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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Process energy inventory at Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Final report, November 1975-March 1983

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5907983

Process operations at Radford Army Ammunition Plant were audited to measure energy consumption, identify areas of inefficiency, and identify changes which would reduce process energy requirements. The audited operations included nitrocellulose manufacture, propellant drying and solvent recovery. The study identified process changes available for immediate implementation which will result in annual energy savings of 1,435,000 MBTU under mobilization production rates. Further studies were proposed with an additional annual potential savings of 1,557,000 MBTU. This totals to an equivalent saving of approximately 460,000 barrels of oil or 107,000 tons of coal per year. Recommendations include automatic control of boiling tub steam, insulation of boiling tubs, heat recovery from wastewater, demand cycle control of the activated carbon solvent recovery operation, elimination of preheating of solvent laden air, and electric power generation using waste heat from hot condensate and exhaust gases via Organic Rankine Cycle Engines.

Research Organization:
Hercules, Inc., Radford, VA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5907983
Report Number(s):
AD-A-129091/5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English