2018_TWC67_Macialek.

pdf
Exhaust Air Heat Recovery System
Evaluation for Multiple Make Flue-
Cured Tobacco Bulk Barns

Justin Macialek
“We Bring Grant Ellington
Engineering
to Life” 48th Tobacco Workers’ Conference

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

January 17, 2018

Biological and Agricultural Engineering

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Topics
• Heat recovery system design
• Design changes
• Fuel savings
• Energy recovery (Btu per hour)
• Burner operating time
• Cost

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Exhaust Air Heat Recovery System – 2017
• System performance evaluation was initiated in 2014
• 12 Systems installed at multiple on-farm locations
– Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe, Johnston, Pamlico, Vance, Sampson, Brunswick
VA.
• Multiple barn manufacturers
– Taylor (8 &10-box), Long (8 & 10-box), DeCloet (13-box), Tytun (18-box),
Powell (9-box)
• Main objective to collect performance information
• Grower feedback on cured leaf quality
• Multiple years of evaluation planned

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Heat Recovery System Schematic
Heat Exchanger (preheat coil) Heat Exchanger (recovery coil)

Intake Exhaust Air

Air

FAN TobaccoTobacco
Curing Boxes

Heat
Exchanger

Heated Air

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 Recovery Coil
(recovery coil)
Exhaust Vent Heat Exchanger

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 Preheat coil
(preheat coil)
Intake Vent Heat Exchanger

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 10-box Long

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 10-Box Long Recovery Coil

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 18-box Tytun

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 9-box Powell, VFD

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Performance Data

• Test and check barn

– Gas meter
– Temperature data
– Burner operating time
– Green and cured leaf weights

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
2016 Heat Recovery Summary

Avg. Savings
Location Barn Make Cures % Savings
(gal)
Wilson Long 10-box 6 46.8 15.2

Brunswick, VA Tytun 18-box 4 64 14.3

Sampson Taylor (new) 10-box 3 32 10.6

Sampson Taylor (older) 10-box 4 16 4.3

Nash Taylor 10-box 5 43.5* 12.1

*Natural gas (Therms)

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
2017 Heat Recovery Summary
Avg. Savings
Location Barn Make Cures % Savings
(gal)
Wilson Long 10-box 10 39 12.6
Brunswick,
Tytun 18-box 7 44 11.7
VA
Sampson Taylor (new) 10-box 8 26 8.7
Sampson Taylor (older) 10-box 6 17 4.8
Pamlico Powell 9-box 4 16.5 4.3
Vance Long 8-box 4 1.3* 0.4
Nash Taylor 10-box 6 16.3* 4.5

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

Edgecombe Taylor 8-box 3 24.3 7.7
* Natural gas (Therms)
 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Energy Recovery (Btu per hour)
Energy Recovered, 10-Box Long, Wilson, NC
35000

30000

25000
Btu per hour

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Time (hours) Btu per hour

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
2017 Burner Operating Time

Avg.
Avg. Burner
Burner
Location Barn Make Cures Operating Time
Cycle
Reduction (hours)
Reduction

Wilson Long 10 13.5 -194

Sampson New Taylor 8 13.8 -357

Sampson Old Taylor 4 15.0 -470

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
System Cost

Item Cost

Recovery coil 510

Pre-heat coil 554

Pump 85

Plumbing 655

Labor 300*

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

Total $2,104
*25 man hours @ $12 per hour
 Heat Exchanger Housing
8-box Long

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf

 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Exhaust Air Heat Recovery System Summary
• Fuel savings averaged over the season ranged < 1% to 13% per cure (maximum
savings was 29%)

• System may not work on all barn makes and configurations

• Curing time was not extended

• Limited differences, if any, in the cured leaf quality observed by grower

• System cost is approximately $2100 installed

• Simple payback at 13% savings is approximately 4 to 6 years (2017 prices, 8

cures per season)

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

• Plan to collect data again in 2018 at existing locations
 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
On-Farm Cooperators

• Vick Family Farms, Wilson, NC

• Lake Wendell Farming Co. LLC, Wendell, NC
• Leggett Farming Partnership, Nashville, NC
• WF Partnership, Newton Grove, NC
• Tony Rogers, Rawlings, VA Farm
• Drake Farm, Pinetops, NC
• Stainback Farms, Middleburg, NC
• Whitford Farms, Grantsboro, NC

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 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Acknowledgements

• Japan Tobacco International

• R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
• Universal Leaf North America
• Alliance One International
• NC Tobacco Research Commission

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 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf
Undergraduate Support

• Kyle Bostian
• Ben Cranfill
• Alex Greeson
• Austin Scott

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed

 Questions?

TWC2018(48) - Document not peer-reviewed 2018_TWC67_Macialek.pdf