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Posted by Yodaddy on January 23, 2004 at 16:24:23:
In Reply to: Hmmmmmmmmm, posted by Yodaddy on January 22, 2004 at 17:15:19:
Economizer manufacturers today are selling EFFICIENCY. That's their big selling point, and they will drown you with 'facts' and figures and projected savings VS cost......And many, many plants are looking to somehow reduce their spiraling fuel costs. So it was predictable that you would eventually decide to consider one. It sounds so head-slapping simple, "Duh, yeah I am throwing heat up the stack. All I need to do is stick an econimizer there to suck it up."
If you are the guy who is responsible for selling this idea to your company, then make sure you consider that your idea can back fire on you quickly and lead to increased and unexpected down time and increased overall maintenance/operational costs that quickly eclipse their promised savings. There are many economizers out there right now that are bypassed and gathering soot, too expensive to repair and too embarrasing to mention.
Economizers can and do offer an excellent way to use waste heat. And the savings do occur. But unless your plant, operators and chemical program are up to snuff, they will prove to be a constant liability.
Start first with your boiler manufacturer. He will reveal perhaps more realistic efficiency numbers. And he will also advise you properly of selection and proper configuration. He might also suggest other mods to your burners/controls that are necessary to achieve those promises.
So get the whole story.......discuss the upgrade with other plant engineers who work in your particular process/industry. They best can tell you 'the rest of the story'.
My only advice is.....make sure they are piped and configured so that you can completely bypass them and continue normal operations when they do spring a leak. .....And to persue additional efficiency in every dark and far fetched corner of your complete process.