JOA Air Solutions, in collaboration with Philip Morris International (PMI), has completed a unique waste heat recovery project at the PMI site in Bergen op Zoom. This project combines an industrial wet scrubber with heat exchangers and heat pumps. It significantly improves both air pollution and energy efficiency. The project not only marks an important step for PMI. It can also serve as an example for the entire process industry.
In the waste heat recovery project, JOA Air Solutions as system integrator has integrated technologies to both clean harmful emissions and recover waste heat. This approach directly contributes to PMI's CO2 targets. In addition, it reduces CO2 emissions by about 2,500 tonnes per year. It also delivers energy savings of 13 GWh per year.
Features of waste heat recovery project
The advanced system converts low-grade waste heat to high-temperature water at 85-90 °C and the entire system is capable of 3 MW of heat output. The heat can be used by PMI for both process and plant heating. Ammonia was chosen as the refrigerant because of its good properties in terms of energy efficiency. Due to its scale, the realisation of this project is unique in Europe and, as far as we know, worldwide.
Net Zero in 2040
Katrien Jacobs, Manager Sustainability Benelux at PMI: "Philip Morris has set itself the goal of becoming globally carbon neutral by 2025 and achieving 'Net Zero' status by 2040. This requires a great effort from our employees and constructive cooperation with external suppliers. The collaboration with JOA Air Solutions shows how we can harness the waste heat from our process furnaces through innovative heat recovery systems, thus bringing us closer to our sustainability goals."
Combination of technologies
Bas van den Bogerd, Business Development Director at JOA Air Solutions: "With this project, we show that the combination of technologies, such as heat exchangers, scrubbers and heat pumps, can be more than just a technical solution. We hope this project will inspire other manufacturers in, for example, the food, chemical and bulk goods sectors to discover what is possible in terms of emission control and energy savings."
Inspiration
The project provides an example of how technology and collaboration can contribute to the industry's ambitious sustainability goals. Interested parties from the Dutch and Belgian process industry came to see the project for themselves during the Heat Recovery Event organised by JOA at the PMI site in Bergen op Zoom on 27 November.
Source and photos: JOA Air Solutions and PMI Bergen op Zoom
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