On June 23rd, Thermal Energy celebrated International Women in Engineering Day. INWED is an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focuses attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry. ​The theme for 2019 is #TransformTheFuture.
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Thermal Energy hosts a great deal of diversity, including a strong team of female engineers. In order to celebrate this and INWED1919, we put together a video of our team sharing some of their goals for the future as female engineers.​​

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​Thermal Energy proudly supports the gender diversity and equality goals of INWED.
​We celebrate our own women in engineering and their efforts to #TransformTheFuture.

“With carbon regulations being developed on provincial and federal levels of government, Canadian industry is being challenged by new benchmarks, timelines, pricing and rules. If your company or association needs to understand the risks and opportunities presented by the new carbon regulations, then you are encouraged to stop by TEI’s booth and learn about our cleantech technologies for reducing carbon emissions and increasing competitiveness.” says Antoine Hofer, Technical Sales Director at Thermal Energy​

Attendees at the Carbon Pricing for Canadian Industry event happening this week in Toronto, ON will be greeted in the main hall by Thermal Energy’s COO, Robert Triebe, and Technical Sales Director, Antoine Hofer. Our team is onsite today and tomorrow showcasing our energy savings and carbon reduction solutions, and attending updates on federal and provincial carbon regulations and best practices.

Resolute in their carbon reduction goals
Also in attendance at the event are representatives from Resolute Forest Products. Like most companies, Resolute has been largely dependent on natural gas to create the energy needed to keep their productions going particularly in the winter periods. Looking to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas the mill is producing, the global leader in the forest products industry is collaborating with Thermal Energy at the Thunder Bay Resolute pulp and paper mill to reduce its carbon footprint. Using both Thermal Energy’s FLU-ACE® heat recovery technology and GEM steam traps, the project will enable Resolute Forest to increase energy efficiency at its Thunder Bay mill and reduce GHG emissions by an estimated 43,000 mt CO2 eq/yr for a reduction in natural gas consumption of more than 15%.

“At Thermal Energy, we are committed to helping clients like Resolute achieve their energy efficiency and carbon reduction goals at an affordable cost and payback. Programs like Ontario’s TargetGHG Program are important as they help offset project costs and encourage industries to adopt innovative cleantech solutions like those we provide,” says Robert Triebe, COO at Thermal Energy.

Attendees at the Carbon Pricing for Canadian Industry on April 25-26th are invited to TEI’s booth to learn how we can help you meet federal and provincial carbon regulations, while saving you money, and making your site more energy efficient. To set up a meeting please contact Antoine Hofer. 

Today at 12 pm EDT, TEI’s Guy Bonneau, Business Development Manager, Cogeneration Solutions, will be presenting CHES Webinar # 4 on Simple and Permanent Reduction in Steam Line Losses.

Steam is the most commonly used medium to distribute heat in health care facilities, due to its high energy content and the ease with which its temperature can be regulated. Steam gives up its useful energy as it condenses to water.
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Useful energy losses
Typical steam systems make use of 55% of the useful energy produced by fuel input. The rest of the energy is lost due to inefficiencies through stack and blow down losses, steam trap losses, condensate flashing, and other sources of energy loss. 

Mechanical steam traps which open when water is present and shut when steam is present have traditionally been used to discharge this water. Due to their moving parts which are prone to seizure and failure, mechanical traps are a constant source of energy losses and operational problems, making them the Achilles heel of the steam system.
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Simple and permanent solution
​Technology developed by Thermal Energy now offers a permanent solution to steam line losses, which is more efficient than even a fully functional mechanical trap. 

Steam is an integral component of food processing. It is commonly utilized for cleaning equipment, blanching and rehydrating product, sterilizing equipment and Steam-in-Place (SIP) for cleaning pipes. Three types of steam used by food processors include plant (or utility) steam; culinary steam for product or contact surface sterilization; and pure (hygienic steam) that must be free of additives and used to produce organic products. [reference: stellarfoodforthought.net]
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As experts in thermal energy systems and steam handling, TEI, with our comprehensive range of energy efficiency solutions, is a perfect fit for customers in the food processing industry, making the Food Processing Expo an excellent place for our team to exhibit.​

With more than 280 exhibitors and 2600 attendees, Food Processing Expo is the largest trade show in California devoted exclusively to food processing. The Expo brings the industry together by offering a trade show floor with exhibits featuring machinery, equipment, supplies, services and other vendors with innovative industry products. The Expo also features informative, topical educational sessions, dynamic speakers and networking events, offering something for everyone in the food processing industry. The Expo is produced by the California League of Food Producers (CLFP). [reference: Food Processing Expo website]

Exhibiting last week at the expo, Thermal Energy’s David Coletta, Area Sales Manager, Western USA, and Mike Mckissick, Area Sales Manager, Texas, had the pleasure of meeting with Plant and Technical Service Managers, Food Process and Facilities Engineers, and other professionals from hundreds of companies, and demonstrating how TEI’s solutions reduce annual plant energy costs by hundreds of thousands, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions by thousands of tonnes per year. ​

David Coletta had this to say about the expo:
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“The event was amazing and resulted in some solid opportunities. It was an ideal spot for us and the info sessions, such as “Making Energy Efficiency Programs Work for Your Operation” presented by Pacific Gas & Electric, provided insight on new developments in food process technology happening right now. If anything, the expo emphasizes how many professionals in the food industry are already familiar with our company and what our products can do for the sector.”

What TEI products can do for the food sector
TEI’s venturi orifice designed GEM steam traps, with their 100% stainless construction, are ideal for the food processing industry, and our FLU-ACE® heat recovery technology provides ideal solutions for recovering waste heat from dryers and boilers. Typical food processing applications for TEI’s solutions include: autoclaves, CO2 vaporizers, evaporators, dryers, CIP systems, starch converters, heated tanks and line drainage.

​Food for thought
Thermal Energy has already helped 570 manufacturers in the food & beverage industry, in North America and Europe, save more than $72 million in energy costs and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 760,000 tonnes.

Our clients include a leading food ingredient company who we recently commissioned us to install an innovative heat recovery system that is expected to provide the site with a utility savings of over $614,000 per year and annual carbon emissions reductions of 5,200 tonnes.

Read more about our solutions and other success studies on our food & beverage page.

Last week, Antoine Hofer, TEI’s Technical Sales Director, Quebec and Eastern Canada exhibited at the 2019 Paperweek Canada international conference for the Forest Products Industry in Canada. 

Typical paper mills use most of their energy in the drying process.  In fact, up to 80% of a paper mill’s energy can be used for drying the product. Our FLU-ACE® heat recovery technology can recover as much as 90% of the heat normally lost in the form of water. For the pulp and paper industry, TEI’s products are capable of returning natural gas savings of more than 35% while reducing mill greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20%.
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Our proprietary products that are ideal for paper mills include:

• GEM - Steam traps;
• FLU-ACE® - Direct contact condensing heat recovery; and
• DRY-REX® - Low temperature biomass drying systems.

Learn more about TEI’s sustainability solutions for the Pulp and Paper industry.

Over the weekend, Thermal Energy CEO, William Crossland attended the AlphaNorth Capital Conference where he presented to potential investors on TEI's successful multi-pronged growth strategy, including increased customer penetration, expanding our team and market presence, and adding new products, all of which positions our cleantech company to continue its long and strong track record of growth.  

Mr. Crossland had this to say about the event:

“The AlphaNorth Capital Conference is an excellent opportunity to have personal one-on-one conversations with experienced small cap investors." 
 
The conference brings together growth-stage companies with experienced capital markets professionals for 2 days of targeted one-on-one meetings and networking activities.

Click here to view the TEI corporate presentation delivered at the conference.
​Contact us to learn more about TMG stock.

This week, executive team members Robert Triebe, Vince Sands, and Sam Mawby met with BEI representatives and distributors at AHR Expo to promote TEI products through existing BEI channels and to strengthen our approach to bringing BEI products to the European market. 

The AHR Expo is the world’s largest HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe each year. The Show provides a unique forum where manufacturers of all sizes and specialties, whether a major industry brand or innovative start-up, can come together to share ideas and showcase the future of HVACR technology under one roof.

Since 1930, the AHR Expo, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, has remained the industry’s best place for OEMs, engineers, contractors, facility operators, architects, educators and other industry professionals to explore the latest trends and applications and to cultivate mutually beneficial business relationships.

​The event was the perfect setting for refining the promotional and distribution strategies for our expanded range of energy efficiency products. 

The healthcare sector is increasingly struggling to address serious maintenance concerns within its estates. Backlog maintenance, also known as deferred maintenance, is overdue essential work required to bring a building or asset up to standard and includes everything from updates to the building fabric, to the condition of the equipment used within it.

In the UK, backlog maintenance is one of the most pressing issues facing the NHS and elsewhere, facilities managers and providers in Canada, America and Europe face site bills that run into the millions. So, what are the options for hospitals looking to reduce their backlog bill?

Full steam ahead
Heating and hot water systems are some of the largest maintenance drains on a Hospital. Everything, from the heat sources, be it Boilers, CHP or heat pumps, to the pipework and heat exchangers need to be maintained. Such systems are vital to the running of a Hospital and applications such as heating, Domestic Hot Water (DWH) for washing and cooking, sterilization and laundry all rely on well-maintained equipment. Put simply; without an effective heating and hot water system, a Hospital cannot function – putting patients and staff at risk.

Steam remains one of the most effective ways of transporting large quantities of heat energy around a Hospital. It has several advantages over other heating technologies, such as Medium Temperature Hot Water (MTHW), and many sites, especially bigger hospitals with a large footprint, use steam to provide hot water, space heating and sterilization services where needed.

With this in mind, one of the simplest solutions to minimizing the maintenance bill is to address the steam system.

Why does steam maintenance matter?
Within any steam system, maintenance is paramount. Recognizing and avoiding leaks ensures a system runs efficiently and safely, with optimal fuel use. Effective steam trapping is key since failed traps not only waste energy, they can also result in live steam loss or water hammer. In the case of water hammer, instead of condensate being safely discharged, it powers through a system causing noise and seriously damaging pipework which can have dangerous consequences.

Due to their moving parts, mechanical steam traps are subject to failure, breakdown and wear and tear. With an average annual failure rate of between 5 – 10%, traditional steam traps are a real contributor to a site’s backlog maintenance bill with some having hundreds of traps needing to be surveyed and replaced.

GEM – a permanent solution 
In a hospital of 400 beds the hourly steam requirement is around 3mW, requiring 150 steam traps on site. Each year, an average of 10% of these fail – costing the estate £5,000 ($8,000 CAD) in maintenance each year. Without regular review, over five years this bill can grow to over £25,000 ($42,000 CAD), and cause major downtime of the heating and hot water systems.

In response, an increasing number of hospitals are turning to GEM Steam Trap technology in an approach that permanently solves reoccurring maintenance issues and eliminates backlog maintenance caused by unreliable mechanical steam traps.
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The GEM Steam Trap uses an orifice and multi-staged throat design to manage condensate flow rate. Instead of opening and closing, it harnesses flash steam to create a condensate seal which allows condensate to continuously discharge from the trap at variable rates, without the loss of live steam.

Each GEM Trap comes with a 10-year performance guarantee which reduces maintenance costs since annual spend on new steam traps is minimized (or removed entirely) and less time and effort is required to maintain the system.

Once installed, GEM Traps are easily maintained and serviced. With no moving parts to break or fail, maintenance and operations professionals are able to prioritize other areas of deferred maintenance not relating to steam traps, further decreasing the backlog.

To find out how steam system efficiencies can reduce your backlog maintenance contact us for more information.
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For the Petrochem industry, periods of shutdown and turnaround are expensive. Not only is there a loss of production while units are offline, there’s also the direct cost of labor, tools, equipment and materials. They are a significant proportion of a plant or refinery’s annual maintenance budget, therefore operators are under increasing pressure to maximize efficiencies during downtime and protect the company's bottom line.
 
Maximizing Steam System Efficiencies
Steam line maintenance is a key element of an effective turnaround schedule. In refineries worldwide as well as being integral to the process of steam cracking, steam is used to vaporize, preheat and heat materials during production.  A large proportion of steam traps therefore are used in the steam distribution network and for trace heating. With this in mind, removing condensate from the system, or steam trapping, is vital for the efficient and safe running of a system. Its role in preventing the seriously damaging effects of water hammer and ensuring processes achieve the correct temperatures means sites can required tens of thousands of steam traps.

Traditional steam traps discharge condensate by mechanically opening and closing. However, as with any mechanism, moving parts are subject to failure, breakdown or wear and tear. In the case of the Petrochem industry – which generally uses higher pressure steam – we’ve seen a major trend of facilities having problems with inverted bucket, float and ball or thermodynamic mechanical steam traps due to their inability to cope with the volatile environment. 

When they open, these traps waste valuable energy and pressurize the condensate recovery system. When they fail closed, there is a risk condensate will backup causing disastrous problems to the wider system as well as having health and safety implications. With petrochemicals manufactured on such a large scale, any level of inefficiency has huge implications.

Never-ending cycle, ended.
With turnaround time at a premium it tends to be more cost and time effective for maintenance engineers to replace damaged mechanical steam traps rather than remove, repair and re-install them. Steam traps are all too often viewed as a consumable item which typically results in teams needing to prioritize constantly replacing thousands of mechanical steam traps, over other corrective or predictive maintenance.    

The simplest solution is to limit the level of steam trap failure. Going further, an ideal scenario would be one where steam traps could be quickly and efficiently maintained, leaving engineering and maintenance departments enough time and resources to complete other pressing tasks while the system is down. In response, Thermal Energy International (TEI) is helping an increasing number of sites find a permanent solution to the challenge of steam traps and disrupt the usual pattern of; failure; survey; replace.

TEI’s GEM Steam Traps have no moving parts to wear or fail. Instead of opening and closing, the patented orifice and multi-staged venturi throat design uses the differential pressure across the trap to manage condensate flow rate. The orifice is specifically sized for the application by our team of experienced engineers and protected from blockage by an integral multi-stage filtration system. This ensures it can accommodate the variability of industrial loads – all without the need for moving parts, or concerns of blockage.

Precision manufactured from a single piece of high-quality stainless steel the GEM Trap is resistant to wear and tear with the added benefit of no leakage paths. Since there are fewer elements to manage and service, adopting GEM technology reduces the maintenance burden and removes the cost of having to replace failed mechanical traps. Finally, for a sector so closely monitored, this innovative measure increases the overall efficiency by over 10% against even brand new mechanical traps and reduces carbon emissions.

Benefits of GEM Steam Traps
TEI has worked with oil, gas and petrochemical companies across the globe. By using our approach, one refinery experienced significant savings – both in cost and labor outlay. During a recent unplanned shutdown, this refinery was able to run on just two boilers. Prior to the installation of over 1,000 GEM Traps, this would have resulted in a loss of steam pressure to the refinery’s extremities as well as production upsets.

If you’d like more information on how to streamline your steam system make an appointment to talk to us at this years’ Marcus Evans 10th Annual Chem/Petrochem & Refinery Shutdowns & Turnarounds conference in Texas.

Gary Brooks – Regional Account Manager, South Atlantic, USA