EFFICIENT ENERGY USE
Efficient Energy Use brought together experts from industry and research institutions to develop novel ways to control the energy consumption of equipment and energy systems.
The energy efficiency of devices and systems is increasingly significant due to ambitious climate goals and intensifying global competition. To maintain and improve the international competitiveness, simple replacement of individual units with more effective ones is not adequate. Rather, energy consumption needs to be monitored and controlled within a broader scope. The research programme Efficient Energy Use (EFEU) provided a forum for producers, distributors and users of energy, developers of equipment and data systems, and research institutions to work together to develop energy efficient solutions and systems. The EFEU programme focused on future energy systems wherein energy is produced both by energy companies, and by consumers. Researchers modelled regional energy systems and developed simulation methods to assess alternative methods and development paths for energy production and distribution. They also developed operations models to improve energy use efficiency. The EFEU researchers focused on the development of new technologies and control systems for types of equipment which traditionally consume significant quantities of energy, particularly in the process industry, domestic water supply and district heating networks. Results of the EFEU research programme serve to strengthen Finnish expertise and competitiveness in rapidly developing international markets. This report presents examples of EFEU research programme results. The five-year EFEU research programme concludes in December 2016. A total of 13 companies and 5 research institutions took part in the programme. The total value of the programme was approximately EUR 12 million, with companies contributing 42% of the costs, public research institutions 9% and Tekes 49%.
COMPANIES ABB OY ANDRITZ OY EMPOWER IM OY FORTUM OYJ FORTUM POWER AND HEAT OY GASUM OY HELEN OY KUMERA OY SULZER PUMPS FINLAND OY SKF OY VALMET TECHNOLOGIES OY WÄRTSILÄ FINLAND OY WELLQUIP OY
RESEARCH INSTITUTES AALTO UNIVERSITY LAPPEENRANTA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY TAMPERE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY VTT TECHNICAL RESEARCH CENTRE OF FINLAND LTD ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
The research programme was included in CLEEN Ltd’s project portfolio. CLEEN was one of the Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation (SHOK) for companies and research institutions in the energy and environmental sector in 2008–2015. In September 2015, CLEEN and the Finnish Bioeconomy Cluster (FIBIC) merged to form CLIC Innovation Ltd. Jussi Manninen, program manager, EFEU research programme, 2012–2013 Juha Leppävuori, program manager, EFEU research programme, 2014–2016 Jatta Jussila-Suokas, CTO, CLEEN Ltd/CLIC Innovation Ltd, 2012–2015 Pia Saari, CTO, CLIC Innovation Ltd, 2016–
TABLE OF CONT ENTS BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH Competitive edge through energy efficiency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
RESEARCH AREAS AND KEY RESULTS Energy efficient basis for future energy systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Electricity savings with next generation equipment and services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Benefits to participants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND How to measure energy efficiency?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
RESEARCH RESULTS Improved energy efficiency through new methods and services . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cooperation in energy production. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Optimised total consumption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The district heating networks will change - But how? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Preparing for the increasing role of consumers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Towards renewable energy using gas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 LNG terminals as drivers of technology export. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Support for increased biogas production. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Consumption decreased with next generation equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 A 25% reduction in pulper’s power consumption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Savings by combining the pump and motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Data to cloud lowers electricity costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Remote diagnostics to help users and developers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
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BACKGROUND OF THE RESE ARCH
Competitive edge through energy efficiency At best, an investment made in energy efficiency pays for itself many times over by reducing the energy bill and, indirectly, numerous other costs. Efficient energy use also helps to achieve climate goals.
BACKGROUND OF THE RESE ARCH
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J U HA L E P PÄV U OR I program manage r t he E F E U re se arch pro gramme
Global warming can be mitigated by limiting carbon dioxide emissions. Solar and wind power and renewable fuels are widely regarded as the most promising technologies for carbon dioxide emissions reduction. However, new methods in energy production are not adequate to sufficiently reduce carbon dioxide emissions if energy consumption continues to rise as before. In 2014, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that as much as 40% of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions required by 2050 can be achieved by improving energy efficiency. At that time, the objective was to limit the increase in atmospheric temperatures to two degrees centigrade. Later, the Paris Agreement refined the objective as an increase in global mean atmospheric temperature of less than two degrees centigrade. “Luckily, there are many unused opportunities for improving energy efficiency,” says Juha Leppävuori, program manager of the Efficient Energy Use (EFEU) research programme from VTT.
Next generation equipment and services Unlike many other climate investments, improved energy efficiency reduces emissions and also yields other benefits. “Energy efficiency offers a competitive edge. Not only does energy efficiency reduce emissions and energy bills, it also helps to reduce side effects such as vibration and heat, which is good for both equipment and its users,” Leppävuori says. Energy efficiency also offers a competitive edge to companies that develop products and services for energy consumers. “Energy efficiency offers exceptional potential for companies that do not compete on product price,” says Leppävuori. He believes that inefficient equipment will lose its market share despite any purchase cost advantage.
Smarter energy systems As well as developing more energy-efficient equipment, energy consumption can also be reduced by optimising the way energy is used with respect to dimensioning and control. “It is becoming increasingly important to assess the use of energy at the systems level, instead of focusing on individual equipment or buildings,” Leppävuori says. He sees significant areas for improvement, for example, in the process industry and in water supply and district heating networks where high volumes of fluids are transferred over long distances. According to Leppävuori, the opportunity now exists to develop novel ways to improve the efficiency of energy systems, as energy systems will face rapid development over the coming years and decades. In future energy systems, load following power production will support solar and wind power, and consumers will also produce power and heat. In addition to the electricity network, changes are needed in gas and district heating networks.
Collaboration is key to success “The Internet of Things, to which more and more units will be connected in the near future, makes it easier to monitor and control large systems. However, it is important that all stakeholders develop these systems and related business models together. What we need is more and more collaboration,” Leppävuori says. He believes that closer collaboration will gradually have an impact on ownership. Would it be useful to produce steam together with neighbouring plants? Does a property need to own its solar panels? Leppävuori expects the sharing economy to expand steadily to industry from the consumer market.
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Results ( S TAT U S AT T H E E N D O F A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 )
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PEER-RE VIE WED SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES
D O C TO R A L D I S S E R TAT I O N S
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MA STER’S THESES
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OT H E R R E S U LT S Active partnership networks established between companies and research institutions
B AC H E LO R ’ S T H E S E S
Connections established with international research programmes and organisations
The EFEU research programme focused on efficient energy use in regional energy systems and, on a more detailed level, in the process industry.
Energy efficient basis for future energy systems
Electricity savings with next generation equipment and services
Energy systems that produce, transfer and use power and heat are expected to face radical changes in the future. The EFEU research programme developed techniques to improve energy system efficiency, starting from the planning of business models.
Pumps, fans and compressors consume large quantities of electricity in the process industry, domestic water supply, and district heating and gas networks. The EFEU research programme developed ways to improve energy efficiency of pump and mixer systems as well as related services.
Results, p. 12–19
Results, p. 20–25
RESE ARCH ARE A S AND KEY RESULTS
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Benefits to participants CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTNERS “The EFEU programme enabled steps in energy efficiency development, which ABB would not have been able to take on its own. Research institutions gave us a significant boost for our own technology research, and we were able to consider system level solutions together with our customers and their customers. The way in which the programme was funded steered the participating companies and research institutions towards confidential collaboration. This turned out to be an excellent solution, and is certainly more productive than the use of separate projects. The EFEU programme has set up a network that will remain vital even after the programme. The network represents the future market where not many can make it on their own. We need to build future systems with a shared goal – efficient energy use.” J U KK A TO LVANEN Chairm an o f the ste e r i ng group of t he E F E U programme Prog ram m anager AB B
WAYS TO EXAMINE COMPLETE SYSTEMS “In future we want to offer complete energy-efficient solutions for regional energy systems. That is why we want to develop methods and services that support regional energy planning. By conducting research and building models together with other partners in the EFEU programme, we have been able to develop our tools for simulating energy production and consumption in specific regions, and even in individual buildings. We have tested these tools in large systems and shared information about different parts of energy systems. With our partners, we have been able to do research in way that would not have been possible on our own.” M AR JA E N GLU N D man age r, exte r nal R & D ne t w or k s Fo r t um
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THEORE TICAL BACKGROUND
TI M O L AU KK AN E N l aborator y e n gi n e e r Aal to Uni ve r s i t y
How to measure energy efficiency? Not all energy is of the same quality. This observation helps to improve the efficiency of energy use and to reduce emissions more effectively than merely accounting for the amount or price of energy consumed. If the efficiency of a device or process is high, the majority of the energy consumed is transformed into the desired form, e.g. power, heat or motion. In contrast, if the efficiency of the device is low, a substantial portion of consumed energy is wasted as heat, vibration and noise. In general, a device which operates at high efficiency is considered to be more energy efficient. “When measuring energy efficiency, it is rarely considered that energy can also be rated in terms of quality,” says Timo Laukkanen, laboratory engineer at Aalto University. He emphasises that, for example, electrical energy is always more valuable than the same quantity of energy contained in hot water. Electricity can be fully converted into heat, but heat cannot even theoretically be fully converted into electricity. We talk about exergy. Its value depends not only on the form of energy, but also on the environment. Water at 30°C is more valuable in cold weather than during warm seasons.
EXERGY: AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR IN ADDITION TO ENERGY According to Laukkanen, it would be more illustrative and useful to measure exergy rather than energy when the aim is to improve the long-term energy efficiency and positively impact carbon dioxide emissions. “It is true that there is practical engineering expertise in the industry that is actually based on this way of thinking, even though exergy is not measured directly.” In addition to exergy, Laukkanen also encourages assessment of the entire life cycle of energy production, which allows comparison between the primary energy of an energy source and the energy consumed during transportation and handling. “Primary energy” refers to energy content of an energy source before transportation and conversion into a usable form such as heat or electricity. Primary energy sources include wind, wood, coal and uranium. “At best, energy efficiency is measured using three indicators: energy, exergy and primary energy.”
THEORE TICAL BACKGROUND
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H E AT B E AT S E L E C T R I C I T Y Doing the dishes by hand consumes nearly a quarter less energy than a dishwasher when comparing the energy required to heat water. Using exergy as an indicator, washing by hand slightly increases the lead in terms of efficiency. When comparing primary energy the winner is clear. An electric dishwasher uses nearly three times more primary energy than that required to heat a sink full of water using district heating. In other words, high-quality electric energy should not be used for tasks that can be performed using energy of a lower quality, i.e. district heating. A trade-off in this example is that washing by hand consumes more water. PRIMARY ENERGY
3,1 kWh ENERGY
1,0 kWh
THE PRIMARY ENERGY FACTOR FOR ELECTRICITY IS 3,10 EXERGY
1,0 kWh
WATER CONSUMPTION
WATER HEATING
BY ELECTRICITY
10 L
WATER HEATING
BY DISTRICT HEATING
WATER CONSUMPTION
15,8 L
15 ⁰C -> 55 ⁰C RINSING USING PARTLY COLD WATER
EXERGY
ENERGY
0,74 kWh
PRIMARY ENERGY
1,1 kWh
0,71 kWh
THE PRIMARY ENERGY FACTOR FOR DISTRICT HEATING IS 1,45
ELECTRICITY BEATS HEAT In electricity production, heat is inevitably generated in addition to electricity. From nuclear and condensing power plants, heat is released into the sea in the form of warm water. The efficiency of electricity production is 30–45%. In combined heat and power production, heat is distributed to buildings via the district heating network. The efficiency can be more than 90%, but only when there is a need for heat. It is difficult to use the energy contained by hot water for purposes other than heating, whereas an equivalent quantity of electric energy can readily be converted to heat at high efficiency.
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RESE ARCH RESULTS
Improved energy efficiency through new methods and services Producers, distributors and consumers of energy are developing new ways to work, both together and separately, while optimising energy efficiency. There is scope for involvement of service companies that improve energy efficiency. An energy balance model provides information to help these parties to assess alternatives and develop optimised models for the future energy system. With the rise of renewable energy production, both local and national energy systems will inevitably change. Energy production will shift from large power plants to decentralised solar and wind power plants, and consumers will also produce and distribute energy alongside companies. This change is already taking place, but how controlled is it? How efficient are the new energy systems? What happens to existing power plants? What happens to existing electricity, gas and district heating networks? Answers to these questions are essential for municipal decision-makers, energy producers and large consumers of energy. Definitive information regarding renewable energy systems and the resultant changes is largely lacking because these new energy systems are typically constructed as a multitude of small components within the current system in an environment where costs and regulations vary. The EFEU research programme sought ways to evaluate future scenarios by developing a regional energy balance model, i.e. a simulation model which represents current energy systems from the viewpoint of energy efficiency. Regional targets such as carbon neutrality, energy self-sufficiency and energy cooperation with industrial parties can be included in the model. The model offers an opportunity to see what the energy system may look like in 20–30 years. “Our aim was to build a model that helps one to understand on various levels what happens in each specific region, what kinds of operators there are, and what regional objectives mean in practice,” says Mika Luoranen, researcher and lecturer at Lappeenranta University of Technology. For example, if the objective of a town is that the majority of the energy volume it uses is renewable 15 years from now, the model illustrates the changes needed to reach this objective and opportunities for cooperation and business operations.
Researchers focused particularly on operations models and services that improve the efficient sharing of energy between producers and consumers and cooperation between stakeholders. “For example, if there were a trading place for district heating, a regional producer would be able to easily buy heat from another producer or a network operator could buy heat from small-scale producers and sell it to consumers, as with electricity. In this way, district heating production could be optimised across municipal and supplier boundaries,” says Tapani Ryynänen, senior scientist at VTT. In addition to trading places, the energy system of the future has scope for services, such as remote monitoring and control, which enable a flexible demand response. Here, electricity grids lead the way for district heating networks. Ryynänen believes that municipalities would be the most natural leaders with respect to establishing regional collaboration networks, as municipalities ultimately bear the responsibility for energy system reliability and business development in the region. “For responsible parties, it is important to secure energy production even at times when, for example, a plant supplying its excess heat to the district heating network discontinues its operations. The reserve production capacity must exist somewhere,” Ryynänen says. He also emphasises solutions that leave room for flexible development at all levels of the energy system. Even seemingly small decisions, for example at the beginning of a local municipal planning process, can extend over decades. These seemingly small decisions can have significant long-term impact, however. For example, if floor heating in a building is arranged using electrical resistors rather than water circulation, the building will be tied to electric heating or will require expensive equipment investments.
RESE ARCH RESULTS
MIK A LUOR A NEN re searche r and l ecturer Lappe e nranta Uni ve r si t y of Technol ogy
TAPAN I RY Y N ÄN E N se n i or s ci e nt i s t VTT
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COOPERATION IN ENERGY PRODUCTION Fortum’s experts used energy balance models to simulate the energy systems of their customers in different parts of the world and evaluate how their energy efficiency could be improved. The development of these models together with the partners of the EFEU programme supported not only Fortum’s tool development, but also the development of its operating methods. “The programme clearly showed how things started to work out when all regional parties were engaged in discussion. Now, we have a specific operating model that we can use in any town or country. Above all, EFEU has helped us in business concept development,” says Osmo Viitasaari, manager of customer solutions at Fortum. This model has already had an impact on Fortum’s energy production. Fortum, together with Keravan Energia and Vantaan Energia, examined regional energy efficiency and decided to increase their trade in district heating in the spring and autumn when low consumption challenges the effective use of a large power plant.
OSM O V I I TA S A AR I manage r of cu stome r s o l u t i ons For t u m
OPTIMISED TOTAL CONSUMPTION The researchers working in the EFEU programme wanted to optimise a building’s energy consumption by controlling its air conditioners. When one unit was excluded from the monitoring and control system, trial objectives were not met as expected. “Individual units left outside the system may turn the total objective on its head. That is why it is very important that all members of the community are part of the same information flow,” says expert Olli Huotari from Empower IM Oy. By community or energy community, Huotari is referring to shopping centres, residential buildings, detached houses and industrial areas. In the EFEU programme, these communities were modelled as part of regional energy systems and the various ways in which they use energy were simulated. According to Huotari, the model developed in the EFEU programme helps Empower IM develop tools to better optimise the use of energy within energy communities. He expects that these tools will be adopted by new types of service companies that improve energy efficiency.
OLLI HUOTARI exper t Empower IM O y
“Within energy communities, the most likely pioneers include medium-sized and large industrial companies that are able, for example, to distribute power and heat generated as a by-product, as some of them are already doing. However, it may still take several years for households to participate in this.” The model applied in the EFEU research programme followed not only electricity prices, but also variation in frequencies within the national grid. The frequency varies with consumption and production of electricity, and this variation has traditionally been controlled by regulating production. As the volume of solar and wind energy is increasing, the possibilities to regulate production decrease, and the frequency must be controlled by also regulating consumption.
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IS MO HEIMONEN se ni or sci enti st VTT
The district heating networks will change - But how? The total demand for heating will decrease, even if the number and size of buildings increases. Reliable, energy-efficient heating calls for new solutions. A district heating company is reconstructing its 50-year-old district heating network piece by piece at the same time as a resident is building an energy-efficient home that produces the energy it needs with solar panels and heat pumps. Both new and old buildings will be disconnected from the district heating network, but the network continues to require the same amount of maintenance. The price of district heating thus increases, making it less popular. This is a scenario which threatens the district heating network. “I believe the current change in the energy system also offers opportunities for district heating companies,” says Ismo Heimonen, senior scientist at VTT. In his vision, there is an energy company which supports consumers in their energy production by offering the equipment and services required. This company helps consumers, companies and regions to optimise their
power and heat consumption, and to share the energy they produce thus balancing their energy production. The storage of thermal energy and the cooling of buildings are expected to become increasingly important. According to Heimonen, it is important to identify the options and consequences of heat production in time to effect systemic change. The EFEU research programme prepared for the future by analysing scenarios that examine possible changes in the consumption and production of heat in the next 20–30 years. The demand for heating is likely to decrease, even if the number and size of buildings increases. The reason is that the urban structure is becoming more compact and the energy efficiency of buildings is improving. “We developed a systematic method to identify the best way to act given each scenario. There is no single optimal route.”
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PREPARING FOR THE INCREASING ROLE OF CONSUMERS For years, a power distribution system where consumers produce electricity and are able to sell their excess production to the power grid has been under development. “In the EFEU programme, we have similarly modelled a dynamic district heating network which, for example, offers security to consumers when their own heat production is insufficient. In addition, consumers would be able to distribute the heat they produce to the network. The idea is that everything can be shared,” says Marja Englund, manager, external R&D networks at Forum.
Of course, the decentralised production of district heating and the sharing of excess heat are already possible. A number of towns produce heat at small facilities in different parts of their towns and are also using excess heat from industry. However, consumer choices are creating new requirements for existing systems. “We need ways to examine and predict changes,” Englund says. She considers the modelling of the whole district heating network to be essential to energy efficiency. “When all producers and production methods are known, we can simulate where heat should be produced at each specific time, and how large the production plant should be.”
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RESE ARCH RESULTS
Tornio
Raahe Umeå Vaasa Sundsvall Pori
H E NRIK S A XEN professor Åb o Akade mi
Turku Inkoo Stockholm
Towards renewable energy using gas Bio- ja maakaasu tarjoavat säätövoimaa energiajärjestelmissä, jotka perustuvat yhä vahvemmin uusiutuvaan energiaan. Samaan aikaan tuotanto hajautuu yhä pienempiin yksiköihin, mikä vaatii uudistuksia kaasun toimitusketjuun. As the use of solar and wind power is increasing, energy systems require load following features to address any decreases in production during windless and cloudy days. Of all the sources of renewable energy, load following can be offered by hydropower and bioenergy which encompasses the combustion of biomass and the use of liquid fuels and biogas refined from biomass. However, the low price of electricity constrains the eagerness of energy producers to shift from fossil fuels to renewable fuels and the investments required. Natural gas offers a noteworthy alternative. It is a fossil fuel with lower emissions than coal and oil. The EFEU research programme studied the position of biogas and natural gas in the energy systems of the future, particularly within gas delivery chains.
In addition to natural gas, the EFEU programme focused on the delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on ships to terminals. “There is not much experience globally in delivering small volumes of gas to small terminals. However, this is important for countries like Finland that do not have a nationwide gas network,” says professor Henrik Saxén from Åbo Akademi. Researchers prepared algorithms to identify optimal transportation routes for ships, locations for terminals and ideal sizes of ships and terminals. The programme also investigated the sizes of plants at which the local production of biogas is profitable, and how biogas distribution can be arranged together with imported natural gas.
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LNG TERMINALS AS DRIVERS OF TECHNOLOGY EXPORT Small LNG terminals attract Finnish energy producers, but also Wärtsilä. The company supplies combustion engine power plants for isolated locations where on-site electricity production is required. These include many islands in the Caribbean. Currently, these power plants are mainly fuelled by heavy fuel oil but their engines can also be converted to use gas. This change requires reliable gas deliveries.
JAN KROOKS senio r devel opment manage r Wä r t si l ä
“Using the algorithms prepared in the EFEU programme, we examined how the LNG delivery chain could work at our customers’ applications, and which services we could offer them,” says Jan Krooks, senior development manager at Wärtsilä. He points out that small and medium-sized LNG terminals attract not only power plants, but also industrial plants using natural gas in production.
SUPPORT FOR INCREASED BIOGAS PRODUCTION Gasum Oy is increasing its biogas production. This means that production plants are being built in different parts of Finland, with the result that the current gas distribution network is expanding. LNG terminals under development and construction also form significant parts of this system. “We need the algorithms developed in the EFEU programme and calculation tools based on them for evaluating how energy production and consumption will develop,” says Mari Tuomaala, CTO at Gasum.
M AR I TU OM A AL A C TO Gasum
RESE ARCH RESULTS
GAS – THE CLEANEST OF ALL FOSSIL FUELS Natural gas, or methane, is a fossil fuel but its emissions are significantly lower than those of coal and oil because - methane consists of, in addition to carbon, a high volume of hydrogen, and thus generates water as well as carbon dioxide when burning, - burning natural gas does not generate any sulphur or particulate emissions, - natural gas can be used at engine power plants, where operating efficiency for electricity production is higher in comparison to coal power plants. In terms of chemical composition, biogas, like natural gas, is methane; however, when it comes to climate goals and emission trading, biogas is regarded as a renewable fuel because it is made from biomass.
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Consumption decreased with next generation equipment Pumps and fans consume significant amounts of energy, and there is ample room for improvement. Energy can be saved both by developing individual energy-efficient equipment and by controlling the whole system. Although there is little motivation to tackle energy consumption reduction via individual small unit changes, pumps and fans offer attractive savings potential because they account for as much as 20% of all the electricity produced globally, and an even higher proportion within the EU.
The EFEU research programme focused on pumps used in the process industry, and on pulpers and recycled fibre dispersers used in the paper industry. The programme studied ways to improve the energy efficiency of this equipment.
RESE ARCH RESULTS
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A 25% REDUCTION IN PULPER’S POWER CONSUMPTION A bale pulper breaks down dried pulp bales into pulp suitable for paper production. The EFEU programme sought to identify opportunities to reduce the energy consumption of a pulper by re-designing its rotor. Researchers modelled how the fibre-water mixture flows through the pulper basin. They simulated and assessed how the design and size of the rotor affect the flow of the mixture and separation of pulp fibres. Valmet used the research results to develop a new rotor and was able to reduce the power consumption of a pulper by approximately 25%.
J U HA- P E KK A HU HTAN E N pro ce s s te chno l ogy manage r Val me t
“Simply put, energy saving is caused by the engine power remaining unchanged, while the new rotor produces the desired result more quickly. In other words, it uses power for less time, while the production volume remains the same. All the paper mill needs to do is to replace the rotor,” says Juha-Pekka Huhtanen, process technology manager at Valmet. Reijo Karvinen, professor at Tampere University of Technology, considers the cooperation model of the research programme highly useful.
R E IJ O K ARVINEN professor Tam pere Un i ver si t y of Te chnol ogy
“We are able to conduct basic research which would otherwise not be possible within the industry. This gives us information about new problems that require new research,” Karvinen says. He notes that, for example, the study on the fibre-water mixture conducted under the EFEU programme is highly useful for developing any processes involving flows of material that are in different states of matter. This has first been applied to pulper development.
SAVINGS UP TO ONE HUNDRED MILLION EUROS Valmet has delivered more than 600 bale pulpers to paper mills around the world, with engines providing an average 300 kW to their rotors. Annually, all of the pulpers delivered by Valmet consume roughly 4 TWh of energy worldwide. If the rotors of all these pulpers were replaced, their power consumption would be reduced by a quarter, i.e. by 1 TWh. This would mean annual savings of approximately one hundred million euros. This would also reduce emissions and environmental loads.
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TE RO AHON E N re s e arche r L appe e n ran ta Uni ve r s i t y of Te ch no l ogy
SAVINGS BY COMBINING THE PUMP AND MOTOR The domestic water supply and process industry move massive volumes of water using pumps powered by electric motors and controlled by frequency converters. The correct dimensioning and installation of these units minimise power consumption; however the dimensioning and installation require a great deal of expertise from design engineers. What if users could buy a combined unit in a single package? The EFEU research programme answered this question. “We investigated a combination of a pump and motor, which is a lighter and more efficient solution than using separate units. In addition, it is easier to install, whereby any risks associated with installation errors can be eliminated,” says Tero Ahonen,
researcher at Lappeenranta University of Technology. The design of the combined pump and motor was created together with universities and equipment manufacturers. As a result, researchers were able to optimise the energy consumption of the system. “Usually, the question is about motor cooling when operating efficiency increases. However, we were able to use the fluid transferred by the pump in cooling the pump-motor concept,” Ahonen says. Whether the research will lead to commercialisation depends largely on manufacturers of separate components and their ability to combine their product concepts. Currently, combined units are mainly available for building heating systems and wastewater applications.
RESE ARCH RESULTS
3D PRINTED
3D PRINTING CHANGES RESEARCH Fluid flow simulations help to identify the impact that pump impeller design has on the operating efficiency of a pump-motor combination. Only the theoretically most promising options are tested in practice because producing a steel impeller is an expensive and time-consuming process, and a plastic impeller does not have the required strength. However, researchers from Tampere University of Technology discovered that a watercirculating pump can be tested by pumping air with a plastic impeller. Using a 3D printer, a plastic prototype was manufactured overnight at a cost of roughly EUR 20 rather than the thousands of euros required for a steel prototype, enabling the researchers to test a greater number of impeller designs at an earlier stage of research.
CA ST STEEL
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Data to cloud lowers electricity costs Even an old electric device becomes more energy efficient if its use can be monitored and controlled. This is easy if the device saves operating data to a cloud. Nearly every building has a pump, fan or compressor, normally powered by an electric motor. These units most likely consume more electricity than necessary. If they were ideally adjusted, their energy consumption would decrease and their service life would be lengthened. However, information about a device’s usage must be available before it can be adjusted. In large industrial processes, measurements typically include the flow and pressure of the liquid or gas being transferred, the pump rotation speed and the temperature and power of the entire system. However, installation of sensors and monitoring measurement results can be costly. The EFEU research programme identified how energy consumption and the condition of pumps and fans can be controlled by monitoring the operation of the electric motor which powers them. The frequency converter controlling the electric motor offers indirect measurement data, which is usually sufficient when analysing the condition, dimensioning and energy consumption of the system. If the system sends data to the cloud, its operation can also be monitored remotely.
REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS TO HELP USERS AND DEVELOPERS Jukka Tolvanen, program manager at ABB, believes that as the Internet of Things develops, remote diagnostics and control services will be standard components of electrical devices. Users of pumps and fans will be able to monitor how the system works from their mobile phones, for example. These same data can also be transmitted to companies providing maintenance services. Moreover, equipment providers can obtain valuable data for further development of their equipment. “When there is plenty of data available, the operation of equipment can be analysed more thoroughly than ever before. This presents whole new opportunities to develop energy efficiency,” Tolvanen says. He believes that remote diagnostics provides European equipment suppliers a significant competitive edge in markets where the prices of basic equipment continue to decrease. Tolvanen also expects diagnostics data to guide equipment designers towards more accurate dimensioning. “Right dimensioning is the starting point for energy efficiency.”
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J U H A L E P PÄV U O R I Program Manager juha.leppavuori@vtt.fi / +358 40 532 9378 PIA SAARI CTO, CLIC Innovation Ltd pia.saari@clicinnovation.fi / +358 40 194 9932 http://efeufinalreport.fi