10 Tips for Saving Natural Gas

10 Tips for Saving Natural Gas

Think saving energy this winter will require costly

new equipment?

Cutting your natural gas bill can be as simple as

adjusting a dial.

Get started with some of these simple, low-cost steps,

and be sure to encourage active worker involvement.

You may also want to consider additional measures, such as

a plant-wide assessment available through the

U.S. Department of Energy’s Best Practices program.

Think again.

Equipment Maintenance

Potential energy savings of 2-5%

Potential energy savings of up to 5%

Potential boiler efficiency gains of 10-15%

Inspect and recalibrate thermocouples in furnaces to obtain more accurate zone temperature measurements and help increase furnace efficiency.

Install removable insulation on un-insulated valves, pipes, and fittings to reduce losses in the process heat distribution system.

Inspect steam distribution systems for leaks and repair where necessary.

Possible sources of unnoticed leaks include piping, valves, process equipment, steam traps, flanges, and seals.

Regularly clean strainers upstream of steam traps to prevent particle accumulation.

Excessive deposition can hasten the need for repair or replacement.

Potential boiler efficiency gains of 10-15%

Facility Issues

Potential gain in furnace efficiency of 1% when air and oxygen content are reduced by 15% and 1.5%, respectively

Measure and manage ventilation in the plant. Use an economizer to optimize outside air use. Replace warped or worn outside air dampers.

Reexamine your gas contract. Consider renegotiating terms to gain lower rates with utilities.

Operations

Minimize surplus combustion air by tuning damper settings on boiler draft fans, installing over-fire draft control systems, sealing doors, etc. Excess air in the combustion chamber contributes to heat loss via flue gas escape.

Potential gain in furnace efficiency of 1% when air and oxygen content are reduced by 15% and 1.5%, respectively

Lower the water temperature in boilers to reduce short-cycle loss as well as convective and radiant heat loss.

Potential boiler efficiency gains of 1% when the stack gas temperature is decreased by 40°F

Prevent scale accumulation by ensuring water treatment systems are operating effectively.

Scale build-up in boiler feed-water tubes inhibits both throughput and heat transfer.

Potential gains in boiler efficiency of 10-12%

Rework schedule of processing operations (e.g., lessen the frequency of mixed and/or partial loads) to reduce delays and reheat requirements.