The Role of Visualization Systems in Managing the Energy of Production Systems

Abstract

The convergence of sustainability pressures, rising energy prices, and insatiable demand all will have a profound impact on our relationship with energy and its effect on the macro economy. There's no shortage of industrial users eager to turn crisis into future profits by taking the steps to gain control over energy costs and consumption. All this promise has led to the expansion of the presence of energy visualization products, or energy management dashboards, which all claim to offer unique features and attributes that enable the superior management of energy resources. Many of these systems are designed to optimize the energy of building systems and utilities: HVAC, water distribution, pneumatics, boilers, etc. In a typical industrial process facility, however, these systems account for only 16 percent of the energy demand. This paper highlights the potential of energy optimization of production systems, and defines five proven techniques, called process demand functions, that can be leveraged to mitigate process energy. For each process demand function, the role of the visualization system will be highlighted