Towards optimum energy utilization by using the inverters for industrial production

Industrial machines usually experience considerable energy consumption and alternate production rates, as function of the market demand. These machines are typically equipped with electrical motors used to power the tools required for the manufacturing processes. Large mismatches between the changing production rates and the effective motor speeds can have a significant impact on the energy utilization. In order to variate the electrical motor speed, as function of the market requirements, inverters can be incorporated in industrial systems, increasing flexibility as well as the energy savings. In this study, inverters are employed for converting DC to AC mode in a simulated industrial system. The production rates are modeled using different distribution functions comparing the cases with and without the inverter technology. The investment analysis is developed considering the retrofitting costs of the production systems versus the energy saving. The results of the study demonstrate a comparison model which aims to aid the practitioners and industrial experts during the decision-making process, by considering different production patterns, as input, and returning the system economic feasibility, as output. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.