Preventing global warming

The NTN Group optimizes emissions by converting motors for pumps and compressor into inverter models. As coolant pumps at NTN Fukuroi Corporation were operated at a fixed rotation speed, coolant emissions were kept at a constant level and the excess coolants were fed back to tanks through bypass valves. We reduced electricity by 6,600 kWh/year by optimizing the emissions by converting pumps into inverter models and adopting PID control by emission pressure. NTN Fukuroi Corporation gave a presentation on this activity at the energy-saving seminar sponsored by CHUBU Electric Power Co., Inc.

■Converting coolant pumps into inverter models

■Presentation at the energy-saving seminar sponsored by CHUBU Electric Power Inc.

The outside unit of office air conditioning at HIKARI SEIKI INDUSTRY CO., LTD., is located on the west side of the building. During the summer months, July to September, the outside air conditioning unit is exposed to direct sunlight in the afternoon. This raises the unit's temperature, lowers its cooling capacity, and increases energy consumption.
To address this issue, the unit was modified with a water spray equipment installed on the top of the outside radiator unit so that water is sprayed automatically and intermittently. Water spraying action is controlled by a bulb timer, which ensures the adequate amount of water to be used. Thanks to this improvement, the air temperature coming from an indoor unit was lowered by two to three degrees Celsius.

The water hose installed on the top of the radiator

NTA PRECISION AXLE CORP. has been leasing an auxiliary compressor to cover the deteriorating performance of existing compressors due to aging. However, its maintenance cost and power consumption were increasing year by year.
As a solution, they leased a high-efficiency compressor with a power consumption 20% lower than the existing on all-inclusive contract including maintenance, by which the power consumption was reduced by 3,238,200 kWh per year.

To reduce the power consumption of compressors, SHANGHAI NTN Corporation (China) replaced aged compressors at their driveshaft parts plant (75 kW, 9 units) with high-efficiency compressors (160 kW, 4 units). The hub bearing plant also replaced 4 units of 160 kW compressors with a higher efficiency type (110 kW, 4 units). In both instances, the cooling system was changed from air-cooled to water-cooled to accommodate the high temperature in summer. To secure optimal supply pressure and volume to machines, a pressure sensor was installed on piping systems. Electric energy was saved by 1,163,645 kWh/year by the optimized emissions from compressors at the target value measured by the pressure sensor, using inverters and unit count control.

■High-efficiency compressor

At Bawal plant (India) of NTN NEI Manufacturing India Private LTD., power outages were a frequent occurrence due to insufficient power supply capacity. To provide backup power during power outages, the plant installed a home-use power generator, but CO₂ emissions from the equipment has been increasing along with the increase of the maintenance cost due the deterioration with its age. As a result of discussions with a power company for a solution, the plant entered into a contract to install a power line which enables it to provide power supply on a priority basis and reduce the occurrence of power outages. By reducing the operating time of the home-use power generator, it is estimated that the plant will be able to reduce light oil usage by 124 kL per year.

The adoption to LED lighting has been encouraged as one of the highly effective energy-saving measures, by prioritizing areas where the energy-saving effect is great on a global scale. At Xiangyang NTN-Yulon Drivetrain Co., Ltd. (China), the company switched their factory lighting from fluorescent to LED lights. Electricity consumption was reduced by 80% compared to the existing lightning, and the luminosity of the work environment improved from an average of 220 lx to 280 lx (measured at a height of 1 m above the floor). Furthermore, the company identified unnecessary lights that are in use all the time, installed motion sensors, and adjusted the space between lights based on the necessity. This reduced power usage by 11,808 kWh per year.

NTN has developed the world’s first water flow-through hydro power generator and released it in the market as NTN Micro Hydro Turbine for electricity sales. On October 30, 2018, NTN received the Nikkei Global Environmental Technology Award by Nikkei Inc. Its unique mechanism which is a recent innovation by NTN, future potentials of the electricity grid connection system and the level of practical use, are recognized. This award is given to commend technological developments, etc. that helps to establish a sustainable global environment by comprehensively evaluating their originality and future potentials, such as prevention of global warming and preservation of the natural environment and ecosystem. NTN Micro Hydro Turbine won the award as it was highly acclaimed for its ability to generate power simply by being placed in an existing water channel without a need for developing the water level difference, its low installation cost, and the fact that it is already in practical use. NTN Micro Hydro Turbines are in use at various sites as it is recognized as a significant product for the sustainability of society, which contributes to the reduction of CO₂ emissions and can help to ensure the preservation of the natural environment and ecosystem.

■CO₂ Emissions/Emissions Intensities (Japan)

■CO₂ Emissions/Emissions Intensities (Overseas)^*

＊ Business sites(Japan and Overseas) subject to CO₂ emissions/emissions intensities can be viewed on ISO 14001 certification (2015 version) acquired