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This page was printed from www.nzsteel.co.nz on 8 Sep 2010
New Zealand Steel Recognized At The 2009 EECA Energywise Awards
30/06/09
New Zealand Steel and its employees have been recognized by winning the large business category at the EECA Awards (Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority) for a pipe galv retrofitting project and also awarded 'highly commended' in the innovation category.
The Hollow Sections pipe galv pot was retrofitted by; upgrading programmable logic controllers to more efficiently maintain temperature levels, installing a variable speed system on combustion fans for better air flow control and redesigning the outlet ducting to give a more uniform heat distribution. The result is higher production levels with a more efficient utilisation of natural gas.
The modification resulted in a reduction of gas use from 2.5 to 1.6 Gigajoules of natural gas for each tonne of production, a 35% reduction. The throughput for the pipe increased from 3.8 to 6 tonnes for each hour of operation.
The judges said, "This was a great example of a solid improvement to an existing process and a good solution to tweak existing technology. Clearly shows how the company's long term commitment to energy management means that cost effective opportunities can be continuously identified, important for industries with international trade in commodities."
