HTRI remains concerned about the effect our daily operations and our technology (typically used in process industries) have on the environment. Both our Research & Technology Center (RTC) and corporate office spaces include energy efficient upgrades. In addition, we held the 2022 Horizons Symposium where individuals were encouraged to brainstorm ideas and solutions related to heat transfer in environmental technologies.
Our staff continues to discuss additional actions we can take in our operations or with our technology to make a positive impact.
To reduce emissions from our daily operations, we strive to limit our power consumption and to efficiently use resources and materials at our corporate headquarters in Navasota, Texas, USA.
Added a low NOX burner with combustion air recirculation to the RTC boiler, resulting in ultra-low NOX flue gas readings.
Equipped all office buildings with LED lighting, reducing the overall heat load and power usage by eliminating the need for larger-sized air conditioners.
Implemented a chiller system in our two-story office space, eliminating multiple conventional air conditioner systems and resulting in reduced heat load and power usage.
Switched to LED lighting in the parking lots, reducing power usage.
Utilized spent test fluids for fuel blending instead of disposal.
Designed the two-story office space to LEED standards for energy efficiency.
Heat transfer is one of the oldest environmental technologies. Whether the application is a thermodynamic cycle, an energy-intensive chemical process, a renewable energy power plant, or a quantum computer, the design of the heat transfer equipment needs to be completed properly to minimize the environmental impact. Skilled technical personnel can ensure that heat exchanger designs will minimize wasted energy consumption and maximize thermodynamic efficiency.
HTRI is dedicated to performing the research and providing the computational tools, technical support, and training to help others develop these skills. Our ongoing research and software development into mitigating fouling, enhancing heat transfer, and improving the accuracy of heat transfer calculations ensures that our members have the industry-leading tools to lessen the environmental impact of process heat transfer.
Exchanger Optimizer includes a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Module, which aims to tackle the management of embodied and operational carbon from fabrication to the operation of air-cooled and shell-and-tube heat exchangers.
HTRI SmartPM™ is an innovative digital transformation software tool that optimizes the performance of energy intensive heat transfer networks to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
The 2024 Horizons Symposium will explore the challenges to overcome and opportunities to expand waste heat recovery at lower temperatures.
The 2022 Horizons symposium provided a platform for government, industry, and academia to share knowledge and potential solutions to the unique heat transfer challenges in environmental technologies.