PowerMonitor4Feed

PowerMonitor4Feed is a complete power monitoring and costing system.  It allows you to monitor, analyse and report on all your site’s power including electricity, steam, gas and oil. PowerMonitor4Feed logs what you have used and when.  It allows you to compare different products’ requirements and costs.  Historical trends let you look at total power as well as power in different areas.  Power can be related to different products and production run length.

Equipment

PowerMonitor4Feed runs on a standard PC running Windows XP or Vista.  It continually monitors power via a variety of sensors such as current transformers, power meters and flow meters.  PowerMonitor4Feed is flexible and can obtain readings from a variety of areas depending on the plant layout.  The PC is powered via an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to ensure data recording integrity.  Current transformers (CTs) are normally fitted on one phase of major panels such as grinders, pellet presses and major distribution panels.  Split core CTs enable them to be fitted without disconnecting any cables. Boilers may be monitored by installing water meters and/or gas/oil meters. When PowerMonitor4Feed is installed on site with DSL’s AutoPilot4Feed control system, existing sensors may already be available.  Electricity meters which give half hourly totals are not suitable as PowerMonitor4Feed monitors readings every few seconds to enable it to allocate power to different products.

High Starting Currents

When starting very large star delta motors, meter readings sometimes go off scale whilst in star.  PowerMonitor4Feed may be configured to assume a high set current should the reading go off-scale, i.e. in a start situation. 

Calibrate Readings

All inputs may be calibrated to give accurate values.  In addition, where some areas such as offices, services, routing etc are not directly monitored, an estimate of power usage may be assumed.  

Networks

Since PowerMonitor4Feed runs on a standard PC running Microsoft Windows, any standard Windows feature may be used.  This includes networking to other PCs, printing, remote access and so on.

Open Database

All PowerMonitor4Feed’s data is normally held in a SQL Server database.  The database may be backed up or copied to a writeable CD or memory stick as a backup.  Thus, in the event of a failure of the PC, a new PC may be set up and the data restored from CD, minimising any loss of data. 

Real Time Monitoring

The real-time display may be configured to display current values together with totals and a trend showing values for the past hour.

Logging

PowerMonitor4Feed logging may be split into two main areas:- 

* Per product – shows product energy consumption 
* Per area – shows consumption totals and comparisons 

All data is logged for a minimum of three years on-line and earlier years may be archived to writeable CD or memory stick.

Alarms

PowerMonitor4Feed can set an alarm if the power in any area reaches a pre-set value or if the cost of the electricity exceeds a certain value.  When electricity costs vary significantly this is a useful warning when production may not be economic. 

Energy Consumption by Product

PowerMonitor4Feed makes it easy to see the energy consumption and cost on a product-by-product basis.  Since this is stored on a per tonne basis it is more relevant for pricing purposes.  You can produce a report showing all products together with the last run details for a quick comparison. When looking at historical trends, you can plot all values for a particular product between any two dates/times.  In fact you can make comparisons between two or more products, allowing you to see the effect of changes to the plant, seasons, run lengths etc. When viewing a trend of power usage per product, clicking on a reading of the graph gives you detailed information about that particular run.

Export to Excel

When viewing any data, even a graph, you can click on ‘File’, ‘Copy’.  If you go into Microsoft Excel and click on ‘Paste’, the raw data is loaded directly into a spreadsheet.  If you need to do any further comparisons you then have all the features of the spreadsheet for producing additional totals, graphs, pie charts and so on.

Electricity Costing 

You can enter the cost of electricity in half hour increments for this week and next week.  At the end of every week, next week’s costs are copied to this week allowing you complete flexibility throughout the year.

Improve Pelleting Efficiency

By plotting graphs of pelleting efficiency (kWh/t) over time, operators can see the effects of changes to steam, throughput and different ingredients.  It also gives you justification for product costing and allows you to see the effects of run length.

Analyse Power Usage

PowerMonitor4Feed lets you do a host of comparisons and investigations such as :-               
*         Investigate why one product takes more energy.
*         Compare electricity usage with your last bill.
*         Cost each product’s electricity requirements – for meal and pelleted products.
*         Display boiler conversion trends over a year.
*         Copy power figures to a spreadsheet to compare actual values with targets.
*         Compare energy values before and after plant modifications or different production methods. 

Fully Configurable

PowerMonitor4Feed is fully user configurable.  This means that it can be modified and expanded when required.  New CTs and meters may be added even while the system is running.  PowerMonitor4Feed may be supplied in English or at extra cost, a variety of languages.

Support

PowerMonitor4Feed can be supplied with a modem / internet connection and remote access software for remote support or modifications.