Conveyor Power Peak Control via Predictive Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrically driven conveyor systems in high-bay warehouses face high operating costs due to inefficient electrical equipment sizing, leading to significant energy cost variations based on peak power consumption, which results in oversizing and increased billing costs.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling the conveyor system that predicts electrical power consumption for transport orders, checks if the predicted total power exceeds a predefined limit, and adjusts or delays transport commands to avoid power peaks, allowing for more precise equipment sizing and cost-effective operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical equipment is dimensioned with a high simultaneity factor to ensure security against power peaks, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to oversizing
Solution Approach 1:
The controller predicts the power consumption profile of upcoming transport orders in advance and uses this prediction to proactively delay transport commands before power peaks occur. This preliminary action prevents power peaks without requiring oversized electrical equipment, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors actual power consumption and compares it with predicted values, using this feedback to adjust the timing of transport commands. This closed-loop control ensures reliable operation while optimizing equipment utilization, avoiding both oversizing and power peak violations.
2Productivity
If transport orders are executed immediately to maintain productivity, then productivity is improved, but energy cost increases due to short-term power peaks
Solution Approach 1:
The controller calculates predicted power consumption profiles for transport orders in advance and identifies potential power peaks before they occur. By proactively delaying transport commands ahead of time based on these predictions, the system avoids power peak charges while maintaining overall productivity through efficient scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system distributes transport order executions across different time periods to avoid concentrating power consumption in short intervals. This periodic scheduling approach smooths the power consumption profile, reducing peak demand charges while maintaining steady productivity levels.
3Loss of energy
If the controller delays transport commands to avoid power peaks, then energy cost is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to delayed order execution
Solution Approach 1:
The controller predicts power consumption profiles and identifies optimal delay timing in advance, delaying transport commands only when necessary to avoid power peaks. This selective preliminary action minimizes productivity impact while achieving energy cost reduction through avoided peak charges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the timing of transport commands based on real-time power consumption patterns and predicted future demand. This dynamic scheduling optimizes the balance between energy cost and productivity by delaying only when necessary rather than using fixed delay schedules.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling an electrically driven conveyor system, wherein the conveyor system has a control unit for processing transport orders and for generating transport commands for executing the transport orders, wherein the following steps are provided: predicting an electrical power consumption of the conveyor system for executing a transport order, checking whether a predicted total electrical power consumption of the conveyor system during the execution of the transport order exceeds a predefined limit value, and depending on the test result, releasing or delaying a transport command associated with the transport order.