ENERGY MANAGEMENT - InfoHouseinfohouse.p2ric.org/ref/19/18837.pdf · Canada, Graybec Calc, La Cimenterie Lafarge Advertising Manon Morency ... The Lafarge Canada cement plant in Saint-Constant

Executive DirectorLise Brousseau

Graphic DesignGroupe Charest

P r i n t i n gImprimerie Interglobe Montréal

C o l l a b o r a t o r sBombardier, Cookshire Tex, EKA ChimieCanada, CIMA+, F.F. Soucy, Frigidaire

Canada, Graybec Calc, La Cimenterie Lafarge

A d v e r t i s i n gManon Morency

Registered address

234

6

91214

16

17

20

Canada, Lauralco, Wabush Mines, QITScierie Marcel Lauzon, IBM

Association québécoise pour la maîtrisede l'énergie (AQME)

1 Place Ville Marie, 23rd floor, Suite 2338Montreal, Quebec H3B 3M5

Telephone: (514) 866-5584

Fax: (514) 874-1272E-mail: [email protected]

L e g a l d e p o s i tFirst quarter 1998Bibl iothèque nat ionale de QuébecNa t i ona l L i b ra r y o f CanadaISSN 2-9804930-2-3

Printing: 10,000 copies

Note: The masculine form is used only foreditorial purposes.

The authors of any article published in thisspecial edition retain full responsibility.

Reproduction is permitted in mention is madeof the source and if a copy of the publicationin which the articles appear is sent to the

Association québécoise pour la maîtrise del 'énergie 22

2426THE QUEBEC

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

N E T W O R K

A world of resources a world of energy2830

AQME Industry Committee

A Word from the President

Minister’s MessageRalph Goodale, Minister of Natural ResourcesCanada

Lauralco: a modern aluminum plant fullycommitted to environmental concerns andenergy efficiency

At F.F. Saucy, the energy value of biomass isused to its maximum

Eka Chimie Canada is developing its internalhydrogen resources and saving energy

QIT is optimizing its internal carbon monoxideresources by implementing energy efficiencymeasures

Wabush Mines will save more than 10,000MWh/yr through the use of variable-speeddrives

Cookshire Tex is taking advantage of newmethods in the area of thermal energyproduction

Bombardier is using solarenergy to save and improvethe indoor air quality of itsbuildings

In an innovative move, Frigidaire Canada hasinstalled the first kiln for the polymerization ofpaint by thermoreactorsTM in Quebec

Greybec Calc counts on efficient equipment toensure development of the company

The Lafarge Canada cement plant inSaint-Constant is rationalizing the energyconsumption of its process

At the Marcel Lauren sawmill, energy efficiencyis an integral part of company development

The IBM plant in Bromont is enhancing itscompetitiveness by implementing ambitiousenergy efficiency projects

1

LA MAÎTRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE - SPRING 1998

AQME Industry Committee

C reated in 1985 through the determination of major energy consumers and

suppliers, energy product and service suppliers and two government

departments with energy jurisdictions, AQME adopted the mission of

contributing to the promotion of energy control through optimum resource

use and operations as well as respect for the environment.

With a view to promoting energy efficiency in Quebec, AQME formed an

Industry Committee in 1995, thus becoming the only association to bring

together stakeholders from the different industries concerned with energy

management. This committee includes users and energy specialists and its

goal is to represent the Association’s industrial business members and meet

their specific needs.

The Committee ensures that manufacturers participate in AQME’s various

activities and that their commitment is worthwhile. Over the last few years, the

energy-saving achievements of more than twenty businesses have been

recognized at the Gala Énergia.

AQME also gives a prominent place to industries at its annual congress.

Many well-known conference attendees take advantage of this event to share

their expertise and experiences in industrial energy efficiency.

Through its Industry Committee, AQME hopes to plan an increasingly

specialized annual program, adapted to its members’ particular requirements.

The Committee will also look at the possibilities of providing technical training

sessions, holding a theme conference and organizing tours for the coming

year.

The technical information presented in this special edition of La maîtrise

de I’énergie is an example of AQME’s desire to promote energy efficiency

among industries.

Our success to this point, thanks to the support of our eight hundred

members, is certainly proof of satisfaction for future members of the industrial

sector who are concerned with increasing their businesses’ energy efficiency.

2Sylvain ChenailChairman, Industry Committee


the President

The industrial

sector in Quebec

is by far the

greatest consumer

of energy. In

1992, industry

accounted for

35% of energy

consumed, more

than

transportation

and the

residential and

commercial

sectors.

A more detailed analysis of energy

consumption reveals certain major

energy uses in Quebec. Six industries

with high energy requirements con-

sume almost three-quarters of the

energy used in the industrial sector —

mining, pulp and paper, iron and

steel, smelting and refining, cement,

and chemicals.

Two of these industries, pulp and

paper and refining, together account

for 56% of energy consumed in the

industrial sector and 20% of total

energy consumption.

With these figures in mind, AQME.

is pleased to see the energy efficiency

initiatives being taken by the Quebec

industry. The twelve business? stories

featured in this issue attest to the

importance of productive, efficient

management. These managers, whose

goals were increased competitiveness,

rationalization of energy costs, and

development of their resources and

their respective businesses, have

shown us all that we cannot avoid

taking action to achieve energy effi-

ciency.

We were even more pleased to see

that all the projects featured in the

articles perfectly integrate the notions

of economy, energy efficiency and

respect for the environment.

In conclusion, we should all rec-

ognize that for these businesses, the

result of many energy efficiency pro-

jects was sustainable development.

On behalf of the members of the

Assoc ia t ion québéco i se pour l a

maîtrise de l'énergie, I applaud the

excellence and determination of these

modern managers, and I encourage

the industrial sector as a whole to

follow their lead towards excellence.

President of AQME

Christian Fournelle, P.eng,

Business Development Manger

Transformateurs Ferranti-Packard Ltée

A Rolls-Royce Industries Canada Inc. company

LA MAITRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE - SPRING 1998

L E A D E R S I N

I N N O V A T I O N

Minister’s MessageAs we move toward the next

m i l l e n n i u m . m o r e a n d m o r e

b u s i n e s s e s o r e p u r s u i n g t h e

b e n e f i t s o f e n e r g y e f f i c i e n c y .

B y L o w e r i n g t h e i r a n n u a l e n e r g y

c o s t s . b u s i n e s s e s c a n i n c r e a s e

product iv i ty and boost the bottom

l i n e o f t h e i r o p e r a t i o n s . A s a

r e s u l t . w h i l e t h e y c o n t r i b u t e t o r e d u c e d g r e e n h o u s e

g a s e m i s s i o n s - a n i m p o r t a n t e n v i r o n m e n t a l

o b j e c t i v e - t h e s e b u s i n e s s e s c o n a l s o b e c o m e m o r e

compet i t ive, att ract more customers to thei r products

a n d s e r v i c e s . a n d p r o v i d e m o r e j o b s a n d e c o n o m i c

growth fo r Canada.

N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s C a n a d a e n c o u r a g e s a v o l u n t a r y

a p p r o a c h t o t h i s c h a l l e n g e i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e

p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e s e c t o r s a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y . W h i l e

w e h a v e m o d e s i g n i f i c a n t p r o g r e s s . w e k n o w - a n d o u r

p a r t n e r s k n o w - t h a t t h e r e i s m u c h m o r e t h a t w e c o n d o

t o g e t h e r t o i m p r o v e e n e r g y e f f i c i e n c y .

I a m i m p r e s s e d b y t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s h i g h l i g h t e d

h e r e , a n d I e n c o u r a g e o t h e r l e a d e r s i n c o m p a n i e s

both large and smal l to take advantage of the

p r o g r e s s i v e . v o l u n t a r y a p p r o a c h t o t h e t w i n c h a l l e n g e s

o f i n c r e a s e d c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s a n d a c l e a n e r

e n v i r o n m e n t . f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s o f C a n a d i a n s a r e

c o u n t i n g o n u s t o s u c c e e d .

Ralph Goodale

Minister of Natural Resources Canada4


Companyp r o f i l e•••••••

Aluminerie Lauralco, located in aluminum. Natural gas is used as

Deschambault, Quebec, is a a source of thermal energy for

wholly-owned subsidiary of the aluminum plant’s needs.

Alumax, a multinational spe- From 1992 to 1995, the startup

cializing in the production and break-in period for the

and processing of aluminum plant, the employees of Alu-

in Canada, Europe and the minerie Lauralco were mainly

United States. In particular, it concerned with optimizing

is widely known for the man- plant operation, and were thus

ufacture of architectural com- unable to put all the effort they

ponents of extruded aluminumwould have liked into rational-

ization of energy consumption by

of more than 350 MW is required toachieve the annual production of

for the building trade. In additionto Aluminerie Lauralco, Alumaxowns three other aluminum plants inthe United States and also holds a 25%interest in Aluminerie de Bécancour,in Quebec.

•••••

• • • • •

Lauralco is one of the most modernaluminum plants in operation inQuebec, producing 215,000 tonnes ofaluminum per year in the form ofingots. Since its startup in 1992, it hasenabled more than 550 employees toadvance in a company whoseapproach and management philos-ophy are among the most up-to-dateof any. The special feature of this man-

the aluminum works.In spite of this fact, the first three

years of operation saw the successfulcompletion of a vital project of energyoptimization and the creation of an

for the main stacks are convincing energy committee.

examples of this determination. Alu-minerie Lauralco was also the first OptimizationQuebec aluminum plant to becomeinvolved in the CIPEC program of

of the FaradayNatural Resources Canada for the

efficiency of thereduction of greenhouse gas emissions electrolytic processthrough the implementation of The first major project related to energyenergy efficiency measures. was the improvement of the Faraday

efficiency of the electrolytic process. Itwas begun during the break-in periodand consolidation of productivity in1993, and is still under way.

agement involves, among other Contextthings, a very light management The company’s philosophy regardingstructure requiring only four hierar- energy consists of improving energychical levels. It also depends on an performance through constantappeal to all its members to excel in improvement of the processes and thea process of constant improvement. involvement of all concerned.

The strict environmental manage- Electricity is the main energyment principles of the company have source for the aluminum plant. Usedprompted Aluminerie Lauralco to largely in the electrolytic process, elec-acquire leading-edge systems with the tricity is supplied at a voltage oflatest technological advances. The 315 kV and redistributed throughout“zero emission” principle applied to the plant at 69 and 25 kV after goingliquid effluents, the recycling of rain- through two gigantic 450 MVA trans-

6 water and the noise control system formers. A continuous power output

The process of electrolysis is theheart of an aluminum plant: this iswhere the main raw material, alu-mina, is transformed into aluminum.At Aluminerie Lauralco, 264 elec-trolytic tanks of model AP-30 madeby Péchiney use a very modern tech-nology for this purpose. A current of315,000 amps at 69 kV passes in seriesthrough the solution in each tank,where the alumina is dissolved. The

molten aluminum produced is thendrawn off under a vacuum at regularintervals into the handling crucibles.More than 90% of the electrical powerconsumed by the plant is required forthis process.

Despite this major investment, thisproject will become cost-effectiveover a maximum period of threeyears, will result in a 5% increase in

The Faraday efficiency is the refer-ence index for the energy perfor-mance of the electrolytic process. Insimplified terms, it is the ratio of the-oretical electrical power to actual elec-trical power consumed by the elec-trolytic process.

production capacity, and will gen-erate annual energy savings of around 500,000 MWh, correspon-ding to the achievement of a

••••During startup of the plant, thosein charge of the operation soon foundthat the 96% efficiency predicted byPéchiney could not be achieved.

In view of the importance of thiselement for productivity and energyconsumption, action was quicklytaken.

Optimization of theoperating parametersThe first step in improving efficiencywas to optimize the many operationalparameters of the process, such as thepercentage of fluorine, percentage of

cibles, travelling cranes, mobile equip-

ment and so on).

Faraday efficiency of 96.2%.solution, feed rates, ventilation ratesand so on. This exhaustive work was Creationdone from 1993 to 1994, with results that were useful but insufficient to of an energy committeeachieve the objectives anticipated. In early 1996, an in-house energy

committee was formed in the com-pany to meet the objectives of con-stant improvement in energy use.

Modification of theelectrolytic tanksThe second improvement measurewas undertaken in early 1995 andinvolved the physical modification ofthe 264 electrolytic tanks. At a rate oftwo tanks per week, the modificationswill not be completed until 1997, witha required investment of about$60 million, including modificationsto the peripheral equipment (cru-

The mandate of this strategic groupis clear and may be summed up as fol-lows: to enable the plant to continu-ously reduce its energy consumptionand emissions of carbon dioxide andfluorocarbons (PCF: CF4 and C2F6).

Each of the sectors concerned in theplant is represented on the committee:electrolysis, environment, foundry,

7

LA MAÎTRlSE DE L'ÉNERGlE - SPRING 1998

•••••

••••

carbon and maintenance. A strategyfor rotating the individuals repre-

senting these departments has alreadybeen planned to promote the exchangeof new ideas and to avoid the obstacleof paradigms. A facilitator and a com-mittee head complete the group.

This standing committee holds reg-ular work meetings and operates by astrict process of problem solving inaccordance with IS09002 proceduresThe energy improvement ob jec t ivesfor each sector are about to be iden-tified by means of this operationalmechanism. The stages in this rig-orous process are as follows:1 defining the problem: in this case,

it was defined as follows: an alu-minum plant consumes a largeamount of energy and discharges Prioritysignificant volumes of CO2 and PCF energy-saving measuresinto the atmosphere;

2 establishing the objectives by: currently identifiedReduction of anode effectsAnode effects are circumstances ofinefficient use of the electrical currentpassing through the solution in thetank during electrolysis. Among otherthings, they can be caused by poorpositioning of the anodes or irregular,unfavourable wear of the anodes (for-mation of cavities). These anodeeffects result in an abnormal rise inthe temperature of the solution andthe anodes and increased productionof fluorocarbons. This phenomenonthus leads to significant energy losses,as well as emissions of gases which areharmful to the ozone layer.

• identifying all energy consumersand producers of CO2 and PCF;

• identifying the most importantpoints in terms of potential forenergy consumption and conser-vation;

• measuring actual energy con-sumption;

• setting measurable objectives;analysing the causes of energy inef-ficiency;selecting the most probable causes;planning tests to confirm thehypotheses;analysing the results;proposing a permanent measure forconserving energy;continually improving the mea-s u r e .Each sector of the plant will also

form an energy subcommittee whosemandate will be to assist the personresponsible for the sector, to apply theprocess to the conservation measureswhich concern them, and to providegeneral training on energy to theemployees in their group.

Although formation of the energycommittee is relatively recent and theoverall process of identifying con-sumers has not been completed, cer-tain points were already targeted andare currently under investigation.

The reduction of anode effects,moreover, is another measure forimproving the Faraday efficiency ofthe electrolytic process.

In this regard, Aluminerie Lauralcois an internationally recognized leaderin operational performance in termsof anode effect, averaging 0.27 pertank per day. Despite this fact, Alu.minerie Lauralco has identified thisproject in the list of priority measures,and expects to tackle this potentialmeasure in the next few months.

Other priority measuresidentifiedCertain other priority measures artcurrently identified and will soon beanalysed in greater depth:

revision and optimisation of theprogramming of the programmableautomatons, particularly that of theanode baking furnace;addition of natural gas metersthroughout the plant;study of the efficient use of elec-tricity in the plant’s peripheralsystems.

SummaryFaithful to the company’s mission,Aluminerie Lauralco intends to makethe best possible use of its resources,and energy is one of the most impor-tant of these.

The plant’s involvement beganduring the break-in period for theoperations, when the project to opti-mize the Faraday efficiency of the elec-trolytic process was started. It will con-tinue, moreover, with the eventualimplementation of another measure,the reduction of anode effects.

Aluminerie Lauralco, following itsprinciples of high standards for envi-ronmental protection and integrationinto the existing environment, alsointends to implement new measuresto reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To ensure that a continuous, per-manent process of rationalization isestablished with regard to energyand greenhouse gases, the aluminumplant has also set up a new com-mittee whose principal mandate willbe to reduce the plant’s energy con-sumption.

Through such activities, Alu-minerie Lauralco is ensuring that itwill indeed remain a leader, both inaluminum production and in theoptimization of its energy con-sumption.

The paper mill of F.F. Saucy is inRivière-du-Loup, a municipality ineastern Quebec. Founded in 1886, thiscompany of over 300 employees pro-duces 200,000 metric tonnes ofnewsprint annually for major dailiesin the United States and Great Britain.F.F. Saucy was the first newsprint millto be IS09002 certified in NorthAmerica.

The company is also becoming pumping systems is a model for theestablished in the energy efficiency Quebec newsprint industrysector, in which it has a number ofinnovative achievements closelyrelated to the environment. In thisregard, an ambitious project of per- In terms of energy supply. the millformance improvement for theheating plant has been implemented,enabling the company to make sub-stantial energy savings while at thetame time solving the problem of dis-posing of the secondary treatmentsludge. F.F. Saucy’s project to optimize

currently fills more than 55% of itsthermal energy needs by convertingthe biomass generated by its processand by neighbouring sawmills. For theremainder of its needs, the mill is sup-plied by heavy oil. The steam requiredto operate the mill is produced by twobiomass boilers, each with a capacityof 28,000 kg/h, a boiler fired by heavyoil with a capacity of 68,000 kg/h, anda system for recovering steam fromthe thermomechanical pulp manu-facturing process, with a capacity of20,000 kg/h of steam. The biomassburned by the boilers consists of barkand sludge from the mill’s primaryand secondary effluent treatment sys-tems. The use of secondary treatmentsludge as a fuel is recent, however, andhas not been achieved without someeffort.

In fact, the mill had to find an eco-nomical and environmentally accept-able solution to the problem of dis-posing of the sludge from thesecondary effluent treatment system.Burying and burning are the conven-tional methods of dealing with thissludge. The biomass boilers, whoseperformance was already affected bythe high moisture levels in the wastematerial (up to 60% in winter), werenot equipped at the time to burn thiswet sludge suitably in accordance withthe environmental standards in force.Furthermore, the standards on emis-sions of particulate matter in com-bustion gases are more strict for sec-ondary treatment sludge. The presentfacilities therefore required major, 9


• • • •costly changes. Burial, the other solu-tion contemplated by the mill, wouldrequire a substantial investment toprepare a site. This solution alsoentailed, high operating costs (trans-portation and handling) not to men-tion the negative impact on the envi-ronment.

of a waste dryer and agas cleaning system

After analysing the situation, theplant managers thus opted for energyconversion of the sludge by combus-tion. To accomplish this, the boilerswere equipped with a waste dryer anda combustion gas purification system.The increase in performance of theboilers resulting from the acquisitionof this new equipment was the mainargument in the company’s decision.The dryer, powered by the combus-tion gases from the boilers, will pro-vide drier waste for burning from nowon, with the advantage of improvedcombustion efficiency in the boilers.By opting for this solution, F.F.Soucysettled the matter of disposing of thesecondary treatment sludge, achievedsignificant energy savings throughimprovement in the performance ofits boilers, and reduced the level ofatmospheric pollution emissions fromthe thermal power plant.

10

Installation

The dryer chosen by the project man-agers is a high-performance single-pass rotating drum type. The drum is3.6 m in diameter and 9 m long, andcan handle up to 25,000 kg/hr of wetwaste. The concept adopted allows forrecirculation of the wet exhaust gasto optimize dryer performance andprevent any risk of fire. The gascleaning system consists of a cyclonebacked up by a wet-type cleaner. Awet-type cleaner had to be usedbecause of the more restrictive envi-ronmental standards which apply tothe burning of secondary treatmentsludge.

System operating principleThe wet waste is moved by a pneu-matic conveyor to a silo located nearthe dryer. From the silo, the waste isfed to the dryer by an auger conveyor.In the dryer, the waste is brought intodirect contact with the boiler com-bustion gases via a system of fins fora period that varies from a few sec-onds to twenty minutes, dependingon the particle size. The boiler com-bustion gases, at a temperature of

210°C, are fed to the dryer through asystem of ducts equipped with flapvalves. On exiting the dryer, the bio-mass is collected by a belt conveyorand moved to the boiler feed silos; thecooled combustion gases are processedin a cyclone. A fan placed downstreamof the cyclone draws off the exhaustgases and feeds them to the wetcleaner. There is also a flap valvesystem for redirecting part of the gasesto the dryer for recycling.

PerformanceThe drying system is designed to reducethe water content of the waste from56% to 46% on average. Drying thebiomass has made it possible to operatethe boilers at higher rates with greaterefficiency. Another result is a drop inheavy fuel oil consumption, estimatedat 240,000 GJ/year, part of which isattributable to the recovery of the sec-ondary treatment sludge. From theenvironmental point of view, theimpact of the project is positive. Thereduced fossil fuel consumption willcut the mill’s SO2 and NOx emissionsin half. Also, the action of the com-bustion gas cleaning system, togetherwith the reduction in the amount ofoil burned, will lead to a considerabledrop in particulate emissions.


••••

• • • • • •

Economic AspectsThe entire project cost F.F. Soucy fivemillion dollars. However, it avoidedthe necessity of developing a land-fill site to dispose of the sludge gen-erated by the secondary treatmentsystem. Also, by improving the per-formance of the waste boiler, the millhas cut its energy costs by an esti-mated $800,000 a year. To those sav-ings can be added the savings fromnot having to operate a landfill site,assessed at $300,000/year.

Optimizat ionof pumping systems

Since 1991, F.F. Soucy has imple-mented a program to optimize themill’s pumping systems. So far 36pumps have been the subject of manyenergy-saving measures, such asinstallation of high-performancemotors and variable-frequency, drives,and the operating and control para-meters for the pumps have beenimproved. The impact on the mill’s

energy consumption is a savings of10,300 MWh/year. This program hasalso helped reduce the mill’s freshwater consumption, such that F.F.Soucy is now one of the foremost millsin the Canadian newsprint industryin terms of fresh water consumption.

The $900,000 investmentrequired to implement the energy-saving measures will be recovered injust over two years, thanks to theelectricity savings, which total nearly$400,000/year. Added to that is areduction in equipment mainte-nance costs and a drop in thevolume of waste water to he treated.These very encouraging results haveled the company to extend this pro-gram to pumping systems that havenot yet been subjected to energy sav-ings measures.

SummaryThe F.F. Soucy paper mill rightlyplaces a great deal of importance onthe energy conversion of biomassgenerated by the wood industry.

With this approach, it is achievingsignificant energy savings, whilebenefitting from an environmentallyacceptable method of disposing ofits waste material. The addition of abiomass dryer and a combustion gascleaning system to the power plantis further evidence of the company’sinterest in the optimum use ofenergy resources. The program tooptimize the pumping systems isanother example which clearly illus-trates the efforts by F.F. Soucy in thisfield

11LA MAÎTRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE - SPRING 1998

is developing its internal hydrogenresources and saving energy

••••

••••

• • • • • • • •Companyp r o f i l e

Since 1979, the plant of Eka Chimie

Canada in Magog, Quebec, a division

of the multinational Akzo Nobel, has

used an electrolytic process to pro-

duce sodium chlorate. The sodium

chlorate (NaC1O3) is used by the pulp

a n d p a p e r i n d u s t r y a s a p u l p Contextbleaching agent. Because of its envi-

purifying the sodium chlorate by

means of a technique for which Eka

Chimie Canada holds the patent. The

company is also interested in recov-

ering hydrogen resulting from elec-

trolysis. This is why a decision was

made in 1996 to use hydrogen to fuel

the plant's dryers.

The process for producing sodium

chlorate requires a substantial supply

of electrical power. On the other hand,

a large amount of hydrogen gas is

formed during electrolysis of the brine

(NaCl-water) used as the basic mate-

ronmental virtues, it is recognized as

an excellent substitute for the chlo-

rine traditionally used for bleaching

pulp. The Magog plant, which has 80

employees, produce 125,000 metric

tonnes of chlorate per year in accor-

dance with the IS09002 standard and

the strictest health and safety stan-

dards. The environment is also at the

centre of the company’s concerns.

Most of the chemicals involved in the

manufacturing process are recycled

internally or sold to paper mills.

As part of its focus on energy effi-

ciency, the plant has carried out major

projects in recent years concerning,

in particular, the conversion of process

waste to energy For example, the heat

released by the process is now recov-

12 ered and used in the procedure for

The recovery of part of the waste

hydrogen, amounting to about 200

metric tonnes per year, will amply fill

the energy needs of the dryers. The

expected reduction in electrical con-

sumption is 6,400 MWh/yr.

rial. About 6,800 metric tonnes of

Implementationhydrogen are produced in this way

of the energy-savingannually. Of this total, 65% is recov-

measureered and piped to a liquefaction plant The conversion of the dryers to

owned by BOC Gaz. The surplus hydrogen is currently under way. The

hydrogen is simply exhausted into the plan is to equip each dryer with a

atmosphere, as the internal thermal direct-fired burner, also called an air-

energy needs have been met for the flow burner. This type of burner, com-

most part already. pact and simple in design, provides

However, a technical feasibility

analysis revealed that the plant’s two

sodium chlorate dryers were ideal for

burning hydrogen. These dryers, of

the fluidized-bed type, each equipped

with an 800 kW electric healer, require

a substantial amount of energy to dry

the product.

Process for manufacturing sodium chlorate


excellent performance, since com-bustion occurs within the stream ofair to be heated. Thus there are noenergy losses related to heat exchange.In this case, the burners will beinstalled directly in the drying airducts, upstream from the electricheaters, which will be kept as a backupsystem.

chlorine. It is then pressurized to100 kPa by booster compressors andled to an activated carbon filter to

Principle of operationThe hydrogen released by the elec-trolytic process is recovered and puri-fied by a wet scrubber to remove the

performance of the dryers. As it leaves ment payback period will thus bethe burner, the pressurized hot air is scarcely more than a year.

Summary•••••••At Eka Chimie Canada, a sodium chlo-

directed to the fluidization area of thedryer to dry the sodium chlorate bydirect contact. The moisture content of the chlorate is reduced from 2.5%to 0.02% during the drying process.The exhaust air leaving the dryer isthen treated by an air purificationsystem consisting of a cyclone sepa-rator and wet-type air washer.

rate producer, the managers aresparing no effort to reduce the plant’senergy costs. The most recent energyefficiency project espoused by thecompany concerns the use of wastehydrogen from the process as an

electricity bill by $225,000/yr.

energy source for drying the sodiumchlorate. With this project, EkaChimie Canada expects to reduce its

possible. Hydrogen, just like sodiumchlorate, moreover, by nature requirescertain precautions of which the plant

In the operation of the systems, anumber of steps have been taken tomake the use of hydrogen as safe as

eliminate residual organic contami- employees have been made awarenants. From there, the hydrogen is through an ongoing training program.taken to the dryers, where it is regu-lated and injected into each burnerfor combustion. On contact with the Economicflame, the process air is heated to the desired set point (130°C) and mixed •••• aspectswith the water vapour resulting from Eka Chimie Canada has investedcombustion of the hydrogen. The $300,000 to convert its dryers. Inamount of water vapour in the air, return, the expected energy savingshowever, is not enough to affect the are around $225,000/yr. The invest-


monoxide resources by implementingenergy efficiency measures

• • • • •Company

p r o f i l eQIT-Fer et Titane is a mining and met-allurgical processing firm. Its ore pro-cessing complex has been establishedin Tracy, Quebec since 1948 andemploys about 1,200 people workingin four plants on the same site. QITprepares and markets four main prod-ucts: titanium oxide slag (about1,100,000 MT/yr), cast iron, steel bil-lets and steel and iron powder.

new plant is changing the perceptionthat the carbon monoxide is free,since the amounts generated inter-nally will not be able to meet futuredemand. Unless a plan for rational-izing carbon monoxide is imple-mented, QIT will have to increase itssupply of natural gas, its third largestenergy source.

• • • •

ImplementationIn its concern for constantly improving its international position of a management planin a context of market globalization, for the use of carbon

This is not the case, however, for

the second largest source of energy,

which is carbon monoxide (CO). The

reason is very simple: this com-

bustible gas is a by-product of ore

smelting and the amount generated

exceeds the current internal needs of

the plant. Carbon monoxide is used

t o m e e t m o r e t h a n 9 5 % o f t h e

thermal requirements of the process

and heating for the buildings; despite

this, however, the use of flares con-

tinues to be essential to dispose of

the surp lus . Th is s i tua t ion thus

explains the lack of any need to ratio-

nalize the consumption of carbon

plants will determine the budget

required for its carbon monoxide

supply and undertake to stay within

it. This obligation encourages the

management of each plant to involve

all its employee in the search for new

energy-saving measures applicable to

their department. In addition, an

annual capital budget is available to

carry out such projects.

The new program was implemented

by all the employees concerned, who

have become involved and are col-

laborating to ensure a successful con

clusion of the current projects.

monoxide. MeasuresYet the current construction of a being taken to

the company is paying special atten-tion now to the rationalization of

monoxide

energy use in its plants.

Context•••••

• • • •

Electricity is the main energy source.It is used to a great extent in thefoundry by the electric arc furnaces.Considering the significance of thisenergy input, QIT paid close attentionto the optimization of its use.

14

program for its consumption was

To ensure that optimum use is made

recently implemented.

of carbon monoxide, a management

The first step taken by the man-agers was to make the users aware ofthe importance of carbon monoxideby starting a system of internal billing.This internal rate system is based onthat of natural gas, with a 25% dis-count. From now on, each of the four

conserve carbonmonoxide

Preheating of the combustionair for the rotary furnacesAt the beneficiation mill, the ore is

desulphurized using four rotary fur-

naces equipped with burners which

can operate on carbon monoxide. The

hot gases exhausted from the furnaces

(at 375°C) are currently cooled,

cleaned and discharged into the

atmosphere.

With the potential increase in pro-

duction, QIT considered the possi-

bility of installing a fifth rotary fur-

nace, involving an outlay of several

million dollars. This investment can

be partly avoided by recovering heat

at the outlets of the rotary furnaces

and using it to preheat the air sup-

plying them. In this way, their con-

sumption can be seduced by 18% or

their capacity can he increased by

about 15%. The predicted savings rep-

resent nearly 50% of the expected

investment.


••••

Optimization of the combineduse of carbon monoxide andnatural gasAnother project under way is the opti-mization of the fuel supply in one ofthe four rotary furnaces, using naturalgas and carbon monoxide simultane-ously.

The modifications to the burnerwill make it possible to fully modu-late the flow of fuels and to give pri-ority to the use of carbon monoxide.Natural gas will be used only to meetdemand when carbon monoxide is inshort supply.

Optimization of the system forpreheating the pouring ladlesAt the foundry, ladles are used to pourthe molten metal to be used, amongother things, in making ingots andmetal powder. Before the metal is

transferred to the pouring ladles, they The resulting annual savings willmust be preheated to prevent thermal exceed the investment cost.shock. The four existing preheatingsystems consist of a burner fired by Summarycarbon monoxide which can onlyoperate at two levels automaticallydetermined according to the temper-ature of the pouring ladle.

Optimization of the preheatingsystem will be made possible byadding a low level to the burners,which will be able to operate at 10%of their maximum capacity, comparedwith 80% now. A system for detectingthe pouring ladles will also beinstalled to ensure optimum opera-tion of the burners. The new systemwill thus result in better temperaturecontrol of the refractory in thepouring ladles.

The cost of the project will berecovered in the first year of imple-mentation.

Automation of the flaresOn the site, two flares are in contin-uous operation, burning off the sur-plus carbon monoxide generated.

An automatic lighting system willbe installed on each flare to optimizetheir stops and starts. This new con-trol will eliminate the use of one ofthe flares and reduce the noise level.

At QIT, a growing number of peopleare aware of the importance of energyefficiency in a context of especiallyfierce international competition.

The implementation of energy effi-ciency measures is now perceived asa potential means of increasing theproductivity of equipment andavoiding investments related tocapacity shortages.

With this in mind, the companyhas implemented an energy manage-ment plan and large-scale projects areunder way. In the near future, thedirect effects of the various energy-saving measures can be observed andmore projects will be examined witha view to making the company evenmore efficient.

ENGINEERINGFIRM

Visit our web site at www.hatch.ca

Hatch & Associés Inc. supplies a wide range of energyservices to the metallurgical, chemical, mines andindustrial mining industries, from feasibility studies todetailed engineering, including project management,construction, and finally, start-up and commissioning.

Hatch & Associés Inc. is a consultant qualified byvarious governmental agencies and also according toenergy efficiency programs.

Our principle energy services are:

Energy assessments and energy management;Energy conservation studies;Reduction of the specific consumption of energy:Optimization of energy processes andconsumption;Heat recovery;Automation and expert systems;

l Management of energy peaks.


than 10,000 MWh/YR through theuse of variable-speed drives

Company• • • • •profi le

Wabush Mines is an iron ore producerand is the property of the conglom-erate formed by Stelco, Dofasco andWabush Irons. The pelletizing plantnear Sept-Îles, Quebec, on the northshore of the St. Lawrence River, pro-duces pellets of iron ore from con-centrate from the Wabush Mines inLabrador. In operation since 1964, thepelletizing plant has three productionlines with a total capacity of six mil-lion metric tonnes per year. Its clien-tele consists primarily of Ontario steelworks, members of the conglomerateand other buyers in the United Statesand Europe. The stocks of pellets aredelivered to the various customers byore carriers from the plant’s port facil-ities.

• • • •DescriptionContext. . . . . of the energy-savingThe energy supply for the pelleting

plant consists of heavy fuel oil andelectricity, accounting for 15% and21% respectively of the variable pro-duction costs. Heavy fuel oil is usedto supply the furnaces which roast thepellets and to heat the plant. Themotive power required, mainly forgrinding concentrate and driving thefans, constitutes most of the electricalconsumption.

measure implemented

As part of a program of energy ini-tiatives in the industrial environment,Wabush Mines has undertaken theinstallation of variable-speed drives(VSDs) on certain ventilation systemswhich are part of the pellet-makingprocess. In all, six systems, with motorratings between 700 and 2,000 hp,

16 have been identified for implementa-

tion of this energy-saving measure. Todate, one project has been carried out.

The project in question concernsthe cooling fan of one of the plant’sthree roasting furnaces. At the outletfrom the furnaces, the pellets are sub-jected to an intense blast of air whichcools them from 1,300°C to 150°C. Afan with a capacity of 9,000 m3/minis used for this purpose. Previously,this fan was driven by a 1,750 hp con-stant-speed synchronous motor witha power supply voltage of 4,160 V. Tomeet the furnace’s fluctuating demandfor cooling air, the fan was equippedwith a mechanical flow regulator ofthe variable inlet vane type (VIV). Therequirements of the process are suchthat the maximum capacity of theventilation system is needed for onlyhalf the furnace operating time.

While systems of the VIV type areconsidered good flow-regulationdevices from an energy point of view,the analyses done at Wabush Minesdemonstrated that VSDs of the elec-tronic type, or variable-frequencydrives (VFDs), can be profitably usedto replace conventional regulationdevices in high-power applications.

Originally designed for motorsoperating at voltages of 600 V or less,VFDs could previously be used inapplications at higher voltages if theywere coupled with transformers forraising or lowering the voltage. How-ever, this method of operationinvolved energy losses in the succes-sive voltage changes and required the

LA MAÎTRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE SPRING 1998

installation of expensive additionalequipment. Through the research anddevelopment efforts of manufacturers,particularly in the semiconductorsector, motors of 400 hp and over,operating at voltages from 2.3 to 6 kV,can now be equipped with VFDs withcompatible voltages and at competi-tive prices.

Principle of operationVFDs are electronic systems used toregulate the rotational speed ofmotors in accordance with the processdemand by varying the frequency andthe voltage supplying the motor. Inthis case, the pressure measured insidethe furnace is the control variable. Asignal from a pressure gauge is sent tothe VFD system, where it is processedand transmitted to the fan motor tomaintain the rotational speed corre-sponding to the air flow desired. Sincethe power varies as the cube of thespeed, a reduction in speed of rota-tion results in very substantial savingsof electricity.

PerformanceThe system installed at Wabush Minesis equipped with an inverter whichcombines the advantages of the tech-nologies of a power supply inverterand a pulse-width modulation (PWM)inverter. The result is an efficiency of97% at maximum load and an atten-uation of harmonics in the electricalpower supply system.

Energy savingsThe savings in electricity related toinstallation of the first VFD havebeen assessed at 2,500,000 kWh peryear. In three years, upon comple-tion of the program adopted by the

plant to implement VFD systems,more than 10,000,000 kWh can besaved every year.

Economic••••• aspect

The project carried out in 1996required an investment of about$400,000. However, this amountincludes the cost of a new 2,000 hpinduction motor, installed for relia-bility purposes and with a view toeventually increasing the capacity ofthe ventilation system. Wabush Minesbenefitted from financial assistance toimplement this energy-saving mea-sure; this, with the savings in elec-tricity, will enable the company torecover its investment in 2.5 years. Tothis can be added a reduction in main-tenance costs and an extension of thelife of the equipment.

Summary••••••.Most industrial processes require sub-

stantial motive power. To meet thevariable needs of the processes, theequipment involved is often equippedwith flow regulation devices ofvarying degrees of energy efficiency.The ventilation systems at theWabush Mines pelleting plant was agood illustration of this reality beforethe company opted for variable-speeddrives. Taking advantage of the latesttechnological developments in thearea of VSDs, Wabush Mines hasbecome committed to a program ofenergy savings which will result in areduction in electrical consumptionof more than 10,000,000 kWh/yr

is taking advantageof new methods inthe area of thermal energy production

••••

C o m p a n yp r o f i l e

for hot water. Concerned with

••••• improving i ts posit ion in this

market, the company turned to

The Cookshire Tex plant, estab- energy conservation and the use

lished in 1943 in Cookshire, of efficient technologies.

Quebec. is a family-owned small

business specializing in the man-

ufacture of woolens from recycled

raw materials. The company,

which has 150 employees, annu-

ally exports 50% of its production

to the United States, where the

fabric is used to make winter

clothing.

The process of making wool,

and textiles in general, requires a

large amount of thermal energy

ContextOf the various departments in the

plant, the dyehouse is by far the

greatest energy consumer, using

44,000 GJ/yr gross, or more than

50% of all the energy produced as

steam. The steam is injected

directly into the water in the dye-

baths to heat them to tempera-

ture. between 40 and 110°C.


••••Implementation

water, as it falls, is heated by direct

• • • • •Energy-savingmeasure implemented

Principle of operationof the system

Before the company improved itsenergy efficiency situation, the steamwas produced by two firetube boilers.of 4,000 and 2,000 kW, fired by heavyoil. During peak periods, a 2,600 kWelectric boiler was also used.

The average demand for steamfluctuated around 3,000 kg/h, whilemaximum demand was about14,000 kg/h. A substantial increase inthis demand was expected with thearrival of new project, for modifyingthe processes. The CookshireTexplant therefore considered installingnew steam production equipment,such as a 9,000 kW watertube boiler.

Rather than invest in new steam pro-duction equipment, the companyopted for a strategy based on a hotwater production system and man-agement of the water demand, themain element of which is a direct-con-tact heat recovery water heater.

This strategy has led to the achieve-ment of two objectives. First, the waterheater meets 70% of the dyehouseneeds, and does so much more effi-ciently than the original system. Inaddition, the drop in demand forsteam, combined with hot waterstorage and improved demand man-

agement, results in a significant reduc-tion in the operating level of theboilers. Consequently, the companywas able to avoid adding a new boiler.

The heat recovery water heater, alsocalled a hybrid water heater, is aunique concept which combines theadvantages of heating water by directcontact with those of energy recoveryfrom the combustion gases from aboiler. The principle is simple: the raw

increases in demand inherent in theprocess. In addition, to limit exces-sive variations and wastage, an auto-matic system for filling the dyebathsand wash tanks was installed. Bypassdampers installed on the stacks of thetwo boilers allow diversion of thecombustion gases to the heat recoverywater heater when the boilers areoperating on natural gas. When oil isbeing used as the fuel, the combus-tion products are exhausted directlyinto the atmosphere without passingthrough the recovery unit (Table 1).

PerformanceThe total power of the water heater is3,000 kW, of which 1,200 kW comefrom heat recovered from the com-bustion gases of the boilers when theyare operating at their maximum. Theburner contribution is 1,800 kW. Theefficiency of the direct-contact heatingprocess is practically l00%, since thewater vapour contained in the com-bustion gases is condensed during theheat exchange process. Because of itsperformance and its heat recoveryfunction, the water heater increasesthe overall efficiency of the heatingplant by about 20%. Thus there areappreciable energy savings, as Table 1shows.

contact with the rising warm effluentof the energy-saving

from the boilers and the hot gases measurefrom the burner during the combus- Installation of the heat recovery watertion of natural gas. Heat transfer is heater and the buffer tank inside thepromoted by areas of packing con- boiler room proved impossible atsisting of modules of stainless steel.In this case, the water at the outlet of

CookshireTex, in view of the large size

the unit is maintained at a tempera-of these two pieces of equipment.However, the design flexibility of the

ture of 40°C. water heater allowed its dimensionsThe water is then sent to a 60 m3 and assembly to be adapted to the

buffer tank to absorb the large physical limitations of the plant

TABLE 1

ENERGY SAVINGS

Original system

Overall output 65%Estimated raw energy consumption 74.000 GJ/yr

Savings: 18,000 GJ/yr(1) Boilers and water heater

New system(1)

85%56,000 GJ/yr

• • • • •E c o n o m i c

aspects and benefits

• • • •SummaryAs part of the same project, the period of barely a year and a half. In

burners of the two boilers were this regard, the following benefits can At CookshireTex, they understand thereplaced by higher performancemodels which can operate on naturalgas, heavy oil or light oil. The burnerschosen develop the necessary pressureto force the combustion gases throughthe duct system and the heat recoverywater heater.

A new network of stainless steelpiping was installed to distribute thewater from the water heater, whichhas a slightly acidic pH. All the newsystems have been operating success-fully since 1995.

The cost of the project was $450,000.The plant benefitted from financialassistance for installation of the equip-ment. This assistance, combined withreduced energy and operating costs,results in an investment payback

also be added:- increase in dyehouse productivity;- reduction in maintenance costs for

the boilers and extension of theirlife;

- a solution to the problem ofcapacity shortage of the heatingplant;

- maintenance of the current moni-toring method, since under the sta-tionary enginemen regulations theheat recovery water heater is notconsidered a device under pressure;

- avoidance of an investment ofnearly $900,000 for a new boiler;

- major reduction in air pollutionemissions, such as SO2, NOx, CO2and particulate matter.Following this project, Cook-

shireTex intends to continue its effortsby tackling, among other things,recovery of the energy contained inthe warm effluents from the plant andmanagement of the electrical powerdemand.

importance of energy efficiency forthe company’s development. This iswhy the managers have chosen anapproach that favours the intelligentuse of energy over projects whose aimis simply to increase thermal energyproduction capacity. By taking suchaction, the company is reaping majorbenefits.


energy to save and to improvethe indoor air quality of itsbuildings

• • • •

•••••Company

p r o f i l eBombardier is recognized as a worldleader in the development and man-ufacture of transportation equipment.The company, whose head office is inMontreal, Quebec, is particularlyactive in the fields of rail transport,aeronautics and private motor vehi-cles. Bombardier exports its productsthroughout the world and its facto-ries, in America and Europe, employmore than 40,000 workers.

The Sea-Doo/Ski-Doo motorizedrecreational products division, locatedin Valcourt, Quebec, is a good illus-tration of Bombardier’s involvementin energy efficiency. With an indus-trial complex of four plants coveringa total area of 84,000 m2, its managershave long understood the importanceof making energy-saving measure, anintegral part of the company's devel-opment. Moreover, this division hasdistinguished itself several times inrecent years though its use of innov-ative technologies in the area ofenergy conservation. One of the cor-

20 poration’s remarkable achievements

was the installation of a makeup airsystem using solar energy as the heatsource.

Context•••••Bombardier was grappling with aproblem of deterioration of the exteriorwalls at one of its plants in Valcourt,Quebec. The original cladding material,a lightweight concrete, also providedpoor thermal resistance. A decision wasmade in 1992 to improve the envelopeof the building by applying a newcladding over the original wall.

Instead of choosing a conventionalsandwich wall, the project managersdecided to install a solar wall, a firstfor Quebec at the time. This type ofcladding, coupled with a ventilationsystem, acts in fact as an ultimate freshair supply system whose energy sourceis the sun. The energy savings andimprovement in air quality attribut-able to this concept are what dictatedthis highly aesthetic choice. For Bom-bardier, it means a substantial reduc-tion in natural gas costs and animprovement in the plant’s ventila-tion, allowing certain common prob-

lems in industrial buildings to be cor-rected, such as:- an insufficient fresh air supply,

causing poor air quality and unde-sirable leaks;

- the inefficient use of space heatingsystems to maintain an acceptablecomfort level in drafty areas;

- air stratification, resulting in sub-stantial heat loss through the roof.

Implementationthe energy-savingmeasure

The system installed at Bombardier,marketed under the name SOLAR-WALLTM, covers the 650 m2 of the southside of the Sea-Doo assembly plant. Thenew olive-green steel cladding wassimply added to the building’s originalwall. To ensure distribution of the warmair collected by the solar wall, six fanswere added to the plant’s ventilationsystem, providing 72,000 m3/h of addi-tional fresh air.

Principle of OperationThe SOLARWALLTM system is basedon the principle of passive solarheating, by which south-facing, dark-coloured collectors are used to con-vert the infrared radiation from thesun into thermal energy. The system’soperating principle is as follows: theoutside air, drawn in by a ventilationsystem, passes through the perforatedsteel partition of the solar wall. Oncontact with the partition, the airabsorbs the heat released from the sur-face and continues to heat up as itmixes with the warm air contained inthe cavity formed by the outer parti-tion of the solar wall and the original


Otherenergy-saving

wall of the building. The warm air isthen collected at the top of the wall,in a cornice used as an intake plenumfor the fans. From there, the air is dis-tributed throughout the building byflexible perforated ducts. The air dis-tribution is done in such way as topromote destratification of the insideair, resulting in a reduction of heatloss through the root. The ventilationunits are provided with flaps to reg-ulate the fresh air supply in winter.In the summer, the warm air pro-duced by the solar wall is kept out-side the building by means of asystem of valves.

measures taken••••

Performance

around $175,000. Con- nology for heating liquids. The use ofsidering the annual this technology in industry had noenergy s a v i n g s o f precedent in Quebec and earned Bom-$40,000, the additional bardier the first prize in 1993 in a cominvestment required by petition organized by the Associationthe solar wall relative to québécoise pour la maîtrise de l’énergie.a conventional wall wasrecovered in less thantwo years. As a bonus, the Summary •••••employee, now work ina more comfortable envi-ronment, thanks toimproved air quality.

The success of the solar wall hasprompted Bombardier to equip twomore of its buildings with this type ofsystem The company is also takingenergy-saving steps in other areas. Forexample, the office spaces and certainsectors of the plants are now lit byhigh-efficiency lamps in accordancewith the concept of “efficient lighting.”This initiative results in energy savingsof between 35% and 75%. dependingon the sector. On the production lines,the degreasing tanks have beenequipped with submerged combustionburners. a highly efficient gas tech-

Not satisfied with being a leader in thetransportation equipment sector,Bombardier is also leading the way inthe area of energy efficiency. The com-pany did not hesitate to adopt solarenergy to meet part of the energyneeds of its buildings, a decision itcontinues to he delighted with andone which shows that alternativeenergy sources have a place in theenergy balance of industry

••••

According to the measurements takenat Bombardier, each square metre ofSOLAR\WALLTM collects and transfersas much as 3 GJ/yr of energy to themakeup air. To these energy gains isadded a reduction in heat losses fromthe building envelope, since the solarwall acts as insulation. The space ofwarm air formed by the system givesthe wall an R-factor (thermal resis-tance coefficient) of RSI-10 (R-55). Theheat loss through the roof is alsoreduced by the destratification effectof the air circulation system. In theend, Bombardier is saving about6,000 GJ of fuel per year, and is thusreducing its air pollution emissions

Economicapects

The installation of the solar wall andrelated ventilation equipment cost


has installed the first kiln for thepolymerization of paint by thermoreactors

TM

in Québec

•••••

•••••C o m p a n y

which used a convection kiln for thepolymerization of powder paint. Thisp r o f i l e

Located in L’Assomption, Quebec,kiln, fired by natural gas, consumed41.900 GJ/yr. Since it was more than

Frigidaire Canada is a company inthe household appliance manufac-

30 years old, the company was plan-

turing sector. The plant, a formerning to give it a major overhaul.

foundry employs about 700 people.It is fully owned by A.B. Electrolux Installationin Sweden. The main products man- of a new kilnufactured are kitchen ranges, wallovens and cooktops. With a total pro-duction area of 67,800 m2, the planthas an annual production capacityof 600,000 units.

Concerned with improving itsposition in a market where compe-tition is omnipresent, FrigidaireCanada adopts specific objectives inorder to consistently deliver a high-quality product at the lowest possiblecost. The earning of accreditation forthe ISO9001 standard in 1995 andthe implementation of energy-savingmeasures in the plant confirm thecompany’s determination to achieveand maintain its objectives.

After analysing possible scenarios forrefitting or replacement, the man-agers chose to install a new kiln whichwas more efficient and better suitedto the present and future needs ofthe plant.

Principle of operationof the new kilnThe new kiln has two zones (Table 1).The first consists of 36 Sunkiss ther-moreactorsTM, each with a maximum

Context. . . . .The main sources of energy requiredby the plant are electricity and nat-ural gas. With considerable annualconsumption, Frigidaire Canada rec-ognizes the importance of sustainedmanagement of this energy input. Tothis end, the company has since 1993pursued an objective of total energyreduction of 5% every year.

Recently, special attention wasgiven to the painting department,

22

power of 12 kW. These are radiantpanels which emit infrared and convectional energy generated by thecatalytic combustion of natural gas.The infrared emission spectrumcovers a very wide range which cor-responds exactly to that of paintabsorption. This efficient transfer ofenergy speeds up the process offorming and polymerizing the paint.In addition, the very low rate of ven-tilation in this zone avoids thedetachment of the powder from thepiece to be painted.

The second zone, called the main-tenance zone, is used to finish bakingthe paint to achieve the colour andrequirements desired by FrigidaireCanada. The energy transfer is byforced convection, with upwardmovement of air over the entire floorarea to promote good heat exchange.

Diagram of general principle of a Sunkiss TM thermoreactor kiln TM.

•••••

Maintenance of the temperature in normal operations, since the other of the burner combustion air, opti-this zone is ensured by two natural kiln could he used at the same time. mization of the dryers and thegas burners. The start-up and adjustment cooling system, energy analysis of

period lasted only three days and the the various process kilns and instal-Performance of the new kiln first paint quality tests were very sat- lation of efficient lighting fixtures.The performance of this new kiln is isfactory. The kiln has operated suc-excellent. In terms of energy, the cessfully since the start-up was com-thermal power of the new kiln is pleted. S u m m a r y

•••••Frigidaire Canada, the household1,100 kW, compared to 2,500 kW forthe old kiln. In terms of productivity,the total paint baking time hasdecreased from 23 min 30 sec with the old kiln to 6 min 40 sec with thenew kiln, a reduction of nearly 72%.Moreover, heat losses have been min-imized by equipping the kiln with anair curtain at its outlet and with high-quality thermal insulation. As Table 1shows, this performance involvesvery significant energy savings.

Economicaspects andbenefits

The overall cost of the project wasabout $600,000. Considering theenergy savings, the operationalrestrictions and an avoided cost ofaround $350,000 to upgrade the oldkiln, this investment will be recoupedin a very reasonable time. Moreover,the following factors will enhancethis achievement:

appliance manufacturer located inL’Assomption, attaches a great dealof importance to the rationalizationof its energy consumption. The mostrecent energy efficiency project car-ried out by the company is the instal-lation of a high-technology kiln forthe polymerization of paint. ‘Thisproject will enable the plant to makesubstantial energy saving,, increaseits productivity and improve thequality of its products.

Installation of the new kilnThe old kiln was located on the plantroof because of its large size. The newkiln is 4.5 times smaller than the oldone and could be installed inside theplant near the paint shop. This loca-tion improves accessibility, with lesstravel distance for the pieces to bepainted and less heat loss. The flex-ibility in the design of the new kilnmade construction on site possible,for the openings into the plant wouldnot allow it to be brought in in onepiece. During installation of the newkiln, the plant was able to continue

- substantial increase in produc-tivity of the painting department;

- reduction in kiln maintenancecosts;

- an improvement in productquality.All the economic and other ben-

efit, have made this project a successand encouraged Frigidaire Canada tosustain its efforts toward achievingits energy performance objectives. Anumber of other rationalization mea-sures are planned, such as preheating


on efficient equipment to ensuredevelopmentof the company

••••

Company•••••p r o f i l e

under the ISO9002 standard confirmsthe company’s willingness to acquire

Graybec Calc, a subsidiary of Gray-tools known to ensure high-quality

mont, is a chemical firm producingproducts.

mainly lime (approximately 500,000metric tonnes per year), hydratedlime, aggregate and agricultural lime- Contextstone. The company, with about At each plant, the limestone is300 employees, has its head office in removed from the open-pit mines byBoucherville, on the outskirt, of Mon- drilling and blasting. After it istreal, and operates three plants located crushed and screened, it is sent to thestrategically in Joliette, Redford and kilns to be transformed into limeMarbleton in Quebec. The Marbleton (CaO) by calcination at aboutplant, built in 1824, was, the first lime 1,200°C. The lime is then recoveredplant in Canada. The users of prod- at the kiln outlets as white granulesucts made by Graybec are mostly in and stored in sealed silos, ready forthe pulp and paper, steel, mining and shipment.environmental sectors. Since they are central to the

To maintain its leadership role in process, the kilns are the greatest

The judicious use of this equipmentis the main concern of Graybec Calc,which for many years has beenimproving its performance by opti-mizing the use of the kilns. Substan-tial savings have been made throughsustained efforts to increase the equip-ment’s energy efficiency, whileincreasing the plant’s productivity. Aspart of this approach, a highly effi-cient shaft kiln was installed at Mar-bleton in the late 1970s and a newhigh-performance horizontal kiln willhe in operation in 1997 at the newplant in Redford.

of one of the firstthe industry, Graybec Calc uses Intallationenergy users of all the equipment,

parallel-flow regenerativeadvanced technologies and the latest accounting for more than 90% of thecontrol methods. Its accreditation total energy consumption of the

plants. They use fossil fuels, such ascoal, coke, natural gas and heavy oil.

kiln in North America

•••••

Originally, at the Marbleton plant inthe Eastern Townships, calcinationof the limestone was accomplishedin shaft kilns whose energy perfor-mance was unacceptable in the con-text of the energy crisis of the period.Concerned about competitiveness,energy optimization and produc-tivity, Graybec Calc introduced aninnovation in 1979 by installing oneof the first parallel-flow regenerativekilns in North America. With acapacity of 400 metric tonnes of limeper day, this kiln enabled the plantto supply the ever-increasingdemand from users and to minimizethe consumption of fuel for whichthe costs were then subject to con-stant inflation.

24 Marbleton plant


will use coal and coke as energyThe operation of this shaft kiln isbased on the application of a prin-ciple of energy recovery by regenera-tion. This technique is also used incertain incineration and glass meltingsystems with high thermal efficiency.

sources

The operating principle of the kiln,which is of European origin, is basedon the presence of two verticalcolumns filled with limestone andconnected at the base by a channelwhich allows the combustion gases topass through. Each column has 18 nat-ural gas burners. Alternately, one ofthe columns has its burners operatingto calcine the limestone piled in itwhile the other column acts as anenergy recovery device, with the lime-stone being preheated by the com-bustion gases from the burners. Every15 minutes, the cycle is reversed.In this way, the temperature of thecombustion products can bereduced to around 120°C beforebeing directed to the dust extractorand discharged into the air.

••••

In terms of energy, the kiln’sefficiency is remarkable. Its con-sumption is about 4 GJ per metrictonne of lime produced, which ismuch less than that of a hori-zontal kiln with a preheater(around 6 GJ/MT). The kiln alsohas the advantage of minimizingthe risk of overheating the finalproduct, since in the calcinationzone the flow of limestone is inthe same direction as that of thecombustion gases.

Since implementation of thisproject, Graybec Calc has achievedsignificant energy savings of about264,000 GJ/yr over the use of ahorizontal kiln.

Installation of anew horizontal kilnat the Bedford plant

ciency

Located some 70 km south of Mon-treal, the new Bedford plant, currentlyunder construction, is the most recentacquisition of Graybec Calc. Strategi-cally situated, it will ensure effectivecoverage of the market served, withan annual production capacity of200.000 metric tonnes of lime.

The plant will use a rotary hori-zontal kiln with a preheater. Thisequipment consists of a long, slowlyrotating steel cylinder, sloping hori-zontally and equipped with a burnerat one end. This type of kiln waschosen primarily because it provideshigh flexibility of operation duringstops and starts. With a capacity of550 metric tonnes of lime per day, it

After preheating by the gasesleaving the kiln, the ore moves slowlywithin the kiln from the high end tothe low end; this allows a gradualexchange of heat between the hotgases and the ore. A device inside thekiln ensures that the ore is mixed atstrategic points all along the run. Asthe burning lime leaves the kiln, itaccumulates in a cooler whichrecovers the thermal energy, reusingit in the combustion process.

With high-performance heatrecovery systems, the expected con-sumption of the kiln is about 5 GJ permetric tonne of lime produced. It willbe more efficient than the horizontalkilns installed in the Joliette and Mar-

bleton plants

SummaryThe process of transforming lime-stone to lime consumes largeamounts of energy. Graybec Calc,a leader in this field, is making agreat effort to optimize its use ofenergy in particular by operatingefficient kilns in its process.The installation of a parallel-flowregenerative kiln at the Marbletonplant will result in substantialenergy savings and increase theplant’s productivity.As the company is undergoingconstant expansion, moreover, anew kiln of the horizontal typewith preheater will be in opera-tion in 1997 at the new Bedfordplant. Its capacity will enable it toproduce large quantities of lime,while offering broad productionflexibility and greater energy effi-

••••

plant in Saint-Constant in rationalizingthe energy consumption of its process

• • • • •Company

profileLafarge Canada is a subsidiary of theFrench multinational Lafarge Coppée,known worldwide for its constructionmaterials. Lafarge Canada’s Quebecplant, in Saint-Constant, specializesin making cement.

Built in 1966 and inaugurated in1967, the Saint-Constant plant has120 employees and can producel,000,000 metric tonnes of cementeach year. The plant’s geographicallocation, strategically placed at thecrossroads of the main road, rail andmaritime systems, means it can effec-tively serve the markets in Quebec andthe New England states.

substantial annual consumption of reaching the company’s energy objec-around three million gigajoules. The tives. These initiatives include thethermal conversion of old tires used installation of a new, higher-perfor-as a replacement fuel is currently in mance crusher, high-efficiency motorsthe planning stage at Saint-Constant, and variable-frequency drives.

Furthermore, with an annual con- Recently, the installation of a high-sumption of more than 100 million efficiency separator in the final stagekilowatthours and a subscribed of cement production haddemand of nearly 20,000 kW, elec- a major impact on the elec-tricity is a major energy source at the trical power consumptionplant. It is used particularly in run- of the plant, as well as onning the motors for crushing the lime- the quality of the finishedstone and grinding the raw mix and product.clinker (very hard pellets resultingfrom processing of the raw material).

With such consumption, energyefficiency is a primary concern of Installation

of a new high-efficiency

The Lafarge Group, wishing to con-tinue its momentum toward worldleadership in the field of constructionmaterials, attaches a great deal of

Lafarge Canada, which is continuallyinvesting in improvements to the per-formance of its plants. separator

• • • •

• • • •

Lafarge'simportance to the implementation ofadvanced technologie, in the Saint- commitment toConstant plant, with a view to makingit a model for cement works in this

rationalization of its

industrial sector. This plant had theenergy consumption

lowest production costs of all To ensure energy optimization in all

14 Lafarge cement plants in North of Lafarge's North American plants, aAmerica in 1994 and 1995. Canada-US committee was set up. It

comprises representatives from the

Context•••••The production of cement require,large amounts of energy for heat andmotive power purposes.

Thermal energy is generated frompetroleum coke, pitch, natural gas andheavy fuel oil. It is used mainly forburning the raw mix (the productresulting from the reduction of thelimestone and other products to a finepowder) in the two rotary kilns of the

26 plant. These fossil fuels account for a

various plants and its purpose is toestablish a strategic plan for rational-izing consumption at each of itsplants.

At Saint-Constant, Lafarge Canadahas undertaken to achieve objectivesby 1998 for the reduction of energyconsumption; one of the main goalsis a 5% reduction in the amount ofelectrical power used to producecement.

The implementation of large-scaleprojects has already contributed to

During the cement manu-facturing process, at theburning stage, the raw mixundergoes a series of reac-tions called clinkering. Inthis phase, the raw mate-rial is transformed toclinker. ‘This product isthen ground with gypsumand sent to the separator;this is a very importantpiece of equipment in acement factory, since itdirectly affects the qualityof the finished productHowever, the maximumcapacity of the separatorrestricted the use of thegrinding mill to a levelbelow its rated capacityAfter a study was doneLafarge Canada decided toinstall a high-efficiencyseparator. This equipment,


• • • •

of improved design, allows more accu-rate separation of the particles and anincrease in quality of the finishedproduct. In addition, the capacity ofthe new separator results in a majorproduction increase over the old one.

This increase in separator capacitywas part of the strategy of LafargeCanada, which anticipated a majorenergy impact on other stages of theprocess. Indeed, the amount ofproduct injected into the grindingmill (equipped with a 3,300 hp motor)was doubled; the efficiency of thisequipment was improved by 28%.

The investment of $2.2 million toreplace the separator will allow annualsavings of around $200,000.

The Saint-Constant plant, whichis always on the lookout for newtechnologies, is continuing to studyvarious measure, to increase itsenergy efficiency and in this way tokeep its place among the top per-formers. These projects include theinstallation of a new static separatorand the establishment of a newsystem for homogenizing the rawmix coming from the silos.

Transportation costs were reducedby lessening the amount of cement Summarywhich must sometimes be stockpiled The recent installation of a new sep-at the secondary storage site several arator has enabled the Lafarge plantkilometres from the plant. at Saint-Constant to increase its

energy efficiency, expand its produc-

tivity and improve the quality of itsproducts.

Similarly, the Saint-Constant planthas demonstrated its commitment toenergy efficiency by setting specificobjectives and implementing large-scale projects which enable it to bemore competitive internationally,


sawmill, energy-efficiency is anintegralpart of companydevelopment

• • • •Company

p r o f i l emarket for kiln-dried lumber. Tosupply the energy for these kilns, new

Only a stone's throw from the U.S.steam production equipment also hadto be installed. It was therefore

border, in the Eastern Townshipsregion of Quebec, the Marcel Lauzon

decided that a new thermal plantwould he built.

pendent of the public electrical powerdistribution system, can he used as anemergency unit to provide certainessential services, such as lighting.

ness for more than 30 years. From fir

P r o j e c tand spruce, the company produces• • • •nearly 32 million bdft, or the equiva-

implemented

The fuel is handled by pneumaticconveyors which carry the bark fromthe sawmill to a stockpile near theboiler. From there, a system ofhydraulic rakes and screw conveyorsfeeds the boiler. The gases resultingfrom combustion of the bark arecleaned in a dust separator of the mul-ticyclone type, while the ashes aregathered and recycled as agriculturalfertilizer.

sawmill has been in the lumber busi-

lent of 75,000 m3 of lumber per year.Its production is sold in the UnitedStates, Canada and overseas.

With its 50 employees this smallbusiness is constantly innovating,whether in the area of productivity orin the optimum use of resources. Withequipment that uses the mostadvanced technology, the sawmill isamong the best performers in Quebecin terms of its usage rate of raw mate-rials. Similarly, all the by-productsgenerated by the sawing operationsare sold or reused for internal pur-poses. This concern for efficiency andrationalization which inspires thecompany is behind decisions taken byits managers concerning energysupply. It was in keeping with thiskind of thinking, moreover, that a bio-mass cogeneration plant was built toprovide for the company’s growingenergy requirements.

Context••••

In the early 1990's, the production ofMarcel Lauzon was limited to unsea-soned lumber, commonly called greenwood. The thermal energy needs werethen modest, and the bark fromsawing was sold. In 1992, disregardingthe recession, the company decidedto install two lumber-drying kilns to

28 meet the growing demand of the

Cogeneration was the concept chosenfor construction of the new plant.Moreover, this plant is a first in thesawmill sector in Quebec. Cogenera-tion is defined as the production ofelectricity and thermal energy from asingle fuel. In this case, the bark gen-erated by the sawmill is used as a fuel,which is natural for a company whereresource recovery is a watchword.

Principle of operationof the systemThe system consists of a bark boilerwith a power of 4,500 kW, of the fire-tube type, comprising a combustionchamber with a movable grate. Thehigh-pressure steam (1,550 kPa) pro-duced by the boiler is fed to a steamturbine coupled to a 335 kW gener-ator. This generator produces the elec-tricity required to operate the thermalplant and the kilns. The steam at100 kPa exhausted from the turbineis then sent to the kilns and theheating system for the various build-ings. The operating level of the boileris determined by the electrical powerdemand. Thus when the demand forsteam is insufficient relative to thedemand for electricity, the surplussteam generated to drive the turbineis sent to an air-cooled condenser. Thegenerator, being completely inde-

All the activities of the thermal plantare automated, so only one operator isneeded to maintain operations.

PerformanceThe boiler is designed to operate onbark with a moisture content of up to55% while maintaining a combustionefficiency of 63% without any addi-tion of backup fuel. The maximumamount of biomass which can he con-sumed in an hour is two green tonnes.The overall efficiency of the system,defined as the ratio of the energy pro-duced (thermal and electrical) to theenergy consumed, is estimated to he60% when the condenser is not oper-ating.

Because of its capacity and relia-bility, the cogeneration plant fullymeets the energy requirements of thekilns, while filling a large portion ofthe heating needs of the buildings.Steam production typically variesbetween 4,000 and 5,500 kg/h,depending on the season, while theelectricity demand fluctuates between115 and 250 kW. The thermal plantis in operation for about 5,500 h/yr.

• • • •Economic

••••• aspectsS u m m a r y

Marcel Lauzon is considered a pioneerMarcel Lauzon has invested in the lumber sector in Quebec. The$1,500,000 to acquire a new thermal automation of wood cutting opera-plant. This investment allows the tions and the conversion of wastecompany to increase its income materials are areas in which the com-through the sale of kiln-dried lumber, pany particularly excels. The com-while achieving savings in electrical pany’s latest innovation is the con-power and fue l o i l o f about struction of a 335 kW cogeneration$l00,000/yr. The additional invest- plant for which the energy source isment involved in the construction of bark, a by-product of the process. Thisa cogeneration plant over that of a major investment, made in a contextconventional biomass power plant of recession, will enable this smallshould be recovered within five years. business to achieve energy savings for

several years, proceed with its devel-opment and benefit from a degree ofenergy self-efficiency.

Bark boiler, 4.5 MWLA MAÎTRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE - SPRING 1998

is enhancing its competitivenessby implementing ambitious energyefficiency projects

Company• • • • • p r o f i l e

IBM Canada’s plant in Bromont,Quebec specializes in packaging andverifying microelectronic componentsused in manufacturing the full rangeof IBM products and those of othermanufacturers. The plant has an areaof 75,000 m2, employs more than2,000 people and generates export

plant continues to be one of the mostefficient and competitive in the world.For this purpose, more than $650 mil-lion has been invested since con-struction of the plant in 1972. Thisdesire for constant improvement hasearned the company many awardsand continuation of its ISO9002accreditation.

Contextincome of more than $2 billion peryear. •••••

The company, a world leader, is Electricity is the main energy sourceconstantly investing in improvements used at the plant. It accounts for aboutin its products by incorporating new 55% of the plant’s total consumptiontechnologies and ensuring that the and is used largely for the manufac-

turing processes and motive power.Natural gas, the second largest energysource, is used to produce steam for,among other things, the heating, ven-tilation and air conditioning systemsand for manufacturing.

With a total annual energy con-sumption of approximately 687,000gigajoules, the sound use of energybecomes a determining factor inincreasing the company’s competi-tiveness. This is why the plant imple-mented a major program of energymanagement, consisting mainly ofautomated demand management,optimization of energy resources andinstallation of high-performance

Air dryer

LA MAITRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE - SPRING 1998

• • • •• • • •

equipment. The company’s objectiveis to reduce its annual energy costs by4% each year.

Over the years, the IBM initiativehas resulted in large-scale projectswhich yield substantial savings. Theseinitiatives include the use of the “IBMPlantWorks” software to automate thepower plant, heat recovery unitsinstalled on the steam boilers, high-effi-ciency motors and electronic ballast.

In addition, there are remarkablyinnovative projects for optimizing theplant’s cooled water and compressedair systems.

Installation of anew 2,300-tonne cooler

The various processes and the air con-ditioning systems of the plant require

a large quantity of cooled water. The In energy terms, the performanceeight coolers of the power plant pre- of the new cooler is excellent. Theviously supplied the demand with a power used can be as low astotal cooling capacity of 8,000 tonnes. 0.4 kW/tonne. In addition, the unitThis situation was viable, but certain can operate with a water temperaturepieces of equipment were relatively in the condenser of 18°C, comparedold and their performance was rather to 24°C with the old equipment. Thispoor. After analysing various possi- reduction of 6°C, combined with anbilities, IBM decided to replace a increase in efficiency in the cooled25 year-old cooler, with a capacity of water system, results in annual energy1,000 tonnes, by a 2,300 tonne cooler savings of about 7,725 gigajoules andusing a much more advanced tech- an increase in system capacity. Finallynology. the plant has benefitted from finan-

The installation of this equipment, cial assistance in implementing thewhich operates with a new refrigerant, project and IBM’s profitability require-HFC-134A, is part of a strategy to grad- ments have been met.ually eliminate the use of productswhich are harmful to the ozone layer, Newsuch as CFCs and HCFCs. This unit has two compressor?, enabling it to rotary-drum air dryersmaintain high efficiency, even under The plant’s demand for compressedpartial load. air averages 95 Nm3/min. This air

LA MAÎTRISE DE L'ÉNERGIE- SPRlNG 1998

31

must be very dry and of high quality,since it is used in making microelec-tronic components.

Originally, the compressed airsystem was equipped with twoadsorption air dryers without addedheat having a total capacity of227 Nm3/min. This type of equip-ment consists of two chambers usedalternately. The adsorption of watervapour by a desiccant material takesplace in one of the two chamberswhile the material is regenerated inthe other chamber. This regenerationprocess requires the use of 15% of thecompressed air volume produced bythe compressors, substantiallyreducing the amount of air availablefor the plant.

S u m m a r y• • • •

Concerned with energy efficiencyand productivity, the plant consideredthe problem and decided to installfour new rotary-drum air dryers witha total capacity of 255 Nm3/min.

Like the adsorption dryer, this typeof unit is also provided with a desic-

cant, but its regeneration does notrequire any consumption of com-pressed air. The heat produced bycompression of the air is used to con-tinuously regenerate the desiccant,which is located on the rotary drum.Annual energy savings of about 4,900gigajoules are expected, as well as anincrease in the capacity to providecompressed air to the users.

In financial terms, the paybackperiod has been calculated as twoyears, taking into account the finan-cial assistance obtained to implementthe project.

The recent installation of a new, moreefficient centrifugal cooler hasenabled IBM’s Bromont plant toreduce its use of ozone-depleting sub-s tances in the coo lers , whi leachieving energy savings.

The installation of four rotary-drum air dryers during the same

period confirms IBM’s, willingness toinvest in its energy objectives and tocontinually increase the plant’s pro-ductivity.

The importance which IBM’sBromont plant has placed on energyefficiency for more than 10 years nowhas earned the plant a reputation forhigh performance and brought itrecognition both internationally andwithin the large IBM corporation


THE QUEBECENERGY MANAGEMENTNETWORK

A world of resources world of energy.

niquen e t w o

What do we mean when we speak of energy management? This means energy savings, i.e.,enlightened management of our energy experience. Energy efficiency, the deployment ofhigh performance systems and equipment. Energy productivity, i.e. increased productivityof the energy consumed, especially in the industrial field. It also means fostering the devel-opment of new forms of energy, such as biomass, urban and agricultural waste, sun, windand other types of energy.For the last 12 years, the terms of reference of the Association québécoise pour la maîtrise l'énergie (AQME) have beento dissiminate information to its members and to the industry about profitable operating and utilization methods farnew technologies that are likely to reduce negative impacts on the environment.

AQME has mare than 700 members. 80% of there are major energy consumers, while 20% are suppliers. Beyond ourmembership, AQME has been able over the years to develop a vast network of private and public partners, who are ener-gy management beneficiaries.

With regard to the opening of markets, whether in the commercial, institutional, industrial, municipal, transportationor environment fields, we have erected a considerable network of partnerships. This allows us to maximize the impactof our activities in the industry. In return, we are able to create awareness of the new designs and new energy provi-sioning tools, as well as new business opportunities for energy distributors.

AQME has been able to create dynamic awareness and information programs for the industry and helped to implementspecific energy efficiency measures which meet consumer needs. In 1995, for instance, a survey of our member revealedthat AQME activities had directly generated no less than $180 millions in energy savings.

The cornerstone of AQME success is certainly the importance given to information transfers. Since the association wascreated, we have been keeping a tireless eye an technology to help our members and the whole industry maintain astate-the-art position in the energy efficiency field. For this over the years, we have broken in a whole range of pro-grams and activities to perfect the knowledge and skills of our various clients. With only five permanent employees,AQME has succeeded in chairing no less than 23 committees involving more than 200 professional volunteers.

During the last few years, AQME has been very effective in developing close links with foreign private and governmentorganizations. In Europe, united States, the Middle East and Latin America, interested partners are trying more than everto take advantage of the know-how of AQME’ members. There networking steps with foreign countries are obviouslypan of our avowed willingness to harness the know-how of Quebec firms and thereby create business and partnershipopportunities.

Documents

ENERGY MANAGEMENT - InfoHouseinfohouse.p2ric.org/ref/19/18837.pdf · Canada, Graybec Calc, La Cimenterie Lafarge Advertising Manon Morency ... The Lafarge Canada cement plant in Saint-Constant