What is a Pre-Engineering Study?
We belief, a Pre-Engineering Study is a prerequisite for finding the best possible solution to any challenge related to Emission Limits, Energy Recovery or creating an Explosion Safe and Healthy Work Environment. It creates clear understanding of your site’s processes, prevents future failures and learning on the job.
The use of a Pre-Engineering Study is one of our 3 main differentiators compared to standard suppliers of Air Filtration Systems.
Companies around the globe challenge us to find the solution for complicated factory air quality and emission control issues. We gladly take on these challenges, because nothing excites us more than solving the most complicated questions.
Martin Tukker, director of JOA
What are the deliverables of a Pre-Engineering Study?
We understand that when you look for a dedusting system or a scrubber, the first thing is to get a general impression around costs and possibilities. It often takes some effort from our side to convince clients of the approach that before we are able to come up with the right answer or solution direction, we need to get a better understanding of your site’s unique process requirements. This is why we almost always ask about:
- Volumes in m3
- Flow rates
- Particle Characteristics
- Characteristics of current equipment, like design velocities
- Number of extraction points
- P&ID’s and Layout drawings
- Photographs or Video’s showing the process and issues
This is needed to dive deeper into understanding what and if we are able to provide valuable insights or if you can better choose for a standardized solution. When answers can not be given, we can assist and create further alignment during a meeting.
PROVEN PROCESS:
Create a clear understanding of your site’s process improvements on Emission Limits, Energy Reduction and realizing a Healthy and Safe Work Environment.
What to expect from a Pre-Engineering Study?
We frequently receive the question, ‘What do I exactly get when agreeing to conduct a Pre-Engineering Study?’. Therefore, we have summarized all deliverables below:
- Site Survey, including inspections
- Measurements
- Air Technical Modeling
- Insights to truly understand process, including calculations on flow rate, energy recovery, velocities, ROI and more.
- 50% Meeting to adjust solution direction
- Concept Design
- Budget Quotation
It’s important to state that we do not offer a report with findings you could also find yourselves as well. We are committed to provide valuable insights and possibilities for improvement. Our goal is to provide the right kind of arguments to make an investment viable and logical. This first consultancy step will help to prove our knowledge, skills and expertise. When you are happy with the results and Concept Design, you will be able to make better decisions regarding Capital Expenses.
Data is the difference between guessing and knowing what’s best for your site and process. It’s also the best base for future upgrades and improvements.
Rene Boscher, Manager Service & Modeling
Adjustments to Pre-Engineering Studies
Also the creation of Pre-Engineering Studies are tailor-made, so sometimes we make adjustments to the deliverables. For example, the complexity of the challenge determines how much time our engineers need to find the best possible solutions.
- Quick Energy Scan: JOA is a front runner on reducing industrial energy costs by improving processes and recovering waste heat. A Quick Energy Scan helps identify possibilities to reduce or recover energy (e.g. from Scrubbers or Dust Collection Systems) and connect them to possible ‘consumers’ within or outside of the factory.
- Masterplan: With ever changing legislation, requirements and sustainability goals, we help create structure and prioritize what intervention would create the biggest or fastest improvements. All important factors can be taken into account, including Return on Investment, Capital Expenses, Emission Limits, Reduced Explosion Zoning and more.
- Scenario Planning: There can be multiple different situations where it’s unclear what kind of solution direction is best suited to your site. Examples can be: Should you choose for an RTO or Scrubber? What Heat Pump refrigerant would suit you best? Or, is a centralized or de-centralized dedusting system more suitable for your site. Working out multiple scenarios based on data helps you make the right decisions.
- Fixed Solution Consultancy: Sometimes, it’s already pretty clear in advance what solution is preferred and all relevant data is already collected. Then, the costs of a study can be reduced significantly, and the start of realizing a new solution can begin.
Benefits of conducting a Pre-Engineering Study in advance of offering solutions
We often receive requests if we are able to give a price for a standard scrubber or dust collection system. Or if we have a solution for ATEX Zoning, Harmful VOC’s, frequent need for filter replacements or the clogging of pipes and fans. The answer is always that we need to gather more information before being able to answer accordingly. You can judge the quality of an Industrial Extraction Systems supplier and willingness to find the best possible solution for you by the way they answer your questions. Some examples of benefits we see for conducting a Pre-Engineering Study, are:
- No more trial & error when selecting Emission Control, Dust Collection or Fume Extraction systems. We offer process guarantees.
- Over 90% of all our systems are based on Pre-Engineering studies. You are able to improve the quality of your decisions based on data and weighing alternatives.
- No more ‘hoping for the best’ and find yourself with clogged pipes and fans afterwards by truly understanding your sites requirements.
- Feeling Safe and secure about ATEX zoning, Emission Compliance, Noise, Odors, Reliability, Downtime, Operator Health and more.
Clients that trust us
Case Study Pre-Engineering: From Over-extraction towards balanced extraction and minimized wasted resources
In 25 years, we have conducted over 450 Pre-Engineering studies for the largest sites worldwide with the most complex production processes. Below a typical situation where our advice lead to tremendous cost savings:
- Situation:
- Chemical site in the USA without clear issues (clean working environment) but open to let us take measurements and propose opportunities for improvement. They had no control over extraction velocities and no insights about efficiencies. This lead to valuable product being wasted in the filtration system.
- Actions by JOA:
- Conducted Site Survey, took measurements and used Air Technical Modeling to fully understand the process. We found that there was a lot of valuable product being over-extracted and wasted. We suggested and implemented upgrades and adjustments leading to a more balanced dust collection system.
- Results:
- Operational savings of over $400.000,- per year
- Less product needed in stock
- Lower energy costs due to lower fan speed
- Still a Healthy Work Environment with Explosion Safety compliance.
