How Can Energy-Intensive Companies Sustainably Limit Their Gas Dependency?

The Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia has had to deal intensively with the question of how to reduce gas consumption in industry since the start of the Ukraine war. This is because energy-intensive industry in NRW, which accounts for 40 percent of total gas consumption in the Federal Republic, would be particularly affected by a Russian gas supply freeze. Therefore, it was no wonder that he was particularly interested in the energy-efficient filter technology presented to him during his visit at the Königswinter-based company KMA Umwelttechnik.

Founded in 1958, the medium-sized family-owned company develops customized systems for cleaning emission-laden process exhaust air for a wide range of industries, such as the metalworking, food and textile industries. There, complex exhaust air streams are often treated with thermal afterburning - an energy-intensive and thus expensive process. The principle of thermal afterburning (TNV) is based on the complete combustion of the organic carbon compounds in the exhaust air to H2O and CO2. In the food industry, for example, afterburning systems must be operated at high temperatures above 750 °C in order to adequately separate emissions and odors. Especially the compliance with CO limits requires operation with high exhaust air temperatures. The permissible limits for the purified exhaust air can thus be achieved, but at the expense of the environment: The supply of fossil fuels required for these high temperatures consumes immense natural resources and releases secondary emissions such as CO2 and NOx.

KMA Umwelttechnik, on the other hand, relies on e-filter systems in which a strong electric field is generated with little energy input, electrostatically charging the dust particles, smoke and aerosols. "The particles are then attracted and separated in the e-filter as if by a magnet. An automatic cleaning system, similar to an integrated dishwasher, removes these deposits regularly so that filter replacement is not necessary," said KMA Managing Director Dr. Holger Wagner, explaining the principle of the durable and low-maintenance KMA technology. In addition, the system can be equipped with heat recovery to utilize the energy of the exhaust air stream and UV light treatment to combat odors.

The Königswinter-based company, which as a leading solution provider for energy-efficient exhaust air filtration systems exports 70 percent of its equipment to customers around the world, has registered a sharp increase in demand in recent weeks. "We are getting more and more inquiries from companies and also from associations that have hardly dealt with this topic before," reports Managing Director Wagner. This is because energy savings have suddenly moved to the top of the priority list in many companies in view of current developments. As is usual in the field of special production plant engineering, KMA manufactures almost exclusively tailor-made plants. "There is no blueprint for our exhaust systems because each customer's production facility is different and, in addition, we must comply with local regulatory requirements for air quality or emission discharge to the environment. But innovation is part of our corporate philosophy.

When a new problem arises, we are always convinced that we will find a solution for it as well," Wagner explains. For example, the innovative family-owned company develops environmental technology solutions for leading companies with a wide range of industrial applications, advises the Federal Environment Agency on industry-relevant committees, or supports industry associations and trade journals with best-practice recommendations. Minister Pinkwart shares KMA Umwelttechnik's optimism: "The current situation presents us all with major challenges. But in NRW we have great companies, outstanding research institutions and many bright minds who are rising to the challenge. Therein lies a great opportunity for us all."