Compressed Air System Simulation for Energy and Reliability Optimization

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing compressed air systems face inefficiencies in energy consumption and reliability, with a need for improved modeling, simulation, and quote generation tools to optimize system performance and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that includes a computer with a model server and sales quote server, capable of modeling, simulating, and optimizing compressed air systems, using a graphical user interface to configure models, perform simulations, and provide recommendations for improving system efficiency and reliability, including predictive maintenance and component failure diagnosis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If compressed air systems are designed to provide compressed air at desired flow rate, pressure, temperature and quality, then system performance is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem performanceVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary simulation and modeling of compressed air system designs before actual implementation. By using computer-based simulation to predict system performance, energy consumption, and operational characteristics, the system allows optimization of design parameters in advance, avoiding costly trial-and-error and enabling selection of energy-efficient configurations before deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through simulation results that provide information about system performance and energy consumption. This feedback loop allows iterative optimization of system design parameters, enabling users to adjust configurations based on simulated performance data to achieve better energy efficiency while maintaining required system performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of manufacture

If existing compressed air systems are used, then initial cost is reduced, but energy efficiency and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitial costVSAvoidenergy efficiency and reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary simulation and modeling of compressed air system designs before actual implementation. By using computer-based simulation to predict system performance, energy consumption, and operational characteristics, the system allows optimization of design parameters in advance, avoiding costly trial-and-error and enabling selection of energy-efficient configurations before deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through simulation results that provide information about system performance and energy consumption. This feedback loop allows iterative optimization of system design parameters, enabling users to adjust configurations based on simulated performance data to achieve better energy efficiency while maintaining required system performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If detailed modeling and simulation is performed, then system optimization accuracy is improved, but computational time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptimization accuracyVSAvoidcomputational time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the compressed air system into discrete components (compressors, dryers, tanks, pipes, regulators) that can be modeled and simulated independently. This modular approach allows detailed modeling of each component while managing overall computational complexity, enabling accurate system-level optimization through composition of component-level simulations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows users to perform partial simulations focusing on specific aspects of system performance or particular components of interest. This selective modeling approach enables obtaining sufficient optimization accuracy for decision-making without requiring complete exhaustive simulation of all system parameters, thus reducing computational time while maintaining practical utility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11270043B2System and method for modeling, simulation, optimization, and/or quote creation

Publication Date: 2022.03.08 INGERSOLL RAND IND US INC

AI summary

A computer may display on a graphical user interface (GUI) a component library including a set of components relating to a compressed air system. The GUI may have a modeling interface for configuring a virtual model using the set of components. The computer may simulate the virtual model to determine one or more optimizations to the compressed air system. The computer may also determine the cost of implementing the compressor system optimization.