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Strategies to Improve Industrial Energy Efficiency

Article in Procedia CIRP · December 2014

DOI: 10.1016/j.procir.2014.06.074

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Procedia CIRP 15 (2014) 325 – 330

21st CIRP Conference on Life Cycle Engineering

"Strategies to improve industrial energy efficiency"

K. O’Riellya, J. Jeswieta*
"a Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston ON K7L-3N6, Canada"

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-613-533-2575 ; fax: +1-613-533-6489. E-mail address: [email protected]

Abstract

The broad topic of efficiency is investigated within the context of the general manufacturing sector, which includes anything
from computing and electronics to food and textile products, and consumes enormous amounts of energy in order to generate the
goods and services we use today. This is unsurprising as it stands to reason that in order to operate the necessary equipment and
facilities to produce these products a significant amount of energy and resources must be expended. However, most
manufacturing facilities are not operated at a highly efficient rate, in terms of both waste heat and materials. As a result, a
number of opportunities exist to develop a more efficient, sustainable general manufacturing sector.

This topic has been well researched in the past in terms of the losses encountered during various general manufacturing process
streams, however, less literature exists which attempts to outline an appropriate efficiency loss mitigation strategy for companies
to implement. In fact, the Trottier Energy Futures Project, which is, in collaboration with the David Suzuki Foundation, creating
an energy roadmap for Canada, has devoted one of its eleven key challenges for creating a more sustainable, low-carbon future
for Canada to general manufacturing efficiency improvement. This paper will discuss appropriate efficiency loss mitigation
strategies for companies.
©
© 2014 Published
2014 The Authors. byPublished
Elsevier byB.V. Open B.V.
Elsevier access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of International
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the the International Scientific
Scientific Committee
Committee of the
of the 21st 21stConference
CIRP CIRP Conference on Life Cycle
on Life Cycle
Engineering
Engineering ininthe
theperson
personofof
thethe Conference
Conference Chair
Chair Prof.Prof.
TerjeTerje K. Lien
K. Lien.

"Keywords: Manufacturing; energy; efficiency; waste heat; auxiliary equipment; mitigation strategy"

1. Introduction
In today’s modern society it is quite evident that the
world is at our fingertips, one need only take a look around. A
large portion of today’s prominent industries have either been
created or drastically altered by the use of fossil fuels, which
have transformed since the beginning of the industrial
revolution. Figure 1 [1] indicates how GHG’s have decreased
with the introduction of new fuels. However, these gains have
been nullified due to increased energy demand.
It is the general belief that use of fossil fuels has allowed
today’s society to experience current freedoms and liberties.
However, our dependence on a finite fuel source will lead to Fig. 1. How fuel source carbon content has changed [1].
catastrophe if today’s consumption practices are not curbed
and the process of weaning ourselves from environmentally- Unfortunately, for a vast majority of industries,
degrading energy sources does not begin. including general manufacturing, greenhouse gas emissions
(and therefore the ecological footprint of their goods) are

2212-8271 © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the International Scientific Committee of the 21st CIRP Conference on Life Cycle
Engineering in the person of the Conference Chair Prof. Terje K. Lien
doi:10.1016/j.procir.2014.06.074
326 K. O’Rielly and J. Jeswiet / Procedia CIRP 15 (2014) 325 – 330

determined to a large extent by the energy needs of the processes can be combined into a single machine. However,
buildings they occupy and by the fuel and electricity while modern equipment has greatly reduced the number of
consumption of equipment they purchase [2]. While there are separate steps involved, a significant increase in the amount
often large, cost-effective opportunities for efficiency gains in of energy required to operate machinery has occurred as a
equipment and its utilization, these energy-saving strategies result. In fact, Gutowski et al have found that additional
are not pursued as in-house energy expertise in these firms is features tend to dominate machinery energy consumption,
limited [2]. Opportunities for Canadian manufacturers to with the effect becoming even more pronounced at low
improve their energy efficiency performance do exist; they production rates [8]. This effect is demonstrated in Figure 2
are simply not being capitalized on. below, which shows energy consumed as a function of
production rate for an automobile production line.
2. Canadian manufacturing energy consumption trends
It is well understood that Canada, as a large country with a
relatively sparse population (especially in northern regions)
and cold climate, requires a significant amount of energy to
sustain daily life and operate business activities [3]. However,
Canada is also very wasteful in terms of its energy
consumption practices, which we have known for some time.
According to the latest “Improving Energy Performance
in Canada report” issued by Natural Resources Canada,
secondary energy use increased by 23% between 1990 and
2009 [3]. Statistics from 2009 found that 37.1% of total
secondary energy usage (the largest portion) belonged to the
industrial sector, of which manufacturing accounted for Fig. 2. Energy use as function of production rate for various
67.8% [4]. Likewise, the 2010 ICE (Industrial Consumption stages of automobile production [8, 9].
of Energy) survey estimated that Canada’s manufacturing
sector consumed 2136 PJ of energy for that year. To put this In this example, it can be seen that only 14.8% of the
into perspective, this amount is roughly equal to the energy total energy used is required for the actual machining process,
consumed for space heating, space cooling, water heating and while the rest of the energy is used by other equipment
lighting by all households and all commercial and institutional features. As well, the other features all require constant
buildings in Canada in 2009 [4]. energy input (ancillary power) to operate and are not directly
In Canada, generally, manufacturing is included under the correlated to production rates. Branker [10] has developed a
broad canopy of the “industrial sector”, which includes all useful relationship for calculating ancillary energy (EA), seen
manufacturing, mining (including oil and gas extraction), in Equation 1 below, where Po is a constant or a variable
forestry, and construction activities [3]. Most of the energy function depending upon the machining process, ts is the set-
consumed by the manufacturing sector is used to power the up time, tm is the machining time, tc is the tool change time
motors of auxiliary equipment, produce heat to generate and T is the tool life:
steam, and to provide space heating/cooling. Despite attempts ௧೎ ௧೘
to curb energy wastage at the processing level, there still ‫ܧ‬஺ ൌ ܲ௢ ቀ‫ݐ‬௦ ൅ ‫ݐ‬௠ ൅ ቁሺͳሻ
்
remains much room for improvement within Canada’s
manufacturing sector. In fact, recent studies have shown that, As part of a comprehensive manufacturing process
even with up-to-date plants and industrial processes, industrial thermodynamic analysis, Gutowski et al also studied 20
energy efficiency can be improved by as much as 20% or different processes and characterized each of them in
more [5]. accordance to the material and energy resources used as a
function of production rates. The results clearly show that the
3. Influence of production rates & system parameters on electricity requirements of manufacturing processes have
energy consumption increased greatly over the past several decades [8].
While a plant’s overall efficiency is closely related to the However, an individual process can improve its
conversion devices (e.g. engines, motors, light bulbs) and energy-intensity requirements by operating at a higher
passive systems (e.g. furnaces, steam systems) it utilizes [6], it production rate, with the opposite being true if a reduction in
is also heavily influenced by system factors such as material throughput occurs. This recent progression within the
manufacturing sector toward lower processing rates and
production rates, design and set-up parameters.
higher specific energy requirements is an alarming trend
which needs to be closely monitored and assessed [8].
3.1 Production rates and energy usage
Today’s modern processes, although capable of working on
Manufacturing production rates, which have been studied
smaller scales and dimensional tolerances, should be focusing
extensively by Gutowski et al, have been found to be closely
on improving energy requirements and manufacturing
related to the efficiency of a manufacturing process [7].
sustainability.
All manufacturing processes involve some utilization of
As a result, several strategies have been put forward
energy to convert material inputs into products and generated
which can be employed by manufacturers to improve energy
waste streams. In a simplifying manner, manufacturing can be
efficiency of various manufacturing processes. One such
thought of as a series of steps which, when taken together,
strategy is to closely evaluate support equipment (machine
generate a final product. In many cases a number of different
 K. O’Rielly and J. Jeswiet / Procedia CIRP 15 (2014) 325 – 330 327

tools and injection molding machines) requirements when designers to specify equipment that is oversized for normal
purchasing or designing new equipment. The selection of all- operation. Designers try to improve pumping system
electric rather than hydraulic systems, which tend to be much reliability by oversizing equipment but the result is often less
more energy intensive, can greatly reduce energy reliability due to additional wear on equipment and low-
consumption [8]. Another recommendation is to increase the efficiency operation [13].
rate of material throughput for specific manufacturing Common warning signs of inefficient pumping system
processes, and to ensure that, where possible, machinery is operation include excessive noise in pipes and across valves,
being used to its full-capacity as to avoid energy loss from highly throttled flow control valves, heavy use of by-pass
idle equipment requirements. lines, heavy maintenance requirements (frequent replacement
of seals & bearings), intermittent pump operation, and high
3.2 Machining case study
energy costs [13]. These system inefficiencies can be caused
Of particular concern is machining, one of the most
by a number of problems including improper pump selection,
widely used manufacturing processes. The sensitivity of
poor system design, excessive wear-ring clearances, and
machining energy consumption to variations in system
wasteful flow control practices.
parameters was examined in a study by Munoz and Sheng
In systems served by oversized pumps, several
[11]. The effects of these factors were evaluated for both
corrective measures can be taken to lower system operating
high-rate transfer line and flexible job shop environments.
costs and extend equipment maintenance intervals. The best
The objective of the study was to present an integrated
correct measure to choose will depend on the system in
analysis of the energy footprint of machining processes and to
question and on the particular indicator that points to the
identify principal methods for minimizing the environmental
oversized pump problem [13]. An obvious remedy is to
impact of such practices [11]. Through analysis, the effects of
replace the pump/motor assembly with a more appropriately-
changes in operating, set-up, and design parameters on
sized version; however this is costly and may not be feasible
process energy consumption were estimated and later verified
in all situations. Alternatives to replacing the entire
by Branker [10].
pump/motor assembly include replacing an existing pump
Munoz and Sheng determined that process energy is
impeller with a smaller impeller, reducing the outside
independent of operating parameters such as tool speed, feed,
diameter of the existing impeller (impeller trimming),
and cut depth. However, the results of the case study showed
installing an adjustable speed drive (ASD) to control the
that the selection of cutting-fluid (set-up parameter) heavily
pump if flow varies over time, and adding a smaller pump to
influenced energy consumption, as did several design
reduce the intermittent operation of the existing pump (pony
parameters including the geometry of a designed part
pump) [13].
(dictating the volume of material removed), and work piece
In addition to making alterations to pumps, the
material selection (determining the hardness and the shear
piping configuration within a system can also be adjusted to
strength). These parameters can have a significant impact on
make operations more efficient, including determining the
energy wastage and must be taken into consideration when
proper pipe size, designing a piping system layout that
designing a product for manufacture, as well as when
minimizes pressure drops, and selecting low-loss components
establishing the set-up of a particular production system. The
[13]. As well, systems should be designed to avoid non-
results also showed that set-up planning for energy
uniform flow at the pump inlet. Care must be taken, however,
consumption becomes more significant for a job shop
to ensure that the pressure drop across a flow straightener
environment than for a transfer line [11].
does not cause cavitation [13].
4. Auxiliary & heating equipment energy consumption
4.2 Compressed air systems
One of the largest industrial energy requirements comes Another vital piece of auxiliary equipment within the
from auxiliary equipment. This includes pumping systems, manufacturing sector is compressed air. Almost every
fans and blowers, compressed air systems [12], and industrial plant, from a small machine shop to a large-scale
motor/drive systems. The enormous energy consumption by facility, has some type of compressed air system [12].
auxiliary equipment is due largely to the use of inefficient Investing in compressed air system upgrades or improvements
equipment and designs can result in energy savings from 20-50% or more of
Fortunately, a number of solutions exist for many auxiliary electricity consumption.
energy issues. These solutions are often simple and cheap to Leaks are a significant source of wasted energy in
implement if a facility is able to identify their system’s main industrial compressed air systems, sometimes wasting up to
energy needs and sources of inefficiency. The warning signs 20-30% of a compressor’s output [12, 14]. As a result, it is
and solutions outlined in this paper are a summary of the more important for manufacturers to regularly monitor their
detailed sourcebooks that have been developed by the U.S. compressed air systems and mitigate leak sources where
Department of Energy (DOE). possible. In addition to being a source of wasted energy, leaks
can also contribute to other operating losses, such as system
4.1 Pumping systems pressure drops, increased running time, and added
Pumps are widely used in industry to provide cooling unnecessary compressor capacity.
and lubrication services, to transfer fluids for processing, and There are a number of available fixes for compressed air
to provide motive forces in hydraulic systems [13]. They are leaks, with many being cheap and easy to implement. Since
essential to the daily operations of many manufacturing leaks occur most commonly near joints and connections,
facilities so reliability is of high importance. Ensuring that fixing leaks may be as easy as ensuring joining areas are
system needs are met during worst-case conditions can cause sufficiently tightened [14]. As well, selecting high quality
328 K. O’Rielly and J. Jeswiet / Procedia CIRP 15 (2014) 325 – 330

fittings, disconnects, and tubing, and installing them properly 4.4 Process heating systems
with appropriate thread sealant will help reduce the Process heating systems are also an essential aspect in the
occurrence of compressed air leaks. manufacture of most products and they can be broken into
Non-operating equipment can be an additional source of three basic categories: 1) fuel-based, 2) electric-based, and 3)
leaks. As a result, equipment no longer in use should be steam-based process heating, with the type of heating source
isolated by installing a valve in the distribution system [14]. selected depending on the availability, cost, and efficiency of
Another way to reduce leaks is to lower the air pressure of the energy sources in a particular area [16].
system. The lower the pressure, the lower the rate of flow, In order to identify process heating improvement
which results in reduced leakage rates. In some cases, the opportunities within the manufacturing sector it is helpful to
replacement of aging or faulty equipment, such as couplings, understand common losses and avoidable costs within heating
fittings, and drains, may be required. systems. Unfortunately, many companies focus on
Once leaks have been repaired, it is important to continue productivity related issues and overlook energy savings
to monitor a compressed air system to ensure system available from industrial utility systems, such as process
performance is being maintained. In particular, the heating.
compressor control system should be re-evaluated
periodically to ensure maximum system efficiency is being 4.4.1 Fuel-based process heating systems
achieved and to determine potential sources of energy savings Opportunities to improve fuel-based heating efficiency are
[14]. related to optimizing the combustion process, extracting
and/or recovering energy from the exhaust gases, and
4.3 Motors reducing the amount of energy lost to the environment [16].
Motors are the backbone of the industrial sector; Some common inefficiency warning signs within
practically every step within a manufacturing process utilizes fuel-based heating systems include the presence of
one or more motors during the course of production. combustion air leaks downstream of a control valve, poor
Understanding the requirements of a system and how to size a control of the system’s fuel/air mixture over its range of
motor accordingly is an important first step in the motor operating conditions, higher than necessary operating and
selection process [15]. exhaust gas temperatures, localized cold spots, furnace shell
Motor efficiencies vary according to several factors and casing conditions such as hot spots, cracks, or insulation
but generally range from 85-97% at full load [15]. Two of the detachment, as well as piping insulation sagging and
primary factors affecting motor efficiency are speed (high- distortion [16].
speed motors tend to be more efficient) and motor size (larger Major loss sources from fuel-based process heating
motors tend to be more efficient). Unfortunately, motors are systems include the walls, air infiltration, openings in furnace
often chosen to meet peak loading, meaning they are grossly walls and doors, water or air-cooled parts within the system,
oversized for day-to-day operations, resulting in poor overall extended parts from the furnace, and poor insulation [16].
system performance, increased maintenance and decreased Insulating materials, such as brick, heat-shields, and fibre
reliability [15]. A more effective way of ensuring high mats, as well as the proper sealing of openings, are essential
reliability is to design a system and specify system in minimizing heat that can be lost to the surroundings. Fixing
components so that the system’s operating efficiency is high leaks around the furnace chamber and properly operating a
over the full range of operating conditions. pressure control system can be a cost-effective way to
A number of indicators of poor system design and improve furnace efficiency. As well, water or air-cooled parts
inefficient motor operation exist including high energy costs, should be avoided where possible or insulated to avoid direct
abrupt or frequent system start/stops, high noise levels, hot exposure to the hot furnace surroundings and the extension of
work environments, and frequent maintenance requirements parts from the furnace itself should also be appropriately
[15]. considered in the design stage in order to mitigate heat loss
Electric motors are relatively inefficient when they [16].
are operated at light loads (below 40% of rated load) and are Heat transfer improvements can be made by
most efficient at about 70-80% load. A good rule of thumb is maintaining clean heat transfer surfaces by using soot blowers
to size motors to operate at about 75% load [15]. While in boilers, burning off carbon and other deposits from radiant
oversizing motors tends to be the largest issue within industry, tubes, cleaning heat exchanger surfaces and by establishing
undersizing motors can be equally problematic as it causes proper furnace zone temperatures to increase heat transfer
elevated winding temperatures, which can shorten the [16].
operating life of the motor. As a rule of thumb, every 10ºC
rise in winding temperature reduces insulation life by half 4.4.2 Steam-based process heating systems
[15]. Boilers account for a significant amount of the
One of the most common ways to improve the energy used in industrial process heating. In fact, the fuel used
efficiency of a motor system is to simply replace a motor with to generate steam accounts for 84% of the total energy used in
one of a more appropriate size or type. However, this solution the pulp and paper industry, 47% of the energy used in the
can often be costly as it requires the premature replacement of chemical manufacturing industry, and 51% of the energy used
key equipment. A cheaper alternative can be to install a in the petroleum refining industry [17].
speed-adjusting device on the motor. The advantages of using Steam-based process heating can be very complex and
motor speed control include lower system energy costs, as a result a number of sources of inefficiency can arise within
improved system reliability, reduced maintenance a system. The most common sources of loss within a steam
requirements and more effective process control [15]. system include the presence of excess air, clogging of boiler
 K. O’Rielly and J. Jeswiet / Procedia CIRP 15 (2014) 325 – 330 329

surfaces, steam leaks, steam ventilation, inadequate piping, in heat exchangers are highly dependent on composition and
valve, fitting, and vessel insulation, unused lines within the phase of waste heat streams and the deposition of fouling
system, and the loss of heat through exhaust flue streams [17]. substances. Methods for addressing fouling include filtering
Fortunately, mitigation strategies and techniques exist contaminated streams, constructing the exchanger with
to deal with such losses including increasing the thickness of advanced materials, increasing heat exchanger surface areas,
insulation within the system to reduce heat loss from piping and designing the heat exchanger for easy access and cleaning
and equipment surfaces, monitoring boiler surfaces and [18].
cleaning them regularly to promote effective heat transfer Several additional factors can determine whether heat
from combustion gases to the steam, regularly monitoring for recovery is feasible in a given application. For example,
steam leaks and repairing them where to possible to mitigate small-scale operations are less likely to install heat recovery
steam loss, and isolating steam from unused lines in order to systems, since sufficient capital may not be available, and
minimize avoidable losses [17]. because payback periods may be longer. Another concern is
One or all of the above mentioned techniques, in the ease of access to the waste heat source. In some cases, the
addition to regular system maintenance, monitoring, and physical constraints created by equipment arrangements
upgrading can ensure a highly efficient process heating prevent easy access to the heat source, or prevent the
system is achieved. installation of any additional equipment for recovering the
heat [18]. Additionally, constraints are presented by the
5 Waste heat recovery systems transportability of heat streams. Hot liquid streams in process
Waste heat recovery offers the manufacturing sector an industries are frequently recovered, since they are easily
incredible opportunity to save energy and improve efficiency. transportable. Piping systems are easy to tap into and the
It is estimated that somewhere between 20-50% of industrial energy can be easily transported via piping to the recovery
energy input is lost as waste heat in the form of hot exhaust equipment. In contrast, hot solid streams (e.g. ingots, castings)
gases, cooling water, or heat lost from equipment surfaces and can contain significant amounts of energy but it is not easily
heated products [18]. accessible or transportable to recovery equipment [18]. As a
Numerous technologies are commercially available for result, waste energy recovery is not widely practiced with hot
waste heat recovery and a number of industrial facilities have solid materials.
upgraded or are improving their energy productivity by
installing these technologies. Despite this, waste heat recovery 6 Tools and resources for Canadian manufacturers
remains relatively unexplored. This is largely due to the fact Energy efficiency presents enormous opportunities for
that heat recovery isn’t feasible or possible in certain Canada, saving Canadians money, stimulating economic
instances and a number of barriers exist to the implementation growth and job creation, increasing productivity, improving
of these technologies [18]. our competitiveness and increasing exports [3]. Not only does
In March of 2008 the DOE in the U.S., under its increased efficiency offer the potential for significant
Industrial Technologies Program (ITP), had a waste heat economic savings, it also provides a significant reduction in
recovery study conducted by BCS Incorporated. The study environmental impact. In fact, improving energy efficiency
was a comprehensive investigation into current industrial levels within the general manufacturing sector is one of the
waste heat recovery practices, opportunities, and barriers. The most cost-effective ways that Canada can meet its emission
information utilized within this section draws largely from the reduction target of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 [3].
conclusions and recommendations of that study.
In general three essential components are required for 6.1 Tools
waste heat recovery to be successful: 1) accessible source of As previously mentioned enormous energy savings can
waste heat, 2) recovery technology, and 3) use for the result by improving the efficiency of industrial systems,
recovered energy [18]. Despite the significant environmental however many companies shy away from these opportunities
and energy benefits of waste heat recovery, its due to lack of expertise or inadequate resources. Fortunately,
implementation depends primarily on the economics and a number of programs and resources exist which can aid in the
perceived technical risks, with most industrial manufacturing implementation of efficiency improvement strategies.
facilities are unlikely to invest in waste heat recovery projects Some examples of useful software programs for
that have a payback period of more than 3 years [18]. manufacturers looking to improve their facilities’ energy
Evaluating the feasibility of waste heat recovery requires efficiency include the Pumping System Assessment Tool
characterizing the waste heat source and the stream to which (PSAT), the MotorMaster+ database, the AirMaster+
the heat will be transferred. Important waste stream program, and the Process Heating Assessment and Survey
parameters include heat quantity or a measure of how much Tool (PHAST), available through the U.S. DOE. These
energy is contained in a waste heat stream, heat quality, waste programs are designed to help industrial users assess the
stream temperature, and composition. efficiency of their auxiliary and process heating systems.
Temperature range has important ramifications for the They use the most up-to-date performance data available to
selection of materials in heat exchanger designs, as corrosion calculate potential savings in energy and the costs associated
and oxidation reactions, like all chemical reactions, are with system modifications. It can be extremely beneficial for
accelerated dramatically by temperature increases [18]. If the manufacturing facilities, both large and small, to use these
waste heat source contains corrosive substances, the heat programs, as it saves both time and resources and allows
recovery surfaces can quickly become damaged and certain companies to focus efficiency programs on the most effective
materials, like carbon steel above 425ºC and stainless steel areas.
above 650ºC, can begin to oxidize. As well, heat transfer rates
 330 K. O’Rielly and J. Jeswiet / Procedia CIRP 15 (2014) 325 – 330

6.2 Canadian industrial example untapped energy is the energy we waste.”[3] It’s time we
A Canadian jet fan manufacturer is an example of a started using or at least reducing it!
company that has been proactive in increasing manufacturing
efficiency and environmental performance, including the Acknowledgements
reduction of waste products and toxins from all its We would like to thank Mr. Howard Rutman, Energy and
manufacturing facilities. Projects Manager at Pratt and Whitney Canada, for all his
The company has undertaken a number of energy help and expertise and for providing details regarding the
efficiency initiatives at two separate manufacturing facilities. energy efficiency projects undertaken by PWC at two of their
In one facility this includes the consolidation of an existing manufacturing facilities.
boiler system. In Canada, gas and oil boilers under 300 000
Btu/hr (88kW) are regulated under the Canadian Energy References
Efficiency Act [19], hence compliance with the Act was
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௚஼ைమ
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ெ௃
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Renewable Energy Laboratory; 2007.
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[17] U.S. Department of Energy. Improving steam system performance: A
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in industry. Instead of viewing efficiency requirements as a Laboratory; 2012.
problem, companies must look at them for what they really [18] U.S. Department of Energy. Waste heat recovery: Technology and
are – a chance for companies to simultaneously yield opportunities in U.S. industry. BCS Inc.; 2008.
economic and environmental benefits. Major gains in [19] (2013, November). Government of Canada. Energy Efficiency Act.
Canadian industrial energy consumption are quite possible, [Online]. Available: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-
94-651/index.html
we need only open our minds to the idea that these gains are
worth the effort. After all, “one of the greatest sources of

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