The energy monitoring system manageENERGY according to ISO 50001

In feed production, the pressing of the feed (pelleting) represents the process with the highest energy demand.

With the press monitor, the current energy consumption in the form of electricity and steam, the relevant machine data and thus the live energy key figures of the pressing process are continuously determined in real time and compared with historical data from the system database. The result is displayed live to the operator in the machine control system as key figures, cost factors and also as a traffic light function.

He can thus continuously adjust the machine parameters optimally during the process in order to proactively produce more energy-efficiently. This function can be transferred to other energy-intensive processes in automated production. The press monitor in particular has already been tested in several feed mills and led to a significant stabilization of the key figures during operator changes and thus also to energy savings. Several plant managers spoke of the awakened “play instinct” of the millers to produce as efficiently as possible.

The additional historical evaluation that is available also enables the mill management to react to tendential changes in the plant.

Grinding is another energy-intensive process in feed production.

This process is automated to the greatest possible extent. By continuously determining the relevant key figures, by means of energy measurement technology, the machine data and the historical data on the current product in the plant, predictive maintenance can be derived. Attention can be drawn to signs of wear, such as clogged filters or worn beaters, in order to prevent negative effects on the efficiency of the plant. This feature provides mill metrics that indicate the optimal time for maintenance. Phases of inefficient grinding with worn tools or too early tool changes are thus avoided.

Compressed air represents a significant cost factor in almost all industrial plants. Modern, efficient compressed air systems have already been installed in many plants. However, there is a need for clarification on the factor leakage losses and the associated cost trap “compressed air waste” due to leakage. Continuous monitoring by the energy monitoring system managENERGY can prevent this cost trap efficiently and without time-consuming searching. In adjustable intervals during the plant shutdown, the customer’s plant is pressurized in order to record the energy consumption at the compressor and the compressed air volume flow to the individual plant parts.

• The following can be derived from the measurement results of our energy monitoring system:
• Occurrence of a new compressed air leak
• Local containment of the leak
• Extrapolation of the leakage loss
• Automated fault reports

The base load accounts for a not inconsiderable share of the energy costs. All plant components that consume energy even when the plant is inactive make up the base load. Since these plant components are in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they quickly represent a considerable cost factor. In new plants, this factor has already been minimized by modern automation. In older plants, energy consumption continues to add up to over 100 kw due to rebuilds, expansions, and only partially automated areas.

The base load monitor determines the energy consumption of all plant sections during each plant shutdown and automatically sends a report to the responsible authority.

The following can be derived from the results of the energy monitoring system managENERGY:

• Energy consumption of all plant components
• extrapolated costs
• changes in the base load

The plant management is thus able to recognize any continuous consumption and to counteract it with appropriate measures. Misbehavior in non-automated areas can also be quickly detected and avoided by the manageENERGY energy monitoring system.

The peak load management in manageENERGY 2.0 provides the following additional modules to the conventional systems:

• a static load cut-off in stages
• a grid-dependent management with configurable location-relevant blocking and free times
• an interface to plant automation for process-dependent load control.

In case of need, the first area to be throttled is the one that currently has the least influence on the output of the production process. The available load window can thus be optimally utilized without having a significant negative impact on the process chain.

Based on the realization that in production plants the focus is always on the product to be manufactured, its quality and the performance of the plant and not primarily on the energy efficiency, a comprehensive evaluation and alarm system was developed.

In the background, key figures are continuously determined from all the data obtained from the energy measurement technology, the plant control system, the ERP system and other measured variables, and compared with historical data or other dynamic limit values in order to automatically notify the defined person responsible for the relevant area if action is required. This always ensures that changes in the plant that result in a reduction in efficiency can be dealt with promptly. Faults in the measurement infrastructure are also detected and alerted immediately.