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SES System Efficiency Service can help a steel company to achieve significant energy savings.
4 min read

Decarbonisation at a steel producer – with SES System Efficiency Service

Steel production is extremely energy-intensive and therefore also cost-intensive. Understandably, steel producers are keen to identify and exploit potential energy savings in all areas of production. In 2020, a major German steel manufacturer commissioned KSB to analyse its coolant pumps for optimisation opportunities and identify possible courses of action with the help of SES System Efficiency Service.

Steel production is extremely energy-intensive and therefore also cost-intensive. Understandably, steel producers are keen to identify and exploit potential energy savings in all areas of production. In 2020, a major German steel manufacturer commissioned KSB to analyse its coolant pumps for optimisation opportunities and identify possible courses of action with the help of SES System Efficiency Service.

The optimisation

KSB System Efficiency Service graphic showing savings potential at a steel producer

The challenge

Energy savings for coolant pumps

The SES System Efficiency Service experts were commissioned to analyse the coolant pump system of the rolling mill and to identify options for optimisation. 

First, the goals of the analysis were defined:

  • Identification of the current pumping behaviour of the pumps
  • Assessement of the state of wear
  • Checking of vibration levels to DIN ISO 10816 Part 3 and Part 7
  • Identification of potential causes of failure
  • Devise recommendations for action for more energy-efficient operation of the system while simultaneously increasing system availability

The comprehensive system analysis revealed as below:

  • During normal operation the pumps always run at low flow – and low efficiency
  • Increased pump input power due to visible wear as compared to the as-new condition
  • Furthermore, temporary system-induced overload operation of one pump was detected.

The solution

Replacement of the existing oversized pumps with smaller, significantly more energy-efficient models

Based on the analysed data and the boundary conditions (operating hours, load profiles, energy costs, etc.) enquired from the operator, a suggestion for optiminsation including three pumps operating in parallel was developed.

  • Replacement of the existing oversized pumps with five Etanorm pumps (drive rating of 132 kW instead of 250 kW)
  • Parallel operation of three pumps, two pumps as stand-by pumps
  • Piping modifications and replacement of the control valves

Due to the future mode of operation close to the best efficiency point combined with a constant flow rate, this application was deliberately planned without variable speed control.

The result:

Pumps optimised for the process flow required, having a payback period of 6 months

This option offers the following advantages:

  • Prevention of inefficient low flow operation and operation of the pumps with the best possible efficiency
  • Increased service life and fewer unscheduled downtimes
  • Prevention of high flow losses at higher flow rates during single-pump operation
  • Savings potential of approx. 44.2 % compared to current operation
  • Climate protection: Savings of approx. 862 t CO₂ per year


Figures I Data I Facts

Applications: Steel production

Project year: 2020

Scope:  Analysis of the pump system for cooling the rolling mill, replacement of five pumps (250 kW, control by throttling) 

Existing pumps

Optimised pumps

Drive rating [kW]

5x 250, fixed speed

5x 132, fixed speed

Savings  

-

44.2 %

Energy consumption p.a. [kWh]

4,115,400

2,295,200

CO2 emission factor [g/kWh]

474

474

Emissions p.a. [t CO2]

1,949

1,087

Electricity price [€ / MWh]

100

100

Payback period

-

0.5 years

Proposed pump models:

5 x Etanorm 125-100-315

Services involved

SES System Efficiency Service

Pumps that are not optimally matched to the system consume too much energy. Thanks to SES System Efficiency Service from KSB, this doesn’t have to be the case.

  • Energy efficiency analysis
  • Damage analysis
SES System Efficiency Service

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