Industrial application of process improvement techniques in increasing energy efficiency

The heat losses in the steam boiler system used in the distillation process in a textile company are discussed in detail. These losses are examined under three main headings: boiler losses, process losses, and distribution losses. Loss amounts for each type of loss were calculated separately, and the system efficiency was found %80. Quality/process improvement techniques were used to reduce these losses and increase system efficiency. FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) technique, which is one of these techniques, was used by adapting it to the energy field. In this direction, each risk that causes losses has been evaluated as an improvement area, and various improvement suggestions have been presented for each of them, considering today's technological opportunities. The economic analyzes of the investments of these proposals were performed, and the payback periods were revealed. It has been determined that if the selected improvement suggestions are applied to the boiler system in the company, the boiler system efficiency can be increased to %96. In this case, approximately 16,8% fuel savings will be achieved, and annual 587 tons of CO2 emissions will be prevented. It is expected that this study will set an example for other industrial establishments using industrial boiler.