Process plant, control device and application device

Abstract

The invention discloses a process plant. A control device (1) receives an energy signal concerning a current activity of an application device (2). Depending on the energy signal and a system relevance level assigned to the application device (2), the control device (1) sends a control signal to the application device (2) or terminates the current activity. The application device (2) outputs the energy signal, which is related to the amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity. The invention further relates to a control device (1) and an application device (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a process plant comprising a control device and at least one application device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a control device and an application device.

[0002] In modern times, the responsible use of energy resources and the control of the environmental impact of actions and processes have become crucial. This is also described by the term "CO2 footprint." In process plants, for example in the chemical or petrochemical industries, or in food processing, a large number of machines typically operate and interact, which can also be considered consumers. Each of these devices—be it a machine, actuator, or sensor—leaves a CO2 footprint during its operation, which is harmful to the climate as long as the energy was generated using fossil fuels (e.g., oil or natural gas). In this text, the term "CO2 footprint" encompasses all climate-damaging gases that can be released into the environment through the use or extraction of fossil, carbon-containing fuels (e.g., carbon dioxide and natural gas).

[0003] The invention is based on the objective of reducing the energy consumption or CO2 footprint of such a process plant.

[0004] The invention solves the problem by means of a process plant, a control device and an application device, each for a process plant.

[0005] The problem is solved by a process plant with a control device and at least one application device, wherein the control device has at least one communication device, wherein the control device is configured to receive an energy statement regarding a current activity of the application device via the communication device, wherein the control device is configured to output a control statement for the application device via the communication device depending on the energy statement and depending on a system relevance level assigned to the application device, and / or to terminate the current activity of the application device - preferably by switching off the application device, wherein the application device is configured to perform at least one activity.wherein the application device requires energy – preferably electrical – to perform the activity, wherein the application device has at least one communication device, and wherein the application device is designed such that the application device outputs at least one energy statement via the communication device, which is related to an amount of energy required for the current performance of the activity.

[0006] The process plant according to the invention comprises a control device and an application device or several application devices. The application device(s) implement a process or part of a process in the plant. Examples include pumps, heating or cooling systems, mixers, filters, etc. In a broad sense, these are machines or combinations of machines.

[0007] The control device and the application device each have at least one communication device through which they communicate with each other.

[0008] The control device receives an energy statement from the application device via its communication device. This statement relates to a current activity being performed by the application device. The energy statement can refer to the amount of energy the application device currently requires or will soon require. However, the energy statement can also indicate that a limit value for energy consumption has been exceeded or will soon be exceeded.

[0009] The received energy demand signal is processed by the control device. The control device takes into account a system relevance level assigned to the application device or, if applicable, specifically to the activity being performed. The system relevance level describes the importance of the application device to the process plant. This implies how the control device should react to the respective energy demand. To react to the energy demand signal and thus regulate the process plant, the control device sends a control signal to the application device and / or interrupts the application device's activity. The control signal can also mean that the application device itself must cease its activity. The reaction may depend on the amount of energy available to the process plant.

[0010] For the control device to react, the application device generates the aforementioned energy output, which is related to the amount of energy required to perform the activity.

[0011] The process plant therefore contains a control device and an application device, or several application devices. The application device communicates its energy requirements to the control device, and the control device then acts upon the application device. The nature of this action depends on the importance or significance of the application device and its function for the process plant. This makes it easy to regulate the energy requirements of the entire plant individually and simply via the application devices involved.

[0012] The invention thus makes it possible to optimize or reduce energy consumption. As long as the energy is generated using fossil fuels, the CO2 footprint is also reduced.

[0013] In one embodiment, the control device causes the activity to restart when sufficient energy is available or when another compensation action, e.g., with regard to a CO2 footprint, has taken place.

[0014] One configuration of the process plant provides that the process plant has at least one data storage device, that this data storage device contains at least one mapping between the application device and the system relevance level, and that the application device accesses the data storage device to generate the energy statement and / or the control device accesses the data storage device to generate the control statement and / or to terminate the application device's operation. In this configuration, the process plant has a data storage device that, depending on the configuration, is assigned to either the control device or the application device. The mapping between the application device and the system relevance level is stored in this data storage device.

[0015] In one configuration, if the application device accesses the data storage, it generates the energy statement in such a way that the statement also includes information about the system relevance level. Alternatively, the control device consults the database to determine the system relevance level assigned to the application device in order to generate the control statement or to terminate the activity.

[0016] One configuration of the process plant includes the following: the system relevance level assigned to the application device belongs to one of at least three different system relevance levels; the three different system relevance data points are assigned to three different actions; and the three actions relate to terminating the application device's activity, modifying the application device's activity, and maintaining the application device's activity under modified monitoring. In this configuration, there are three different system relevance levels, each associated with a specific action.The action relates to how the required amount of energy, i.e., the energy demand, affects the activity: This can be either terminating the activity or continuing it, which at least leads to a modification of the monitoring of the application device. Between these two options lies the action of modifying the activity with respect to the energy demand. This preferably involves reducing the required amount of energy. Thus, depending on the system relevance level, the control device acts differently on the application device.

[0017] One embodiment of the process plant provides that the application device also includes a measuring device for determining and / or monitoring the amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity. In this embodiment, the application device measures its current energy consumption.

[0018] One configuration of the process plant includes a design in which the application device is configured to output an energy signal if the amount of energy required to perform the activity deviates from a predefined tolerance level above a maximum energy limit assigned to that activity. In this configuration, if the application device determines that the amount of energy required for the activity is too high, it transmits this information to the control device. Alternatively, the application device can regularly transmit the required amount of energy, and the control device can then determine whether the energy limit is exceeded.

[0019] One design of the process plant provides that the amount of energy required to perform the activity of the application device relates to the CO2 footprint of the application device.

[0020] According to one configuration of the process plant, if the process plant has two different energy sources available, the control device reduces the proportion of energy supplied to the application device by the energy source with the higher fossil fuel content, depending on the energy demand and the system relevance level assigned to the application device. In this configuration, the process plant is supplied with energy by two sources. These two energy sources differ in their respective fossil fuel content. For example, one energy source is purely renewable. If two energy sources are available and, for example, the energy demand indicates that the application device has an excessively high energy requirement, then in this configuration the control device reduces the proportion of energy supplied by the energy source with the higher fossil fuel content.This therefore reduces the CO2 footprint.

[0021] Furthermore, the invention solves the problem by means of a control device for a process plant with at least one application device, wherein the control device has at least one communication device, wherein the control device is designed to receive an energy statement concerning a current activity of the application device via the communication device, and wherein the control device is designed to output a control statement for the application device via the communication device depending on the energy statement and depending on a system relevance level assigned to the application device and / or to terminate the current activity of the application device - preferably by switching off the application device.

[0022] The above statements and explanations concerning the process plant also apply accordingly to the control device as part of the process plant. Conversely, the following discussion of the control device also applies to the process plant. Therefore, it will not be repeated.

[0023] One design of the control device includes the fact that a data storage device is assigned to the control device, and that the control device is designed in such a way as to access the data storage device for generating the control statement and / or for terminating the current activity of the application device.

[0024] The following details refer to the different levels of system relevance and the actions assigned to each.

[0025] One configuration of the control device provides that it is designed such that, in the event that the control device generates a control signal, the application device terminates its current activity, or the control device terminates its current activity, the system relevance level assigned to the application device is associated with an action that relates to terminating the activity. At this system relevance level, the application device or the activity is considered to have low relevance, so that if the energy consumption is too high, the activity must be terminated. This occurs when the control device terminates the activity or switches off the application device. Alternatively, the application device receives the instruction to terminate its activity via the control signal.

[0026] In an alternative or supplementary embodiment, the control device is configured such that, in cases where the system relevance level assigned to the application device is associated with an action that relates to a modification of the activity, the application device modifies its current activity with regard to a reduction in the required amount of energy. In this embodiment, the activity is to continue, but with a lower required amount of energy. Therefore, the control device instructs the application device accordingly.

[0027] In a further alternative or supplementary embodiment, the control device is designed such that, in this case, the control device generates the control signal in such a way that the application device outputs statements about the required amount of energy at a frequency specified by the control device, based on the continued operation of the application device under modified monitoring of the application device. In this embodiment, the operation continues unchanged, but the monitoring of the application device is carried out differently.

[0028] The invention solves the problem according to a further teaching by means of an application device for a process plant, wherein the application device is configured to perform at least one activity, wherein the application device requires energy – preferably electrical – to perform the activity, wherein the application device has at least one communication device, wherein the application device is configured such that the application device outputs at least one energy message via the communication device, which is related to an amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity, and wherein the application device is configured such that the application device receives at least one control message via the communication device.which is related to the current execution of the activity and to which the application device reacts accordingly with regard to the current execution of the activity.

[0029] The above statements and explanations concerning the process plant also apply accordingly to the application device as part of the process plant. Conversely, the following discussion of the application device also applies to the process plant. Therefore, it will not be repeated.

[0030] One embodiment of the application device includes the fact that at least one data storage device is assigned to the application device, and that the application device accesses the data storage device to generate the energy statement.

[0031] One embodiment of the application device provides that the application device also includes a measuring device for determining and / or monitoring the amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity. In this embodiment, the measuring device, for example, records the electrical current required for the activity.

[0032] One embodiment of the application device includes a configuration that causes the device to output an energy message if the amount of energy required to perform the activity deviates from a maximum energy limit assigned to the activity beyond a predefined tolerance. In this embodiment, the application device monitors its energy consumption and reports when the required amount of energy is too high.

[0033] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the following illustration. Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic process plant.

[0034] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic example of a process plant according to the invention.

[0035] The process plant has, for example, two application devices 2 that communicate with a control device 1. This is indicated by the double arrows.

[0036] The application devices 2 each output their energy statements to the control device 1 via their communication devices 20, which are, for example, suitable interfaces. The control device 1 receives the energy statements via its communication device 10 and, based on these and depending on the system relevance levels assigned to the application devices 2, generates the control statements.

[0037] The diagram shows, for example, an application device 2 that has its own data storage 3 in which its system relevance level is stored. The other application device 2 does not have its own data storage 3, so the control device 1 accesses an externally located data storage 3 to determine the system relevance level assigned to application device 2.

[0038] The second application device 2 has a measuring device 21, e.g. in the form of an ammeter, which measures the amount of energy required to perform the activity of the application device 2.

[0039] The application devices 2 of the process plant are supplied with energy by two different energy sources 4, 4'. The control device 1 is designed in such a way that it can control the proportion of the energy supply that is realized. Reference symbol list 1 Control device 2 Application device 3 Data storage 4.4' Energy source 10 Communication device of the control device 20 Communication device of the application device 21 Measuring device of the application device

Claims

[1] Process plant with a control device (1) and at least one application device (2), wherein the control device (1) has at least one communication device (10), wherein the control device (1) is designed to receive an energy statement concerning a current activity of the application device (2) via the communication device (10), wherein the control device (1) is designed to output a control statement via the communication device (10) for the application device (2) depending on the energy statement and depending on a system relevance level assigned to the application device (2) and / or to terminate the current activity of the application device (2) - preferably by switching off the application device (2), wherein the application device (2) is designed to perform at least one activity, wherein the application device (2) requires energy - preferably electrical - to perform the activity, wherein the application device (2) comprises at least one communication device (20), and wherein the application device (2) is designed such that the application device (2) outputs at least one energy statement via the communication device (20) which is related to an amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity. [2] Process plant according to claim 1, wherein the system relevance level assigned to the application device (2) belongs to one of at least three different system relevance levels, where the three different system relevance data are assigned to three different actions, and wherein the three actions relate to terminating the activity of the application device (2), to modifying the activity of the application device (2) and to maintaining the activity of the application device (2) under modified monitoring of the application device (2). [3] Process plant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of energy required to perform the activity of the application device (2) relates to the CO2 footprint of the application device (2). [4] Process plant according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device (1) in the case that two different energy sources (4, 4') are available to the process plant reduces, depending on the energy statement and depending on the system relevance level assigned to the application device (2), a proportion of the energy supply of the application device (2) by the energy source which has the higher fossil content of the two energy sources. [5] Control device (1) for a process plant with at least one application device (2), wherein the control device (1) comprises at least one communication device (10), wherein the control device (1) is designed to receive an energy statement concerning a current activity of the application device (2) via the communication device (10), and wherein the control device (1) is designed to output a control statement via the communication device (10) for the application device (2) depending on the energy statement and depending on a system relevance level assigned to the application device (2) and / or to terminate the current activity of the application device (2) - preferably by switching off the application device (2). [6] Control device (1) according to claim 5, wherein a data storage device (3) is assigned to the control device (1), and wherein the control device (1) is designed to access the data storage device (3) for generating the control statement and / or for terminating the current activity of the application device (2). [7] Control device (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control device (2) is designed such that the control device (2) generates the control statement in such a case that the application device (2) terminates the current activity, or that the control device (2) terminates the current activity, and / or the system relevance level assigned to the application device (2) is assigned to an action which relates to terminating the activity, and / or wherein the control device (2) is designed such that the control device (2) generates the control statement in such a way that the application device (2) modifies the current activity with regard to a reduction of the required amount of energy, that the system relevance level assigned to the application device (2) is assigned to an action which relates to a modification of the activity, and / or wherein the control device (2) is designed such that the control device (2) generates the control statement in such a case that the application device (2) outputs statements about the required amount of energy at a frequency specified by the control device (2), relating to the maintenance of the activity of the application device (2) under a modified monitoring of the application device (2). [8] Application device (2) for a process plant, wherein the application device (2) is designed to perform at least one activity, wherein the application device (2) requires energy - preferably electrical - to perform the activity, wherein the application device (2) comprises at least one communication device (20), wherein the application device (2) is designed such that the application device (2) outputs at least one energy statement via the communication device (20) which is related to an amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity, and wherein the application device (2) is designed such that the application device (2) receives at least one control statement via the communication device (20) which is related to the current execution of the activity and to which the application device (2) reacts accordingly with regard to the current execution of the activity. [9] Application device (2) according to claim 8, wherein at least one data storage device (3) is assigned to the application device (2), and wherein the application device (2) accesses the data storage (3) to generate the energy statement. [10] Application device (2) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the application device (2) further comprises a measuring device (21) for determining and / or monitoring the amount of energy required for the current execution of the activity. [11] Application device (2) according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the application device (2) is designed such that the application device (2) outputs the energy statement in the case that the amount of energy required to perform the activity differs from a maximum energy limit associated with the activity by a predefinable tolerance measure.

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