This section compiles a database of more than 200 resource efficiency measures that were identified using the TEST methodology and successfully implemented within several industries across many sectors. The measures are classified by sector and subsector, type (good housekeeping, process control/modification, technology change, etc.), category of resource savings (water, energy and/or materials), scope and applicability (process or utilities). The database enables the use of predefined filters including the possibility to use keywords for an advanced search.
Each measure in the database includes a description of the problem, a technical description of the solution, the economic and environmental benefits quantified for the specific company case, the costs and the expected return on investment, suppliers of equipment as well as other aspects related to safety, maintenance, productivity and technical implementation.
Market returns for a juice company is high, leading to loss of final products as the company practiced disposal of those returns. Following a laboratory assessment, around 70% of the market returns that can be reprocessed while satisfying the health and hygiene standards.
Benchmarking the heat recovery ratio of a pasteurizer revelealed potential for improving its energy efficiency, as well as full recirculation of cooling water. Adding plates to the regenerative section of the pasturizer increase the heat recovery ratio, saving on energy consumption.
Records of the oil content in the generated meal of an edible oil company showed excess oil leftover in the meal (rejects) compared to the benchmark value. This was attributed to the old design of the oil extraction rollers, which didn’t deploy differential speed between the two rollers, relying only on pressure to extract oil from seeds. Differntiting the speed of the two rollers resulted in introducing shear force, in addition to the pressure force, which increased the yield of oil from seeds.
In a basic chemicals production facility, the use of larger packaging sizes saved on material losses associated to spillage, and increased the productivity as the chane over time is reduced.
For a confectionary company, small split type air conditioning units are used to maintain adequate temperature within the production hall. External units (condensers) of those air conditions are installed on the roof of the company, with direct exposure to sun light. Installing suitably designed shades (canopy) for the condensers, will attribut to reducing the condensers' operating temperature. This together with the periodic maintenance of the condenser fins result in 8% saving in airconditioning electricity consumption.
A potato chips manufacturing facility utilizes a rotary drum tumbler oven to cook the extruded potato pellets. That oven is of cylindrical shape, open from both sides, leading to heat loss to the surrounding, and thus additional consumption for the electric heaters. Installing shutters for the two ends of the oven, with design that mitigates any impact on the process, or quality of the product, serves in reducing the radiation heat loss, and saves on electricity consumption
Manual valves used to shutdown the material dosing system are causing loss of material, and inconsistency of recipie. Installing automatic solenoid valves, with PLC controller will optimise the recipie of products, improving the product quality, and eliminate losses associated to the manual valves.
Analysis of the energy bill of a pasta production company showed that the company was subject to penalties due to its low power factor. Designing and installation of compensation batteries lead to decrease of the reactive power, and consequently adjusting the power factor, and avoidance of the penalties.
This company's steam-condensate circuit was not optimised, where the pressurized condensate was recovered into a vented tank, and then pumped to the water feedtank which is itself vented to the atmosphere to release a large amount of energy (vapour losses). Installation of a flash tank can recovery part of the condensate in the form of low pressure steam, that saves on the boiler consumption.
Investigations on the overconsumption of Phosphate in a wire drawing company indicated that the absence of filter press at the Phosphatation bath was the main cause of the loss. Installing such a filter reduced the sludge in the bath, and consequently saved on water and Phosphate.