Problem
Ball Corporation's Corvallis, OR manufacturing facility produces 3,999 kW of waste heat from compressors and regenerative thermal oxidizers while simultaneously paying for 4,626 kW of space heating. The heat exists but is not captured. The Innov8x challenge asked teams to propose a viable Scope 1 emissions reduction strategy for the facility.
Approach
A five-layer waste heat cascade recovers heat at each available source and routes it toward facility heating demand, reducing dependence on natural gas and lowering emissions.
- Layer 1 (RTO heat exchanger): Recovers 999 kW from regenerative thermal oxidizer exhaust. Phase 1A, estimated $200K capital cost.
- Layer 2 (Compressor jacket heat exchanger): Recovers 1,181 kW from compressor cooling circuits. Phase 1B, estimated $120K capital cost.
- Layer 3 (Thermal storage): Buffer tank decouples heat production from heating demand, enabling stable thermal dispatch. Phase 1C, estimated $350K capital cost.
- Layer 4 (VFD upgrades): Variable frequency drives on compressor motors reduce parasitic electrical draw. Phase 1D, estimated $180K capital cost.
- Layer 5 (Heat pump): Upgrades low-grade recovered heat to usable delivery temperature for facility distribution.
Total recoverable heat in Phase 1: 2,180 kW, covering approximately 47% of facility heating demand in the four-line scenario.
Results
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Recoverable waste heat (Phase 1) | 2,180 kW |
| Facility heating demand coverage | ~47% (4-line scenario) |
| Phase 1 CAPEX | $850,000 |
| Net annual savings | $134,000 per year |
| Simple payback | 6.3 years |
| NPV (8%, 10 years) | $1.75M |
| CO2 reduction | 3,870 tCO2 per year |
| Competition placement | 3rd of 8 teams |
| Award | $700 |
My Role
Co-designed with Sam Wolpert. The Meth-An Company team also included Thomas Glenn, Martin Goes, and Victoria Filio. I contributed to the thermal cascade architecture, cost analysis modeling, and pitch delivery to Ball Corporation judges.