Energy Efficiency for ThyssenKrupp

Installing energy efficient lead compressors and optimising the existing compressor plant allowed ThyssenKrupp to achieve 17% energy savings and a return on investment of under 10 months.

ThyssenKrupp is one of the world’s largest technology groups. They employ more than 199,000 employees within the group’s main areas of Steel, Capital Goods & Services, with a turnover of €53 billion in 2007/08.

At Cannock in Staffordshire, ThyssenKrupp manufacture under body components for all of the major automotive suppliers. The site uses a significant amount of energy and has employed E2 Services to identify and implement a number of major energy saving projects over the past 4 years.

The planned installation of a new production line presented the site with a problem. They needed to generate compressed air at 7.0 bar to run the new line, however the existing reciprocating compressed air system could only reach 6.7 bar.

Working to a strict timeline, E2 Services designed & specified an energy efficient HPC compressor system that made best use of the site’s existing screw compressors, together with the addition of four new compressors. The ring main was re-designed to provide improved air flow & a central management system was added in order to provide accurate control of all parameters.

As the factory operates around the clock, the installation contractor Air Methods agreed to work through the night in order to minimise disruption, allowing the project to be completed on time.

The result was a reduction of 17% energy consumption, with a return on investment of under 10 months.