Mining Power Orchestration Using Machine Priority Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mining environments face challenges in managing power usage due to high energy demands from large electrical machines, leading to frequent spikes and fluctuations in power consumption, which can result in excessive costs and strain on the power grid, with utility companies imposing penalties for exceeding predetermined power levels.
Innovation Solution
A centralized power management system that identifies sets of electrical machines to be operated simultaneously, predicts power requirements based on past data and current conditions, and restricts power to lower-priority machines if predicted usage exceeds a threshold penalty level, ensuring that only higher-priority operations continue uninterrupted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple electrical machines are operated simultaneously at peak power consumption, then productivity and operational capacity are improved, but power demand spikes and exceeds available power levels causing grid strain and penalty fees
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational status of electrical machines based on real-time power demand conditions. The centralized control system monitors power consumption levels and automatically modulates machine operations to maintain productivity while preventing power demand from exceeding available capacity, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational capacity and power demand.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of power demand before allowing machines to operate. By predicting and evaluating expected power consumption in advance, the system prevents power demand spikes by selectively authorizing or delaying machine operations that would cause total power demand to exceed available capacity, thus avoiding grid strain and penalty fees while maintaining overall productivity.
2Productivity
If power-intensive operations are performed when power demand is already high, then critical operations can be completed, but total power usage exceeds penalty thresholds incurring surcharges
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized control system continuously monitors total power consumption and provides feedback to determine whether additional power-intensive operations should be authorized. When power usage approaches penalty thresholds, the system provides feedback to restrict or delay non-critical operations, ensuring that critical operations can proceed while preventing total power consumption from incurring surcharges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of electrical machines by selectively restricting or delaying non-critical operations when power demand is high. This parameter adjustment allows critical operations to maintain their schedule while non-critical operations are temporarily modified, thereby completing essential work without exceeding penalty thresholds and incurring penalty costs.
3Loss of energy
If a centralized control system restricts power to lower-priority machines to maintain power levels below thresholds, then penalty fees are avoided, but operational flexibility and machine availability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts operational restrictions based on real-time power demand conditions rather than imposing fixed limitations. When power levels are acceptable, the system allows greater operational flexibility and machine availability. When power demand approaches thresholds, restrictions are applied selectively to lower-priority machines. This dynamic approach minimizes penalty costs while preserving operational flexibility during periods when power capacity is available.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of power demand and machine priorities before imposing restrictions. By evaluating the operational importance of each machine and predicting power consumption patterns in advance, the system can make informed decisions about which machines to restrict, thereby minimizing the impact on operational flexibility while still preventing penalty fees from being incurred.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for managing power usage in mining environments. The amount of power needed to operate a set of electrical machines that are to run simultaneously is determined. Power usage by the electrical machines during a time period can be predicted based on how much power is expected to be needed by each machine. If the predicted power usage exceeds a threshold power usage, power to one or more electrical machines in the mining environment is restricted so that actual power usage in the mining environment does not exceed the threshold power usage during the specified time period. The electrical machines which will have power restricted thereto can be selected based at least in part on relative priorities for the electrical machines in the set. Power can be restricted to machines as a whole (an effective shutdown), or to specific operations of the machines.