PRODOTTI CHIMICI E ALIMENTARI SPA

Sector: Chemical-Food - Sub-Fund: production of animal derivatives for pharmaceutical and food uses

Customer company requirement

P.C.A. (Prodotti Chimici e Alimentari Spa) is a leading company in the sector, operating since 1964 in its headquarters in Basaluzzo, within the industrial area of the province of Alessandria. The company has developed extensive expertise in the field of food chemistry, specializing in the production of semi-finished products for the pharmaceutical and food industries.

The main needs expressed, and verified by Albasystem, were:

reduction of energy costs derived from the large use of electricity and steam in production processes.
the company's conversion towards a greener philosophy with a lower environmental impact through the reduction of current CO₂ emissions.
achieving energy autonomy through self-production.

Project objective

After a careful analysis of the comany's production process using a simulator, it was proposed to intervene to achieve a coverage of 95% of the electricity needs and 25% of the thermal demand through the use of steam. As far as the design part is concerned, the intervention focused on the arrangement of all the components of the plant within the structure, minimizing the environmental impact and the level of noise pollution.

Interventions carried out with the installation of the Aspecindustry system:

The intervention was carried out through the operating mode of the "turnkey" contract including the "ten-year service" contract, to guarantee to P.C.A. the highest energy performance and total business continuity, totally freeing it from the management of the Aspecindustry system. The intervention was thus configured:

construction of a cogenerator in a single monoblock, length 16 m and width 3 m soundproofed, soundproofing class A1. On the roof of the structure have been placed: silencers, smoke recovery, purifiers, intercoolers and drycollers - all low noise - and a 20000 liter hot water storage tank.

The high efficiency steam generator has been designed with a heat output of 900 Kg/h approx. at 10 Bars.

Control system - such as PED levels, pressure transducers, water analysis, water conductivity, combustion gas, etc. - all have been programmed to be managed autonomously by the computer and the Aspec system.

The electric power transformer cabin from 2000 kVA 15kV/400V has been externally connected, in a special cabinet.

Inside the cogeneration plant, industrial plc computers were installed, where the Aspec software was installed, wich intelligently manages the entire energy system of the company. Aspec was then simultaneously interconnected to the centralized system, in wich the sensors were positioned and designed to send the information.

Albasystem has also taken over the entire bureaucratic process with Enel Distribuzione, Customs Agency, Fire Brigade, ARPA, Province and Municipality for the issue of all necessary authorizations.

BENEFITS OBTAINED

95% electricity requirement coverage.

Coverage of 27% thermal requirement.

Withdrawal of white certicates from high-efficiency CHP with a fully automated system to remain in the optimal performance curve.

The Aspec Industry system is completely autonomous and independent and allows automatic and intelligent tracking of the maximum efficiency point of the system.

Full-Service and Full-Risk 24/7 management contract 7/7 days of the whole system, with guarateed performance.

The energy management of Aspecindustry releases the Company's personnel from the control of the energy systems, as they are controlled directly by Albasystem within the Service contract.