Cold Link Africa October 2021 | Page 33

INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
CONTRIBUTORS are able to act not only as a sensor , but also as a sensor hub and a controller , collecting data from both internal and external sensors .
Fortuin adds , “ Organisations can maximise efficiency while minimising waste and the first step towards increased productivity is predictive maintenance and condition-based monitoring . Through access to real-time data and conditionbased monitoring , your drives can provide in-depth insight into equipment , monitoring health and predicting when faults will occur , making it possible to schedule planned maintenance at the most opportune times , and reducing downtime . This , in turn , allows for operational optimisation and deriving the greatest value .”
In addition to predictive and conditionbased monitoring , intelligent drive solutions cater for the following applications :
• Position and synchronisation : To optimise performance , many applications in the food and beverage industry , such as conveyors , palletisers and packaging machines , need precise positioning and synchronisation . To date , these operations have been performed using servo drives . However , servo equipment is expensive , difficult to commission and requires additional cabling . A drives integrated motion controller ( IMC ) is functionality configurable in the software of the VLT ® AutomationDrive FC 302 that enables an AC drive to perform high-precision positioning and synchronisation operations without the need for additional modules or hardware .
• Pumps : By reducing the average speed of the pump motor from 100 to 80 %, organisations can save 50 % on energy consumed . Reducing the average speed by half increases the savings to 80 %. As well as delivering these energy savings to an operation , implementing pump control can also dramatically reduce water consumption . Functionality such as the Cascade
Controller distributes running hours evenly across all pumps , keeping wear and tear on individual pumps to a minimum and ensuring they continue to operate reliably . By optimising the combustion efficiency of boilers , electricity and fuel consumption can be curtailed . And the hydraulic performance of water-handling processes and the flow rate in feed water can be significantly improved by using AC drives .
• Compressors : Intelligent drives enhance the control of compressors , reducing energy consumption and providing constant pressure regulation . Speed control is advantageous when an air compressor is running for long periods at part-load , and fewer starts and stops reduce mechanical wear . Hygiene requirements demand drives with robust enclosures that are able to withstand daily high-pressure wash-downs . Cascade configuration enables optimal interaction between compressor and drive under partial load . The base load is handled by a single compressor controlled When consumption rises , the drive starts up additional compressors one at a time . As a result , the compressors work largely at their optimum efficiency point , and the drive constantly maintains maximum energy efficiency throughout the system .
• Conveyors : Conveyor applications need to perform reliably to ensure maximised uptime and the lowest cost of ownership . Highly sensitive products , such as still bottled water and alcohol-free beer or new materials for packaging and bottles , raise the hygiene requirements in production plants . System variants might be reduced by up to 70 %, so users benefit from improved flexibility with a minimum number of modules , including motors and drives which offer a unified
Creating solutions to maximise energy efficiency is critical in all aspects of the food and beverage sector today as producers and processors operate under continuously challenging circumstances .
operating concept and standardised functionality , regardless of whether the system is implemented with a centralised or decentralised structure , in dry , wet or aseptic areas .
• Fans : As energy becomes increasingly expensive , variable speed control of electrical motors has proven to be one of the most effective cost-reducing measures available . In addition to saving energy , fans benefit from dedicated drive features such as the ‘ skip resonance ’ function . This improves comfort levels by avoiding frequencies that create noise and damage . Reliable fan control can maintain specific air pressure and ensures a consistently hygienic environment for food and beverage operations . Condenser fan control gives a range of advantages including reduced charge of refrigerant , less build-up of dirt on the condenser , and the ability to run a floating setpoint for energy savings .
Intelligent drives also provide remote monitoring capabilities , keeping plants running efficiently , securely and accurately from anywhere .
“ Danfoss is driving change across every food category , including confectionary and snacks ; meat ; bread and cereal products ; dairy and eggs ; vegetables ; fish and seafood ; convenience foods ; fruit and nuts ; baby food ; spreads and sweeteners ; spices and sauces ; oils and fats ; and pet food . As a business supporting critical infrastructure , we recognise that businesses within the food and beverage industry are exposed to additional risk as they keep operations running under today ’ s challenging circumstances , which include labour shortages , food security and panic-buying . Now more than ever , doing our part to help turn food production into a more intelligent process , keeping production lines up and running and unleashing the potential of food plants , is our priority ,” Fortuin concludes . CLA
Creative Commons | Unsplash

COLD LINK AFRICA • October 2021 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 33