MELT 4 ME Elective

Energy Management
and Engineering

MAJOR ENERGY SYSTEM IN THE

FACILITY
 The building envelope.
• The building envelope includes all building
components that are directly exposed to the
outside environment. Its main function is to
protect employees and materials from outside
weather conditions and temperature variations;
in addition, it provides privacy for the business
and can serve other psychological functions. The
components of the building envelope are outside
doors, windows, and walls; the roof; and, in some
cases, the floor. The heating and cooling loads
for the building envelope are discussed in
Chapter Six on the HVAC system.
• As you examine the building envelope, you
should record information on the insulation
levels in the various parts of the facility, the
condition of the roof and walls, the location
and size of any leaks or holes, and the
location and size of any door or windows that
open from conditioned to unconditioned
space. Insulation is discussed in Chapter
Eleven. Figure 2-4 shows a sample data form
for the building envelope.
 The steam boiler and steam
distribution system.
• A steam boiler burns fuel to produce heat that
converts water into steam, and the steam
distribution system takes the steam from the
boiler to the point of use. Boilers consume much
of the fuel used in many production facilities.
The boiler is thus the first place to look when
attempting to reduce natural gas or oil
consumption. The steam distribution system is
also a very important place to look for energy
savings, since every kilogram of steam lost is
another kilogram of steam that the boiler must
produce.
 The heating, ventilating, and air
conditioning system.
• All heating, air conditioning and ventilation
(HVAC) equipment should be inventoried.
Prepared data sheets can be used to record
type, size, model numbers, age, electrical
specifications or fuel use specifications, and
estimated hours of operation.
• The equipment should be inspected to
determine the condition of the evaporator and
condenser coils, the air filters, and the insulation
on the refrigerant lines. Air velocity
measurements may also be made and recorded
to assess operating efficiencies or to discover
conditioned air leaks. This data will allow later
analysis to examine alternative equipment and
operations that would reduce energy costs for
heating, ventilating, and air conditioning.
 The electrical supply system.
• This system consists of transformers, wiring,
switches, and fuses—all the components needed
to enable electricity to move from the utility-
owned wires at the facility boundary to its point
of use within the company. By our definition, this
supply system does not include lights, motors, or
electrical controls. Most energy problems
associated with the distribution of electricity are
also safety problems, and solving the energy
problems helps to solve the safety-related
problems.
• Electricity from a utility enters a facility at a
service transformer. The area around the
transformer should be dry, the transformer fins
should be free from leaves and debris so that
they can perform their cooling function, and the
transformer should not be leaking oil. If a
transformer fails to meet any one of these
conditions there is a serious problem which
should justify a call to the local electrical utility,
or, if the transformer is company-owned, to the
person or department in charge of maintaining
the electrical system.
• A more detailed audit of transformers should
also include drawing a small (1/2 litre) sample of
transformer dielectric fluid and examining it both
visually and for dielectric strength. If the fluid is
brown, the dielectric has been contaminated by
acid; if it is cloudy, it is contaminated with water.
The dielectric strength should be 20,000 v/cm or
equivalent. Both the color and the dielectric
strength should be recorded for comparison
against future readings.
• In examining transformers, also check to see
whether any company owned transformer is
serving an area that is not currently used. A
transformer that is connected to the utility lines
but not supplying power to the facility is wasting
one to three percent of its rated capacity in core
losses. These losses can be avoided by
disconnecting the transformer or by installing
switching between the transformer and the
electrical lines from the utility
• A person performing an energy audit
should examine the electrical supply
panels and switch boxes. Danger signs
and symptoms of wasted energy include
signs of arcing such as burned spots on
contacts, burned insulation, arcing
sounds, and frayed wire.
• Other concerns are warm spots around fuse
boxes and switches and the smell of warm
insulation. Any of these symptoms can
indicate a fire hazard and should be checked
in more detail immediately. Safety
considerations are paramount when
inspecting live electrical systems.
 Lights, windows, and reflective
surfaces.
• The functions of this system are to provide sufficient
light for necessary work, to enable people to see
where they are going, to assist in building and area
security at night, to illuminate advertising, and to
provide decoration. Making a detailed inventory of all
lighting systems is important. Data should be recorded
on numbers of each type of light fixture and lamp, the
wattages of the lamps, and the hours of operation of
each group of lights. A lighting inventory data sheet
should be used to record this data. See Figure 2-5 for a
sample lighting data sheet.
 The hot water distribution system
• The hot water system distributes hot water
for washing, for use in industrial cleaning, and
for use in kitchens. Its main components are
hot water heaters, storage tanks, piping, and
faucets. Electric boilers and radiators are also
found in some facilities.
• All water heaters should be examined, and
data recorded on their type, size, age, model
number, electrical characteristics or fuel use.
What the hot water is used for, how much is
used, and what time it is used should all be
noted. The temperature of the hot water
should be measured and recorded.
 Air compressors and the air
distribution system.
• Air compressors and the air distribution
system provide motive power for tools and
some machinery, and often provide air to
operate the heating, ventilating, and air
conditioning system. If you use compressed air
to run equipment, look for leaks and for
places where compressed air is purposely
allowed to vent into the air. Such leaks can be
expensive.
 Motors
• Electric motors account for between two-
thirds and three-fourths of all the electric
energy used by industry and about two-fifths
of all electric energy use by commercial
facilities. Replacement of existing motors with
more efficient models is usually cost effective
for applications where the motor is heavily
used.
• All electric motors over 1 kW should be
inventoried. Prepared data sheets can be used to
record motor size, use, age, model number,
estimated hours of operation, other electrical
characteristics, and possibly the full load power
factor. Measurement of voltages, currents, power
factors, and load factors may be appropriate for
larger motors. Notes should be taken on the use
of motors, particularly recording those that are
infrequently used and might be candidates for
peak load control or shifting use to off-peak
times.
• All motors over 1 kW and with times of use of
2000 hours per year or greater, are likely
candidates for replacement by high-efficiency
motors—at least when they fail and must be
replaced. It should be noted that few motors
run at full load. Typical motor load factors are
around 40-60%.
 Manufacturing processes
• Each manufacturing process has opportunities
for energy management, and each offers
ways for the unwary to create operating
problems in the name of energy
management. The best way to avoid such
operating problems is to include operating
personnel in the energy audit process (see
Section 2.2.2) and to avoid rigid insistence on
energy conservation as the most important
goal.
• The generic industrial processes that use the
most energy are combustion for process
steam and self-generated electricity,
electrolytic processes, chemical reactors,
combustion for direct heat in furnaces and
kilns, and direct motor drive
• Any other equipment that consumes a substantial
amount of energy should be inventoried and
examined. Commercial facilities may have
extensive computer and copying equipment,
refrigeration and cooling equipment, cooking
devices, printing equipment, water heaters, etc.
Industrial facilities will have many highly
specialized process and production operations
and machines. Data on types, sizes, capacities,
fuel use, electrical characteristics, age, and
operating hours should be recorded for all of this
equipment.