Compensating for grid fluctuations with bivalent furnaces_Fraunhofer Representative Office Beijing

Due to the high energy consumption of melting and holding furnaces, the price of the energy source used represents a significant cost factor in the production of castings. The price of electricity fluctuates significantly over the course of the day. This can be explained, for example, by the varying utilization of the power grid or the volatile feed-in of energy from renewable resources. As a result, companies should design their energy consumption flexibly to operate their production processes as cost-efficiently as possible. Together with its partners, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA is developing a bivalent furnace that enables dynamic switching between gas and electricity. This will ensure that operation is flexible in terms of the type of energy deployed, allowing energy to be used when it is most cost-efficient.

MORE INFO