ABOUT A YEAR AGO,A VINTAGE 1980 PNEUMATIC damper actuator on a steam boiler at Equistar Chemical's Corpus Christi,Texas,plant was replaced with a state-of-the-art Contrac electric drive from ABB Inc.,Warminster,Pa.Electric drives,also known as actuators,must position combustion air dampers on steam boilers precisely and reliably.As boiler load varies,there is a damper position that optimizes the amount of excess air in the fuel/air mixture.Too little results in undesirable stack emissions;too much reduces boiler efficiency and wastes fuel.The new drive provides precise damper control on this boiler,resulting in fuel savings estimated between US200,000 and US350,000 annually.
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