Buckman and Energy Drive partner on sustainability efforts
Technews Industry Guide: Sustainable Manufacturing 2022
Electrical Power & Protection
In 2012, Buckman, a US-headquartered specialty chemical company, partnered with Energy Drive with a goal of reducing electricity usage and water consumption at Buckman’s Hammarsdale, South Africa facility. Energy Drive is a company that forges partnerships with organisations to reduce energy consumption in a sustainable manner, with minimal capital investment requirements. Together, the two saw an opportunity to monitor Buckman’s primary cooling tower to help the company achieve sustainable environmental benefits.
Prior to the system installation, a motor drove two pumps and fans on the cooling tower non-stop from Monday to Saturday morning, running at 100% even if the ideal temperature of the cooling tower was already met. Once Energy Drive’s energy-saving solution using variable-speed drives was installed on the four motors of the cooling water system, sensors were used to regulate the speed of the motor depending on the ideal temperature needed. Now, when the system reaches the desired temperature, the pumps and fans slow to a minimum speed to ensure that energy is not wasted.
As the systems have been in place for 10 years, Buckman has realised many benefits from this technology. “The low monthly service charge is completely offset by the energy savings we gain from the variable-speed drives,” said Mukesh Ramatar, plant manager for Buckman South Africa. “But even more important are the positive environmental impacts we’ve seen from the solution – they are the real driver of the value we see.”
In 2022, Buckman received a milestone achievement certificate from Energy Drive for surpassing 4 million kWh in energy saved. This equates to 4,16 million kg of CO2 eliminated, 5,5 million litres of water saved and 2,74 million kg of coal and ash that would otherwise have been used and generated.
The variable-speed drives also add an extra layer of protection to the motor pump systems by allowing the pump to ramp up to speed rather than staying at 100%, which could lead to system damages. When less strain is put on the pumps, it not only protects the equipment but also helps avoid energy spikes.
“One of the best things about variable-speed drives is that they can be installed across all cooling tower systems and chiller systems globally,” said Ramatar. “This means we are just at the beginning of realising our potential for energy savings and sustainability efforts. We look forward to continuing our close relationship with Energy Drive and are proud of the work they do to help companies like ours reach and surpass sustainability milestones.”
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