Energy/ GOLD ART CERAMICHE

Gold Art Ceramiche

The background

Cefla Engineering has built a new high-efficiency cogeneration plant for Gold Art Ceramiche. The company, whose origins date back to the 1960s, is the owner of the EnergieKer brand, among others, which sells 15 million m2 of interior and exterior porcelain stone flooring and single-fired wall tiles each year. Gold Art Ceramiche is based in Pavullo del Frignano, in the province of Modena, an area with a particular affinity for the production of high-quality ceramics for architectural use. Pavullo is also the location of the factory which the company extended in 2016, with the construction of the mixture preparation department. Gold Art turned to Cefla Engineering for the construction of a cogeneration plant capable of meeting the factory’s increased energy needs.

A high-efficiency plant, built as a turnkey solution

The new high-efficiency cogeneration plant was launched in December 2016 and supplies electrical energy to the factory and thermal energy to the Sacmi ATM200 spray drier, which has a water evaporating capacity of up to 20,000 l/h and a powder production capacity of 50,000 kg/h.
The plant was built by Cefla Engineering as a “turnkey” formula, with the supply also covering all the auxiliary and interface systems for the plant, which can also be supervised remotely through a remote monitoring system.
The supply is completed by a full support and maintenance service.
The plant was built in just four months, starting from the completion of the civil works, enabling it to be launched together with the start of the powder production. It was preceded by a careful feasibility study, which allowed optimal sizing of the system and the right balancing of the turbine for the electricity needs and the requirements of the spray dryer, in the various operating situations. In its first year of operation, this plant allowed fuel savings of approximately 4,300 TOE and prevented emissions of about 9,900 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

The system is based on a gas turbine with an electrical power output of 5 MWe (at 720 m above sea level) that can deliver over 11 MWt of thermal power through a fume flow rate of 71,200 kg/h at 516°C. The complete recovery of the turbine’s exhaust gases inside the spray dryer allows the attainment of high overall efficiency (>95%). The supply includes the creation of the low and medium voltage electrical system as far as the connection point through a 6,300 KVA step-up transformer.

High heat recovery capacity for greater energy efficiency

“The possibility of providing ourselves with a cogeneration system was assessed at the same time as the project for the creation of the grinding and mixture preparation plant,” confirmed Antonio Bellei of Gold Art Ceramiche, manager of the factory in Pavullo, “in order to have an efficient mode of supply of thermal and electrical energy.” This plant can be used intensively and will ensure considerable energy savings, thanks to the high heat recovery capacity of the new Sacmi Spray drier. Collaboration with Cefla and Sacmi technicians allowed adequate sizing of the plant as well as the development of a control and supervision system customized to our needs. We will therefore be able to optimize the cogeneration operation in relation to the new production regime, with constant monitoring of index values to ensure the attainment of the energy efficiency certificates”.

Service in real time to maximize efficiency

This maintenance and remote-control service is the most distinctive aspect of Cefla Engineering’ offer. The plant supervision system integrates the conventional functions (setting adjustments, alarms, parameter checks, etc.) with an innovative “tool” that provides the customer with a measurement of the plant’s energy efficiency in real time, together with indications for the most effective mode of use of the system (electrical/thermal tracking, fixed point operation, etc.) to maximize efficiency and the economic return. A specific report section, customized to the customer’s needs, also includes a statement of the data on energy parameters for the calculation of energy performance certificates, in accordance with the requirements of the national energy services operator (GSE). Finally, complete supervision of the customer’s electrical system allows integrated management of the cogeneration plant with the existing photovoltaic system.

TECHNICAL DATA

Solution: cogeneration plant serving spray dryers

Core engine: n°1 Genset Solar T60 (natural gas)

Electrical power: 5.040 kWe (@720 m. asl)

Heat rating: 11.000 kWth – exhausts 71.200 Kg/h @ 516°C

Thermal energy use: Direct recovery in 1 spray drier

Production rate: 7.600 h/year

Energy / FLORIM / ceramic industry
Civil / Fico Eataly World