Loading
Rockwell Automation Home
  • Industries
    • Industries Chevron RightChevron Right
      • Automotive & Tire
      • Cement
      • Chemical
      • Entertainment
      • Fibers & Textiles
      • Food & Beverage
      • Household & Personal Care
      • Infrastructure
      • Life Sciences
      • Marine
      • Metals
      • Mining
      • Oil & Gas
      • Power Generation
      • Print & Publishing
      • Pulp & Paper
      • Semiconductor
      • Water Wastewater
      • View All
    Industries
    Case StudyRockwell Automation's case studies Case Studies DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
  • Capabilities
    • Capabilities Chevron RightChevron Right
      • The Connected Enterprise®
      • Consulting & Integration Services
      • Cybersecurity
      • Digital Transformation
      • Industrial Analytics
      • Industrial Automation & Control
      • Industrial Maintenance & Support
      • Industrial Networks
      • Lifecycle Services
      • Machine & Equipment Builders
      • MES Solutions
      • Process Solutions
      • Safety Solutions
      • View All
    Capabilities
    Blogs DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
  • Products
    • Hardware Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Software Chevron RightChevron Right
      • Circuit & Load Protection
      • Condition Monitoring
      • Connection Devices
      • Distributed Control Systems
      • Drives & Motors
      • Energy Monitoring
      • Human Machine Interface
      • Independent Cart Technology
      • Industrial Computers & Monitors
      • Input/Output Modules
      • Industrial Control Products
      • Lighting Control
      • Motion Control
      • Motor Control
      • Networks Security & Infrastructure
      • Packaged Solutions
      • Power Supplies
      • Programmable Controllers
      • Push Buttons & Signaling Devices
      • Relays & Timers
      • Safety Instrumented Systems
      • Safety Products
      • Sensors & Switches
      • Signal Interface
      • View All Hardware Products
    • DesignSuite
      • Dynamic Digital Twin Software
      • Studio 5000 Design Software
    • OperationSuite
      • FactoryTalk Edge Gateway
      • FactoryTalk Batch
      • FactoryTalk Historian
      • FactoryTalk View - HMI Software
      • FactoryTalk Metrics
    • MaintenanceSuite
      • FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices
      • FactoryTalk AssetCentre
      • FactoryTalk Emonitor
      • FactoryTalk Network Manager
      • FactoryTalk TeamONE
      • Fiix CMMS
    • InnovationSuite
      • Augmented Reality
      • FactoryTalk Analytics
      • MES
      • ThingWorx IIoT Platform
    Products
    Find Products by Our Brands: Allen-Bradley FactoryTalk
  • Support
    • Product Support Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Documentation Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Knowledgebase Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Training Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Downloads
      • 2D & 3D Drawings
      • Activations
      • Add-on Profiles
      • Application Code Libraries
      • Compatibility & Downloads
      • Drivers & Firmware
      • Electronic Datasheets
      • EPLAN Macros
      • Sample Code Library
      • Software Patches
      • View All
    • Selection & Configuration
      • Control Systems Configuration Tools
      • Procurement Specifications
      • ProposalWorks Proposal Builder
      • Global Short-circuit Current Ratings Tool
      • Integrated Architecture Builder
      • View All
    • Compatibility & Migration
      • Migration & Modernization
      • Lifecycle Status
      • Product Replacement Lookup
      • View All
      • Technical Documentation Center
      • Technical Specifications
      • Product Certifications
      • Product Drawings
      • Release Notes
      • Literature Library
    • Support Center
      • Support Options
      • Search for Answers
      • Chat Online
      • Call Us
      • View All
    • Online Forum
      • My Inbox
      • My Favorites
      • My Subscriptions
      • View All
    • My TechConnect
      • Chat History
      • Service Ticket History
      • Manage Your Favorite Answers
      • Field Service Request
      • View All
      • E-Learning Courses
      • Training Workstations
      • Training Calendar
      • View All
    Support
    Contact Us HelpHelp Get Support LaunchpadTools and applications View All Tools
  • Company
    • Events Chevron RightChevron Right
    • News Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Careers Chevron RightChevron Right
    • PartnerNetwork Chevron RightChevron Right
    • About Us Chevron RightChevron Right
    • Featured Events
      • Automation Fair
      • Process Solutions User Group
      • Smart Machine Workshops
      • VirtualConnect: Smart Manufacturing
      • View All
    • Webinars
      • Live
      • On-Demand
      • View All
      • Blogs
      • Case Studies
      • Automation Today
      • Podcasts
      • Press Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • View All
      • View Jobs
      • Teams & People
      • Hackathon
      • Employee Video Spotlight
      • Authorized Distributors
      • Encompass Product Partners
      • Licensed Developers
      • OEM Partners
      • Strategic Alliance Partners
      • System Integrator Partners
      • PartnerNetwork Portal
      • View All
      • Our Brands
      • Our Community
      • Our History
      • Integrity & Sustainability
      • Investor Relations
      • View All
    Company
    ProductivityProductivity Investor Relations
  • Sales
  • Sales
  • View All Industries
  • View All
  • View All
  • View All
  • View All
  • Automotive & Tire
  • Cement
  • Chemical
  • Entertainment
  • Fibers & Textiles
  • Food & Beverage
  • Household & Personal Care
  • Infrastructure
  • Life Sciences
  • Marine
  • Metals
  • Mining
  • Oil & Gas
  • Power Generation
  • Print & Publishing
  • Pulp & Paper
  • Semiconductor
  • Water Wastewater
  • View All
  • The Connected Enterprise®
  • Consulting & Integration Services
  • Cybersecurity
  • Digital Transformation
  • Industrial Analytics
  • Industrial Automation & Control
  • Industrial Maintenance & Support
  • Industrial Networks
  • Lifecycle Services
  • Machine & Equipment Builders
  • MES Solutions
  • Process Solutions
  • Safety Solutions
  • View All
  • Circuit & Load Protection
  • Condition Monitoring
  • Connection Devices
  • Distributed Control Systems
  • Drives & Motors
  • Energy Monitoring
  • Human Machine Interface
  • Industrial Computers & Monitors
  • Input/Output Modules
  • Industrial Control Products
  • Lighting Control
  • Motion Control
  • Motor Control
  • Networks Security & Infrastructure
  • Packaged Solutions
  • Power Supplies
  • Programmable Controllers
  • Push Buttons & Signaling Devices
  • Relays & Timers
  • Safety Instrumented Systems
  • Safety Products
  • Sensors & Switches
  • Signal Interface
  • View All Hardware Products
  • View All
  • View All
  • Technical Documentation Center
  • Technical Specifications
  • Product Certifications
  • Product Drawings
  • Release Notes
  • Literature Library
  • View All
  • Training Workstations
  • Training Calendar
  • View All
  • View All
  • Blogs
  • Automation Today
  • Podcasts
  • Media Contacts
  • View All
  • View Jobs
  • View All
  • Authorized Distributors
  • Encompass Product Partners
  • Licensed Developers
  • OEM Partners
  • System Integrator Partners
  • PartnerNetwork Portal
  • View All
  • Our Brands
  • Our History
  • Investor Relations
  • View All
  • iTRAK Intelligent Track Systems
  • MagneMover Lite Intelligent Conveyor System
  • QuickStick Intelligent Conveyor System
  • View All
  • Dynamic Digital Twin Software
  • Studio 5000 Design Software
  • FactoryTalk Edge Gateway
  • FactoryTalk Batch
  • FactoryTalk Historian
  • FactoryTalk View - HMI Software
  • FactoryTalk Metrics
  • FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices
  • FactoryTalk AssetCentre
  • FactoryTalk Emonitor
  • FactoryTalk Network Manager
  • FactoryTalk TeamONE
  • Fiix CMMS
  • Augmented Reality
  • FactoryTalk Analytics
  • MES
  • ThingWorx IIoT Platform
  • 2D & 3D Drawings
  • Activations
  • Add-on Profiles
  • Application Code Libraries
  • Compatibility & Downloads
  • Drivers & Firmware
  • Electronic Datasheets
  • EPLAN Macros
  • Sample Code Library
  • Software Patches
  • View All
  • Control Systems Configuration Tools
  • Procurement Specifications
  • ProposalWorks Proposal Builder
  • Global Short-circuit Current Ratings Tool
  • Integrated Architecture Builder
  • View All
  • Migration & Modernization
  • Lifecycle Status
  • Product Replacement Lookup
  • View All
  • Support Options
  • Search for Answers
  • Chat Online
  • Call Us
  • View All
  • My Inbox
  • My Favorites
  • My Subscriptions
  • View All
  • Chat History
  • Service Ticket History
  • Manage Your Favorite Answers
  • Field Service Request
  • View All
  • My Training
  • View All
  • Automation Fair
  • Process Solutions User Group
  • Smart Machine Workshops
  • VirtualConnect: Smart Manufacturing
  • View All
  • Live
  • On-Demand
  • View All
  • Digital Transformation at Norbord
  • View All
  • Brighter, More Flexible Tower Light Now Available from Rockwell Automation
  • Delphi Award Received For Asset Management
  • Internal Bypass Expands Smart Motor Functionality
  • New IaaS Bundle Eases Industrial Networking
  • Rockwell Automation Names Sebastien Grau as Regional Sales Director for Middle East, Turkey and Sub Saharan Africa
  • Expanded Power Range for PowerFlex 6000 MV Drives
  • Studio 5000 Software Update Optimizes Productivity
  • FLEX 5000 I/O Modules Bring Greater Productivity and Flexibility to a Connected Enterprise
  • New Cable-Pull Switch Enhances Industrial Safety
  • Instant Industrial Device Analytics
  • Rockwell Automation to name Al Ghandi Electrical & Automation as Authorised Distributor in the UAE
  • Rockwell Automation to Broaden Connected Enterprise Consulting Expertise with Acquisition of Kalypso
  • Single-Control Multi-Well Pad Solution Cuts Costs
  • Advanced Light Curtain System Improves Flexibility and Safety
  • Automation University
  • Rockwell Automation to Showcase the ConnectedProduction Solutions and Premieres its ThinManager Software at ADIPEC 2018
  • Safe Torque Off Option Simplifies Machine Design
  • Machine Performance Analytics Bring OEM Expertise Into Producer’s Digital Environment
  • Software-Powered Connected Services
  • New Managing Director of Rockwell Automation for Sub-Saharan Africa announced
  • Rockwell Automation Simplifies Analytics for Industrial Productivity
  • New Managing Director of Rockwell Automation for Sub-Saharan Africa announced
  • Securely Deploy Cloud and Mobile Technologies with New Network Guidance
  • Rockwell Automation drive system selected for Sumitomo Rubber’s rubber mixers
  • PlantPAx DCS Roadmap
  • View All
  • Students & New Grads
  • View All
  • Hackathon Use Case for Manufacturing Optimization
  • Hackathon Use Case for Sustainability
  • Hackathon Use Case for Visual System Modernization
  • Hackathon Use Case for Dynamic Filtering
  • View All
  • 24toCode Event Recap - Winter 2019
  • 24toCode Event Recap // IT Internal Hackathon
  • Meet the 2019 IT Summer Interns
  • 24toCode Promo Video
  • Harbor View Plaza Ribbon Cutting
  • Check Your Blind Spots Mobile Tour at Rockwell Automation
  • Mechanic & Tool Apprenticeship at Rockwell Automation
  • Working at Rockwell Automation in Karlsruhe
  • Summer Internships at Rockwell Automation
  • The Intrapreneurial Skills Accelerator at Rockwell Automation
  • Makers Wanted
  • #LifeatROK w Katowicach
  • IT Summer Internship Program
  • #LifeatROK with Diogo
  • View All
  • Cisco
  • Endress+Hauser
  • FANUC
  • Microsoft
  • Panduit
  • View All
  • Our Focused Giving
  • STEM Education
  • Lifelong Learning
  • View All
  • Sustainability Report
  • Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Environmental, Health, & Safety
  • Ethics & Compliance
  • Global Supply Chain & Sourcing
  • Product Environmental Compliance
  • Quality Management Systems
  • Trust & Security
  • Workforce of Tomorrow
  • View All
Case StudyRockwell Automation's case studies Case Studies DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
Blogs DistributorDistributor How to Buy EventEvent Events
Find Products by Our Brands:
Allen-Bradley FactoryTalk
Contact Us HelpHelp Get Support LaunchpadTools and applications View All Tools
ProductivityProductivity Investor Relations
  • Literature LibraryLiterature Library
    Literature Library

    Access technical and commercial publications for hardware and software products, applications, services and solutions.

    PCDCProduct Compatibility and Download Center
    Compatibility & Downloads

    Find downloads including firmware, release notes, associated software, drivers, tools and utilities.

    KnowledgebaseKnowledgebase Support Center
    Knowledgebase

    Browse the database of questions and answers on a variety of products and technologies.

    Product ConfiguratorProduct Configurator
    Product Configurator

    Configure and select products rapidly.

    Software SubscriptionsSoftware Subscriptions
    Software Subscriptions

    One stop shopping for software and subscription services.

    2D & 3D Drawings Bill of Materials CrossWorks Electronic Datasheets Motion Analyzer My Equipment My Training E-Learning Portal Product Lifecycle Status Product Registration Product Selection Toolbox Repairs Sample Code Library Software Activations View All
    Tools
    UserUser Sign In/Create an Account
  • User Account User
Tools
Literature LibraryLiterature Library
Literature Library
PCDCProduct Compatibility and Download Center
Compatibility & Downloads
KnowledgebaseKnowledgebase Support Center
Knowledgebase
Product ConfiguratorProduct Configurator
Product Configurator
Software SubscriptionsSoftware Subscriptions
Software Subscriptions
2D & 3D Drawings Bill of Materials CrossWorks Electronic Datasheets Motion Analyzer My Equipment My Training E-Learning Portal Product Lifecycle Status Product Registration Product Selection Toolbox Repairs Sample Code Library Software Activations View All
Case Study
Recent ActivityRecent Activity

Steel Manufacturer Reduces Energy Consumption by 3 Percent with Energy Management System

System leverages integrated control and information from Rockwell Automation to collect, visualize and contextualize data

Share This:

LinkedInLinkedIn
TwitterTwitter
FacebookFacebook
PrintPrint
EmailEmail
Main Image

Challenge

  • Energy costs and a lack of automation impacted a major steel producer’s financial profitability
  • Facility management needed to reduce energy costs and consumption, reduce gas flaring, and quickly achieve ROI

Solutions

  • Energy Intelligence System - Automated, comprehensive system leverages the FactoryTalk software suite
  • Collects, analyzes and reports on data with actionable information, enabling operators to make real-time process changes
  • Manages access to automation assets

Results

  • Reduced Energy Consumption and Costs - Reduced energy costs by 3 percent annually
  • Boosted bottom line by 1.35 percent
  • Reduced electricity consumption by 3 percent
  • Achieved full ROI in six months
  • Reduced overall fuel consumption by 2 percent

Steeled for Growth

After a booming decade, global steel manufacturing contracted sharply in 2008 and 2009 as construction and automobile markets reacted to the global recession. However, one global steel manufacturer was able to reduce its energy costs while continuing to produce high-quality steel, and actually grew throughout the global recession.

The manufacturer is based in South Asia and today has a production capacity of 18 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). At one of its Asian plants – which is among the largest steel-manufacturing sites in the world – the company conducts ore beneficiation, coke making and iron production. The integrated plant separates iron ore from raw taconite and processes coal into coking coal to fuel iron-making furnaces. Then, using hot air to combust coking coal, iron is derived from raw ore and oxygen is added to that iron, turning it into steel.

Energy-Management Challenges

The steel manufacturing process creates a high volume of valuable byproduct gases, including methane and ammonium sulfate. Before 2008, the plant produced an average of 7.5 million cubic meters of gas fuel per year. Around 90 percent of this gas was converted into electrical power that was reused by the plant, and around 10 percent was sold.

While the plant’s continuous steel manufacturing processes and energy inputs were fully monitored, its energy usage monitoring system was not fully integrated with plant operations or automated. With energy costs comprising 40 to 45 percent of the total cost of steel production, a 1 percent reduction in energy consumption could improve the bottom line by 0.45 percent.

The company’s energy-management staff of 225 workers, led by the vice president of energy management, developed an energy management system to gain more insight, but the team needed more data on energy production and use. They also needed certain data sets critical for each role, from plant operator to vice president, and data insights that would show which process variables impact productivity.

The company also wanted to more efficiently consume fuel. There was accounting for all energy uses, but the company was not fully optimizing them. It wasn’t able to identify nonproductive fuel supplies or equipment that could be idled to save fuel.

In addition, valuable gas byproducts produced in large volumes and consumed at widely fluctuating rates, could not be held in reserve. When gases weren’t being used, they were flared to prevent pollution, which also added costs. The steel manufacturer needed to reduce gas flaring down from the 2008 rate of 5 to 6 percent or reduce the gas production.

To achieve these goals, the company needed one comprehensive, automated controls and information system that could turn the energy-management system into a plantwide energy-scheduling and accounting solution. The automated system would need to easily integrate with 32 existing systems and gather data from 700 parameters across the 10-by-10 kilometer plant area. The company also needed a fast ROI to reduce financial impacts during the global crisis.

Better Decisions with Energy Intelligence

The steel manufacturer contacted the automation suppliers of its existing, disparate systems to find one that could provide an energy solution for its entire facility.

It chose to work with Rockwell Automation because the automation company’s Rockwell Software® energy intelligence solutions were able to integrate most smoothly with existing control and enterprise systems, and connect to the plant’s 45 to 50 remote terminal units.

The steel manufacturer’s engineering team first installed Logix-based programmable automation controllers (PACs) from Rockwell Automation across the network to aggregate data. With the control foundation in place, the team then implemented an energy intelligence system to better gather, report and analyze that data.

FactoryTalk® Historian software collects data from across the steel manufacturing system. The system also uses FactoryTalk VantagePoint® software as an advanced portal to report and analyze data – turning it into actionable information. The software details pressure, flow and temperature trends to help plant operators better understand what happened in the days and weeks before, and even predict what will happen in the days ahead.

FactoryTalk AssetCentre software helps the team control access and manage changes to automation assets. Within the application, operators can view records of which personnel made changes and when, and revert back to previous settings or make additional changes.

With the Rockwell Software energy intelligence solution, we can pull reports at any time, any day. We’re better prepared to make process changes that immediately impact steel and byproduct production and keep our energy use low.

The energy-management system – leveraging the historian and analytics software – identifies gaps between energy, generation, transmission and distribution, and guides energy management staff to optimize use. Personnel can see production data and information in real time, including fuel values, and short- and long-term trends. Operators can more effectively control steel production and modify gas production, oxygen levels and other factors. They can track the impact of different types of raw materials on production of both steel and gas byproducts, and use this information to help make sure they purchase the most beneficial raw materials.

The data gathered within the system is analyzed and included in multiple reports. A gas consumption report alerts operators and plant management to any spikes in fuel consumption. An energy utilization report provides analytics on gas generation; available liquid stocks of argon, nitrogen gas and oxygen; and daily consumption of liquefied petroleum gas. Operators can also pull ad hoc reports via the FactoryTalk VantagePoint portal to provide data to all stakeholders as needed. Each of the reports feeds into the energy-management system.

“Our energy reports are critical because our operations contain continuous chemical reactions,” said the steel manufacturer’s vice president of energy. “With the Rockwell Software energy intelligence solution, we can pull reports at any time, any day. We’re better prepared to make process changes that immediately impact steel and byproduct production and keep our energy use low.”

Less Consumption and Flaring Drives Savings

With the new energy intelligence system, the company reduced its energy costs by 3 percent annually – boosting its bottom line by 1.35 percent and reducing electricity consumption by 3 percent. Full ROI was achieved in just six months.

The company has also reduced its fuel consumption overall by 2 percent. The plant’s team has identified wasteful uses of energy and nonproductive fuel supplies. For example, the team began switching rollers to idle when not in use after understanding the energy-use impact of high initial torque in conveying systems that move steel in and out of furnaces.

Additionally, the steel manufacturing company has reduced gas flaring from 5 to 6 percent, down to 1.5 percent, which means the flaring decreased from 200 gigacalories (or gcal per hour) to 30 gcal per hour. This resulted in an hourly financial savings of USD$3,200.

With data-supplied analysis of gas generation and consumption, the steel manufacturer learned that the small fluctuations in both cannot be completely managed, so the team began using sinks to dump and withdrawal fuels on short turnarounds. Trend reports alert operators when it’s necessary to divert excess gas byproduct to the sink within the next hour, allowing the company to continue optimizing gas consumption and avoid inefficient uses.

“We’ve seen significant success using the FactoryTalk solution. More importantly, we’ve been able to identify what other processes need to be optimized and we’re working to improve them,” said the vice president of energy.

The team at the plant aims to reduce gas flaring to under 0.5 percent, or 5.45 gcal, for even further savings, and is expanding the energy intelligence system to capture all of the plant’s 2,100 parameters. In addition, the steel manufacturer is rolling out similar energy programs at its other locations to truly connect and optimize production across the company.

The results mentioned above are specific to this company’s use of Rockwell Automation products and services in conjunction with other products. Specific results may vary for other customers.

FactoryTalk, Rockwell Software and VantagePoint are trademarks of Rockwell Automation Inc.

Published 13 March 2015

Subscribe

Subscribe to Rockwell Automation and receive the latest news, thought leadership and information directly to your inbox.

Subscribe

Recommended For You

Loading
  • Technical Question
  • Chat Technical Support
  • Phone Support
  • Contact Sales
  • General Questions
  1. Chevron LeftChevron Left Home Chevron RightChevron Right
  2. Chevron LeftChevron Left Company Chevron RightChevron Right
  3. Chevron LeftChevron Left News Chevron RightChevron Right
  4. Chevron LeftChevron Left Case Studies Chevron RightChevron Right
Discover
  • The Connected Enterprise®
  • Create Your Account
  • Case Studies
  • Events
Information for...
  • Distributors
  • OEM
  • System Integrators
  • Encompass Partners
  • Investors
  • Career Seekers
Contact Us
  • General Questions
  • Technical Questions
  • Local Sales & Service
  • Pricing & Availability
  • Report Ethical Concerns
  • Customer Experience Survey
Site Information
  • Legal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Preferences
  • Terms of Use
  • Trademarks
Change Country Site SelectionChange RockwellAutomation.com site selection to a different country, region or language Change Country
South Africa/English

Keep Updated With Us

Sign up to receive our latest headlines for free.

Stay Informed Now
Follow Us
BlogRockwell Automation's Blog
Copyright ©2021 Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Home