Manufacturing plant engineering Green Energy with new air-cooled compressor
Akron, Ohio – March 12, 2018 – Ferriot, Incorporated, an injection molding and contract manufacturing company, is installing a new heat recovery system to improve the facility’s energy efficiency and lower operating costs.
Ferriot operates a 200,000-square foot facility in Akron, Ohio. Running the machinery and heating a facility of that size requires a lot of energy. To conserve energy while growing the business, Ferriot’s new heat recovery system will re-use waste heat for space heating. The term “heat recovery” describes the collection and re-use of heat arising from any process that would otherwise be lost.
For many businesses, including Ferriot, heating and cooling is one of the more significant operating costs. A typical office building in the northern U.S. can spend nearly 40 percent of its energy cost on heating. Most businesses use another six percent of its energy usage on heating water. For many industries, especially manufacturing, heating demands are even higher. Steam and process heating can account for more energy use than space heating.
In Ferriot’s case, waste heat recovery will come from the air compressor that powers all of its machines. The company will be moving from a water-cooled compressor to an air-cooled compressor when it installs a new 125 HP Sullair Air Compressor. The Sullair compressor has a variable frequency drive, allowing it to only run when needed. It will also reduce the load on the water tower by cooling with air instead of water.
“This new air-cooled compressor system will allow Ferriot to realize an energy savings between 10 and 15 percent,” said company President Craig Ferriot. “The greatest energy savings will be realized in cooler months. More than 90 percent of energy input to a compressor is lost as heat when the air is extracted and dumped into the environment. Reducing energy consumption occurs when this heat is captured for use elsewhere.”
The Sullair Air Compressor heat exchanger will be connected to ductwork. The warm air generated by running the compressor will be blown back into the plant to heat the space – a process that is becoming more common in manufacturing. The heat energy is passed into the production space. This will enable Ferriot to shut down two air handling units that provide comfort heat in certain areas of the plant. A more powerful air compressor and less draw on water for cooling purposes, will also provide additional capacity for cooling the new presses and other equipment.
This state of the art compressor has other benefits including a 10-inch screen display with a computer and mobile phone connection allowing for remote monitoring.
About Ferriot Inc.
Based in Akron, Ohio, Ferriot is a full-service contract manufacturer and molder of engineered resins that provides specialized engineering assistance, complex thermoplastic material development, injection molding, painting and decorating, contract manufacturing, and commitment to total quality management. Ferriot provides these services throughout the United States to customers in the following markets/applications: Business Machines, Building Products, Industrial, Medical Devices, Electronics, Bio-Tech, Energy Management, Oil and Gas, Water Management and Tier 2 Automotive. To learn more, visit www.ferriot.com.
