Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
17.8
Centralized Control of Process and Facility Plants
In order to be effective a centralized control requires a close analysis of process and
facility plants. An energy audit is needed to supply the necessary information on the
use of energy throughout the site and to identify the key operating parameters to be
measured and controlled.
The use of computerized systems enhances process and facilities control
mainly affecting four important functions: Operation, Maintenance,
Planning, and Management. As energy comes into each of these
functions, an overall approach dealing with every aspect of the site's
life increases the opportunities for energy saving. In addition, the control
system can be extended beyond the site's boundary so as to integrate end
user customers, distributed generation from fuels and renewables, dis-
tribution and transmission networks, and utility generation plants. This
global approach, usually called Smart Grid, enhances also the applica-
tion of the best performing technologies.
A detailed analysis of different control systems and their architecture is here
omitted; specialized topics and papers on information science and technical docu-
mentation from system manufacturers should be consulted to ensure that the chosen
system is up-to-date and is best suited to the user's needs.
A basic scheme is shown in Fig.
17.2
.
Fig. 17.2
A basic scheme for energy and waste management by computerized systems on site and
interaction with external networks and utility plants
