Water Injection Controller for Rolling Line Cooling Pump Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems in rolling lines face inefficiencies due to insufficient water storage, leading to constant overflow and unnecessary energy consumption, as well as difficulties in determining whether returned cooling water is being used or overflowing, resulting in suboptimal pump operation and increased energy costs.
Innovation Solution
A water injection controller that includes a cooling water usage predictor, constrained running condition predictor, energy consumption calculator, optimizer, and pump system running controller to predict and optimize cooling water usage and pump operation, ensuring efficient energy use and maintaining constraint conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If pumps are always driven to maintain tank overflow, then cooling water quantity is sufficient, but energy consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operation transitions from static (always on) to dynamic (adjustable). The controller dynamically adjusts pump operation based on real-time tank water level measurements, activating pumps only when water level drops below a threshold and deactivating them when the threshold is reached, thereby eliminating unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining sufficient cooling water supply.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback mechanism is introduced through water level gauges that continuously monitor tank water level and provide signals to the controller. This feedback loop enables the system to respond to actual water level conditions, activating pumps only when needed to maintain overflow, thus resolving the contradiction between ensuring water quantity and reducing energy waste.
2Use of energy by moving object
If water level gauge is installed to control pump operation, then energy consumption reduces, but determination of cooling water usage status becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The water level gauge is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: (1) providing level measurement for pump control to reduce energy consumption, and (2) indicating cooling water usage status through its measurement signal. The controller uses the same gauge signal to both control pumps and determine whether returned water is being used for cooling or overflowing, eliminating the need for separate measurement devices and resolving the information loss issue.
Data Source
AI summary
A water injection controller and method usable in rolling lines using stored cooling water to cool a material. A cooling water usage predictor predicts, for a respective prescribed prediction cycle, usage of cooling water in a prescribed prediction target period. A constrained running condition predictor takes the predicted cooling water usage to predict a required running condition of a pump system in the prediction target period meeting a prescribed constraint condition. An energy consumption calculator takes the predicted running condition of the pump system to calculate an energy quantity to be consumed. An optimizer determines an optimal energy quantity to be consumed among plural energy quantities to be consumed under changed running conditions of the pump system. A pump system running controller controls running of the pump system having as a target value therefor a running condition of the pump system requiring the optimal quantity of energy to be consumed.