Energy-efficient deep-freezing of food
moneo RTM optimises maintenance and servicing by providing a transparent plant condition
Energy-efficient
deep-freezing
Cost savings through
moneo RTM
Maintenance of the cold chain
Results
- Condition monitoring provides transparent insight into the condition of the plant
- High cost savings in maintenance, servicing and energy consumption
- Avoidance of plant downtimes
- Optimum product quality and maintenance of the cold chain are ensured
The challenge
The ammonia compressors used for deep-freezing are the company’s biggest energy consumers. Correct maintenance and operation can avoid unnecessarily high energy consumption. Maintenance and servicing had to be carried out by the plant manufacturers, as the operator had no reliable indicator to assess maintenance requirements and quality. Therefore, there was a maintenance contract based on preventive maintenance with maintenance scheduled every 25,000 operating hours.
Since the coordination of maintenance appointments was not based on the actual condition and maintenance requirements of the plants, in the worst case plant downtime could occur in the time between two appointments. A damaged bearing can cause high costs in energy consumption and repair. Even the replacement of small spare parts, such as a screw, can quickly cost €75,000 due to long downtimes caused by defrosting and cooling down the plant. In addition, cooling down the plant after a standstill is very energy-intensive. To solve this problem, the company carried out a proof of concept on a compressor together with ifm.
The solution – why ifm?
In contrast to the previous maintenance plan, the interval between maintenance appointments could be increased by 8,000 operating hours with the condition monitoring proof of concept using vibration diagnostics on the compressors.
Besides, it can be checked at any time via the moneo RTM software whether the plant is in good condition.
The company quickly recovered the costs for monitoring the system through the longer intervals between costly maintenance. In addition, an unbalance was detected in a compressor that was not older than one year and for which there was still a warranty claim. This saved follow-up costs of more than €40,000 for repairs, energy consumption and maintenance.
Besides, a compressor that was not optimally installed and would also have led to increased costs over time was detected. Since the new acquisition of such a compressor costs more than €1,000,000, the monitoring of the plants by means of vibration diagnostics is worth every penny. Meanwhile, the project has been successfully extended to all 15 locations, and further applications, such as pumps and gearboxes, will follow.
