LOW-COST EMOS are energy management actions that are done once at a reasonable cost.

■                Develop and implement operating procedures and work instructions. Train boilerhouse opera- tors and other employees when necessary. Create an awareness of energy efficiency among all employees.

■                Operate the boiler (heater) at the lowest steam pressure (or heating fluid temperature) that meets the needs of the production process. To do this, the process, plant and equipment may need to be modified.

■                Review whether the type of facility or industry has combustible by-products (e.g. waste hydrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide, biogas or hydrocarbon streams, or biomass) that could be used as no- or low-cost boiler fuel supplements. Consider using these by-products.

■                Add measuring, metering and monitoring equipment to the boiler and heat distribution systems for fuel, steam, heating fluid, condensate and blowdown flows.

■                Optimize the location of sensors. Make sure that the sensor and control devices can be easily accessed for control and maintenance.

■                Fit controls with locks to prevent tampering and unauthorized adjustment.

■                Consider starting a metering and targeting pro- gram to better manage the use of thermal energy (and other utilities) throughout the facility.

■                Repair, replace or add air vents (e.g. thermostatic air vents).

■                Consider recovering heat from blowdown water. To do this, use flash tanks to generate low-pressure steam from the blowdown (and use it in other heating applications, such as the de-aerator). Use the remaining water in the heat exchanger to preheat makeup water.

■                Overhaul steam pressure-reducing stations.

■                Consider the economics and means of capturing radiation and convection heat from the boiler shell for pre-heating combustion air.

■                Relocate the combustion air intake to a spot where the incoming air has the highest possible temperature year-round.

■                Upgrade the fuel and air controls.

■                Insulate pipes, flanges, fittings and other equip- ment with efficient insulation at an economic thickness. Add insulation where it is inadequate.

■                Review whether the steam and steam condensate recovery network (and heating coils and other steam-using equipment) has proper drainage. This will eliminate water hammer, losses and damage.

■                Shut down the steam and condensate branch system when it is not needed.

■                Look for opportunities to rationalize and streamline the steam and condensate network. Examine current plant-piping drawings, if avail- able, or walk through the facility. First, ensure that the obsolete, unused or redundant piping can be isolated from the rest of the system. Then remove the unnecessary parts.

■                Set up a program for steam trap replacement.