Endesa, a Spain energy supplier, has designed a heat recovery system for Tile of Spain manufacturers that reduces energy bills and CO² emissions by up to 20%, according to the company.
The new heat recovery system results in potential annual savings of up to about $450,000 per installation, according to an Endesa representative.
The Spanish ceramic industry has spent the last few years actively looking to decrease energy consumption during the production of ceramic tiles, while production is increasing. The new heat recovery system works by recovering the heat that is lost in the kilns during the firing process, and transferring it to the dryers using thermal oil, avoiding additional energy usage during the drying process. According to the company, with this process over 80% of the heat lost during the firing process is reused instead of wasted, without altering working conditions in the dryer.
Endesa has already installed around 15 heat recovery systems in several Tile of Spain facilities. The ceramic companies expect to recover the investment and start to obtain profits from this new technology within two to three-and-a-half years.
For more information, visit tileofspainusa.com.
