In the course of GREEN DAY, the automobile manufacturer BMW, achieved a milestone on the way to decarbonizing its production at the Leipzig site at the end of October. An important element for the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier and green energy: combustion technology from SAACKE. As one of the few suppliers on the global market, SAACKE is able to process 100% hydrogen. As part of GREEN DAY, the first burner in Leipzig was converted live from natural gas to hydrogen.
World's first H2 burner in small power size
For SAACKE, this prestigious order is further proof of its decades of expertise and competence in the field of hydrogen combustion. The combustion specialist developed its first H2 burner back in the early 1980s. At the BWM Group plant in Leipzig, the modern combustion technology with an output of several 100 kilowatts, is to be used in the paint drying line as well as the thermal afterburning system and ultimately also in the boiler house.
"We have succeeded in converting proven combustion systems of the SSBG micro type to H2 operation and the significantly smaller output range, which deviates from the usual portfolio, with little effort," explains Dr. Ronald Wilhelm, SAACKE Project Manager in the Product Management department. This makes SAACKE the first company in the world to develop an H2 burner in this small output size and demonstrates once again that green heat is feasible.
Step by step installation of further burners
The topic of CO2-free manufacturing is becoming increasingly relevant in light of climate change and pressing sustainability issues around the world and points the way forward for the ecological transformation of the economy. That's why the entire industry is looking to the "green factory" pilot project launched by BMW, because in principle, the technology could be used in all automotive plants. For the decarbonization of production at BMW in Leipzig, further SAACKE burners are to be installed step by step in the coming years.
