Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Steel Coil Manufacturing Units

After enactment of energy conservation act 2001, several industries are marching towards energy conservation and energy management, of which steel sheet (hot rolled as well as cold rolled) manufacturing units are one among others. As energy cost is one of the major components of their total production cost and due to the increasing competition in the market, they are forced to take different steps/initiatives to reduce the expenditure on energy consumption. Energy prices are on rising trend, thereby putting energy efficiency as a smart business along with additional benefit of saving environmental degradation. Reducing energy consumption will reduce total production cost and greenhouse-gas emissions in addition to enhancing the comfort conditions. This paper presents the energy conservation potential in steel sheet/coil manufacturing industries. WII carried out detailed energy audit to identify the saving potential in two such industries. Both the units are large sale unit and are among the largest units in their sector. One unit is located in northern India where natural gas is available for the process while other plant is located in western India. The study was focused on identification and detailed techno-economics of low and medium cost measures, which have payback period less than two years. The studies revealed that there is significant potential (about 7–14%) in reducing the energy cost through low cost and medium cost options alone. During the energy audit, wide array of latest, sophisticated, portable, diagnostic and measuring instruments were used to support our energy audit investigations and analyses. The specialized instruments that were used during the energy audit are: Ultrasonic Flow Meter, Flue gas Analyzers, Multifunction Kit, Micro manometers, Power Analyzers, Power & Harmonic Analyzers, Thermal Anemometer, Vane type anemometers, Thermocouples, Lux Meters, Infrared pyrometers, Stroboscope, Fyrite kits, Digital hygrometers. These Steel strip manufacturing units are energy intensive and have several energy consuming equipments like: Cold Rolling Mills, Compressed air system, Fans & blowers, Pumping system, Air conditioning system, Continuous galvanishing furnaces, Annealing furnaces, Boilers and steam system.