On a recent energy assessment of Knife River Corp in Troutdale, Oregon, a team of six engineering students from Oregon State University’s Industrial Assessment Center worked closely with facility personnel to develop energy saving recommendations. After a comprehensive tour of the plant, the team of analysts brainstormed ways to improve the facility’s efficiency.  Analysts investigated opportunities associated with the facility’s compressed air systems, motor efficiency, and heating systems.

Industrial Assessment Centers are located at accredited engineering schools at 29 universities around the country and are funded by the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office. Their primary function is to send teams of faculty and students to nearby small to medium sized industrial facilities and provide a full day assessment of the facility’s energy use, productivity, and waste management systems. The service is provided at no cost to the facility, and the student team gains invaluable engineering experience in a real world context.

As a result of the assessment, the team’s final report proposed seven recommendations offering over $280,000 in cost savings, and a reduction in electrical consumption by over 500,000 kWh annually. These recommendations included optimizing the facility’s compressed air set points, repairing air leaks, replacing electric heaters with hot oil heaters and upgrading motors with notched V-belts.

 

The management team at Knife River is committed to improving their energy efficiency and reducing their environmental impact. One of the facility’s best practices is their use of reclaimed asphalt product (RAP) which makes up to 20% of their asphalt product. The facility also employs closed loop recycling systems on water and material lost during various transport processes.