Achieving zero carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions is no easy task, especially for those operating gas furnaces.
To ‘accelerate the green revolution’ in aluminium production, Kanthal — part of Sandvik Materials Technology (SMT) — is using its expertise in heating technology to ‘ignite a step-change’ towards clean-energy alternatives.
In recognition of its successful ‘Go Green’ testing service, Kanthal has been awarded Sandvik’s first sustainability award.
Industries such as aluminium processing face pressure to comply with safety and environmental standards without compromising performance.
As a leading supplier of heating technology and services, Kanthal recognised the need to strike this balance and encourage the conversion from fossil-fuel furnaces to electric alternatives. The company’s recent innovations include the Kanthal Flow Heater system, which provides heating temperatures up to 1,100°C, zero carbon output, and an
efficiency for the electric heating system as high as 90%.
Kanthal’s Go Green on-site evaluation service provides calculation models, reports and customer recommendations, so the system can be customised to each customer.
This evaluation service has enabled companies to meet their own sustainability and workplace targets, while complying with regional rules on emissions; it has even facilitated government support for expansion projects. Sandvik named the Go Green service as the winner of its first sustainability award.
The two other finalists were Sandvik Rock and Mining Technology (SMRT), which has improved the lifecycle of Sandvik’s cone crushers, and Sandvik Machining Solutions (SMS), which has successfully reduced energy emissions from the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and sintering processes.
Ulrika Wedberg, head of sustainable business at Sandvik Group, said: “Kanthal has managed to turn sustainability into a proven business advantage, combined with a clear way to measure and calculate the reduced tonnes of carbon dioxide that furnaces emit.
“Selecting a winner was no easy feat, but we hope that by celebrating the invaluable efforts of Sandvik’s employees, we can encourage others to continue to innovate and make a real difference.”