CO2 saving through efficient heat recovery in chain production.
For many years, using heat energy multiple times has been an approach at Wippermann to reduce CO2 emissions. Due to the energy-intensive chain production in particular, this provides a considerable potential, which we are now further exploiting with a new, state-of-the-art heat recovery system.
As early as 2012, a complex heat exchanger system was installed to extract the heat from the exhaust gases of our conveyor furnace line and use it several times. Now we have put into operation a new, state-of-the-art heat recovery system from the specialist Acritudo Systems in Iserlohn, Germany. The new system is based on energy recovery from up to 400°C hot exhaust gases of the endogas generators.
“The endogas generators produce the process gas that we use to generate special atmospheres in our furnace lines. One of the tasks is to prevent oxidation on the components (function as a protective gas). Since the production of the process gas in the generators is very energy-intensive, recovery of the waste heat for further use offers a perfect solution," explains Dr. Jakob Küpferle, Head of Engineering at Wippermann. “The new, highly efficient heat recovery system helps us to achieve our corporate goals both at the level of CO2 emissions and at the level of energy costs.
Comprehensive Hot Water Supply from Process Waste Heat
According to initial calculations, which will be further verified during ongoing operation, the new system has a capacitiy to generate up to 400 MWh per year. Based on the energy mix currently used by the company, this corresponds to an annual CO2 saving of approx. 85 tons. Coupled with generously dimensioned buffer storage, the generated heat energy is used to supply hot water to the washrooms with showers, for example, and to heat the entire office building. For an even better use of the generated heat energy outside the heating season, an expansion stage has already been projected, according to Dr. Küpferle: “To remove contaminations from the material surfaces, cleaning systems are integrated into our manufacturing process. In the future, these temperature-controlled cleaning systems will also be supplied via heat recovery, enabling us to develop even further potential for CO2 savings.”