Aware of the Ferrero Group’s interest in energy conservation, following the establishment of Energhe in 2007, Thermal Energy International gave a presentation to the company’s engineers on the award winning GEM steam traps. Following a second meeting Energhe agreed to conduct a rigorous trial by replacing an inverted bucket steam trap, which normally had to be replaced every twelve months, with an appropriately sized GEM steam trap. Sometimes the mechanical trap failed, but the 24/7 process could not be stopped, resulting in extensive steam wastage.
The trial, carried out on a process toaster with a 9-bar pressure, was monitored by a flow meter over a 12-month period to verify the steam consumption. It not only established that the GEM steam trap was totally reliable but also that it had achieved steam savings of 15%.
Instead of utilising a valve mechanism to close off steam for maximum energy and water conservation, the highly efficient GEM steam traps use the patented venturi orifice design to effectively drain condensate from the steam system. As the GEM steam traps have no moving parts to wedge open or fail, it provides the ultimate in reliability necessitating only minimal maintenance and requiring no spares, testing or monitoring equipment.
Following the successful trial, a local Thermal Energy International engineer carried out surveys of Ferrero Groups sites in Italy and Poland. In addition to replacing its failed mechanical traps with GEM, Energhe now ensures that the venturi design is used in all of Ferrero’s new plants and during shutdown for maintenance.
Commenting of the GEM venturi orifice steam trap, the Project Manager at Energhe S.p.A. said: “GEM steam traps solved our problem of trap failure and steam leakage. We verified their performance and reliability during the trial and found they achieved the results promised at the initial presentation. In addition, we also like the fact that Thermal Energy International offers a 10-year guarantee on the GEM, which is backed by fast response and excellent service.”
Available in a wide range of sizes for a full cross section of applications, the hardwearing GEM steam traps are manufactured from corrosion resistant stainless steel and are guaranteed for 10 years, eliminating the need for repair or replacement. The GEM steam traps can provide a fast payback from reduced energy costs and increased equipment reliability. In addition it can improve product processing by enhancing process control of the cleaning system, and also reducing equipment repairs, downtime and replacement costs.
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