FEATURE Smart Factories
Smart factories require resilient energy management
Alastair Morris, Chief Commercial Officer at Powerstar, considers how manufacturers can reap the productivity and competitive rewards of smart factory initiatives whilst mitigating their power-related risks
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2019 Deloitte and MAPI survey found that 86% of manufacturers believe smart factory initiatives will
be the main driver of manufacturing competitiveness by 2024. The digitisation of processes incorporating smart and autonomous systems powered by data and machine-learning algorithms enables manufacturers to operate more effi ciently. This leads to less wastage and a reduction in carbon emissions, which helps companies achieve their net zero targets. That said, an increasing reliance on digital assets brings its own risks, and a resilient power supply is critical to recoup investment. Disruption to energy supply has always been a threat to productivity and profi tability, with the Offi ce of National Statistics estimating current loss of downtime for British manufacturing to be around £180bn per year. Industry 4.0 and the needs of smart factories place an ever-greater requirement for a stable, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), to safeguard the often delicate yet vital systems such as robotics and software that are necessary for manufacturers to benefi t fully from the technological advances that smart factories off er. Traditionally, manufacturers have relied on an uninterruptible power supplies to protect individual and isolated vital pieces of equipment against electricity disruption, such as blackouts or brownouts. For the smart factory this is counterproductive as site interconnectivity requires the same level
18 April 2022 | Automation
of energy supply and uninterrupted power across all equipment. The operational eff ects of power disruption are already 3% of working days for UK manufacturing, equating to an average loss of £2.8m for a typical medium-sized business. In this context, the importance of a futureproof energy management strategy becomes evident. Power resilience technology, focused on smart microgrids to protect and support processes site-wide, consists of three fundamental aspects: uninterruptible power supply, voltage regulation and transformers. A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with fast-switching UPS capabilities prevents disruption to power supply, whilst voltage regulation dynamically conditions incoming voltage to protect equipment and reduce electricity consumption, and effi cient, reliable transformers contribute to emission reduction. In relation to smart factories, the BESS element is critical. Whereas a traditional UPS will be largely idle until there is a power disruption, it still keeps switching between AC and DC, using energy and losing capacity at around 10-15%. For a 1MW system, for example, that is a direct cost – and waste – of about £200,000 a year, not to mention the impact on carbon emissions. In contrast, integrating a BESS system into a smart microgrid protects the entire facility from potential power disruption, with a capacity loss of around just 1%. Additionally, a BESS can be utilised for more than just UPS. Whilst protecting sites from power disruption,
Power disruption examples
it can be used for other applications that support cost saving and net zero initiatives. This includes optimising on-site renewable generation, time shifting when you buy and use power to save costs, access grid contracts for additional revenue, and more. While blackouts are still relatively rare, a
signifi cant threat to the smart factory is the more common brownout – a sag in voltage below the usual mains supply level. A common cause of brownouts, particularly relevant for out-of-town manufacturing hubs, is the large demand for power from insuffi cient infrastructure. Given that the National Grid admits it is no longer fi t for purpose, this strain is a signifi cant factor for digitilised manufacturing processes. Even a momentary disruption to power can result in sensitive equipment needing to be reset. As automation in manufacturing increasingly relies on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), the incidence of these tripping and requiring reset – including the inevitable improper shutdown of IT equipment and production lines – can result in signifi cant damage and the ensuing maintenance costs, as well as loss of vital data.
Given all the parameters, there is a clear need for energy management solutions to meet all these agendas.
CONTACT:
Powerstar
www.powerstar.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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