Cooling + drying

SUSTAINABILITY / MANUFACTURING

Cooling + drying

Closed loop and natural solutions 

OVERVIEW

High energy processes

Cable manufacturing include many different processes that are high energy consuming in order to dry, cool or clean materials at different stages.

Therefore, factories focus on how to reduce the energy consumption for these processes via natural resources, closed loops, regular maintenance or investments in new technology and physical assets.

Annual sustainability audits at factories help to point out areas for improvement and keep a continued focus on lowering the carbon-footprint from these processes.

 

 

PRODUCTION PROCESS

Cooling after extrusion

Certain types of cables must be cooled after extrusion by slowly passing through a water system with approx. 14°C cooling water. High temperature extrusion is used to cross-link various layers of a cable such as insulation, inner and outer sheath.

In particular, the manufacture of MV and HV cables that are double or triple extruded requires a relatively large energy consumption for cooling.

SWEDEN

Rooftop cooling system

By investing in a new water cooling system mounted on the factory rooftop, the relatively low outdoor temperatures in Nässjö (Sweden) help cool the circular process water naturally.

The solution has a smart control system that regulates cooling in relation to process water temperature and outdoor air temperature, by automatically switching between total natural cooling, hybrid cooling and mechanical cooling.

This saves approximately 10% of the energy consumption for the cable production, 50-90% of the energy consumption for water cooling depending on the season as well as 30% on water consumption.

SWEDEN

Air wipe system

Getting rid of moisture in the cable manufacturing process is a high energy consumption process, where air wipe systems can clean, dry or cool materials at different stages.

Nässjö factory in Sweden has invested in a new air wipe system that is also checked regularly to prevent air leaks. This will annually save 42.000 kWh on their energy consumption equal to 3,7 tonnes CO2 eq. emissions.