Dutch extrusion company saves energy with innovative vacuum pump
November 3, 2015
Essentra Extrusion is a leading custom profile extruder, located in the Netherlands. They do not make standard products, but offer a complete design and production process for clients. Extrusion is a process used to create objects with a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die to create the profiles. The extrusion of plastics relies on vacuum, mainly for the evacuation of gasses from the process. By using Atlas Copco's VSD+ vacuum pump, the company is saving thousands of euros annually.
Challenge: Stable, reliable and silent vacuum solution
Solution found in Atlas Copco's VSD+ vacuum pump
Essentra decided to get a centralized system featuring the Atlas Copco GHS 900 VSD + vacuum pump; the centralized system serves many different production lines and products. The pump delivers the same performance as three of the competitor’s pumps used to, but needs much less space.
The vacuum pump has proven reliability with no risk of overheating, as well as being quiet, both important to Essentra," said Tjitze van der Land, Head of Maintenance Essentra Extrusion. "They can even run their production processes seven days a week and overnight in the residential area, with no complaints from the neighbours.
Thousands of euros in energy savings
The GHS VSD+ vacuum pump is fitted with a 15 kW motor; it replaces two older pumps of 11 kW each so the energy savings are significant, over 8,000 Euros per year. This is not the only environmental benefit from the vacuum solution; Essentra also has an Atlas Copco energy recovery system which uses the heat generated from the Atlas Copco machines to heat water. That hot water is pumped across the street to heat the municipal swimming pool.
Written by Christoph Angenendt
