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Show Energy Efficiency. If future international targets for C 0 2 emissions are to be met, the energy efficiency of furnaces and other process heating equipment will need to be improved. By 2020, users of industrial furnaces will have reduced specific fuel consumption (energy input per unit output) by 2 0 % to 5 0 % , achieving increased process energy efficiency. The amount of efficiency improvement that can be gained varies according to the industry, with a few industries falling outside of the aforementioned range. The downstream processes of energy recovery and reuse are by themselves not adequate for increasing efficiency; performance improvements must be made in the furnace and burner themselves. Process Improvements. Technology improvements will allow future process heating equipment to operate more predictably and uniformly, resulting in higher product quality. In 2020, the average loss rate of product will be 5 0 % lower than today. In many applications, process heating equipment will be integrated into plant-wide energy systems, maximizing operating flexibility and plant efficiency. Safety/Reliability. The process heating system of the future must be flexible enough to perform optimally under different operating conditions, with minimal toxicity failure modes. It will operate using the highest safety standards, and accidents will be minimized. System reliability and performance will be improved so that preventive maintenance schedules can be lengthened to an average of five years, reducing equipment downtime. Research and Education. Process heating equipment suppliers and users will work together to identify future process heating needs and explore options for cooperative research. Stronger links between the industry and appropriate research institutions will ensure that top priorities are addressed. Cost. Combustion must represent a smaller share of total manufacturing costs if combustion is to remain the preferred choice of process heating services. NEXT STEPS Based on the broad goals identified in this vision, the next step is to complete the draft technology roadmap, which incorporates the research needs the combustion community has identified for itself. Once the draft has been reviewed by the workshop participants, it will be sent to a larger group of stakeholders for comment. The results will be available to all of the Industries of the Future to help them meet their combustion needs. The completed roadmap will identify current technologies, barriers to achieving performance targets, technology options for overcoming the barriers, and priorities among the suggested R & D activities. The ultimate value of the technology roadmap is its ability to align research across industry, academia, and the federal sectors. In a recent assessment of industry's technology needs, the Council on Competitiveness determined the formation of R & D partnerships to be the single most important step toward meeting tomorrow's technology and market challenges. By articulating its own technology strategy, the U.S. combustion community hopes to motivate companies, the academic community, and the national research infrastructure to refocus their research efforts in line with industry's needs. 10 |
