Office of Industrial TechnologiesEnergy Efficiency and Renewable EnergyU.S. Department of Energy

Reduce

Your

Industrial

Natural

Gas Bill

Ten

Timely

Tips

Ten

Timely

Tips

. .

Contact our Clearinghouseat 1-800-862-2086or visit our website atwww.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices

Contact our Clearinghouseat 1-800-862-2086or visit our website atwww.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices

Discover how to conservenatural gas and keep yourenergy bills to a minimum.

The U.S. Department of Energy iscommitted to helping industrieslower their energy bills.

DOE’s Best Practices programoffers companies

trainingsoftware toolsplant-wide assessmentstip sheetstechnology showcases

to help them cut costs,save energy, and reduce wastewith today’s technology.

Industrial Assessment Center Programwww.oit.doe.gov/iac

Office of Industrial Productivityand Energy Assessmentoipea-www.rutgers.edu732-445-5540oipea@camp.rutgers.edu

Office of Industrial Technologies Clearinghousewww.oit.doe.gov/clearinghouse1-800-862-2086

Energy Information Administrationwww.eia.doe.gov

Alliance to Save to Energywww.ase.org

Gas Technology Institutewww.gri.org

American Gas Associationwww.aga.org

Don't let

natural gas

prices burn

your company!

While companies recognizethe value of natural gas as aversatile, clean-burning fuel,prices are expected torise this winter.

Don't let

natural gas

prices burn

your company!

Discover additionaltips on how yourcompany can reduceits natural gas billsby contacting:

Discover additionaltips on how yourcompany can reduceits natural gas billsby contacting:

DOE/GO-102001-1192January 2001

Equipment Maintenance Facility Issues

Operations

Facility Issues

Measure and manage ventilation

Reexamine your gas contract.

Minimize surplus combustion air

in theplant. Use an economizer to optimize outside airuse. Replace warped or worn outside airdampers.

Considerrenegotiating terms to gain lower rates withutilities.

bytuning damper settings on boiler draft fans,installing over-fire draft control systems, sealingdoors, etc. Excess air in the combustionchamber contributes to heat loss via fluegas escape.

Operations

Potential gain in furnace efficiency of 1%when air and oxygen content are reduced

by 15% and 1.5%, respectively

Equipment Maintenance

Inspect and recalibrate thermocouples

Install removable insulation

Inspect steam distribution systems forleaks and repair where necessary.

Regularly clean strainers

in furnaces to obtain more accurate zonetemperature measurements and help increasefurnace efficiency.

onuninsulated valves, pipes, and fittings to reducelosses in the process heat distribution system.

Possible sources of unnoticed leaks includepiping, valves, process equipment, steam traps,flanges, and seals.

upstream ofsteam traps to prevent particle accumulation.Excessive deposition can hasten the need forrepair or replacement.

Potential energy savings of 2-5%

Potential energy savings of up to 5%

Potential boiler efficiency gains of 10-15%

Lower the water temperature in boilers

Rework schedule

to reduce short-cycle loss as well as convectiveand radiant heat loss.

of processing operations(e.g., lessen the frequency of mixed and/orpartial loads) to reduce delays and reheatrequirements.

Potential boiler efficiency gains of 1%

Potential gains in boiler efficiency

of 10-12%

when the stack gas temperature is

decreased by 40°F

Prevent scale accumulation by ensuringwater treatment systems are operating effectively.Scale build-up in boiler feedwater tubes inhibitsboth throughput and heat transfer.

Cutting your natural gasbill can be as simple asadjusting a dial.

Get started with some ofthese simple, low-cost steps,and be sure to encourageactive worker involvement.You may also want to consideradditional measures, such asa plant-wide assessmentavailable through theU.S. Department of Energy’sBest Practices program.

10 Tips for Saving Natural Gas10 Tips for Saving Natural GasThink saving energy

this winter will

require costly

new equipment?

Think again.

Think saving energy

this winter will

require costly

new equipment?

Think again.

After formalizing steam trap inspections, Velsicol ChemicalCorporation reduced annual energy use at its Chestertown,

MD, plant by 27.3 trillion Btu–a 17% decrease. The project paidfor itself in 2.5 months and achieved yearly financial savings of $80,000.

The Chestertown facility has two boilers with over 300 steam traps and annually produces 25,000 tons of chemicals.

Real savings couldbe just one step away . . .

Real savings couldbe just one step away . . .