Novel method of benchmarking energetic efficiency of industrial systems
In actual economic environment, business sustainability requires high-efficiency technological processes. While Government and Utilities Demand Side Management (DSM) programs consider energy consumption (EUsed) as a whole, proposed method splits energy in 2 (two) specific components: Ideal energy (EIdeal) and Energy at Risk (E@R). Considering these two types of energy a Benchmark Energy Factor (BEF) can be defined. BEF compares the energy used by industrial system or processes (IS&P), Eused to the minimum energy required to accomplish the task at hand Eideal. Ideal energy (power) can be very accurate calculated by using adequate (well known) laws of physics chosen function of the work type performed by IS&P, therefore a solid (not empirical) reference for benchmarking system is available. That eliminates traditional variability that uses variable baselines as “best practice” or other criteria. Volatile comparative element across an industrial sector is replaced with a theoretical goal with a scientific set-up. BEF enables a new approach towards energy efficiency in industrial sector and help level the playing field for energy management. Proposed method promotes a sustainable and consistent approach making possible to determine accurately the (E@R) under variable material and environmental conditions making possible to manage the energy losses. The rating is then solely based on how close the true energy consumption within an IS&P gets to that ideal state. From economic standpoint, these sustainability concepts favor high-efficiency systems, as any energy-efficient system translates into higher effective productivity. Paper proposes a rating system model to describe the energy-efficiency for any IS&P independent of a comparison with others. BEF enables a reliable rating system model describing energetic efficiency of any IS&P that can be used by U.S. Department of Energy-Energy-Star Certification for Plants Program replacing existent benchmarking practice. Case study assessing IS&P by using (E@R) and (BEF) concepts with development of a new standard is presented.
A new approach to the efficiency concept in South African industry
This millennium is marked by a new trend: efficien-cy. In the actual economical environment, business sustainability requires high-efficiency technological processes. The efficiency concept has to be present at all levels of industrial activities. However, as com-mon practice, the efficiency concept is still regarded equivalent to ‘energy efficiency’ as mentioned in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 1996), and specifically re-defined by the Federal Energy Management Plan (Department of Energy Federal Register 1994. By analysing specific industrial processes, the authors have defined a global concept of efficiency presenting results of sound research in this field, with reference to electric motors and drives. Typical examples supporting the theoretical background reveal general impacts on the South African econo-my by implementing this new concept: •    Technical and economical performance improvement and competitiveness of South African companies to international standards; •    Defusing an incipient energy crisis in the sector; •    Improving environmental conditions (less ema-nations of carbon dioxide at the power plants); and •    Creating new job opportunities in the sector. The global concept of efficiency proposed in this paper can be further developed in assessing effi-ciency of various processes, thus improving compa-nies’ corporate energy policy.
Novel method of improving squirrel cage induction motor performance by using mixed conductivity fabricated rotors (MCFR)
Title: Novel method of improving squirrel cage induction motor performance by using MIXED CONDUCTIVITY FABRICATED ROTORS (MCFR) Author: Constantin Danut PtTlS Promoter: Prof. Marius Kleingetd