Olimpias adopts cogeneration with AB

To optimise its energy consumption, Olimpias chooses to produce steam, hot water, and electricity with a single integrated high performance system. Today, it is more than ever essential for the […]

To optimise its energy consumption, Olimpias chooses to produce steam, hot water, and electricity with a single integrated high performance system.

Today, it is more than ever essential for the textile industry to adopt the most effective technologies to reduce costs and develop competitiveness. The production process of textile industries typically requires significant amounts of heat and electricity. For this reason, CHP is a great opportunity.

The positive effects of environmental commitment are also to be considered, both in terms of adapting to legislative changes and enhancing the company’s image.

Increasing attention is being paid to cogeneration by textile companies, as evidenced by the Olimpias Group, a leading Italian and international textile company whose mission is to be qualitatively competitive through a wide range of products and services.From cotton yarn to combed and carded wool, from knitted to woven fabrics, from finishing to dyeing cloth and garments.

Currently, Olimpias Group owns 10 factories, produces more than 40 million meters of fabric and 10 million kg of yarn, 300 million labels, 2.5 million kg of garment treatments and 900,000 woven garments.

The new cogeneration plant for the Olimpias factory of Soave (VR) serves a production chain specializing in the preparation, dyeing and finishing of fabric mainly consisting of cotton, (fabric produced with traditional chain-weaving looms for outdoor clothing, casual, sportswear, etc.).

The CHP plant was designed and built by AB of Orzinuovi (BS), cogeneration technology leader in Italy with power from 100 to 10,000 Kw.

This is Olimpias’ first cogeneration plant. The Ecomax® 14 NGS plant has an electrical power of 1,415 kW, fully used for the production process. It is particularly interesting to see how the thermal energy, a real strong point of cogeneration, is used, as it is specifically applied to the production of saturated steam at a pressure of 9 bar and the production of hot water at 90° C.

Through a special circuit, the steam is sent along with the steam produced by the existing boilers. In practice, the thermal energy is used for two types of pre-heating: for the make-up water of the boilers and the water for the plant’s washing machines. This synergy, discovered and perfected in its implementation with the cooperation of AB specialists, has enabled Olimpias to optimise and exploit all of the hot water available.

AB engineers were always available for advice to Olimpias’ engineering department so they could select the plant features best suited to their specific needs.

The plant is operational for 2 or 3 shifts daily, Monday through Friday, based on how the production process is scheduled. Using the special control and supervision software, the machine’s week to week schedule can easily be set. The plant started in operation in June 2009. The total operation is expected to average 5,700 hours per year.

Based on its successful cooperation with AB and on the excellent results already observed in the Soave plant, the Olimpias Group put in an order for AB to build a second 1 MW plant (Ecomax® 10 NGS) for the Grumolo Factory (Vicenza).

Features of the plant:

Ecomax® 14 NGS

Fuel consumption: 360 Nm3/h

Introduced power: 3,420 kW

Electrical power: 1,415 kW

Electrical efficiency: 41.4%

Production of saturated steam at 9.5 barg pressure, 761 kg/h flow, 442 kW with boiler water at 70°C.

Production of hot water at 90°C (return of 65° C) with 882 kW power

Thermal efficiency: about 38.7%

Total efficiency: 80.1%

TOE saved in cogeneration = ~ 550

Tonnes of CO2 equivalent saved = tCO2 ~ 1.280

Click here for case history.

This is a promoted article.

Latest Podcast