Chrysler plant achieves sustainability goals

Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has significantly reduced energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions at their US plant with the help of Applied Flow Technology Corporation’s (AFT) pipe flow modeling software.

Bryan Whitfield, Senior Energy Specialist at FCA’s Dundee Engine Plant in Dundee, Michigan, used the AFT Fathom software to lead the plant’s energy savings project.

Whitfield planned to optimise four of the plant’s large central coolant systems used in the engine machining process to reduce the company’s impact on climate change.

He created an AFT Fathom model of the coolant systems. The software conservatively predicted 16% energy savings, which was enough to secure capital funding to proceed with the project. The actual energy savings achieved was 25%. The implemented project slowed down the coolant systems’ pumps, extending their lifespan and reducing waste heat.

“[This] was one of the more complex energy optimisations undertaken on process equipment at Chrysler,” Whitfield said. “I know for a fact that without AFT Fathom, the project would have never happened.”

Whitfield submitted the project to AFT’s Platinum Pipe Award (PPA) competition and received the 2015 award for the Operational Benefits and Sustainability category. The award recognizes excellence in piping and ducting system modeling using AFT software.

“Mr. Whitfield was chosen as a PPA winner because his story was so compelling,” said Trey Walters, P.E. and President of AFT. “He provided not only detailed background information on the many options that Chrysler considered, and why they selected the option that they did, but he also went behind the scenes in explaining why past efforts to improve the system had failed – and what the difference was this time that helped the effort succeed.”

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/22032016/chrysler-plant-achieves-sustainability-goals-2823/