CONTRIBUTORS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Motors and variable speed drives
contribute to sustainability goals
By Brith Isaksson, global segment manager: Food & Beverage, ABB Motion
Strong demand for convenient, healthier foods and beverages – produced and packaged in the
most environmentally-friendly way possible – is placing critical importance on sustainability at
every stage of the value chain.
Variable speed drives (VSDs) and
high-efficiency motors can help
the industry address two key
sustainability challenges – energy
efficiency and water conservation.
INCREASING ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
A company’s overall efficiency and
conservation methods has many
elements and these various elements
should not be considered in isolation.
In a world where corporate
responsibility includes environmental
consciousness, focusing on energy
efficiency can help companies position
themselves in a more favourable light
with their stakeholders. At the same time,
saving energy also contributes directly
to greater profitability and meeting
minimum energy efficiency legislation.
The first step is to pinpoint the most
significant sources of energy usage.
Look at where, when, and how
much energy is being used in various
applications. Electric motors usually
make up the bulk of a plant’s energy
consumption. The good news is that
there is a significant opportunity to
reduce electricity usage by upgrading
from inefficient motors to newer motors
with technological advancements.
Adding variable speed drives
can also have a significant impact
on energy savings. Traditionally, the
majority of motors in production facilities
run at full speed when they don’t
always need to – wasting energy. Using
VSDs allows for more control over a
motor and adjusts the speed or torque
according to the actual needs.
This means the motor only draws the
power needed to perform the task,
cutting waste. Replacing throttle valves/
vanes with VSDs on pump and fan
control is an excellent opportunity to
save energy. Adding VSDs can unlock
energy savings to its full potential – with
a strong chance to reduce energy
consumption between 20 to 60%.
Modern process plants are being
challenged with reducing overheads
and simultaneously shortening
maintenance downtime. This means
that the available maintenance
staff must be fully-equipped with the
most advanced plant information
systems in order to properly plan their
maintenance activities.
Smart Sensors are a cost-effective
solution for pumps and motors, and
are designed to help planners and
maintenance engineers visualise areas
of the plant that need the most urgent
attention, providing the necessary
information needed to properly plan the
corrective action without the need for
costly expert site visits.
Since the smart sensors are already
gathering on-line data, they can also
very easily be used to quickly spot
guaranteed energy-saving opportunities.
Data collected from the smart sensors,
combined with information collected
from VSDs' inbuilt sensors and loggers,
can be collated, stored, and further
accessed via cloud technology. The
ability to gather and analyse this data
can reveal information that can be used
to make performance improvements
that will increase efficiency, safety, and
product reliability.
OPTIMISING WATER USAGE
High-pressure cleaning also consumes
vast quantities of water. Activities such
as cutting, dicing, slicing, and filleting
also generate a large volume of
wastewater. Minimising the water used
for process equipment and pipeline
cleaning presents another challenge for
food manufacturers.
One solution is to implement efficient
pumping by using VSD pump controls to
help optimise water usage. These controls
offer several critical software functions
such as regulating the pressure and flow
rate for pipe clean and fill functions in
Clean-In-Place (CIP) equipment.
This reduces the cleaning time,
resulting in less water and cleaning
materials being used. Anti-cavitation
software can also detect and prevent
cavitation to ensure the optimal flow
of water throughout the plant an
extending the pump’s lifetime.
Another way to save water is to
choose products that are very easy to
ABB
Smart sensors for pumps and motors can identify energy-saving opportunities.
clean – taking less time and requiring
less water – such as hygienic, stainlesssteel
washdown motors designed with
smooth, crevice-free surfaces.
SUSTAINABILITY IS EVERYONE’S
RESPONSIBILITY
Running a more sustainable, energyefficient
food and beverage
manufacturing plant takes work and
requires both clear decisions from
management and commitment from all
levels of the organisation.
By prioritising energy and water
conservation, identifying the areas
that need the most attention, and
committing to energy and water
saving initiatives, manufacturers can
have a significantly positive impact on
sustainability, which invariably results
in reducing costs and making an
organisation more competitive.
CLA
38
www.coldlinkafrica.co.za COLD LINK AFRICA • September 2020