MARANELLO, MODENA, ITALY -- In the Solignano Ceramiche Piemme plants, Sacmi technology has been chosen to create a large cogeneration system, which by producing electricity through a jet turbine powered by methane, will save 6.7 million cubic meters of gas and 13.2 tons of CO² every year.
This is a sustainable choice that uses the latest-generation software and reduces consumption through a cutting-edge system for the recovery of heat contained in the turbine’s exhaust fumes.

“We are very pleased with this investment, which allows us to further improve our productivity,” said Sergio Bondavalli, CEO of Ceramiche Piemme. “At this difficult time for our sector and for the economy in general, it is crucial that we lead the way in terms of sustainability so that we can look to the future with confidence; this measure will allow us to dramatically reduce CO² emissions into the atmosphere and to supply the daily needs of our plants.”

The installed system is designed to handle 53,000 normal cubic meters per hour of exhaust fumes at 500 degrees. Channeled by the turbine into a large, almost 140 meter-long duct (1.7 meters in diameter), the fumes are directed to the two Sacmi atomizers, ATM 036 and ATM 065, reducing the factory’s methane requirements by 6.7 million cubic meters of gas per year (equal to 13.2 tons less CO² released into the atmosphere).

“The special feature of this system is the fluid dynamics used to design the entire duct in which the fumes are channeled from the jet turbine to the atomizers, despite its length,” said Stefano Orlandi, Sacmi Forni product manager of energy management. “This is combined with special insulation that significantly reduces the dispersion of heat, which is entirely channeled into the atomizers, and allows Ceramiche Piemme to supply almost all of the factory’s requirements.”

Ceramiche Piemme and Sacmi are also working to implement a management system that in the future will be able to predict the energy requirements of each machine in advance, further reducing consumption and consequently emissions.