November/December 2000

ISSUE FOCUS: 

Implementing Technology

T OF ENERGY

DEPARTMEN

U

E

NITED STAT S OFA

ERICA

M

A BestPractices PUBLICATION ON IMPROVING INDUSTRIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY

OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL 

TECHNOLOGIES • 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

www.oit.doe.gov 

www.oit.doe.gov/bestpratices

The BestPractices initiative

works closely with Allied

Partners that provide equipment and services to industry. Allied Partners are

private companies, organizations, or government

agencies that help assess

plant efficiencies and

demonstrate efficiency improvements. Not only do

the plant owners benefit,

but so do the Allied Partners—who become valuable to clients by helping

them achieve plant efficiencies. One excellent example of an Allied Partner is Darby

Electric, of Anderson, South Carolina.

The company signed on as an Allied

Partner under the Motor Challenge program

about 5 years ago. This year, the Motor

Challenge program was incorporated under

the umbrella of the BestPractices initiative

as the Motor Systems program. 

As an Allied Partner, Darby Electric has

taken advantage of OIT’s BestPractices

training modules, software, publications,

and technical assistance to help customers

upgrade motor systems and save energy

and money. In fact, according to Steve

Darby, president of Darby Electric, “Gaining knowledge and being up-to-date on the

latest technology are the biggest advantages of being an Allied Partner.”

Those advantages helped Darby win the

“Joint Cost Reduction” award from Milliken

Textile Company in 1997. This award is Milliken’s highest level of supplier recognition.

It was achieved, in part, through Darby’s

work with OIT’s Motor Systems program.

Steve Darby says that convincing customers to replace old motors with energy-efficient versions can be a challenge. “It’s a

hard sell, because companies often just look

at the short-term bottom line, and they want

to buy less expensive motors. But we’ve

stuck to our guns,” partly because of certain

Energy Policy Act requirements, and partly

“because I know we can serve customers

better by providing them with better technology that gives them better efficiency and

cost savings. Every motor should be evaluated prior to repair or replacement. If efficiency can’t be improved by replacement, it

should be rewound to original specifications

with the utmost attention to detail, using the

best techniques and insulating materials.”

To make the selling job easier, Darby

Electric has had to educate customers. It

has sponsored and cosponsored motor 

system workshops, sent representatives to

tradeshows, and in the process, has distributed many OIT fact sheets and software

programs. Account managers for Darby

Electric are trained in the use of Motor

Master+ software and the Repair/Replace

training module to help customers determine cost savings on purchasing replacement energy-efficient motors. In addition

to Milliken, Darby Electric has served

Monsanto, Morton International, NutraSweet, FujiFilm, and DuPont.

“Steve Darby had a vision to educate

customers about energy efficiency. He successfully used OIT materials in his efforts,

and it has paid off handsomely. I’ve really

enjoyed working with him,” says Chris

Cockrill, project manager for the BestPractices Motor Systems program. 

One advantage, according to Steve

Darby, has been improved business. “Participating in this program has enabled

Darby Electric to increase business volume

in both new motor sales and in motor rebuilding,” he says.

Darby Electric’s experience demonstrates

that through the Allied Partners program,

vendors add value to their services and customers gain more efficient operations. ●

Darby Electric—A Model Allied Partner

OIT emerging technologies, page 7.

Steve Darby, president of Darby Electric, and Doug

Pittman, of Rockwell Automation Power Systems Division,

conduct customer training.

INSERT:

Process Heating

IN THIS ISSUE

Darby Electric—A Model Allied 

Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Assessment Helps Aluminum 

Casting Plant Key In to Potential 

Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

OIT Financial Assistance Programs 

Facilitate New Technologies . . . . . . . . .3

Emissivity: The Unknown Factor—

Understanding Thermal Calculations 

to Save Money and Energy . . . . . . . . . .4

Mark Your Calendar for Expo 4 . . . . . . . .5

New Feature: OIT Emerging 

Technologies and Research . . . . . . . . . .7

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

EM Extra Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Send Us You Maintenance Lesson

Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
2 Energy Matters, November/December 2000

ENERGY MATTERS

is published bimonthly by the

U.S. Department of Energy’s

(DOE) Office of Industrial 

Technologies. 

Information contained in the

newsletter can be reproduced

without permission provided due

acknowledgement is given (the

U.S. Department of Energy’s 

Energy Matters newsletter) and 

a copy of the publication is 

supplied to the editor.

■

EDITORIAL BOARD

Rob Boteler, representing 

National Electrical Manufacturers

Association

Lynda Butek, representing 

Electrical Apparatus Service 

Association

Don Casada, OIT BestPractices

Program

Keith Davidson, Onsite Sycom

Energy

Bob Gemmer, U.S. DOE,

Process Heat

Glenn Hahn, Spirax Sarco

Fred Hart, U.S. DOE, Steam 

Challenge

Chris Hunter, Johnson & Johnson

Roy Jones, representing

Compressed Air and Gas Institute

Aimee McKane, OIT

BestPractices Program

Rick Payton, Rockwell 

Automation/Reliance Electric

Bill Stafford, Technical 

Association of the Pulp and 

Paper Industry

Chuck Whelan, DuPont

■

COMMENTS? 

Contact: 

Michelle Mallory, 

Energy Matters Editor, at 

(303) 275-3627, or e-mail 

michelle_sosa-mallory@nrel.gov

1617 Cole Blvd., MS 1713

Golden, CO 80401

One year ago, OIT’s BestPractices initiative

launched its Plant-Wide Energy Efficiency

Opportunity Assessments program. The idea

was to encourage industrial

facilities to investigate the

possibilities throughout the

plant and identify potential 

energy savings, process improvements, and opportunities for new technologies.

With cost-shared funding

and technical assistance

from OIT, such assessments

could facilitate the process

for industrial plants.

Since the program began

in September 1999, OIT has

opened three rounds of solicitations and has made

awards to 13 companies to

conduct plant-wide assessments. These companies represent industries, such as aluminum, chemicals, glass, forest products,

and petroleum refining—all within the scope

of OIT’s Industries of the Future initiative.

Among the recipients of the plant-wide

assessment awards is aluminum casting

manufacturer AMCAST of Wapakoneta,

Ohio. One of the original seven companies

to receive the cost-shared funding from

OIT, AMCAST recently completed its assessment and moved quickly to implement

improvements that could yield impressive

savings of $3.6 million annually. 

AMCAST’s primary products are aluminum permanent mold castings for the

automotive industry, but the company also

serves the construction and other industrial

sectors. The company employs 300 people

at this plant and processes 15–20 million

pounds of aluminum annually at the 

Wapakoneta site.

To make its products, AMCAST begins

with aluminum ingots, which are melted in

natural-gas-fired reverb furnaces. Melted

aluminum is transferred to the hold furnaces adjacent to each low-pressure permanent mold machine via electrically

heated ladles. After casting, flash and scrap

parts are sent back to a Jet-melt furnace.

Cast products are trimmed, inspected, heat

treated, and aged in ovens. Primary waste

streams include aluminum dross, recyclable aluminum flash, deburring material,

metal shavings, and cooling wastes.

AMCAST is the first to use the low-pressure, permanent mold casting process to produce high-volume, aluminum suspension

components for the auto industry. The company set out to identify ways to cost-effectively reduce waste, energy, and operating

costs, and the plant-wide assessment award supported

this effort. The company

teamed with the University

of Dayton Energy Efficiency

Office and the Edison Materials Technology Center, of

Dayton, Ohio; Midwest

Building Diagnostics (formerly Miami Valley Diagnostics), of Xenia, Ohio; and

CSGI of Rockville, Maryland.

The team identified areas of

improvement in AMCAST’s

operation, and generated

ideas that could help other

casting-related industries.

Path to Improved Efficiency

The assessment team’s first step was to

gain an understanding of the total cost of

energy in the AMCAST facility. Utility costs

as well as ongoing maintenance, capital

investments, material, and labor associated

with energy systems were also considered.

By monitoring the operation’s energy use,

from the transformer and switches to production lines, the team identified opportunities to improve reliability, increase

efficiency, and reduce total cost of energy. 

Initially, the focus was on identifying and

minimizing end-use loads. Next, the distribution system was examined for savings opportunities, then the primary driver. In most

cases, the end-use and distribution system

savings directly influence the recommendation for modifying the energy source. 

Sources of Savings 

Based on previous assessments of metal

casting facilities and the information provided by AMCAST, the team noted potential savings and improvements throughout

the plant in electrical, lighting, motor

drive, compressed air, and process heating

systems. By implementing these efficiency

measures, the company expects to save

$600,000 annually. 

The assessment confirmed that the most

significant improvements are in the manufacturing process. Approximately 90%, or 

about $3 million, of the total projected savings are process-related. As a result of material modifications to process equipment

(riser tubes, glow bars, and others), AMAssessment Helps Aluminum Casting Plant Key In to

Potential Improvements

AMCAST found that the most

potential for improvement is

in its manufacturing process. 

(continued on page 3) ©
Energy Matters, November/December 2000 3

CAST has realized reductions in maintenance, scrap, downtime, and has improved

product quality. 

The prospect of saving $3.6 million annually has led AMCAST to act immediately

on the process improvements and other efficiency measures identified in the assessment. Of the 13 programs identified, four

are underway and one is complete. For its

$1 million investment on these improvements, AMCAST anticipates a simple payback of just 3 months. In addition, the

company stands to reduce carbon dioxide

(CO2) emissions by 11 million pounds per year.

Opportunity Captured 

For AMCAST, this plant-wide assessment

highlights the synergy of process performance and its impact on overall energy

and cost savings. It also demonstrates the

need to consider all other factors that affect

performance and costs.

AMCAST has taken the opportunity to

explore potential improvements, and is 

now implementing programs to capture

substantial savings. In turn, other casting

companies have the opportunity to share in

the findings at AMCAST and perhaps capture similar results.

“The opportunity, guidance, and encouragement from OIT to help foster teamwork has helped overcome the

‘not-invented-here’ syndrome and has

made the assessment a glowing success.”

explains James R. Van Wert, Jr., AMCAST’s

vice president of technology. ●

By Lisa Barnett, OIT Financial Assistance

Programs, Washington, DC 

OIT, through its Industries of the Future

(IOF) initiative, plays a unique role as a

catalyst and facilitator for industry. By

working in partnership with companies

and others, OIT helps to develop and 

deliver advanced energy efficiency, renewable energy, and pollution prevention 

technologies that can significantly improve

resource efficiency and industrial competitiveness. 

An important way OIT facilitates new

technology implementation is through financial assistance to accelerate commercialization. This assistance can pave the

way for industries, and even individual inventors, to define concepts, build prototypes, and develop and demonstrate

energy-efficient, environmentally beneficial

technologies. Two key financial assistance

programs that support IOF efforts are National Industrial Competitiveness through

Energy, Environment, and Economics

(NICE3) and Inventions and Innovation. 

NICE3 Advances New Technologies 

The NICE3 grant program allows state

agencies, in partnership with industry, to

apply for up to 50% of costs (up to

$525,000) through a competitive solicitation process to demonstrate innovative 

energy-saving and pollution-reducing 

industrial technologies ready for first-time

commercial demonstration. The NICE3 program reduces the risk for industry introducing

new technologies into the commercial

market.

In total, NICE3 has sponsored 91 projects, with more than half the sponsorship

going to small businesses. Since 1991,

NICE3 has leveraged $26.3 million in federal funds—$81.8 million in state and industry funds. Some commercially successful

NICE3 projects include:

■ TELSONIC Ultrasonics, of New Jersey,

demonstrated ultrasonic technology for

the pharmaceutical industry, which cleans

storage tanks, replacing solvent cleaning.

■ Whyco Technologies, in Connecticut,

developed a perforated barrel design that

increases the flow rate in metal plating.

■ Quad/Graphics, Inc., in Wisconsin, 

pioneered a closed-loop ink jet supply

and printer solvent recovery system that

eliminates hazardous emissions without

energy-intensive exhaust systems.

Inventions and Innovation Targets

Promising Developments

The Inventions and Innovation program

provides financial assistance (up to

$200,000) and technical assistance to help

individual inventors and small businesses

develop and demonstrate promising energy-saving technologies having significant

future commercial market potential. The

program is designed for independent inventors and small businesses with less than

500 employees. These inventors and companies are important sources of novel ideas

for energy-saving and energy production

technologies. Through Inventions and Innovation, OIT can help support the development and deployment of new, innovative

energy-related technologies.

To date, more than 500 inventions have

received financial support through this program. Nearly 25% of them have reached

the marketplace, achieving cumulative

sales of nearly $710 million. Combined,

these inventions have saved enough energy

to light 6 million homes for 1 year (in excess of 0.6 quad).

Benefits Beyond Financial 

OIT’s financial assistance programs provide millions of dollars in funding annually

for concepts, prototypes, and commercial

demonstrations. These dollars mitigate 

industry’s financial risk in developing new

technologies. In addition, the programs

offer many other benefits to grant recipients. For example, they:

■ Provide demonstration data to industry

on the operating parameters of new

technologies.

■ Help researchers and technology

providers find technical partners, commercial sponsors, business plan resources, and follow-on funding sources.

■ Provide access to technical and commercialization assistance.

■ Provide access to regional and local services and user facilities.

■ Provide Internet sites and information

relevant to energy-related innovations.

■ Conduct forums for financial investors

interested in energy-related businesses.

The programs also benefit U.S. industry

by providing technology solutions to major

industry challenges, reducing the risk of

implementing new technologies, and providing information for technology investment decisions.

Eligibility and Criteria 

If you are an inventor or part of a small

business, the Inventions and Innovation

program could be your avenue to financial

assistance from OIT. Industries of all sizes

and individual inventors can apply for

NICE3 grants, provided your proposed project is in partnership with a state agency.

Learn how these OIT programs might help

you demonstrate your industrial efficiency

technology by visiting the Financial Assistance Web sites at www.oit.doe.

gov/nice3 or www.oit.doe.gov/inventions. ●

Contact Lisa Barnett at (202) 586-2212, or

e-mail Lisa.Barnett@ee.doe.gov.

OIT Financial Assistance Programs Facilitate New Technologies 

continued from page 2
Understanding Thermal Calculations to

Save Money and Energy

By Gary J. Bases, BRIL, inc., Copley, OH

Recently, a client, who is a plant manager for

a major oil refinery, asked for help to understand

how the amount of refractory and insulation

lining system recommended for his flues

and waste heat boiler by his supplier/contractor was calculated and what questions he

should ask. I asked him what he knew about

emissivity. He knew only that it was a measure of reflection or something to that effect.

I explained that emissivity is a key factor

to understanding heat flow calculations and

saving energy and money. The other important factors are wind velocity, ambient air

temperature, surface temperature, thermal

conductivity, or “K” value, and operating

temperature. Proper calculation of the 

insulation and refractory (thicknesses and

material types) will save money at the initial

installation because he will only be paying

for what he needs. As a long-term investment, this client will save energy and

money by minimizing the amount of heat

loss that radiates from the outer casings. By

understanding emissivity, he will use less

fuel to reach and maintain the waste heat

boiler’s operating conditions. 

The following discussion, while not the

whole story on emissivity, might simply shed

some light on its value in determining the right

insulation and refractory requirements for

maximum savings.

Emissivity Defined

Emissivity is a measure of the ability of a

material to radiate energy. It is expressed as a

ratio (decimal) of the radiating ability of a

given material to that of a black body.1 A

black body emits radiation at the maximum

possible rate at any given temperature, and

has an emissivity of 1.0. The values of emittance for various metals are published and so

are undisputed. I suggest that the emissivity

value used for the calculation be based on

the current conditions of the materials being

installed (i.e. reusing existing outer casing or

lagging or installing new lagging or casing). 

More than just knowing the definition of

emissivity, however, it is important to understand where and how this value can be

used or misused in the calculation of insulation thickness.

Calculating Insulation Thickness

A good way to understand the role of

emissivity in calculating insulation and refractory material thickness is to use good 

This gives the two basic components of

Btu or heat loss portion, which are convection (in this case natural convection) and

radiant values. In the radiant component of

the Btu value we find emissivity.

This thermal calculation seems quite

complicated, and with all the calculation

software on the market today,2 we should

be glad that we no longer have to hand

calculate. However, these computer programs require the same input to calculate

heat flow. They all ask for velocity, ambient

air temperature, surface temperature, and

operating temperature. Most have built-in

K values for the types of insulation and 

refractory to be used, or these values can

be easily entered.

Variables of Calibration

So, what affects the insulation thickness

calibration? The most obvious factor is the

K value. A higher K value causes the calculation to have a greater insulation thickness. By using the mean value of the

insulating material, we get a lower K value,

and therefore, a lower insulation thickness.

To find the K value: 

1. Find the mean temperature:

2. Identify value of K on published charts

The K value of insulation has not changed

dramatically over the years. As R.L. Schneider,

a pioneer in heat transfer calculations,

wrote “...since it is harder to keep improving insulation by decreasing the K value,

let’s increase the thickness when necessary.”3 If this is still true, then the only 

other variable that can affect the outcome

of the insulation thickness calculation is

emissivity.

Factoring Economic and Energy Savings 

By understanding the emissivity factor,

you can compare labor and material costs at

various insulation thicknesses. That is the

easy part of determining economic savings.

The more difficult part is to relate that to 

energy savings, but this is the key. Think of

insulation and refractory as an investment in

energy savings down the road. “The greater

the cost of insulation, the smaller the cost of

heat loss,” explained J.F Malloy,4 in Thermal

Insulation. That is, savings on heat loss occur

when insulation thickness is increased;

however initially, there is a greater installation cost for that increase of insulation

thickness.

A Little Knowledge Pays Off

With a better understanding of emissivity, my client felt that he could evaluate the

insulation and refractory design with confidence. The next time he talked with his

supplier/contractor, he could ask informed

questions, such as:

■ Was the K value based on mean temperature?

■ What external wind velocity was used?

■ What emittance was used to calculate

the insulation and refractory thickness? 

Knowledge is everything! Knowing

more about the calculations helped my

client obtain the proper material type at the

right thickness. He found that the design was

insufficient due to incorrect emissivity and

wind velocity factors. As a result, he kept

the initial installation costs down by paying

only for what he needed (short-term cost

savings). In addition, heat loss in the plant

has been minimized, which keeps fuel

costs down (long-term energy savings). The

end result is a thermally efficient and costeffective installation of a refractory and insulation lining system for his flues and waste

heat boiler. Thus proving what Mr. Malloy

also wrote: “Thermal insulation installed to

save energy also saves money at the rate that

is essential for efficient plant operation.” ●

Gary Bases is president of BRIL inc., an independent consulting firm specializing in

brick, refractory, insulation, and lagging.

Contact him at (330) 665-2931 or e-mail

inquiry@bril-inc.com.

1 ASTM C-680-89, page 13, Appendix A.

2 Download DOE/NAIMA’s 3E Plus insulation thickness

software at www.oit.doe.gov/bespractices/software_

databases/software.shtml. 3 Fundamental Heat Transfer, R. L. Schneider, 1961. 4 Thermal Insulation, J.F. Malloy, 1969.

4 Energy Matters, November/December 2000

Emissivity: The Unknown Factor

old-fashioned hand calculations. The formula below can be used for flat surfaces:

To find the elusive emissivity factor, the formula must be broken down further:

 (1 + 225 x velocity (fps)) x (surface deg F) + (0.1714 x EMISSIVITY) x (surface deg F + 460)4 (ambient deg F + 460)4

(100)4 (100)4

(operating deg F – surface deg F)

thickness = x (K value)

 (heatloss Btu)

(operating deg F – surface deg F) thickness = x (K value)

(operating temp. + surface temp.)

2
Energy Matters, November/December 2000 5

“Global Competition: Challenges and Solutions” is the title of the 4th Biennial Industrial Energy Efficiency Symposium and

Exposition (Expo 4) coming up in February.

With an expanded program, a renowned

keynote speaker, and up to 200 booths,

Expo 4 promises to thoroughly explore the

major trends and opportunities facing the

country’s essential, energy-intensive 

industries. 

Speaker Tracks

Expo 4 will be held February 19-22 at

the Washington Hilton and Towers in

Washington, DC. Sponsored by OIT and

several of the nation’s leading manufacturing and materials companies, Expo 4 will

feature an expanded program with four

speaker tracks:

■ Manufacturing Megatrends—Topics will

include lean manufacturing, supply chain

management, Internet trading, and contract manufacturing.

■ Technology and the Environment—New applications of traditional

materials and long-term

technology changes

and their potential impact on industry and

global climate change

are among the topics

that will be covered.

■ Global Markets and

Investment Potential—

The market outlook for

basic-materials industries, including the perspectives of securities analysts and

investors will be explored.

■ Human Resources—This track will

cover issues related to workforce development and meeting the needs of engineers of the future. 

Keynote Address

Eamonn Fingleton, author and former

editor of Forbes and The Financial Times,

will be the keynote speaker at Expo 4. 

Fingleton’s most current book, In Praise of

Hard Industries: Why Manufacturing, Not the

Information Economy, is the Key to Future 

Prosperity, takes a look at the economic

resurgence of U.S. manufacturing. Fingleton

will speak on this topic.

Exhibit Hall

Meanwhile, in the exhibit hall, booths will tout

the newest in cutting edge

processes to increase industrial energy and cost

efficiencies. Companies

from the Industries of the

Future (the nine most energy-intensive industries

and those that work most

closely with OIT to reduce energy use) will be

exhibiting alongside national laboratories, federal

research and development agencies, universities, industry associations, and others.

Industrial technology executives will be offered a one-stop-shop for potential government research and development

partnership opportunities. 

Young Engineers

Furthering the spirit of partnership, Expo 4

organizers are partnering with the Junior

Engineering Technical Society, a nonprofit

organization that works to involve high

school students in engineering, science,

and mathematics programs. The organization administers a rigorous annual exam,

and this year’s topic focuses on the Industries of the Future. Winning teams from

across the country will be invited to participate in an awards ceremony at Expo.

In addition, Expo’s timing coincides

with National Engineering Week, and many

industry trade organizations will be sponsoring events with OIT. ●

For more information on Expo 4, call 

toll free (877) OIT-SYMP, or visit www.

oitexpo4.com.

Don’t Delay! Register now to attend Expo 4.

See page 6 for registration form.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

The special room rate at the Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel for OIT’s Expo 4 is $164, 

single or double occupancy, plus applicable tax. A limited number of rooms are available at

the government rate. To reserve your room, call the hotel directly at (202) 483-3000 or

(800) 445-8667. Mention you are attending the OIT Exposition to obtain the special rate. 

The hotel will require a credit card number or a deposit to hold your reservation. The credit

card will not be charged at that time. If you must cancel, please do so at least 72 hours prior

to scheduled arrival to avoid being charged for one night’s stay. The cut-off date for hotel

reservations is January 19th, 2001. Rooms are subject to availability.

Mark Your Calendar for Expo 4

Expo 4 attendees can attend workshop and speaker sessions to learn what issues, trends, and

challenges face industry and where the opportunities lie. 

Honors and awards presented at

OIT’s Expo recognize visionary

industrial leaders.
6 Energy Matters, November/December 2000

Detach and send to:

Meeting Management Services, OIT Expo Office

1201 New Jersey Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20001

If paying by credit card, you may fax your registration to (202) 624-1766.

First Name Middle Initial Last Name First Name for Badge

Title Organization

Industry

■ State/ Local Government ■ University/Institute ■ Association

■ Federal Agency ■ DOE National Laboratory ■ Other 

Address City State Zip+4

Daytime Phone Fax E-mail

Track you plan to attend:

■ Track A: Manufacturing Megatrends

■ Track B: Technology Trends, Environmental Issues

■ Track C: Human Resources

■ Track D: Global Markets & Investment Potential

Your primary area(s) of interest (check all that apply):

■ Agriculture ■ Petroleum ■ BestPractices

■ Aluminum ■ Steel ■ Industrial Assessment Centers

■ Chemicals ■ Combustion ■ Steam Systems

■ Forest Products ■ NICE3 ■ Combined Heat and Power

■ Glass ■ Motor Systems ■ Inventions & Innovation

■ Metal Casting ■ Sensors and Controls

■ Mining ■ Advanced Industrial Materials

Registration for:

■ Early Registration—$425 (before January 1, 2001)

■ Registration—$495 (on or after January 1, 2001)

Payment Method

■ Check enclosed 

Make payable to “OIT Expo.” Check will be deposited by Meeting Management Services, Inc. d/b/a OIT Expo, Federal ID# 54-1811642.

Credit card:

■ VISA ■ Mastercard ■ American Express Charge on your statement will appear as “Meeting Management Services.” 

Name as it appears on card: 

Name Card Number Expiration Authorizing Signature

Refunds will be processed minus $25 collection fee, if received by January 1, 2001. After that date, no refund will be made.

Special Needs

■ Please check here if you require special assistance. Attach a written description of needs.

For more information, please call (202) 624-1790.

OIT EXPO Registration Form Online registration is also available at www.oit.expo4.com.
Energy Matters, November/December 2000 7

Letters to the Editor 

Energy Matters welcomes

your typewritten letters and

e-mails. Please include your

full name, address, organization, and

phone number, and limit comments to 200

words. Address correspondence to:

Michelle Mallory, Letters to the Editor

NREL, MS 1713

1617 Cole Blvd.

Golden, CO 80401

E-mail: michelle_sosa-mallory@nrel.gov

We publish letters of interest to our readers

on related topics, comments, or criticisms/corrections of a technical nature.

Preference is given to letters relating to articles that appeared in the previous two issues. Letters may be edited for clarity,

length, and style. ●

In this new column, Energy Matters highlights emerging technologies to illustrate

their important role in helping industry

achieve energy savings and emission reductions. OIT considers technologies to be

“emerging” when:

■ They are ready for use in industrial settings.

■ They have been demonstrated under

real-use conditions to achieve a minimum of 25% baseline or potential improvement in energy efficiency and

emissions generation. 

These technologies are developed with

support from OIT’s Industries of the Future

partnerships. After a successful demonstration, the technologies could be brought

into industrial use through OIT’s BestPractices initiative.

One such technology, developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) recycles

usable plastics products from automotive

scrap when vehicles are shredded to recover

metal for reuse. About 3–5 million tons of

residue are produced annually in the United

States and have been destined for landfills

without an economical or effective means

for material recovery. This patented ANL

process, which separates the residue into

streams of polyurethane foam, mixed plastics, and iron oxides, has the potential to recover 250,000 tons of polyurethane foam

and 750,000 tons of heat-formed plastics

when applied to the annual production of

shredder residue in the United States. It

would thus minimize landfill disposal operations by recovering 20%–30% of the

shredder residue. 

An ANL pilot plant built to demonstrate

its 6-step process for recovering polyurethane foam from the shredder residue

produced more than 3 tons of foam 

that met industry specifications for new

material carpet padding and for reuse in

automobile applications. At a cost of less

than $.30 per pound, the recycled foam

has a substantial cost advantage over the

$1 per pound cost for virgin foam. Because

of these significant results, the polyurethane foam recovery process has 

received a 2000 R&D 100 Award from

R&D magazine.

In addition, ANL has developed a frothflotation process, which, when combined

with mechanical/physical separation, can

be used to recover high-value plastics,

such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene

(ABS) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS)

from the shredder residue stream of mixed

plastics. A pilot-plant demonstration at Appliance Recycling Centers of America, in

Minneapolis, Minnesota, suceedeed in

producing high-purity (>90% pure) ABS

and HIPS. The recovered polymers can be

mixed with new materials to make automobile, appliance, and electronic parts,

piping, and furniture. When applied to 

recovery operations of automobile shredder residue and obsolete appliances 

more than 300 million pounds of highvalue plastics could be reclaimed for reuse.

That would save 87 trillion Btu in energy

costs and avoid disposal costs of $10–$40

per ton of waste. 

The process for recovering polyurethane foam has been licensed to Salyp

Recycling Center, of Belgium, where it will

be applied to achieve a 40% reduction of

the waste from end-of-life vehicles by

2005, as required under European Union

directives. Negotiations are ongoing for licensing the froth flotation process to private companies. 

Learn more about these processes online

at www.oit.doe.gov/factsheets/chemicals/

pdfs/froth.pdf and www.techtransfer.anl.

gov:80/techtour/autoshredder.html. ●

New Feature! OIT Emerging Technologies and Research 

Don’t miss the story about Ispat Inland,

Inc.’s efforts to increase production, reduce

maintenance, improve product quality, and

reduce emissions in its steel production 

facility. Look to Energy Matters Extra to learn

how Ispat Inland has implemented heat 

recovery and an improved burner design in

its heat treating process, and find out the 

results achieved. 

Also, connect to complete details about

OIT’s 4th Industrial Energy Efficiency Symposium and Exposition, which is set for

February 19-22, 2001 in Washington, DC.

Pages 5 and 6 of this issue highlight the

conference, and Energy Matters Extra links

you to even more information.

Check out two BestPractices Steam 

resources now online. Download Clean

Boiler Fireside Heat Transfer Surfaces, a

steam tip sheet, which explains how soot

buildup on fireside heat transfer surfaces

can reduce boiler efficiency. It offers 

suggestions for avoiding such deposits. And,

take a look at Steam Digest 2000, a compendium of articles on steam system 

management and resources.

Find Energy Matters Extra at www.doe.oit.

gov.exlopre_library/emextra. ●

EXTRA 

Recovered polyurethane foam is cleaned 

and prepared for recycling at Argonne’s

demonstration plant. 

Photo: Argonne National Laboratory 
INFORMATION

CLEARINGHOUSE

Do you have questions about 

using energy-efficient process

and utility systems in your industrial 

facility? Call the OIT Information Clearinghouse for answers, Monday through

Friday 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EST).

Fax: (360) 586-8303, or access our 

homepage at www.oit.doe.gov/

clearinghouse.

HOTLINE: (800) 862-2086

DOE Regional Support Office 

Representatives

■ Tim Eastling, Atlanta, GA, 

(404) 347-7141

■ Scott Hutchins, Boston, MA, 

(617) 565-9765

■ Brian Olsen, Chicago, IL, 

(312) 886-8579

■ Gibson Asuquo, Denver, CO, 

(303) 275-4841

■ Julia Oliver, Seattle, WA, 

(510) 637-1952

■ Maryanne Daniel, Philadelphia, PA, 

(215) 656-6964

This document was produced for the Office 

of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at

the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by the 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE

national laboratory.

DOE/GO-102000-1135 • November/December 2000

T OF ENERGY

DEPARTMEN

U

E

NITED STAT S OFA ERICA

M

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper

containing at least 50% wastepaper, including

20% postconsumer waste

OIT EXPO 4—GLOBAL COMPETITION: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

■ February 19-22, 2001 in Washington, DC

For more information please call (877) OIT-SYMP or visit www.oitexpo4.com. See also

pages 5 and 6 of this issue for details and a registration form.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Boulevard

Golden, CO 80401-3393

First Class

U.S. Postage

PAID

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Golden, Colorado

BestPractices

The Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT)

BestPractices initiative and its Energy Matters newsletter introduces industrial end

users to emerging technologies and wellproven, cost-saving opportunities in motor,

steam, compressed air, and other plantwide systems. For overview information

and to keep current on what is happening

office wide, check out the newsletter—The

OIT Times—at www.oit.doe.gov/oit-times.

Coming Events

To keep up-to-date on OIT training and other events, check the calendar regularly on

Energy Matters Extra at www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/explore_library/emextra.

SEND US YOUR MAINTENANCE LESSONS LEARNED

When it comes to energy systems maintenance, there are plenty of valuable lessons to

be learned. Although they can be hard to admit, we invite you to submit an example of a

maintenance mishap—with our assurance that we will maintain your individual and

company anonymity. We’ll publish these anecdotes in the January/February 2001 edition

of Energy Matters, which will focus on the importance of developing maintenance 

methods and equipment right-sizing plans. The examples you submit will help us 

emphasize the need for a reliable maintenance plan by showing what happens when no

such plan is in place. Send Energy Matters, your lessons learned from a lack of or improper

industrial energy system maintenance. In your description, please tell us:

■ What occurred and why you think it resulted from improper maintenance?

■ What were the consequences to the plant? Did a lack of maintenance affect equipment, productivity, efficiency, and personnel well being?

■ What steps were taken to improve maintenance and what benefits have been gained? 

Mail or e-mail (see page 2 masthead for contact information) your examples to the 

Energy Matters Editor: Lessons Learned. Please include your name and phone number

(to verify information only), and send by December 22, 2000.