An economizer is a device used to control energy consumption in manufacturing. It can reduce consumption or use energy for primary and secondary functions. Economizers are used for managing energy use in boiler plants, water use in manufacturing, and using electricity and natural gas. They support efficient use of resources by minimizing waste and diversifying use. The concept of economizer dates back to the 19th century and is now incorporated into a wide variety of machines and equipment. As technology advances, economizers will become an integral feature in more applications.
An economizer is a type of device used to control the use of energy consumption within a manufacturing environment. The idea behind using this type of device is to either reduce that consumption or use the device to allow that energy to provide secondary and primary functions within the overall operation. There are several devices that fall into this broad category, with economizers being used for managing energy use in boiler plants, water use in the manufacturing process, and using both electricity and natural gas as part of the operation .
In some cases, the economizer functions as a heat exchanger that helps regulate heat production and use. This is true with a boiler economizer which helps distribute the heat produced as part of a heating and cooling process within the facility. With the gas or electric economizer, the device often diverts the energy produced to ancillary pieces of machinery, a move that helps reduce overall operating expenses for the business while saving on utility costs. In each scenario, the device supports efficient use of available resources by minimizing waste and diversifying use.
The concept of the economizer is often traced back to the early 19th century. During this period Robert Stirling designed a hot air engine which included the use of a device which successfully stored the heat produced by the engine and used it to heat the cooler air as it was returned from the cold side to the hot side of the engine . The end result was more efficient engine operation that reduced the amount of energy required to heat the cooler air.
Today, economizer technology is incorporated into a wide variety of machines and equipment used in the manufacturing process. Many transport devices also make use of economizers as part of the overall engine design. In recent years, the idea of what constitutes an economizer has broadened somewhat as more and more people have focused on the general idea of using energy more efficiently. This means that heating and cooling systems that use alternative energy sources such as wind or solar harvesting systems may also include some sort of heat transfer device that improves the overall efficiency of the HVAC equipment. As technology continues to provide more ideas on how to best use the energy generated, the general concept of an economizer will likely become an integral feature in even more applications.
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