Energy saving: Industries with thermal processes are currently forced to assume the constant increase in energy costs due to the uncontrolled rise in fuel prices. A situation that penalizes its operability and even puts its future competitiveness at risk.

At Soluciones Integrales de Combustion, we design and install the necessary energy optimization measures to achieve energy savings and deal with the convulsive situation to which we are exposed.

How to improve the energy saving of the facility?

What can industrial plants do on the path to optimizing thermal and combustion facilities? How to improve the energy saving of the plant? The recent energy emergency situation makes it more necessary than ever to consider the installation of energy saving solutions in boilers, such as the installation of economizers or hot air preheaters, combustion optimization systems, high pressure condensate collection systems temperature and state-of-the-art combustion systems that can lower our energy bill.

Optimizing the operation of boilers is a key objective for managers of plants in steam and combustion processes that seek energy efficiency, prolonging the useful life of boilers and achieving considerable savings.

Measures to improve the performance of combustion facilities

From Soluciones Integrales de Combustion (Comprehensive Combustion Solutions) we want to propose some flashes with measures to improve the performance of thermal and combustion installations and to help in the energy saving of plants:

• Measurement and monitoring of the process. The energy saving study allows you to reduce your electricity/gas bill from the first moment, by controlling gas concentrations in the boiler hearth. In turn, monitoring the process allows deviations to be anticipated and corrected. Increased safety and reliability and upgraded control to accommodate Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) compliance. 
• Thermal isolation. Properly insulated boilers, pipes and installations offer greater efficiency and energy savings.
• Combustion optimization through heat recovery:
  • Installation of economizers.  The design and installation of economizers is used to transfer heat between fluids in heating systems, energy production, air conditioning… It can increase the performance of the installation by up to 5%. 
  • Combustión air preheaters. Heat recovery systems such as preheaters allow the transfer of heat from the outgoing combustion gases to fresh air, which thus enters again towards the burner or combustion furnace. This mechanism is capable of reducing polluting emissions and the smoke outlet temperature, while saving fuel. They can increase the yield of the installation between 3 and 5%. At Soluciones Integrales de Combustion, we use the preheater ducts together with a Flue Gas Recirculation System. It is mainly used for the reduction of NO (nitric oxide) contained in the exhaust gas of thermal combustion processes. It is an old method that can effectively keep NOx emissions to a very low level and helps improve energy efficiency.

• Improved combustion. Identification of key parameters for combustion adjustment in order to optimize emissions and heat transfer (fuel and air distribution, excess O2, etc.). Modernization of combustion systems and their control. New innovative technologies for combustion systems with better performance. Utilization and updating of biomass combustion systems.
• High efficiency boilers. Longer life and higher performance boilers.
• Fuel changes:
  • Changes in fuels used, such as switching to natural gas or biogas from existing diesel or fuel oil combustion systems at a facility.
  • Change to poly-fuel system. Use of various fuel gases in variable proportions.
  • Switch to renewable energy sources such as biomass
• System adjustments and reengineering. Utilization and updating of combustion systems 
• Change of atmospheric condensate system to pressurized system. When the condensate is recovered in a recovery tank that works under pressure, it can be recovered at much higher temperatures and in the event that it is sent directly to the boiler, the system takes advantage of the greater heat of the condensate and reduces the consumption of fuel.

In any case, the adoption of one or another measure or of a global package of measures will depend on the situation from which the specific combustion facility starts. The Soluciones Integrales de Combustión technicians have extensive experience and can provide you with the necessary advice and support in the analysis and definition process from the company’s Thermal Engineering department.