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In December 2021 Energy Drive installed a Zero-Capex energy efficiency solution on a client’s Ladle Furnace Baghouse Fans.

This integrated steel making facility has a Finishing Mill Plant, which has two independent induced draft (ID) fans on two ladle furnace systems. Each of the fans draws air into a respective baghouse. The fans are each driven by a 330 kW motor at 525 V. The air flow into the baghouse was originally controlled using inlet guide vanes. This was especially prominent during furnace idle times when the gas flow requirement was very low and the IGVs remained mostly closed. During idle times, slowing the fans down with the IGVs open has delivered significant energy savings.

As part of the energy-saving project the ED team assessed the existing controls and then modelled the system using motor speed control instead of IGV control to forecast the energy savings. ED installed two VFDs to suit the 330 kW, 525 V motors on the baghouse ID Fans.

The speed of the fans is now controlled in order to meet the required gas flow rates and optimise the energy savings potential of the system. ED further provides the client with live energy and process data through a web-based monitoring platform. The ED team also monitors the system health in real-time with live alerting sent to the Energy Drive Operations team and the client’s operational team in the event of adverse conditions.

In addition to the energy-saving benefits, the system has also extended the motors’ service intervals and reduced the electrical and mechanical strain on the motors while ensuring that baghouse and furnace constraints are met even in the event of system drift.

The average power saving is 70.69% from the original energy baseline, reducing energy consumption by 2 390 735 kWh in the first year.