che_october-2024 - 12

Newsfront
Eco-Friendly Housekeeping
Assists Sustainability Goals
Facility monitoring, LED lighting and low-impact cleaners help reduce carbon footprint at
chemical process industries (CPI) facilities
I
t is not always possible to refine
a process to help reduce a facility's
carbon footprint; however,
embracing some newer trends
in more sustainable housekeeping
practices presents an opportunity to
become more environmentally conscious
without impacting production.
Here, we look at three developments
in eco-friendly facility upkeep
- facility monitoring, energy efficient
LED lighting and low-impact cleaning
solutions - that can provide a
nudge in the green direction, while
also ensuring safety, which is always
the highest priority in the chemical
process industries (CPI).
Monitoring and sustainability
Thanks to more advanced sensors
and monitoring technologies, there
is a growing trend toward using facility
and process monitoring to bolster
sustainability initiatives directed at improving
efficiency and reducing emissions,
while also enhancing safety.
Facility monitoring using sensors
tied to data acquisition systems allows
users to easily access useful data and
use the insights to make better decisions
regarding sustainability practices,
such as reducing emissions,
improving process efficiency, lowering
CO2 footprints and lowering utility or
other operational costs.
" Many processors are interested in
monitoring electrical, water and gas
utilities to capture as much savings
as possible, while also being environmentally
responsible, " says Rick
Canfield, product engineer at AutomationDirect
(Cumming, Ga.; automationdirect.com).
Don
Fregelette, vice president of
chemical industry marketing at Em12
erson
(Shakopee, Minn.; emerson.
com), adds: " There is also a growing
trend in the industry to require
more monitoring points as corporate
initiatives in areas such as energy reduction,
decarbonization, safety and
controlling more complex unit operations
require a better understanding
of the process. "
According to Fregelette, today's
chemical processors are embracing
energy solutions that are aimed
at improving combustion efficiency
and regulatory compliance, including
the following:
* Controlling air-to-fuel ratio, monitoring
fluegas composition, monitoring
oxygen in fluegas and continuous
emissions monitoring solutions
(CEMS)
* Improving safety monitoring with
device diagnostics for more predictive
safety monitoring and using remote
proof-testing
capabilities
comprehensive proof tests
* Improving operational
efficiency,
improving plant
mass balance and
controlling more
complex process
conditions
Kris Worfe,
Endress+Hauser
USA (Greenwood,
Ind.; us.endress.
com) industry
marketing manager
for the chemical
sector, adds:
" Monitoring air
quality is also critical
because it is
regulated by both
to
extend the time in between required
Endress+Hauser USA
state and federal authorities, and processors
must comply with standards
set by these agencies for emissions.
Additionally, one of the most important
utilities to monitor is steam, both
generation and consumption, in an
effort to make it as safe, reliable and
efficient as possible. Measurement
technologies can be used to address
flow accuracy, energy content, purity
and quality concerns " (Figure 1).
If a processor is interested in monitoring
utilities, AutomationDirect's
Canfield says there are scalable
programmable logic controller (PLC)
platforms and extensive options for
remote monitoring on a desktop or
mobile device using internet or cell
connectivity and industry-standard
secure protocols.
" Once data is transmitted to the
cloud, it can simply be viewed or can
be integrated into a multitude of analytical
systems, " he explains. " Users
can use this data to optimize their
processes and identify inefficient, broFIGURE
1. Wireless connectivity, available for leading modern instrumentation,
simplifies maintenance and improves plant safety and efficiency
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
OCTOBER 2024
http://www.automationdirect.com http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
che_october-2024

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