The structural dependency of industrial manufacturing on external energy grids remains a key barrier to achieving net-zero emissions and sustainable economy. The main purpose of this degree project is to evaluate the technical feasibility of achieving absolute thermal self-sufficiency for the G2 Foundry Building at Volvo Skövde by improving internal process heat recovery loops and reduce reliance on purchased municipal district heating.

The methodology employed follows an integrated approach based on a single case study, combining qualitative on-site technical inspections with quantitative analytical thermodynamic models. To carry out this study, simplified schematic diagrams were drawn up of the recovery system in the furnaces and casting moulds, as well as of the general network together with the air conditioning system, in order to systematically isolate the individual subsystems and map out the physical layout. Next, steady-state control volume formulations governed by the first and second laws of thermodynamics were applied to evaluate the historical sensor records from the plant corresponding to the reference month of February of 2026, comparing them with the energy baseline consumption of 2025 and part of 2026.

It was found that the G2 facility had an annual heat demand of 2864 MWh, and that the existing recovery circuits covered only 33% (945 MWh) of this requirement. The technical assessment of the primary plate heat exchangers reveals a robust average thermal efficiency of 74.98%, confirming that the physical heat transfer surfaces are in good condition. Furthermore, the insulated casting mould circuit has been shown to be very stable.

To sum up, it is concluded that thermal autonomy is not limited by a lack of primary energy resources, but rather by a lack of control and regulation of the system. Consequently, a proposal has been developed to improve the automated hydraulic control system, at low investment cost, with the aim of dynamically adjusting flow rates in response to real-time loads. The aim of this thesis is to study a practical proposal applicable both in this case and in other possible situations, with the aim of reducing energy consumption and improving the efficiency of industrial systems.