Simple Ways to Maximize the Efficiency of Your Process Control Application White Paper

No matter what industry you’re in,
the price of your inputs is bound to
fluctuate – usually trending in a
direction that doesn’t favor profits. You
can’t control the rising costs of raw
materials and energy, but you can
control how much you get out of them.
The simplest way to do this is by
maximizing the efficiency of your
equipment.
Performance and productivity are
directly related to energy use, reliability
and maintenance costs. The improved
performance offered by a highly
efficient drive train helps increase
output and decrease energy consumption.
It also reduces wear and tear, thereby
limiting maintenance costs and
downtime while extending the life of
your equipment. To attain this level of
efficiency, one need only turn to the
application-specific engineering found
in integrated drive systems.
Accommodating the demands of oil
and gas applications
In the oil and gas industry, narrow
margins require continuous production
– which means continuous motion. The
ongoing nature of these operations
demands enormous amounts of energy
and places a great deal of mechanical
stress on equipment.
That’s not to mention the harsh
operating conditions where most
drilling, pumping and refining take
place. Salt spray, extreme temperatures,
explosion hazards and remote locations
serve to heighten the importance of
efficiency and reliability. Fortunately,
the right drive system can minimize
problems.
Wherever liquid substances must be
transported, you’ll find centrifugal
pumps. They extract oil and gas from
wells that are thousands of feet deep
and push the substances through
pipelines that are hundreds of miles
long. The ruggedness of the pumps is
important – the ruggedness of the drive
system even more so. If either fails, the
resulting safety risks and downtime
costs can be catastrophic.
The key is to tailor the system to the
application and its environment. For
example, when the loading conditions
of a fixed-speed pump system vary,
throttling the valve or closing the
dampers is a common approach. But
because you’re still running at full
speed, you generate significant motor
losses and premature system
component wear. It’s like pressing the
gas pedal and the brake pedal at the
same time when trying to slow your car
on the highway: fuel efficiency goes out
the window, and you wind up wearing
out your brakes and engine a lot sooner.
With pump systems, it’s the motor and
energy efficiency that suffer.
Simple ways to
maximize the efficiency
of your application
Integrated Drive Systems (IDS) for any industry
usa.siemens.com/ids

2
Perfectly matched components for oil and gas
applications
Properly integrated drive systems take these types of
operating demands into account. Variable frequency drives
(VFDs) are a natural fit for variable loading conditions. They
offer precision speed control, so that energy isn’t wasted
and you’re not causing excessive wear that can affect
reliability. A single-source solution amplifies these savings
by ensuring that the drive and motor are engineered for
optimal performance. If you were to integrate the
functionality separately, you would leave yourself
vulnerable to design inconsistencies that could negate the
benefits of a VFD.
Voltage stress, shaft currents and harmonics are other
issues that can be addressed by working with a single
supplier. Otherwise, the responsibility lies with you, the
end user, to thoroughly understand how the application’s
requirements relate to the drive train’s design, and then
coordinate the integration of the appropriate functionality
across multiple vendors. A lot can be lost in translation, and
if improper sizing or engineering leads to drive failure,
you’ll have a difficult time getting any of your vendors to
accept responsibility.
With a single-source supplier such as Siemens, however,
responsibility for the entire drive train is assumed from the
start. Siemens uses a system-engineering approach
whereby each component is selected and sized by an
engineer, allowing for the appropriate expertise to be
applied at critical stages of development. Everything from
high peak voltages to induction motor shaft currents is
addressed during design to prevent damage and extend the
life of the system.
The extensive portfolio of solutions that Siemens offers also
provides much-needed flexibility in identifying the right
drive train solution for specific applications. Siemens has
proven experience certifying an explosion-proof motor as
part of its Integrated Drive Systems (IDS). And its 100%
emission-free STC-ECO motor-compressor solution has
helped upstream operations reduce emissions, downtime
and safety concerns caused by poor seal reliability.
Perhaps most notably, the Siemens SINAMICS PERFECT
HARMONY VFD incorporates fail-safe technology that
further reinforces reliability in oil and gas operations. Its
Advanced Cell Bypass technology allows the drive to remain
operational even in the event of a cell fault. This is the type
of failure that would overwhelm conventional drives,
bringing production to an abrupt – and costly – halt.
Plus, when service is needed, you only have a single call to
make. With Siemens IDS, intelligent, real-time monitoring
by a single PLC immediately alerts you of any issues that
arise and triggers instant diagnostics that precisely identify
the point of failure. By receiving the same information you
do, Siemens experts are able to expedite resolution so you
can get back up and running quickly.
Opportunities for energy savings in the pulp and paper
industry
Motor-driven systems are responsible for the majority of
energy use across all industries, of which the fan systems
used in the pulp and paper industry account for 20 percent.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, that amounts
to approximately $7.5 billion annually – a number that
could be reduced by as much as 25 percent (or 1100 GWh)
simply by improving fan efficiency.
Fans are commonly used for moving atmospheric air and
providing ventilation in production areas, but their most
critical application in pulp and paper mills is providing the
air for combustion in steam boilers. This is accomplished
through induced draft (ID) or forced draft (FD) fans.
Accurate control of the airflow is crucial, as it affects the
boiler’s performance and safe operation. At the proper
levels, the oxygen facilitates efficient fuel consumption –
this is what’s called stoichiometric combustion.
Siemens SINAMICS PERFECT HARMONY
VFD incorporates fail-safe technology that
further reinforces reliability in oil and gas
operations.

3
If too much air is introduced to the combustion chamber,
however, more energy is required to heat it up to flue gas
temperature. And because the oxygen is not consumed
during combustion, it carries away otherwise usable heat in
the form of stack losses. It can also cause the flame to
become unstable. Too little air, on the other hand, results in
unburned fuel and excessive emissions, both of which can
become serious safety hazards.
Typically, the fans are powered by a constant-speed motor
that runs continuously; the airflow is then controlled by
throttling the dampers. This imprecise method of control
wastes energy on both ends of the process: It requires more
energy input to keep the motor running at full speed, and
yields less energy output due to boiler inefficiency.
In many mills, the steam produced by high-pressure boilers
is also used to generate electricity. The steam passes
through a turbine, turning its blades and driving a
generator that then converts the mechanical energy into
electrical energy. These generators have the potential for as
much as 98 percent energy conversion efficiency, but the
unreliability of the turbines themselves – and their related
maintenance costs – quickly erode any savings.
Maximizing energy efficiency in the pulp and paper
industry
Integrated drive systems offer a simple solution for
improving energy efficiency in pulp and paper mills. In fan
applications, the most effective way to reduce energy
consumption is to integrate a VFD as part of the drive train.
Efficiency is gained through the optimization of component
compatibility, which is best achieved by single-supplier
integration of the drive system.
Depending on the fuel being used, the production demands
and the process being supported, the drive train can be
tailored accordingly. A sole-source approach takes these
parameters into account during the design phase to ensure
peak performance and maximum efficiency throughout the
system’s operational life.
On the face of it, replacing your steam turbine drive
systems with electric drive systems might seem overly
disruptive to your operations and potentially capital-
intensive. But a single-source supplier can engineer,
integrate and assemble the entire system prior to delivery
so as to minimize downtime. Efficiency improvements in
the neighborhood of 40+ percent quickly offset costs, and
because there’s less maintenance, your total cost of
ownership shrinks each year thereafter.
When Siemens replaced a 1950s steam turbine for one
company, it only took seven days to shut down, replace the
turbine with a complete Siemens Integrated Drive System,
and get everything back up and running. The fact that
Siemens designed and built the entire drive system reduced
the complexity and risk of installation and commissioning.
In addition to improved control and efficiency, the mill saw
an increase in production almost immediately.
Unique demands of chemical and petrochemical
processes
Hazardous conditions are a given in the chemical and
petrochemical industry. This places safety at the top of
operational priorities and makes it a key driver when
sourcing equipment. Of course, productivity is the other
primary consideration. To maintain high levels of
production without putting man, machine or the
environment in harm’s way, reliability is the operative word.
Extruder applications are among the industry’s most
demanding, and as such, are ideal targets for optimization.
Precision control is essential, as there’s a great deal of
variability in the materials being processed, and the system
must be able to withstand the extremely high torque and
axial forces from the extrusion process. During cleanout,
the ability to maintain minimum speeds is particularly
important.
In many cases, direct current (DC) motors are still used for
extruder applications. In addition to having a limited range
of operational speeds, DC motors are at a disadvantage
when it comes to maintenance and support. Demand for
DC motors has been on the decline, which is why fewer and
fewer suppliers offer them. In new installations, alternating
current (AC) motors are preferred because they don’t have
wear items such as brushers or commutators to hamper
reliability and escalate repair costs.
What’s more, even slight incompatibility between
components can put unnecessary stress on any motor,
causing issues ranging from lateral vibration to shaft
currents and bearing failure. Over time, these problems
only become more and more troublesome, requiring
increasingly frequent maintenance until the system itself
must be replaced – often much earlier than expected.
Ensuring safe, reliable chemical and petrochemical
operations
AC is more forgiving when accommodating a wide range of
motor operating speeds, plus it is easily “stepped up” to
higher voltages with just a transformer. A long-overdue
upgrade to an AC motor is the perfect opportunity to
enhance the reliability of your entire drive train.
By working with a single-source supplier, you can ensure
that your motor is appropriately sized and paired with other
AC components to maximize the reliability of your process.
For example, a variable speed drive can offer improved
control for handling different extrusion rates and cleanout
speeds. But proper integration is the only way to proactively
address potential safety issues related to dangerous
pressure and speed levels, as well as explosion risks.
Your supplier should have ample experience with your
industry and proven success with engineering safe,
effective drive trains for your application. Siemens is a
preferred source of solutions that are optimized for
hazardous conditions. Its portfolio includes motors and
frequency converters from 100W to over 100MW, as well as
a range of couplings and gearboxes that are explosion-
protected and designed to address specific chemical
conditions.

The complex processes employed by chemical and
petrochemical facilities demand the exacting attention to
detail that only a single-source drive train can deliver.
Reliability and safety are areas in which integrated drive
systems excel. At Siemens, every consideration is given to
the interaction between motors, frequency converters and
control systems.
Siemens adheres to strict requirements for a harmonized
overall portfolio and close collaboration between end users,
EPCs and drive system suppliers. This approach
encompasses the overall life cycle of the plant or system,
and involves supplying the complete, integrated drive train.
All products and processes are in compliance with domestic
and international standards and regulations.
Optimization through integration
Found in critical roles throughout virtually every industry,
pumps, fans, compressors and extruders account for the
vast majority of applications paired with electric motors.
This might make it seem as if motor efficiency should be
your focus, but it’s only part of a bigger equation. To
achieve maximum savings, the motor and drive must be
sized appropriately for both the application and each other.
Proper sizing not only promotes greater efficiency, but also
prevents excessive wear and tear by minimizing issues such
as lateral vibration, shaft currents and electrical losses. The
heat generated by wasted energy can put unnecessary
stress on components, leading to premature failure. When
reliability suffers, productivity suffers.
Subject to changes and errors. The information
given in this document only contains general
descriptions and/or performance features which
may not always specifically reflect those
described, or which may undergo modification
in the course of further development of the
products. The requested performance features
are binding only when they are expressly agreed
upon in the concluded contract.
Siemens Industry, Inc.
100 Technology Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30005
1-800-365-8766
info.us@siemens.com
Subject to change without prior notice.
Order No.: PDWP-IDS23-0616
All rights reserved
Printed in the USA
©2016 Siemens Industry, Inc.
In process industries such as oil and gas, pulp and paper,
and chemical / petrochemical, a drive’s parameters and load
profile allow experienced engineers to determine the
motor’s most economical mode of operation. This, in turn,
makes it possible to identify which motors and drives are
best suited to specific applications and their related
environments.
If you’re dealing with multiple suppliers, however, you’re
going to get multiple definitions of what “best suited”
means. Narrow portfolios create bias toward products that
might not be ideal, but are the closest available. Many
vendors are reluctant to share proprietary information,
making it difficult to coordinate engineering across
components. And when it comes time to assemble your
system on-site, differences of opinion can be the difference
between an efficient system and a series of service calls.
That’s why finding a single supplier with a broad portfolio
and deep experience with your process is essential. Sole-
sourcing your system not only simplifies engineering and
support, but also ensures a perfect fit with fans, pumps,
compressors and extruders – no matter what industry you’re
in.
Sources
Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving
Opportunities for the Pulp and Paper Industry.
Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:
October 2009.

Simple Ways to Maximize the Efficiency of Your Process Control Application White Paper

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Simple Ways to Maximize the Efficiency of Your Process Control Application White Paper