This document summarizes the development of a smart energy monitoring system from research to commercialization. It describes the background research project on thermal management in polymer processing. It then discusses the proof of concept research to develop a centralized and distributed monitoring system for the heating and cooling elements of an extruder. This included developing a web-based energy management system. Finally, it discusses plans to commercialize the system by developing a business model and marketing the hardware and data services to industrial customers to help reduce energy costs and improve process efficiency.
1. energy, power
& intelligent control
Smart energy monitoring - from research to
commercialization
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Dr Jing Deng
Energy, Power and Intelligent Control
School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Queen's University Belfast
23/11/2015
j.deng@qub.ac.uk
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& intelligent control
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1. Background
“Thermal Management in Polymer Processing”
£424,868
Mar 2010 - Mar 2013
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& intelligent control
1. Background
Melt pressure
Melt temperature
Feed rate
Barrel temperature
Screw speed
Viscosity
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& intelligent control5
Killion KTS-100 laboratory single-screw extruder
Geometrical screw parameters
DC motor power (kW) 2.24
Screw diameter (mm) 25
No. of barrel temperature zones 3
Additional temperature zones
connected
3
Operating speed range (rpm) 0-115
Extruder Specifications
2. Thermal energy monitoring
- the extruder
1. Background
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& intelligent control
2. Thermal energy monitoring
- the heating and cooling
Zone 1, Heating band
1.296kw
Zone 2, Heating band
1.267kw
Zone 3, Heating band
1.238kw
Clamp ring heating band
0.4964kw
Adapter heating band
0.106kw
Controller circuit
0.0016kw
Other circuits
0.06kw
Cooling fan
0.04637kw
Heating and cooling elements of the single screw extruder
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1. Background
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& intelligent control
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“Integrating energy efficiency monitoring, control
and optimization for plastics industry”
2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
£106,000
Mar 2013 - Jan 2015
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& intelligent control
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Version 2 Version 3 Version 4
Centralized monitoring Centralized monitoring Distributed monitoring
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Analog input module Communication module Voltage and current module Relay signal module
Digital input/output module Temperature module BMS module Protocol converter module
Interface card for main controller
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& intelligent control
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Web-based energy management system
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& intelligent control
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Project website http://pointenergy.org/
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& intelligent control
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Install signal acquiring board at
Reduction plastics Ltd.
Isolated signal acquiring board
Main controller unit
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Install signal acquiring board at
Greiner packaging Ltd.
Install main controller unit logging
data at Greiner Packaging Ltd.
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& intelligent control
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2. Proof of concept
- the heating and cooling
Can we make money from it?
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Value Propositions
• Component level data delivering
factory level understanding
• Machine health information and
monitoring
• Optimal machine interaction
settings delivered after
benchmarking process
• Cost saving potential in efficiency
and energy
• End to end process data collection,
storage and analysis
3. Commercialisation
- the heating and cooling
Customer segment
• Polymer processing companies
• Food/drug processing companies
• Chemical/metal processing
• Machine manufacturers
• Other industrial manufacturer
Revenue Streams
• Hardware sale
• Site specific consultancy service
• Data service (Recurring)
• Analytic platform software
license/subscription (recurring)
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3. Commercialisation
- the heating and cooling
Get Out of the
building!!!
For those who are not familiar with the polymer extrusion process, from this picture, the polymer pellets are fed through this hopper, and then pushed by the screw from the feed zone to the die to form different shapes. The polymer is melted mainly by the shear stress from the screw and partly from the barrel heating. So in this picture, the feed rate, screw speed and barrel temperature settings can be regarded as system inputs, and the melt pressure, temperature and viscosity are system outputs. It is clear that the whole system is open loop system, in order to get proper melt properties, technicians have to speed long time to properly adjust these inputs, energy and material are then wasted during this procedure.
The energy consumption methods were developed for this single screw extruder, and some of its specifications are shown in the tables on the right hand side.
The heating and cooling power of each elements was first investigated, this is done through several trials where different configurations of heating and cooling were operated, and the power consumption was monitored by a HIOKI 3169 power meter. As you can see here, the main power was consumed at these three heating zones.
Another representation of the thermal energy consumption at different heating zone.
Customer Segments: Who are the customers? What do they think? See? Feel? Do?
Value Propositions: What’s compelling about the proposition? Why do customers buy, use?
Channels: How are these propositions promoted, sold and delivered? Why? Is it working?
Customer Relationships: How do you interact with the customer through their ‘journey’?
Revenue Streams: How does the business earn revenue from the value propositions?
Key Activities: What uniquely strategic things does the business do to deliver its proposition?
Key Resources: What unique strategic assets must the business have to compete?
Key Partnerships: What can the company not do so it can focus on its Key Activities?
Cost Structure: What are the business’ major cost drivers? How are they linked to revenue?