Inferred energy usage and multiple levels of energy usage

• US 9,785,126 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaufman, Philip John
• Primary Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US14/553,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20160147205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31414 Calculate amount of production energy, waste and toxic release
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

The present disclosure describes system and methods for inferring energy usage at multiple levels of granularity. One embodiment describes an industrial automation system including a first industrial automation component, a first sensor coupled to the first industrial automation component, in which the first sensor measures a first amount of power supplied to the first industrial automation component, a second industrial automation component that couples to the first industrial automation component, and an industrial control system that infers energy usage by the first industrial automation component and the second industrial automation component based at least in part on the first amount of power supplied to the first industrial automation component.

Claims

1. An industrial automation system, comprising:

a first industrial automation component;

a first sensor coupled to the first industrial automation component, wherein the first sensor is configured to measure a first amount of power supplied to the first industrial automation component;

a second industrial automation component electrically coupled to the first industrial automation component; and

an industrial control system communicatively coupled to the first sensor, the first industrial automation component, and the second industrial automation component, wherein the industrial control system is configured to;

infer energy usage by the first industrial automation component and the second industrial automation component based at least in part on the first amount of power supplied to the first industrial automation component measured by the first sensor; and

control operation of the first industrial automation component, the second industrial automation component, or both based at least in part on the energy usage inferred from first amount of power supplied to the first industrial automation component to facilitate improving energy usage efficiency of the industrial automation system.

2. The industrial automation system of claim 1, wherein the industrial control system is configured to infer a portion the energy usage attributed to the first industrial automation component based at least in part on a model of the first industrial automation component.

3. The industrial automation system of claim 2, wherein the model is calibrated based at least in part on one or more manufacturer specifications associated with the first industrial automation component, previous operation of the first industrial automation component, or any combination thereof.

4. The industrial automation system of claim 2, wherein the industrial control system is configured to verify the model of the first industrial automation component by:

determining actual energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component; and

adjusting the model such that the portion of the energy usage determined with model more closely approximates the actual energy usage.

5. The industrial automation system of claim 4, wherein the actual energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component is determined based on a measurement of energy usage acquired by a second sensor electrically coupled between the first industrial component and the second industrial automation component.

6. The industrial automation system of claim 1, wherein the industrial control system is configured to infer a portion the energy usage attributed to the second industrial automation component by:

determining a second amount of power used by the first industrial automation component; and

subtracting the second amount of power used by the first industrial automation component from the first amount of power measured by the first sensor.

7. The industrial automation system of claim 1, wherein the first industrial automation component is configured to provide a second amount of power to the second industrial automation component.

8. The industrial automation system of claim 1, wherein the first industrial automation component comprises a drive and the second industrial automation component comprises a motor.

9. The industrial automation system of claim 1, wherein the industrial automation system is a material handling system, a packaging system, a manufacturing system, processing system, a batch processing system, or any combination thereof.

10. The industrial automation system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of cells, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is configured to perform at least one operation in the industrial automation system, and wherein the first industrial automation component and the second industrial automation component are part of a first cell of the plurality of cells.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, via at least one processor, an indication of a first amount of power provided to a first industrial automation component from a first sensor;

inferring, via the at least one processor, first energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component based at least in part on a model of the first industrial automation component and the first amount of power;

inferring, via the at least one processor, second energy usage associated with a second industrial automation component based at least in part on the first amount of power provided to the first industrial automation component and the first energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component, wherein the first industrial automation component is configured to provide a second amount of power to the second industrial automation component; and

controlling, via the at least one processor, operation of the first industrial automation component, the second industrial automation component, or both based at least in part on the first energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component and the second energy usage associated with the second industrial automation component to facilitate improving energy usage efficiency.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second amount of power provided to the second industrial automation component is not directly measured by a second sensor associated with the second industrial automation component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second amount of power comprises a voltage and a current provided to the second industrial automation component.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising:

measuring actual energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component via a second sensor; and

adjusting the model based on the actual energy usage.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining a third amount of power used by the first industrial automation component; and

determining the first energy usage associated with the first industrial automation component, the second energy usage associated with the second industrial automation component, or both based at least in part on a difference between the third amount of power used by the first industrial automation component and the first amount of power provided to the first industrial automation component.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first industrial automation component is a motor drive and the second industrial automation component comprises a controller, an input/output (I/O) module, a motor control center, a motor, a human machine interface (HMI), an operator interface, a contactor, a starter, a drive, a relay, a protection device, switchgear, a compressor, a scanner, a gauge, a valve, a flow meter, or any combination thereof.

17. An industrial automation system comprising:

a first group of industrial automation components;

a sensor coupled to the first group of industrial automation components, wherein the sensor is configured to measure an operational parameter of the first group of industrial automation components;

a second group of industrial automation components related to the first group of industrial automation components; and

an industrial control system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the first group of industrial automation components, and the second group of industrial automation components, wherein the industrial control system is configured to;

determine energy usage by the first group of industrial automation components and the second group of industrial automation components based at least in part on the operational parameter of the first group of industrial automation components measured by the sensor; and

control operation of any combination of the first group of industrial automation components and the second group of industrial automation components based at least in part on the energy usage by the first group of industrial automation components and the second group of industrial automation components to facilitate improving energy usage efficiency of the industrial automation system.

18. The industrial automation system of claim 17, wherein:

the sensor is configured to measure energy supplied to the first group of industrial automation components and the second group of industrial automation components; and

the industrial control system is configured to determine a portion of the energy usage attributed to the second group of industrial automation components based at least in part on the energy measured via the sensor.

19. The industrial automation system of claim 17, comprising a plurality of cells, wherein:

each cell of the plurality of cells is configured to perform at least one operation in the industrial automation system;

the first group of industrial automation components is a first cell of the plurality of cells; and

the second group of industrial automation components is a second cell of the plurality of cells.

20. The industrial automation system of claim 17, wherein:

the first group of industrial automation components is associated with a first stage in a production process; and

the second group of industrial automation components is associated with a second stage in the production process.