FEATURE Sensors
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Open a window to compressed air energy savings
By Darren Pratt, Industrial Instrumentation Product Manager for SICK UK M
anufacturers are facing unprecedented challenges to stem rocketing energy costs and reduce carbon
emissions. As the so-called “fourth utility” of manufacturing, compressed air systems can frequently be the cause of wasted energy.
Compressed air accounts for 10% of
energy use in a typical manufacturing operation, rising to 30% in heavy-use industries. Of that, some 30% is wasted. But, until now, operators have only been able to get a limited grasp on how much energy is actually being used or by which compressed air systems, and where the problems lie.
Even with a modern energy management system, a maintenance team may only survey the plant every three or six months. External companies may conduct periodic spot check audits. The data provided is reliable only for one moment in time, and little can be gleaned about trends or patterns. Do some machines use more compressed air than others, when, and why? How can compressed air energy reduction best be targeted across entire processes and production halls?
‘Bolt-on’ transparency By feeding data from accurate instruments into new cloud-based monitoring systems, sensor manufacturers are introducing digital services that are easy to ‘bolt on’ to production processes with minimal setup and no programming. The results can be remarkably revealing, and SICK customers have been surprised by the discoveries they can make.
SICK has developed a turnkey solution for continuous compressed-air energy management. The SICK FTMg is a multifunctional fl ow sensor that enables the measurement of live values for compressed air energy in kWh. Using data from SICK FTMg fl ow meters strategically positioned around a plant, and usually close to machines and cells, a wealth of
20 April 2023 | Automation
The SICK FTMg flow sensor can be positioned strategically to collect data on compressed air usage and display it on the FTMg Monitoring App
real-time as well as historic data becomes available about compressed air usage and energy consumption. Data from the FTMg fl ow meter is made transparent through graphics presented in the SICK FTMg Monitoring App. With the click of a button, users can start visualising all the continuous compressed air data in a way that is easy to use and interpret. As well as values for pressure, temperature, fl ow velocity, mass fl ow rate and volumetric fl ow rate in real time, the system provides totals for energy use, volume and mass over a pre-defi ned period. The user-friendly dashboard makes it easy to interpret data to detect leaks or overconsumption and to look for changes and trends. Email alerts can be set up for maintenance reminders or to give pre-defi ned warnings with job recommendations, for example, when data strays beyond pre-defi ned limits. Users can drill down to identify costs, for example for individual production centres or by shift.
Unexpected insights We are already seeing how early adopters of the FTMg Monitoring App are gaining unexpected insights. For example they have been able to make start-up and shutdown management of processes and machines more effi cient, improve compressor control and manage peak loads.
By tracking consumption over time, losses are easier to spot and correct. For example, energy waste is clear if the compressed air usage graph does not baseline close to zero at weekends. Is there a surge in power usage on a Monday morning when machines are turned on? Then, perhaps, a more effi cient power-up sequence could be adopted to prevent overloading the compressor.
The system makes it possible to monitor
energy usage close to the machine cells where the compressed air is being used. Armed with additional information, production teams can pose specifi c questions: How much air is cell number 1 using, compared to cell number 2? If cell number 3 uses a lot more compressed air energy, then keep it offl ine as long as possible. How much compressed air energy is needed to produce one type of component compared to another? As well as enabling resources to be used more sustainably, the data insights support better operational effi ciency and help achieve reduced carbon targets. The information can contribute towards ISO50001 Energy Management certifi cation, or compliance with the UK Government’s Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS).
CONTACT:
SICK (UK)
www.sick.co.uk
automationmagazine.co.uk
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