U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Advanced Manufacturing Office
Super Boiler Overview Video (Text Version)
Below is a text version of the Super Boiler Overview video, which describes an innovative industrial steam technology that was developed in partnership by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Gas Technology Institute, and Cleaver-Brooks, Inc.
Super Boiler: Think Globally, Act Locally
Words appear across the screen, which read "Think Locally… Act globally."
David Carroll, President of Gas Technology Institute (GTI), appears on a background of a natural gas flame. He says, "Over 75% of the existing fire tube and water tube boilers are more than 25 years old, and they're due for replacement."
The scene shifts to a view of Earth from space and zooms in on the planet.
(Voiceover)
What if there was a way to save energy... and the environment ?
Text appears that reads:
- Rising energy costs
- Global warming
- Btu consumption
Various male and female voices speak: "Rising energy costs...Global warming concerns...Btu consumption by the quadrillions!"
The scene changes to Doug Kaempf, Industrial Technologies Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Energy. A factory smokestack blowing smoke into the air is in the background. He says, "The Energy we waste is the most ready-use energy available to us today."
Words appear over the picture of a spinning earth, reading "Improve Efficiency."
(Voiceover)
We NEED to improve efficiency!
The scene shifts to Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. In the background is a montage of industrial scenes. He says, "The solution to our energy problem is technology."
The senator fades out. Words fade in, reading "Industry is Addressing the Challenge."
(Voiceover)
Industry is addressing the challenge!
Doug Kaempf appears in the upper right-hand corner. He says, "We have learned to listen to industry and the experts."
Images of operating industrial boilers appear, along with employees who are working on the boiler and writing on their notepads.
(Voiceover)
Progress is underway on several fronts, including emerging solutions to modernize our industrial boiler population.
Words appear on a background of clouds: "1999: Department of Energy Initiative."
A burner appears in the background. A montage of the U. S. Capitol, scientific and industrial tools, mathematical equations, and books fade in and out across the screen.
(Voiceover)
1999: An aggressive DOE initiative combined government, science, and industry into a meaningful coalition for proactive change.
The Super Boiler logo appears in the center of the screen.
(Voiceover)
The Super Boiler project had begun!
The montage continues. An aerial picture of Gas Technology Institute appears and floats across the screen. The GTI logo appears next to it.
(Voiceover)
Enter Gas Technology Institute, a leading research, development, and training organization serving the natural gas industry and energy markets. GTI would develop the new Super Boiler concept.
The montage continues. Books and mathematical formulas and tools float through the background. Text appears, reading "Science is engaged…
- Packaged boiler platform
- Advanced burners
- Ultra-low emissions
- Applied nanotechnology
- Higher fuel-to-steam efficiencies
- Compressed footprint"
(Voiceover)
The task: Combine a proven, packaged boiler platform with an advanced burner, delivering ultra-low emissions. With applied nanotechnology, dramatically higher fuel-to-steam efficiencies would happen within a compressed footprint.
Text appears on a bright blue and white background, reading "Industry joins in..."
(Voiceover)
Momentum grew as others joined.
The Utilization Technology Development logo appears, followed by the Cleaver-Brooks logo.
(Voiceover)
Utilization Technology Development (UTD), a coalition of natural gas distribution companies supporting collaborative research related to end-use applications. And Cleaver-Brooks, a major manufacturer of packaged boilers.
Text appears on a background of bright blue flames and industrial equipment. It reads: "Technology Development…
- Energy savings
- Emissions reduction
- Reduced footprint
- Optimized performance, sustainability"
(Voiceover)
Technology development focused on four interrelated approaches: Significant energy savings, substantial emissions reduction, reduced boiler footprint, and state-of-the-art controls optimizing performance and sustainability.
A close-up picture of the earth spinning appears. Text appears on top of this image that reads "Global Issue Becomes Local."
The scene shifts to Specification Rubber Products, Inc., and cycles through a number of pictures of their facility from the front and sides. The Specification Rubber logo appears in the bottom left hand corner.
(Voiceover)
Specification Rubber Products was selected as an initial test site to prove the concept could be scaled up in a tough industrial environment.
The screen builds with text that reads "Alabaster, Alabama." The American Cast Iron Pipe Company's logo and an outline map of Alabama appear on the side of the screen.
(Voiceover)
Located just outside Birmingham, this subsidiary of American Cast Iron Pipe Company produces rubber parts for the water works industry.
The picture flips over to scenes of people observing the Super Boiler. The Alabama Gas Company and Specification Rubber logos appear.
(Voiceover)
Supported by Alabama Gas Company, Specification Rubber operates a 300-horsepower Cleaver-Brooks high-pressure, steam Super Boiler 24/5. It's been running with excellent results since mid-2006.
Steve Murphy, Director of Commercial and Industrial Marketing at Alabama Gas Corporation, appears on a white background. He says, "Every industrial account that we serve has a global competitor somewhere."
The scene shifts to Steve Smith, Manufacturing Manager of Specification Rubber Products, Inc. He says, "So we're looking for each and every avenue to take cost out of our product."
The scene changes to a picture of the Super Boiler. Banners superimposed over the scene list the following facts:
- NOx Levels < 9 PPM
- Fuel-to-Steam efficiency 93%-94%
(Voiceover)
The natural gas boiler has produced NOx levels below 9 parts per million. Fuel-to-steam efficiencies are consistently 93% to 94%.
The scene shifts to Dan Willems, Vice President of Product Development at Cleaver-Brooks, who is standing behind a podium while he speaks to a large group of people. He says, "We overcame all the obstacles, resulting in a boiler that is now the most efficient high-pressure steam boiler in the world. Let me say that again, the most efficient high pressure steam boiler in the world is outside this building, operating at Specification Rubber."
The scene changes to pictures of several men in suits, who are examining industrial equipment. Steve Murphy speaks over them, and gradually fades in. "We are very excited. This is a direct response to what our customers have been asking for for years."
The scene shifts back to Steve Smith. He says, "The installation of the Super Boiler has allowed us to save about 13% of our natural gas usage and approximately 20% of our water usage."
The logos of Clement Pappas, Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra Utility Company appear across the screen, against a background of a flame burning inside the Super Boiler.
(Voiceover)
A second installation is progressing at Clement Pappas, a juice bottler and customer of Southern California Gas Company.
Images appear of the outline of the state of California, the California Energy Commission seal, and the Air Quality Management Department logo. Text appears that reads "Technology Development and Demonstration Partners."
(Voiceover)
Several California State agencies have also partnered in the development and demonstration of this technology. The technology was also partially funded by the California Air Resources Board's Innovative Clean Air Technologies program.
Images appear of an outline of the state of Utah, along with the Third Dimension logo.
(Voiceover)
Third Dimension, a producer of packaging for kitchen cabinets, hosts a third site in Utah.
The video cuts to a scene of men and women being given a tour of the Super Boiler. They walk around the industrial site, observing the boiler.
(Voiceover)
At all of these sites, further improvements to the technology will move the project toward full commercial status.
An image of an oil refinery appears. The DOE Save Energy Now logo appears, along with the slashed-through words "Foreign Oil" (i.e., "No Foreign Oil"). As the dialogue progresses, the video changes to an image of cars driving quickly on a road, industrial welding, and a blue, cloudy sky.
(Voiceover)
Since 1999, the Department of Energy and its partners have forged a clear direction in the quest to reduce dependence on imported fuels while conserving the finite resources of oil and gas, and improving the quality of the air we breathe.
An image of a spinning globe appears over the clouds. The image changes to one of bright blue flames, blazing in the background. The video slowly zooms in on the words "Natural gas."
(Voiceover)
As global warming concern captures public awareness, one fossil fuel continues to burn cleanest—natural gas.
The scene changes to a picture of a power plant. The video zooms in on the industrial smokestacks. Scenes of cars on a street and fields slowly fade in and out behind them.
(Voiceover)
Although debate over emissions continues, reducing carbon-based fuel use will cut tons of carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere, lessening concern over global warming.
The video solidifies into the scene of the grassy field. Images of George W. Bush signing the Energy Policy Act, the Super Boiler, and industrial exteriors fade in and out across the screen. Text appears that reads "Energy Policy Act 2005…
- Voluntary Partnerships
- Reduced industry energy = 2.5%"
(Voiceover)
The Energy Policy Act, signed by President Bush in 2005, allows the DOE to form voluntary partnerships with companies committed to reducing industrial energy [intensity] by 2.5% annually through 2016.
An image of the Super Boiler appears. The words "Energy Policy Act" appear above the Super Boiler logo.
(Voiceover)
The Act, combined with Super Boiler technology, provides DOE the incentive and means to achieve this worthy goal.
The video changes to a montage of aging boilers, beneath an image of a blazing blue flame. Text that describes these aging boilers appears and disappears, reading:
- 210,000
- Fuel-to-steam efficiency = 75%
(Voiceover)
Right now, 210,000 fire tube boilers are in the marketplace. Eighty-thousand are over 25 years old with an average fuel-to-steam efficiency of just 75%.
The video shifts to a black and white image of old boiler in operation; this image is lifted away and replaced by a full-screen color image of the Super Boiler. The scene changes quickly to one of a smoke stack blowing smoke into the air.
(Voiceover)
The time is right to begin retrofitting or replacing, and conserving energy while reducing noxious, smog-forming pollutants.
The video returns to the image of the earth spinning. The Super Boiler logo appears. Text appears on top of the globe, reading: "The Time is Right. Think Globally… Act Locally."
(Voiceover)
The time is right to think globally , and act locally !
Doug Kaempf appears in a small box superimposed over the background and says, "It's great to have a Super Boiler."
He fades out, and is replaced with an image of Senator Jeff Sessions, who says, "That's good, good news!"
Credits: This video was produced for the U.S. Department of Energy's Industrial Technologies Program, Gas Technology Institute, and Cleaver-Brooks, Inc.
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