The Future is Bright in Pennsylvania

Best Practices - Steam Recovery

1. Recovering waste heat can reduce a typical facility’s total energy use by about 5% with an average simple payback of 16 months.
2. Reducing net stack temperature (outlet temperature minus inlet combustion air temperature) by 40°F is estimated to reduce the boiler’s fuel use by 1% to 2%.
3. Preheating furnace combustion air with recovered waste heat can save up to 50% of the furnace’s energy use.
4. Using an economizer to capture flue gas waste heat and preheat boiler feedwater can reduce a boiler’s fuel use by up to 5%.
5. Removing a 1/32 inch deposit on boiler’s heat transfer surfaces can reduce a boiler’s energy use by 2%; removing a 1/8 inch deposit can reduce a boiler’s energy use by over 8%.
6. Gas turbines with heat recovery equipment typically cost from $600 to $1,000/kW. Larger gas turbines may be available for half the cost per kW.
7. A typical cogeneration project may reduce primary energy consumption (including fuel inputs at off-site powerplants for purchased electricity) for steam and electricity generation by 10% to 15%.
8. Cogeneration systems can save about 9% of a typical facility’s primary fuel inputs for on-site energy use (i.e., including fuel savings at off-site powerplants for purchased electricity) with an average simple payback of 34 months.