Appendices
Appendix 5.2: Energy benchmarks in foundries
Iron foundries
| Measure | Unit | Mean | Range | |
| Cost of energy | $/t | 138 | 67–193 | |
| Cost of electricity | $/t | 72 | – | |
| (¢/kWh) | 9.5 | 6–13 | ||
| Cost of gas | $/t | – | – | |
| Energy per tonne (t) in good castings | kWh/t | 2395 | 1210–3310 | |
| Energy per tonne melted | kWh/t | 1581 | 1025–2200 | |
| Ratio energy good castings: melted | – | 1.51 | – | |
| Electricity per tonne in good castings | kWh/t | 1555 | 1025–2870 | |
| Electricity per tonne melted | kWh/t | 992 | 770–1290 | |
| Ratio electricity good castings: melted | – | 1.57 | – | |
| Average load factor | % | 30.1 | 16–70 | |
| Average power factor | % | 87.0 | 73–99.6 | |
| Typical furnace electrical consumption: | ||||
| Per tonne melted | kWh/t | 772 | 595–1290 | |
| Per tonne Cu melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Per tonne AI melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Natural gas consumption | ||||
| Per tonne Cu melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Per tonne AI melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Furnace demand as % of plant’s | % | 78 | 68–89 | |
| Coil efficiency | 1-k | 80 | 63–95 | |
| Power pack losses | % | 11 | 8–15 | |
| Overall yield | % | 66 | 54–84 | |
| Furnace el. cons./ plant cons.*** | % | 66 | 40–79 | |
| Motors: | ||||
| Demand | % | 40 |
10–100 cupola 10–40 electric |
|
| Consumption | % | 30 | – | |
| Average demand/nameplate | % | 60 | – | |
| Compressor electrical cost of plant’s | % | 15.1 | 3–44 | |
| Gas burner efficiency | ||||
| Ladles | % | 53 | 40–67 | |
| Heat treat ovens | % | – | – | |
| Furnaces | % | – | – | |
| Production: | % | |||
| Tonnes melted per foundry employee |
t/man- month |
9.9 | 3.3–18.7 | |
| Tonnes shipped per total plant employee |
t/man- month |
6.0 | 2.2–14.3 | |
Notes : 1 t (tonne) = 2216 lb.; 1 ton (short) X 1.10233113 = 1 t; Cu = copper; Al = aluminum;
*Simple average 10.2 ¢/kWh; weighted average 9.5 ¢/kWh
**Cu furnaces
***Electricity consumption ratio
The table is an adapted composite from Laurence V. Whiting’s studies of Canadian foundries, published in 2000.
Steel foundries
| Measure | Unit | Mean | Range | |
| Cost of energy | $/t | 230 | 110–425 | |
| Cost of electricity | $/t | 186 | – | |
| (¢/kWh) | 7.9 | 6–12 | ||
| Cost of gas | $/t | 33 | – | |
| Energy per tonne (t) in good castings | kWh/t | 4486 | 2200–6600 | |
| Energy per tonne melted | kWh/t | 2710 | 1430–4740 | |
| Ratio energy good castings: melted | – | 1.66 | – | |
| Electricity per tonne in good castings | kWh/t | 2844 | 1320–4740 | |
| Electricity per tonne melted | kWh/t | 1800 | 940–3090 | |
| Ratio electricity good castings: melted | – | 1.58 | – | |
| Average load factor | % | 31.3 | 13–50 | |
| Average power factor | % | 92 | 84–99.7 | |
| Typical furnace electrical consumption: | ||||
| Per tonne melted | kWh/t | 872 | 620–2760 | |
| Per tonne Cu melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Per tonne AI melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Natural gas consumption | ||||
| Per tonne Cu melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Per tonne AI melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Furnace demand as % of plant’s | % | 68 | 59–88 | |
| Coil efficiency | 1-k | 78 | 70–82 | |
| Power pack losses | % | 12 | 8–20 | |
| Overall yield | % | 58 | 49–67 | |
| Furnace el. cons./ plant cons.*** | % | 49 | 43–65 | |
| Motors: | ||||
| Demand | % | 34.6 | 20–49 | |
| Consumption | % | 47 | – | |
| Average demand/nameplate | % | 60 | – | |
| Compressor electrical cost of plant’s | % | 11.6 | 4–21 | |
| Gas burner efficiency | ||||
| Ladles | % | 60.4 | 46–70 | |
| Heat treat ovens | % | 59 | 45–67 | |
| Furnaces | % | – | – | |
| Production: | % | |||
| Tonnes melted per foundry employee | t/homme-mois | 5.4 | 2.2–11.4 | |
| Tonnes shipped per total plant employee | t/homme-mois | 2.6 | 1.3–6.4 | |
Notes : 1 t (tonne) = 2216 lb.; 1 ton (short) X 1.10233113 = 1 t; Cu = copper; Al = aluminum;
*Simple average 10.2 ¢/kWh; weighted average 9.5 ¢/kWh
**Cu furnaces
***Electricity consumption ratio
The table is an adapted composite from Laurence V. Whiting’s studies of Canadian foundries, published in 2000.
Brass and bronze foundries
| Measure | Unit | Mean | Range | |
| Cost of energy | $/t | 386 | 100–830 | |
| Cost of electricity | $/t | 300 | – | |
| (¢/kWh) | 10.2* | 6–13 | ||
| Cost of gas | $/t | 68 | – | |
| Energy per tonne (t) in good castings | kWh/t | 9590 | 2980–16100 | |
| Energy per tonne melted | kWh/t | 4410 | 1870–11020 | |
| Ratio energy good castings: melted | – | 2.17 | – | |
| Electricity per tonne in good castings | kWh/t | 3417 | 2980–6400 | |
| Electricity per tonne melted | kWh/t | 1786 | 680–3350 | |
| Ratio electricity good castings: melted | – | 1.91 | – | |
| Average load factor | % | 26.6 | 14–41 | |
| Average power factor | % | 89 | 73–94 | |
| Typical furnace electrical consumption: | ||||
| Per tonne melted | kWh/t | – | – | |
| Per tonne Cu melted | kWh/t | 530 | 400–1100 | |
| Per tonne AI melted | kWh/t | 560 | 570–1610 | |
| Natural gas consumption | ||||
| Per tonne Cu melted | kWh/t | 4630 | 1870–11020 | |
| Per tonne AI melted | kWh/t | 4300 | 1540–7170 | |
| Furnace demand as % of plant’s | % | 59 | 33–90 | |
| Coil efficiency | 1-k | 58** | 51–61 | |
| Power pack losses | % | 12 | 8–25 | |
| Overall yield | % | 53.2 | 36–73 | |
| Furnace el. cons./ plant cons.*** | % | 38.1 | 13–84 | |
| Motor: | ||||
| Demand | % | 45.5 | 20–80 | |
| Consumption | % | – | – | |
| Average demand/nameplate | % | 60 | – | |
| Compressor electrical cost of plant’s | % | 19.5 | 8–29 (75) | |
| Gas burner efficiency | ||||
| Ladles | % | 62 | 46–70 | |
| Heat treat ovens | % | – | – | |
| Furnaces | % | 58 | 40–70 | |
| Production: | ||||
| Tonnes melted per foundry employee | t/homme-mois | 4.11 | 1.07–10.80 | |
| Tonnes shipped per total plant employee | t/homme-mois | 0.89 | 0.36–4.08 | |
Notes : 1 t (tonne) = 2216 lb.; 1 ton (short) X 1.10233113 = 1 t; Cu = copper; Al = aluminum;
*Simple average 10.2 ¢/kWh; weighted average 9.5 ¢/kWh
**Cu furnaces
***Electricity consumption ratio
The table is an adapted composite from Laurence V. Whiting’s studies of Canadian foundries, published in 2000.