Boiler Blog | Nationwide Boiler Inc.

The cost to run electric auxiliaries should not be overlooked when considering the total cost to run a facility. The cost of auxiliaries can be found be determining the kilowatt - hours used and your cost per kilowatt - hour. Here is a quick "rule of thumb":

One horsepower (HP) of electricity is equal to 0.746 kilowatt-hours. A 1 HP motor running at full load for 24 hours would use 17.90 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Now that you are able to determine your electric consumption for your auxiliaries, you can use that information to decide if additional energy efficiency upgrades are needed. Every little bit counts!

Nationwide Boiler receives progress update reports via email from the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE). Over the last few weeks the department has been busy promoting aggressive actions to promote new initiatives that they hope will save consumers money and create new jobs.

If you love tuna then you are most likely already familiar with Chicken of the Sea. The company is opening a canning operation in Lyons, GA and they have selected Nationwide Boiler to supply a 650 hp (22,500 lbs/hr) Mobile Boiler Room for temporary steam. The new 200,000 square-foot facility will create 200 jobs around Toombs County and it is expected to be fully operational by October 2009.

Michael Medina, Nationwide Boiler's Rental Manager, shares the excitement the new plant has brought to local residents. “This new plant is a major accomplishment for Chicken of the Sea and the surrounding community. We are proud that our boiler will allow the plant to efficiently produce their tuna and quickly bring it to market throughout the United States

The Chicken of the Sea brand and famous Mermaid icon are among the most recognized brands in America. Nationwide Boiler is proud that we can do our part (as small as it may be) to make sure it stays that way.

Even with the best pretreatment programs, boiler feedwater often contains some degree of impurities, such as suspended and dissolved solids. The impurities can remain and accumulate inside the boiler as the boiler operation continue, leading to carryover of boiler water into the steam, causing damage to piping, steam traps and even process equipment. The increasing concentration of suspended solids can form sludge, which impairs boiler efficiency and heat transfer capability.

One way to improve efficiency is to review your blowdown practices. This includes the use of an automatic blowdown control system by regulating water volume discharged in relation to the amount of dissolved solids present.  This system maintains proper water chemistry within acceptable limits, while minimizing blowdown and reducing energy losses. Cost savings come from the significant reduction in the consumption, disposal, treatment, and heating of water.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Industrial Technologies Program calculated annual cost savings associated with the installation of an automatic blowdown control system that reduced blowdown rate from 8% to 6%. The example below assumes a continuously operating natural gas-fired, 150 psig, and 100,000 lb/hr steam boiler. Makeup water temperature of 60 degrees, with boiler efficiency of 83%, with fuel valued at $3.00 MMBTU was used, and the total water, sewage and treatment costs are $0.004 per gallon.

The annual cost savings in the example above equals:

Boiler Feedwater:

Initial = 100,000 / (1-0.08) = 108,695 lbs/hr

Final = 100,000 / (1-0.060 = 106,383 lbs/hr

Makeup Water Savings = Initial - Final, or 108,695 lbs/hr - 106,383 lbs/hr = 2,312 lbs/hr

Enthalpy of boiler water = 338.5 Btu/lb; for makeup water at 60 degrees = 28 Btu/lb

Thermal Energy Savings = 338.5 - 28= 310.0 Btu/lb

Annual Fuel Savings = 2,312 lbs/hr x 8760 hrs/yr x 310.5 Btu/lb x $3.00/MMBtu / 0.82 x 106 = $23,007

Annual Water and Chemical Savings = 2,312 lbs/hr x 8760 hrs/yr x $0.004/gal / 8.34 lbs/gal = $9,714

Annual Cost Savings = $23,007 + $9,714 = $32,721
If you need additional information about feedwater systems or other ways you can decrease costs, contact Nationwide Boiler today and we are happy to discuss ways to improve your bottom line: 1-800-227-1966.