by Marco Busani and Ivan Frascari26   Giugno   2014

Telemetry for energy saving

Productivity is either increased through new solutions or through the enhancement of existing solutions.

The automated managing system Eco Clean reduces energy consumption and avoids power leakage in centralized pneumatic cleaning systems called “Supero”. Centralized pneumatic cleaning systems are used in manufacturing plants that deal with products in dust and granular formation. They guarantee excellent cleaning of machinery and working areas, eliminate all sorts of contamination during production changes, and have therefore become essential. They are often used below their potential because of careless operators.

Eco Clean prevents from carelessness and increasese flexibility, allows up to 60% in energy saving, reduces power leakage and enhances working conditions. It is generally made up of a high pressure vacuum system (which can be blower volumetric, lateral channels, multi- and bi- stage); and of a sleeve filter for high pressure with specific dischargers and a pipe network with automated clapets.
The number of clapets used varies according to the size of departments and the type of industry, with powers varying from 22 to 75kW.
 
Here are a few problems that often arise:
1) they may be started at the beginning of a working shift and not switched off at the end;
2) the number of clapets used simultaneously is lower than the number of clapets installed (a set of four clapets is generally mounted): yet power remains almost constant while the power of single vacuums lowers (in a four-clapet plant with two clapets connected power is cut by 15%);
3) operators may forget clapets plugged in since they’re often in hidden places, hence causing a waste of energy and reduced efficiency.

The improvements we propose bring to the following enhancements:
1) The system remains in stand-by mode until a clapet is plugged in.
2) The system turns off automatically when none of the clapets is in use.
3) Vacuum power and power consumption are automatically regulated according to clapets plugged in (with two plugged in clapets out of four power consumption is cut by 55%)  
4) The system automatically turns off (or an alarm sets off) when a clapet is plugged in for longer than it was decided
5) The time of use, date and number of times that a clapet has been plugged in overtime are registered.
6) Instant, daily and monthly power consumption is visualized and registered.
7) All information goes into a data base and can be sent to remote disposals such as tablets, smartphones and laptops.


Improvements on existing plants are implemented as follows:
1. Replacement of current clapets with new sensor-equipped ones able to detect whether a clapet is plugged in (exclusive rights e4 engineering).
2. Introduction of sensors at the central unit: according to lay out and other features wiring can be done by cable or  by gathered islands communicating themselves with the central unit by data base or remote devices.
3. Introduction of a frequency regulator (a digital inverter specifically designed for the plant to manoeuvre) to vary the vacuum speed, controlled by the central unit with  a PLC touch screen interface, with doors for data collection and registration on USB and others.

Energy saving varies according to the existing plants, the size of the system and the habit and operators’ environmental concern.
Energy saving usually goes from 40% to 60% and over, with investments recovered in 8 to 20 months, with an average of 12 months. 

An Eco Clean 30-clapet system with four working clapets and a 45kW vacuum used on two daily shifts can bring to a 70,000 kWh power reduction per year. 

E4 Engineering has a partnership agreement with Tecno srl, a GSE accredited ESCO dealing with both EEC (energy efficiency certificates, also called “white certificates”) and all funding concerned.

For further information: www.e4engineering.it