Maple Valley
http://www.enertechnix.com
About Enertechnix
Enertechnix develops and commercializes innovative technologies for environmental monitoring and improving the efficiency, cleanliness and safety of large-scale energy conversion processes. Since its inception in 1995, Enertechnix has developed and commercialized acoustic systems for measuring gas temperatures in large-scale boilers, and mid-IR imaging systems for visual monitoring of conditions within high temperature, particle-laden environments. Enertechnix is involved in a broad program of research and development, aimed at airborne aerosol capture and classification, measuring temperatures in gasifiers, detection of IEDs, and monitoring of personal exposure to toxins and allergens.
RTD Award: Phase II
Project Title: "Improved Efficiency of Energy-Intensive Processes through Control of Build-Up on Critical Heat-Transfer Surfaces"
Research Partner: Associate Professor Alexander V. Mamishev, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington
Phase Began: 2010
Enertechnix, a manufacturer of high-temperature imaging systems, and the University of Washington's Department of Electrical Engineering plan to develop algorithms to control the cleaning of heat-transfer surfaces in industrial paper and pulp processes.
Successful commercialization of the technology will lead to significant energy and cost savings, reduce the emission of associated pollutants and greenhouse gases, and result in Enertechnix creating 20 new family-wage jobs in Washington during the next five years.
In this Phase II project, UW will receive $100,000 in research and technology development funding from Washington Technology Center and $20,000 from Enertechnix for the project titled "Improved Efficiency of Energy-Intensive Processes through Control of Build-Up on Critical Heat-Transfer Surfaces."
Cleaning slag build-up in Kraft boilers used in the paper and pulp industries is currently an energy-intensive and inefficient process. Steam cleaners are typically operated on a timed sequence, based on historical experience with fouling in the convective systems.
With this project, the collaborative team of Enertechnix and UW Associate Professor Alexander V. Mamishev plan to develop image-processing and estimation algorithms to automatically control the cleaning of heat transfer surface build-up to maximize energy efficiency.
The goal of the proposed automatic control of build-up is to optimally trade-off between the maximum energy efficiency obtainable with clean equipment, and the costs of shutting down the equipment for cleaning.
RTD Award: Phase I
Project Title: "Improved Efficiency of Energy-Intensive Processes through Control of Build-up on Critical Heat-Transfer Surfaces"
Research Partner: Associate Professor Alexander V. Mamishev, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington
Phase Began: 2009
Enertechnix, a Maple Valley-based manufacturer of high-temperature imaging systems, is collaborating with the University of Washington's Department of Electrical Engineering to develop algorithms to control the cleaning of heat-transfer surfaces in industrial processes.
UW will receive $100,000 in Phase I research and technology development funding from Washington Technology Center and $20,000 from Enertechnix for the project titled "Improved Efficiency of Energy-Intensive Processes through Control of Build-up on Critical Heat-Transfer Surfaces."
Cleaning slag build-up in Kraft boilers used in the paper and pulp industries is currently an energy-intensive and inefficient process. Steam cleaners are typically operated on a timed sequence, based on historical experience with fouling in the convective systems.
With this project, the collaborative team of Enertechnix and UW Associate Professor Alexander V. Mamishev plan to develop image-processing and estimation algorithms to automatically control the cleaning of heat transfer surface build-up to maximize energy efficiency. The implementation of the proposed technology would lead to significant energy and cost savings, and reduce the emission of associated pollutants and greenhouse gases.
"We are very excited at the potential of this project to positively impact operation of power and chemical recovery boilers. We look forward to working with the UW team to develop this technology and ensure that it is available to these energy-intensive facilities throughout the world."
George Kychakoff, President of Enertechnix.
"The intent of this effort is to move as soon as possible from laboratory experiments to real industrial environments. The University of Washington's Industrial Assessment Center (UW IAC) will work with the manufacturing companies in the Pacific Northwest to conduct field trials of the thermal imaging system that we will design."
Professor Alexander Mamishev, who serves as Principal Investigator in this project and Director of UW IAC.
"Enertechnix has an imaging process that allows high-heat industries, like pulp and paper companies, to 'see' inside their furnaces and clean them at optimum intervals. This allows companies to achieve maximum energy efficiency and minimum pollution levels, and both of those outcomes command a premium price today."
State Sen. Cheryl Pflug (R-Maple Valley)
Labels: District_20, Energy, Maple_Valley, Puget_Sound_A-K, Quote-Company, Quote-Legislator, Quote-Researcher, RTD_Grant_Program_A-K, UW
