BOILERS, PUMPS & VALVES FEATURE
FLASH STEAM RECOVERY trims gas bill around 10%
A fish feed producer has cut its gas bill by nearly 10% with the help of a Spirax Sarco system to recover energy from flash steamthat would otherwise be lost to atmosphere
B
iomar Grangemouth has sliced 9-10% off its annual gas bill with the
help of a system to recover energy from flash steam that would otherwise be lost to atmosphere. The aquaculture manufacturer says that the energy savings alone mean that the Flash Recovery Energy Management Equipment (FREME) engineered system from Spirax Sarco has paid for itself around 10 times in the four years since installation. Biomar Grangemouth supplies over
100,000 tonnes of fish feed annually. The site uses around 7700 kg/h of steam in its production process with its flat bed dryers alone using between 2500 and 4500 kg/hr. Before the arrival of the Spirax Sarco system the flash steam from the returning dryer condensate was vented to atmosphere. “We decided to recover this wasted
energy as part of a group wide policy to save energy and reduce visible emissions,” explains Christopher Strain, engineering manager at Biomar Grangemouth. “Spirax Sarco worked with Biomar to design, build and deliver a complete package flash steam recovery system. Close co-ordination between Spirax Sarco and our team ensured the system was delivered on time, on specification and on budget.” Condensate and flash steam from the
dryers enters a flash recovery vessel which separates them into two streams. Each stream then flows through its own
dedicated plate heat exchanger which transfers the energy in the flash steam and condensate to the boiler feedwater. The system is positioned on the high- pressure (downstream) side of the feed pump so it safely raises the temperature of the pressurised feedwater to around 130°C rather than the 85°C typically achieved under the old regime. Preassembled at Spirax Sarco’s
Cheltenham facility, the system was supplied skid-mounted and installed and integrated with Biomar’s existing systems during a single, normal maintenance shutdown.
The improved quality of the condensate minimises boiler contamination and corrosion
“The modular approach was helpful for
the installation and the Spirax Sarco team was very supportive,” says Strain. Biomar has experienced a range of
benefits following the installation including substantial energy and water savings and improvements in the stability of the steam system with less firing up and down in the boiler. The improved quality of the condensate
minimises boiler contamination and corrosion with a knock-on effect on maintenance costs and downtime. “Overall savings on water treatment fell
by almost 40%,” continues Strain. “We have seen substantial savings in both direct and indirect costs on maintenance time and manpower and increased uptime on boiler performance.” The Spirax Sarco system has delivered
on a further goal of the project by eliminating unsightly plumes of steam from outside the building. “Project management was integral to
the service provided by Spirax Sarco and our contact Allan Stewart,” concludes Strain. “This was delivered in a professional manner and maintained with follow-up site visits to ensure the system was working at its optimum level and that every possible kilowatt of energy was being utilised.”
Spirax Sarco T: 01242 573703
www.spiraxsarco.com/uk
Enter 326 BOILER HELPS CONVERT FOOD WASTE INTO RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY
A leading UK recycling, renewable energy and waste management company has installed a Babcock Wanson HEB 1050 hot water boiler into its anaerobic digestion plant. Each year Viridor transforms over two million tonnes of materials into high quality recyclate and yet more into over 760 gigawatt hours of renewable energy.
It operates several anaerobic
digestion (AD) facilities across the UK which use renewable energy technology to capture methane expelled by digesting unwanted food within enclosed tanks. The gas is then used as a source of energy for heat and electricity which is fed into the National Grid. To aid the production of methane the digestors are warmed by
circulating hot water around them. A Babcock Wanson HEB 1050 hot water boiler has been used to start the initial AD process and acts as a standby should the combined heat and power (CHP) system require maintenance or supplementary heat. Gas oil fired, the boiler has been supplied as a fully containerised solution for ease of installation and operation. The AD plant will be able to process up to 30,000 tonnes of food waste
/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT
per year and is expected to save Somerset council tax payers £200,000 a year. Gas from the plant will be used initially to generate electricity (about 9,500 MWh a year) with nearly four-fifths exported to the Grid - enough to power more than 1,700 homes. In addition to converting the waste into biogas it produces a nutrient
rich digestate used on local farms as a fertiliser and soil improver. Babcock Wanson’s HEB Boiler is a forced-circulation, fully automatic
packaged unit, specifically designed for high efficiency and long working life. The reverse flame design provides optimum furnace loading while the radial firetube assembly minimises material stresses. An easily reversible front door allows simple and quick access for inspection of the combustion chamber and reversal tubes without the need to remove the burner.
Babcock Wanson
www.babcock-wanson.co.uk
T: 020 8953 7111 Enter 327
FACTORY EQUIPMENT | SEPTEMBER 2014 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64