems. I found three 5,000-gallon tanks sitting in our sister plant’s “bone yard.”
The key to making these systems economically viable is being able to store the compressed air at a 10 to 15-psi higher pressure than the plant system. If you can store the compressed air at 25-psi difference, then you will see some real savings. As expected, companies selling the system will be more than happy to help you calculate the savings. They will also know if you qualify for any helpful energy savings funding that’s available from utility companies or the government. Regardless of the economic situation, maintainers should always be looking for ways to reduce cost. When you’re considering and selecting energy savings options—do your homework. Quantify your savings and have a realistic installation and start-up plan.
Click here to learn more about Energy Optimization in your Plant Facility.
John M. Gross works as a Six Sigma master Black belt and lean manufacturing manager for a Tier 1 automotive supplier. He’s the author of Fundamentals of Preventive Maintenance and coauthor of Kanban Made Simple. John is a professional engineer as well as a certified plant and quality engineer. You can reach him by email: john@drivingchange.com.
Related Articles
Internal clearance is critical to bearing performance for multiple reasons. The amount of clearance influences the load distribution in a bearing, which ultimately affects bearing life. It also influences bearing running noise and vibration. In addition, it can influence whether the rolling elements move in a rolling or sliding motion.
Internal clearance is critical to bearing performance for multiple reasons. The amount of clearance influences the load distribution in a bearing, which ultimately affects bearing life. It also influences bearing running noise and vibration. In addition, it can influence whether the rolling elements move in a rolling or sliding motion.
See More
This article has several related themes. The main purpose is to give an overview of the engineering education process, relating theory to practical application. As part of this overview, I express gratitude to the scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who have guided my own education. This education is the foundation of my engineering career, as my experiences demonstrate.
This article has several related themes. The main purpose is to give an overview of the engineering education process, relating theory to practical application. As part of this overview, I express gratitude to the scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who have guided my own education. This education is the foundation of my engineering career, as my experiences demonstrate.
See More
So you want to be a leader! Your leadership career is a journey, and just like any journey, it requires a driver. The question is, who is driving your leadership career? Is it you, or are you letting external forces take the wheel? Taking control of your career is essential for your personal and professional growth. In this article, I will explore the importance of you taking control and offer some insights from my 45 years in the world of work that may help you steer your career in the right direction.
So you want to be a leader! Your leadership career is a journey, and just like any journey, it requires a driver. The question is, who is driving your leadership career? Is it you, or are you letting external forces take the wheel? Taking control of your career is essential for your personal and professional growth. In this article, I will explore the importance of you taking control and offer some insights from my 45 years in the world of work that may help you steer your career in the right direction.
See More
For the foreseeable future, the “job of the future” will exist in a world that wrestles with issues of outsourcing, offshore design and manufacturing, and generally uncertain employment prospects. Among the job seekers, aspiring engineers need to develop effective ways of finding and keeping employment in this murky environment.
For the foreseeable future, the “job of the future” will exist in a world that wrestles with issues of outsourcing, offshore design and manufacturing, and generally uncertain employment prospects. Among the job seekers, aspiring engineers need to develop effective ways of finding and keeping employment in this murky environment.
See More
On the design of a new machine which is to be run with a hydraulic motor, a determination of required speed and horsepower must be made so a model with suitable ratings can be selected. This article describes several methods of making such a determination. Designers who are experienced only in selecting electric motor drives need to be careful in designing hydraulic drives because of important differences between these two motors.
On the design of a new machine which is to be run with a hydraulic motor, a determination of required speed and horsepower must be made so a model with suitable ratings can be selected. This article describes several methods of making such a determination. Designers who are experienced only in selecting electric motor drives need to be careful in designing hydraulic drives because of important differences between these two motors.
See More
The secret to making and keeping reliable electrical connections is contained in two elements: start with clean contact surfaces, and apply high force. Clean contact surfaces are a function of cleaning procedures, including joint compounds, and will be covered in a future article. Application of high force is the subject here. The trouble comes about because the terms "torque" and "force" are incorrectly used interchangeably. Force is NOT torque. Force is a function of torque.
The secret to making and keeping reliable electrical connections is contained in two elements: start with clean contact surfaces, and apply high force. Clean contact surfaces are a function of cleaning procedures, including joint compounds, and will be covered in a future article. Application of high force is the subject here. The trouble comes about because the terms "torque" and "force" are incorrectly used interchangeably. Force is NOT torque. Force is a function of torque.
See More
Want to expand coupling life? Who doesn’t? You may want to look into advanced-design disc couplings. These couplings feature discs with optimized profile and thickness to provide a higher torque-to-outside-diameter ratio, higher service factors and up to 50 percent greater misalignment capability. All this provides for smaller reactionary forces on bearings compared to conventional disc couplings, which helps achieve infinite coupling life in properly specified applications.
Want to expand coupling life? Who doesn’t? You may want to look into advanced-design disc couplings. These couplings feature discs with optimized profile and thickness to provide a higher torque-to-outside-diameter ratio, higher service factors and up to 50 percent greater misalignment capability. All this provides for smaller reactionary forces on bearings compared to conventional disc couplings, which helps achieve infinite coupling life in properly specified applications.
See More
