Renewable energy and decarbonization require a holistic approach, one based on both a thorough understanding of the available tools and a balance of core business objectives with sustainability targets.
Industry still relies on fossil-based fuels to meet the global energy demand. The energy demand globally is expected to be nearly met by fossil-based fuel (coal, natural gas, and oil), which is expected to constitute 78% of all energy sources in 20401. Consequently, carbon capture storage and utilization of fossil-based emissions are essential for meeting sustainability targets.
Companies of all sizes are increasing their renewable energy programs in pursuit of decarbonization and net-zero goals. But even with renewable targets in place, many plants need assistance in establishing where to start or find the best path to reduced CO2 emissions.
NESTEC Inc. has been pursuing and is continuing the quest to reduce CO2 emissions from the utilization of fossil-based fuels at all its air pollution control (APC) installations. Maximizing thermal efficiency, including recirculation and/or cascading, and secondary heat recovery all contribute to substantial reductions in CO2 emissions.
EPA: “Although for a given fuel there is a direct inverse correlation between combustion turbine EGU efficiency and CO2 emissions23 (i.e., as efficiency goes up, CO2 emissions go down and vice versa), other factors must be considered when comparing the effectiveness of GHG control technologies to improve the efficiency……” Draft White Paper: Available and Emerging Technologies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Combustion Turbine Electric Generating Units
A complete evaluation of the process application with the associated APC system can ensure that not only is the APC thermal efficiency maximized and the energy consumption minimized but that all the associated process system energy is also minimized to establish the best and most economical solution as well as the lowest possible CO2 emission for the application.
For example, NESTEC’s APC installation at a Wood Pellet facility reduced the potential CO2 by 1,500 lbs per hour or 6,000 tons per year in addition to reducing the operating costs with a savings of $600,000 per year.
Several other NESTEC APC installations have also unlocked significant reductions in CO2 and operating savings.
NESTEC installed a complete Integral system for a paper filter manufacturer, which included a 70,000 SCFM RTO (Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer) along with a heat recovery boiler. The RTO maintains the VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) and HAP (Hazardous Air Pollutant) control requirement and operates with virtually no fuel consumption. In addition, the RTO provides 31,000 lbs per hour of steam from the heat recovery boiler. Based on a fuel cost of $4.00/mmBTU and 8,700 hours per year operation, NESTEC’s solution saves $1,225,000 per year in process fuel. It also eliminates 19,165 tons per year of CO2 from the associated combustion of 306,000 mmBTU/yr of fuel.
NESTEC installed two 46,000 SCFM RTO systems to a potato frying processing facility. The potato drying section of the process, just before the fryer, requires clean, indirectly heated air to remove moisture in the potato after they have been blanched. The exhaust energy from the RTO’s pass through a secondary heat recovery system to preheat the clean ambient air required for the dryers. Based on a fuel cost $4.00/mmBTU and 8,700 hours per year operation, NESTEC’s solution saves $330,000 per year in process fuel.
NESTEC installed 50,000 SCFM RTO systems for a beverage can manufacturing facility. The system included a baghouse, concentrator, and RTO for a complete APC system with a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions.
At NESTEC our people do incredible things to provide the best and most economical total air emission control solutions. Innovative solutions need not be large, futuristic, or expensive. NESTEC’s most up-to-date thinking, investigations, and innovations have provided total solutions that tackle some of the most complex challenges.
NESTEC’s total capture, collection, and emission control systems include a cartridge baghouse, rotary concentrator, and RTO equipment.
If you have an application or existing RTO/RCO for air emission control and/or energy conservation and want a system that will:
- Reduce CO2 emissions and shrink your carbon footprint
- Power a circular economy
- Provide alternate solutions to minimize your capital expenditure
- Reduce your energy bill
- Lower stack testing costs to a single stack
- Include easy maintainable equipment
- Provide simple and long-term reliability components (see: https://www.nestecinc.com/news/innovation)
- Offer 24/7 service and engineering support
- Provide access to NESTEC’s warehouse of replacement components
Contact NESTEC for a free process analysis and/or proposal
Office: 610.323.7670
Jim Nester, jnester@nestecinc.com (Sales)
Jaymie Deemer, jdeemer@nestecinc.com (Sales)
Rick Reimlinger, Vice President: rick.reimlinger@nestecinc.com
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