Dynamic Energy Dashboard

Real-time view of energy performance, opportunities, and constraints allows significant energy cost savings at steel mill.

Contact an expert

Results

– Use of off-gases (COG, BFG) optimized
– Natural gas use reduced
– On-site power generation increased

≈100 %

Utilization of tool by mill operating teams

+2.70 M$/year

Annual Savings

Site description

Challenges

Optimizing mill energy cost is difficult due to a combination of factors:

•Constant changes in energy use by process operations

•Variation in availability of “free” fuels (COG and BFG)

•Hourly fluctuation in natural gas pricing

•Complex power contract for purchase and export

Emissions constraints

Process Description

Site is an integrated steel manufacturing operation. Steam and electricity needed for production is provided through utility processes including:

•(6) Power boilers

•(3) Steam headers

•(3) Steam turbine generators

Boilers burn Coke Oven Gas, Blast Furnace Gas and Natural Gas

Enero Services Provided

This project began with a preliminary engineering effort in which Enero executed field audits and then developed a first principle model of the utility processes. With the model and historical data it was demonstrated that savings could be achieved by operating adjustments. Enero then proceeded with configuring and commissioning the real-time dashboard within the existing mill utility control architecture.

Supporting Operating Actions

Operating steel mill powerhouse processes is difficult due to constant variation in steam/electric demand from production, interaction between units, multiple constraints, and varying costs. It is virtually impossible for operations personnel to determine optimal settings for utility processes at all times without guidance from an automation solution.

The Dynamic Energy Dashboard tool from Enero gives mill utility personnel that needed guidance. Running within the utility DCS/PLC control architecture, the solution makes calculations using real-time process and cost data. The dashboard then presents optimal unit process settings for operations to consider.

Solution Implemented

Enero worked with the mill to deploy a real-time energy advisory dashboard in their existing utility area DCS:

•Continuously captures process energy needs

•Imports gas and electric real-time pricing

•Emissions and process constraints are embedded

•Recommends operating targets for powerhouse to optimize cost within process needs and constraints