Energy Consumption Modeling in Plant Engineering Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current process engineering systems lack energy consumption optimization during design and operation, relying on maximum load designs and imprecise energy cost distribution, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the absence of real-time energy monitoring and dynamic consumption analysis.
Innovation Solution
The method integrates energy consumption modeling into the planning and engineering phase using simulation tools like SIMIT, creating energy consumption models for electrical devices based on process variables, and extending automation function blocks with energy consumption functions to estimate and monitor energy use, eliminating the need for additional sensors and enabling online monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional power measuring devices and sensors are installed to monitor energy consumption, then measurement precision of energy consumption is improved, but device complexity and system costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical system through simulation models. Instead of installing physical sensors on actual devices, the patent generates digital twins that replicate device behavior and energy consumption patterns. The simulation environment copies the electrical system's behavior, allowing energy consumption to be measured and analyzed in the virtual model without adding physical measurement devices to the real system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical mechanical/electrical measurement devices with software-based simulation and calculation methods. Instead of using ammeters, wattmeters, or other physical sensing equipment, the patent uses virtual electrical simulations and mathematical models to calculate energy consumption. This substitution eliminates the need for additional hardware sensors while maintaining measurement capability.
2Productivity
If energy consumption models are integrated into simulation tools during planning phase, then energy optimization capability is improved, but software complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges energy consumption modeling capabilities directly into the existing simulation tool environment. Instead of creating separate energy analysis software, the patent integrates energy models as additional functionality within the familiar simulation platform. This allows energy optimization to be performed using the same interface and workflow as electrical simulations, reducing the learning curve and perceived complexity despite adding new capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the simulation tool multi-functional by enabling it to perform both traditional electrical simulations and energy consumption analysis. The simulation environment becomes a universal platform that can model electrical behavior, calculate energy usage, optimize system design, and analyze operational costs all in one toolset. This multi-functionality consolidates multiple specialized tools into a single system.
3Measurement precision
If decentralized performance monitoring is implemented using power measuring devices, then measurement precision of individual components is improved, but device complexity and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual representations of individual system components within the simulation model, allowing each device to be monitored separately without physical sensors. The digital twin approach enables decentralized monitoring where each component's energy consumption is tracked in its own virtual model instance, providing component-level detail without requiring physical measurement devices on each piece of equipment.
Data Source
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AI summary
When planning a process plant, a flow diagram of the plant is created by linking graphical process objects (23) that represent operable and observable equipment of the plant. In a simulation phase, the process in the plant or a part thereof is simulated using simulation models (24) assigned to the process objects (23). After optimization, a functional plan of the plant is created in an engineering phase by linking image symbols of function blocks, whereby each process object (23) corresponds to an automation function block (26) that describes the automation function of the process object (23). The automation function blocks (26) are supplemented by energy consumption functions (27), which represent specializations of the energy consumption models (25) and describe the electrical energy consumption during the operating time of the plant equipment.The automation function blocks (26) loaded for execution in automation devices of the plant make it possible to estimate the current energy consumption of individual units in the plant or of plant parts without the need for additional sensors.