A compressed air case study –illustrating the need for energy management

standards in the mining industry

UNIDO EXPERT GROUP MEETINGIndustrial Energy Efficiency and Energy Management

StandardsVienna International Centre

21-22 March 2007

PRESENTED BY DR. I.E. LANE (South Africa)

OVERVIEW

• A STORY ON MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT• HOW WE STUMBLED BEFORE WE COULD PLAN• THE BATTLE OF THE BASELINE• THE TEAM AND THE LEARNING CURVE• MODELLING AND TESTING TO FIND CREDIBLE

TARGETS• ENGAGING THE WORKFORCE• FINDING THE MONEY• IMPLEMENTING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

A STORY ON MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT

• BEFORE GOVERNMENT ENERGY ACCORD– TRAVEL 400 km, ONLY TO FIND THE GUY YOU

WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET CANNOT SEE YOU

• AFTER COMMITMENT– TRAVEL 400 km AT MORE REGULAR INTERVALS

TO FIND 10 PEOPLE FROM CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM WAITING TO PRESSURIZE ESCO TO GET ON WITH IT

HOW WE STUMBLED BEFORE WE COULD OPTIMIZE

• COULD NOT FIND AIR BALANCE - AIR FLOW INSTRUMENTS TOOK MONTHS TO CALIBRATE

• COULD NOT FIND TRUSTWORTHY DRAWINGS ON AIR DISTRIBUTION – THINGS HAD CHANGED WITHOUT BEING DOCUMENTED, AND THOSE WHO KNEW HAD LEFT

• SCADA DATA HAD TO BE “CLEANED” BECAUSE INTRANET FAILED FROM TIME TO TIME

• POWER DATA COULD ONLY BE OBTAINED OFF-LINE WITH HELP FROM OUTSOURCED PROVIDER

• NO ONE KNEW WHERE TO FIND COMPRESSOR DESIGN DATA OR HANDBOOKS

• NOBODY ON SITE COULD VOUCH FOR CORRECT OPERATION OF INLET VOLUME AND PRESSURE CONTROLS

ALL THIS COULD BE AVOIDED IF ENERGY MANAGEMENT STANDARDS ARE IN PLACE AND ADHERED TO

HOW WE STUMBLED BEFORE WE COULD OPTIMIZE

• AIR DISTRIBUTION DRAWINGS INADEQUATE• POWER FLOW SCATTER PLOTS SHOW

COMPRESSOR INLET VOLUME CONTROL NOT WORKING, AND COMPRESSORS NOT BEING STARTED AND STOPPED OPTIMALLY

• PRESSURE FLOW SCATTER PLOTS INDICATE PRESSURE CONTRAINTS THAT HINDER ENERGY EFFICIENT CONTROL

• PUZZLING TEST RESULTS

Compressed Air Pipe Reticulation

Compressed Air Pipe Reticulation

TEST RESULTS INDICATE LONG TIME TO RESTORE PRESURE – LESS LEAKS, SHORTER TIME

Compressors scatter

0200400600800

10001200140016001800200022002400260028003000320034003600380040004200440046004800500052005400

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000

m3/hr

kW

Decline Mark I Spud I Mark I Richard Sulzer Spud II Mark I Spud III Mark II

Specific energy scatter plotAll Compressors

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 160000 180000 200000

m3/hr

kW

Compressor curve

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 160000 180000 200000

m3/hr

Bar

.

Spud Richard Decline 4

THE BATTLE OF THE BASELINE

• SIMULATION OF POWER BASED ON AIR FLOW

• EACH COMPRESSOR CONTROLLED DIFFERENTLY, DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS

Average week (9weeks - 6 March '06 - Dec '06)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

Mon Tue Wed Thu Sat Sun

xxx.

Richard Spud III Decline 4B Spud II Spud I Sum

Average weeks

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

Mon Tue Wed Thu Sat Sun

m3/

hr

.

Richard Spud III Decline Spud II Spud I Total

THE TEAM AND THE LEARNING CURVE

• CLOSED WRONG VALVES ON FIRST TEST• MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAVE FALSE SENSE

THAT THEY HAVE AIR LEAKS UNDER CONTROL• VALVE THROTTLING IDEA FAILED TEST• ENGINEERS CHANGED MID-STREAM, HAD TO

START WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT ALL OVER AGAIN

• NEW ENGINEER MORE CONSERVATIVE – WANTED TO BACK OFF ON PREVIOUS COMMITMENT

• TEAM SCEPTICAL ABOUT ABILITY TO SUSTAIN ENERGY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE

MODELLING AND TESTING TO FIND CREDIBLE TARGETS

• MODELLING ASSUMPTIONS ON SYSTEM CURVE PROVED WRONG ON TEST - NEED FOR STANDARDIZED MODELLING TOOLS, TEST PROCEDURES AND SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION EXPERTISE LIBRARY

• DECISION MAKERS ONLY MOVE FORWARD IF THEY CAN BELIEVE THE OPTIMIZATION SPECIALIST – NEED FOR COMPETENCE STANDARDS, ALREADY BEING DEVELOPED IN SA.

CONCLUSION – ENERGY MANAGEMENT STANDARDS WILL HELP DECISION-MAKERS TO MOVE FORWARD ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY

20,000.0

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

kW

Spud II

Richard

Declines

Spud III

M&V

-

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

m^3

/hr

.

Spud III Richard Declines Spud II Mobile Compressors Current Required

18,000.0

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

m^3

/hr

.

Spud III Richard Declines Spud II Mobile Compressors Current Required

ENGAGING THE WORKFORCE• POLICY MUST MAKE PROVISION FOR CONTINUITY

OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY• THE ORGANIZATION MUST PROVIDE FOR THE RIGHT

DIVISION TO ACT ON THE PROBLEM – DO NOT TRY TO GET SOMEONE WHO HAS NO CONTROL OR AUTHORITY TO TAKE CORRECT ACTION

• GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME

LEAKAGES

FINDING THE MONEY

• IDENTIFY WHO MUST BUDGET FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• BUDGET HOLDER IS LINE MANAGER, NOT ENERGY MANAGER

• TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES (DSM FUND IN SA)

IMPLEMENT APPRORIATE TECHNOLOGY

• TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT WORK IF PEOPLE DO NOT USE IT

• WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT HELPS DETERMINE IF THEY WILL ADOPT TECHNOLOGY

• MAKE SURE ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION TOOLS ARE SUSTAINABLE AND EASY TO ADAPT AS FUTURE CHANGES TO PLANT TAKE PLACE

CONCLUSION

ENERGY MANAGEMENT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU HAVE COMPETENT PEOPLE ACTING IN RESPONSE TO APPROPRIATE STANDARDS, PROCEDURES AND OPTIMIZATION TOOLS

QUESTIONS?