High-speed turbo technology becomes industry standard
Finnish company Runtech Systems has placed a huge multi-million-euro order - its largest yet - for high-speed turbo motors from The Switch. The motors are for use in Runtech's vacuum blower systems for paper machines. These turbos have been developed jointly between the two companies since the early 2000s, becoming widely accepted in the paper industry thanks to their superiority in reliability and efficiency.
Years of product development have proven fruitful for Runtech, as the unique turbo vacuum pump is designed to replace poorly-performing water ring pumps in paper mills. Together with The Switch, the company has harnessed the power of direct-drive, high-speed turbo technology to create a radical solution that has now become the industrial standard. The turbo vacuum blower is now a key component in the optimum solution when retrofitting existing paper machines or designing new ones.
Jukka Lehto, President and CEO of Runtech Systems, said of this development: “We’ve finally made an industrial breakthrough with our turbo vacuum blower systems, which are fully and widely accepted as a viable, long-lasting solution in the papermaking industry. Today, our customers see us a trusted and preferred supplier when it comes to providing energy efficiency.
“Another major step for us in attaining this position has been in strengthening our global sales network. We can now be in closer touch with local paper mills through our sales representatives. Although Europe still represents the largest market for us in total, China and Asia in general are growing the fastest for these products."
One of the most attractive attribute of the vacuum blower system is its power savings. Results show that mills can save between 30 and 60 percent in energy while increasing vacuum speed. The solution is also water-free, giving mills a 100 percent saving in water costs, which are extremely high in paper-making.
“Environmental savings are also important benefits as regulations are becoming more stringent,” Lehto added. “A recent study proves that electrical machines can increase system efficiency as well as reduce CO2 emissions in both energy production and energy consumption.”
