Microsoft Word 2012, Källén, M.,-Energy Efficiency Opportunities within the Heat Treatment Industry

1.3  Limitations 

The project was limited to a site-specific study. The suggested energy saving possibilities 

were evaluated for the conditions of the specific steel heat treatment plant. The suggested 

improvement possibilities mainly include improvements of the heating and cooling in the 

process and the overall process outline. Modifications in the actual heat treatment method 

were not made, since the time for gathering knowledge of steel heat treatment processes for 

this project was limited. 

 

1.4  Problem Analysis 

The problem addressed in this project could be broken down to a number of questions that 

needed to be answered in order to fulfil the purpose. The first two were very general and 

straightforward and that was how much energy is used in the plant and where in the process 

the energy is consumed. Earlier energy saving measures, which have already been 

implemented in the plant, were also investigated. 

The main question for this project was how the energy consumption can be decreased. For 

each potential energy saving possibility that had been identified, a number of additional 

questions needed considering. Is this idea economically feasible? Is it technically possible? 

What will the environmental impact be? When these questions had been addressed, it was 

possible to evaluate if the energy saving proposals should be kept for further discussion. 

The final part of the project was to decide whether any of the ideas from the previous 

evaluation was recommendable. The suggestion needed to be technically feasible, as well as 

contributing with economic and environmental benefits to the heat treatment plant. 

 

 

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