Interpreting STEAM — Steam

Thread Content

This post was last edited by Fred on 2017-8-22 at 15:34. Interpreting STEAM – Steam: In English, it is called STEAM; Fred interprets it as being composed of the initial letters of the words Science, Technology, Efficiency, Awareness, Management, and Money. Interpreted in this way, it can provide insight into understanding steam and steam energy conservation. S — Science. Steam has complex theories behind it, involving disciplines such as fluid mechanics, engineering thermodynamics, and heat transfer. Relevant famous laws include the zeroth, first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics, as well as principles such as Pascal’s law, the Carnot cycle, and the Rankine cycle. These are all scientific knowledge related to steam, and the degree of mastery of it determines the depth of understanding of steam. T – Technology: This refers primarily to the technologies related to the use of steam (including skills such as steam system design, steam utilization, and problem-solving related to steam systems), as well as the capabilities involved. It also includes the level of design and manufacturing expertise for steam equipment, along with innovative abilities in steam utilization and equipment production. These are all comprehensive technical capabilities that are based on theoretical knowledge of steam science and its practical applications. E – Efficiency: The efficiency of steam usage is related to a company’s production efficiency as well as to energy conservation and emission reduction. Saving energy and reducing consumption are inevitable outcomes of improving efficiency. Therefore, steam utilization efficiency is a key indicator for assessing the quality of a steam system. During on-site inspections, it was found that a large number of steam-using equipment were operating at low efficiency due to problems with the steam system. To maintain production levels, companies had to bring in additional equipment or rely on using more energy to produce more output, resulting in significant waste. A — Awareness. Consciousness determines behavior; a person’s consciousness shapes their actions and attitude toward tasks. Steam users’ awareness of steam usage efficiency and energy conservation determines their attitude and actions regarding the optimization and renovation of steam systems. In many companies, steam system efficiency is low and there is significant waste, yet this situation is ignored and left unaddressed – the root cause being a lack of awareness regarding energy conservation. M – Management: The degree of emphasis and commitment a company places on energy conservation and efficiency improvement, as well as its energy efficiency levels, reflect the quality of its management. Energy conservation is not only a technical issue, but also an awareness issue and a management issue. Among the numerous steam users we have served, it is evident that the steam systems and efficiency in using steam in foreign companies, joint ventures, and well-known domestic enterprises are far higher than those in ordinary state-owned and private enterprises. Moreover, in terms of response speed and initiative to address the same issue, the latter usually cannot compare to the former. As a result, the energy efficiency indicators of companies that manage them effectively continue to improve or remain at a high level over the long term, while most companies have remained stagnant for years with no progress. M — Money. Steam is money. As energy costs continue to rise and environmental protection demands increase, the cost of steam is rising year by year. Saving steam means saving money, which is equivalent to generating income. In the field of industrial production, steam costs account for about 30% of a company’s total energy consumption costs; in the chemical and petroleum processing industries, this figure rises to 50%, while in the pulp and paper industry it is as high as 80%. Most enterprises have up to 45% potential for steam energy savings. By saving energy through steam, companies can earn millions, or even tens of millions, in additional revenue each year. (The above article was first published on the WeChat official account “Fured Steam Energy Saving”. ）