CR Plus

 CR Plus

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Vallourec

Reducing Energy Usage

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Summary of Savings Achieved

Overall improvements (reductions) amount to:
  • Electricity 70% (down from 25 GWh to 7 GWh) 
  • Gas/Oil 45% (down from 95 GWh to 53 GWh)
  • Water 87%
Carbon savings equate to ~17,000 tCO2e/yr

Summary of Improvements

Engagement with Vallourec began in 1992 when the site was still British Steel owned prior to being predominantly owned by Vallourec. The Business was split across two sites – Airdrie and Bellshill.


Initial efforts focussed on the Airdrie site where two projects were adopted:
  1. Conversion of electric process tank heating (300kW) to gas firing; 
  2. Compressed air reduction; use of specially adapted valves and use of 2nd hand compressors. 
Involvement required concept development, specification development, assistance in procurement, project management & optimisation to project close-out. The compressor system reduction was dramatic – average load 545 kW (153 h/wk) reduced to 210 kW (153 h/wk). 

Other projects at Airdrie followed (late 90’s - full project concept to delivery packages):
  • Conversion of a centralised Medium Fuel Oil fired MPHW to gas fired radiant spot heating systems.
  • Redesign of the Hydro-tester pumping arrangement. The site used a variety of pumps, accumulator and a pressure multiplier to provide a test pressure capability of up to 1,000 barg. Redesign of the PLC control, accumulator valving and installing a reciprocating pump reduced the weekly electrical consumption resulting in ~75% electrical savings.

SIGNIFICANT PROJECT - TWO PLANTS INTO ONE

After successfully delivering projects that positively helped the business OpEx and production, in the early 2000’s CR Plus were asked to provide lead consultancy on a major business restructuring project to combine the Airdrie threading line operation with the Bellshill heat treatment operation. CR Plus led the initial concept though to managing the engineering integration, move, leasing, land sale etc. Part of the UK business was then moved to a sister plant in France, where CR Plus provided support on the furnaces to bring quality up to the standard of the UK plants.

Scotland operations are now solely based at the Bellshill plant where CR Plus has continued to provide support to the Bellshill site up to the present day…  

The furnaces at Bellshill site then became the target; there were 2 pairs of hardening & tempering lines (combined average output 12.3t/h). High excess air on the East line produced an inefficient process and a cap on potential maximum speed. The pneumatic fuel/air ratio system was never effectively commissioned and over 7 years the lack of understanding led to 100% excess air and circa 100°C preheated air temperatures. Using ~£5K’s worth of controllers/valves the compensation system (design agreed to by Stordy) was mimicked and XS Air levels reduced to ~25% with preheat temperatures 150 to 200°C. This measure reduced the specific energy consumption (SEC) from 1,200kWh/t to 1,000kWh/t, however the potential increase in speed led to a further focus on furnaces to achieve this aim. Improving pressure control, burner setup procedures and monitoring heat-up profiles enabled the switch off of the West heat treat line (sent to Brazil), further reducing the SEC to 900kWh/t.

Other Bellshill projects included;
  • Cooling Tower Control (VSD’s) reduced from 1.1 to 0.2GWh per year,
  • 33 to 11kV infrastructure reduction & a power factor project,
  • Water reduced from 3,000m³/wk to 800m³/wk (recirculation/filtration project).
Energy Metering, Monitoring and Targeting (MM&T)

Since 1997, an MM&T system, devised by CR Plus and Vallourec, was installed to monitor and control utilities using an automated spread sheet system. This has been progressively developed to include:
  • Multi-variable analysis;
  • Monthly cost accounting accruals;
  • Annual budget setting;
  • Formalised CIT (Continuous Improvement Teams) – Bellshill won 2 gold group awards for M&T and management;
  • Training plus influencing the group direction;
  • Modifying the system to deliver and monitor/audit Vallourec’s 20% reduction by 2020 commitment;
  • Operation at the heart of VOG’s Energy Management System, which is certified to the International Energy Management System Standard, BS EN ISO 50001:2011.

The Road to BS EN ISO 50001 Energy Management System Certification

To further support sustainable continuous improvement VOG achieved certification to BS EN ISO 50001:2011, with support from CR Plus. Work completed by CR Plus in this recent project (2012 – 2014) includes:
  • Devising of action plan for achieving certification to BS EN ISO 50001.
  • Development of training matrix for ISO 50001.
  • Addition of all monthly reports to the MM&T system to automatically populate them with energy consumption and related variable data, using information from the MM&T system.
  • Improving the annual target review and setting documentation to meet ISO 50001 requirements.
  • Updating of MM&T Instruction Manual particularly in relation to detailed explanation of the regression analysis for target setting.
  • Identification of long-term energy reduction opportunities for the Bellshill site, including waste to energy, wind turbines and further waste heat recovery.
  • Participation in the desktop external audit in April 2013 and the certification audit in September 2013.
Alternative Energy Options

CR Plus has more recently provided short survey work for Vallourec to explore the options for alternative process and space heating technologies, specifically a project in 2015 carrying out a feasibility for using biomass derived energy to pre heat pipes and pre heat furnace combustion air with a view to widen to other process and space heating demands longer term.


CURRENT ENGAGEMENTS & PROJECTS (Summer Autumn 2016)

CR Plus Process Improvement Division is currently supporting Vallourec with a FEL process for new line Installation and process layout optimisation


WHAT VALLOUREC SAY…

Derek Nelson, Purchasing & Planning Manager, Vallourec

“By 2000, our utility consumptions were reduced by: 42% gas, 56% electricity and 80% water”

“Projects resulted in substantial and wide ranging savings”

“Reduced electricity supply from 33kVto 11kV resulting in fixed cost savings”

“Changing our Hydraulic Testing pressurisation system resulted in large reduction in maintenance costs”

“Significant time was spent investigating site furnaces, cooling towers, compressors and water systems. Similarly significant savings were achieved in all areas and through a combined effort we managed to close one of the former heat treatment lines achieving operational savings."
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