FACILITIES MANAGEMENT


Open a window to compressed air energy savings


Manufacturers are facing unprecedented challenges to stem rocketing energy costs and reduce carbon emissions and, as the so-called ‘fourth utility’ of manufacturing, compressed air systems can frequently be the cause of wasted energy.


However, by opening a window to visualise their compressed air energy consumption in real time, production teams are defending against rising costs and achieving operating


efficiencies with relatively little effort. Darren Pratt, Industrial Instrumentation product manager for SICK UK, explains


I


n a typical manufacturing operation, compressed air accounts for 10% of energy use, rising to 30% in more heavy use industries1


. It


is estimated, however, that manufacturers waste around 30% of the compressed air they generate2


. Until now, operators have only been


able to get a limited grasp on how much energy is actually being used by their compressed air systems, and identifying where it is being wasted. Even with a modern energy management


system in place, a maintenance team may only survey the plant every three or six months, and external companies may be brought in to conduct periodic spot check audits. The data provided is reliable only for one moment in time, and very little can be gleaned from it about any 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 to maximise results? By feeding the data from accurate sensing


instruments into new cloud-based monitoring systems, sensor manufacturers like SICK are introducing digital services that are easy to ‘bolt on’ to existing production process with minimal set-up and no programming. The results can be remarkably revealing, and SICK customers have been surprised by the discoveries they can make. So, the company has


developed a turnkey solution specifically for continuous compressed air energy management. The SICK FTMg is a multifunctional flow sensor that enables the measurement of live values for compressed air energy in kWh. Data from SICK FTMg flow meters strategically positioned around a plant can be visualised in a way that


www.energymanagementmag.co.uk


is easy to use and interpret using the SICK FTMg Monitoring App. As well as values for pressure, temperature, flow velocity, mass flow rate and volumetric flow rate in real time, the system provides totals for energy use, volume and mass over a pre-defined period.


UNEXPECTED INSIGHTS Early adopters have gained unexpected insights – they have been able to make start-up and shutdown management of processes and machines more efficient, improve compressor control, and manage peak loads. By tracking consumption over time, losses


are easier to spot and correct. Energy waste is highlighted 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 efficient power-up sequence could be adopted to prevent overloading the compressor. By positioning FTMg flow meters close to


the machine cells where the compressed air is being used, production teams can pose specific 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


The SICK FTMg flow sensor can be positioned strategically to collect data on compressed air usage


offline as long as possible. How much compressed air energy is needed to produce one type of component compared to another? The information can contribute towards


ISO50001 Energy Management certification, or compliance with the UK Government’s Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS).


EASY TO INTERPRET The App’s 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-defined warnings with job recommendations, for example, when data strays beyond pre-defined limits. Users can also drill down to identify costs, for example for individual production centres or by shift. Up to eight FTMG flow meters can be configured


By tracking consumption over time, losses are easier to spot and correct


via each SICK Smart Services Gateway, which collects data, aggregates and encrypts it, before sending it securely via the customer’s own IT infrastructure through a firewall to the SICK cloud. Alternatively, it is possible to by-pass the IT infrastructure by using mobile communications over 3G or 4G. Individuals then have access through a personal SICK ID from any device with a web browser. SICK also offers alternatives for


customers who do not require the FTMg Monitoring App. For customers wishing to integrate SICK FTMg flow meters into their own IT systems, one or more devices can be used with an IIoT gateway, such as the TDC-E from SICK, for data pre-processing and integration into customer-specific MES, cloud or energy management systems.


SICK www.sick.co.uk


1


British Compressed Air Society Reducing Energy Consumption from Compressed Air Usage


2


Carbon Trust, Compressed air, Opportunities for Business (2012)


ENERGY MANAGEMENT - Autumn 2022 15


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36