Issue 4/2010
07/02/10
Improving Energy Balance with modern Industrial Doors
The complete package including an essential energy saving drive as well as intelligent control and sensor systems
Christian Grabitz (Bundesverband Antriebs- und Steuerungstechnik. Tore (BAS.T)
Resources are becoming scarce, energy costs are rising – these facts require a company to think and act ecologically. Because of its energy consumption and the associated CO2 emissions, industry in particular is being encouraged to develop more environmentally conscious manufacturing procedures and optimize its energy balance.
Category: Issue 4/2010
Posted by: Editor
These challenges to the industrial sector are behind the creation of intelligent automated industrial doors – shorter opening and closing times are required, that is, the doors must be faster. Energy efficient industrial door drives with frequency converter control and modern sensor designs are being used more and more often in combination with sectional, roller, and sliding doors.
Modern automated doors offer a wide range of uses; with help from a frequency converter, the drive speed of a motorized door can be matched to its individual requirements and use. Opening and closing the door at a faster rate is only one advantage of frequency converter control. There are also large potential savings available to the operator: gentle starting and stopping motions, as well as variable movement speeds, ensure that the door‘s movement is safeguarded for long use. This reduces the load on the mechanical components – leading to longer life span and fewer maintenance costs. It also keeps operating noise at a minimum.
Modern sensor concepts are used in conjunction with control technology to optimize automated industrial doors. Many differing detection technologies offer production-related advantages – for example, optimizing the flow of goods – while at the same time potentially conserving energy. When considering possible potential savings in relation to the sensor technology currently on offer, it is important to determine whether or not additional hold-open time is necessary in combination with reliable entrance surveillance technology (monitoring the area in front of the door). Additional hold-open time is time introduced to prevent accidents: it extends the amount of time that the door stays open after the sensor gives the all clear, helping to avoid possible collisions with the closing door. Reliable motion detectors, which monitor the area in front of the door using active infrared technology, reduce the length of time that the door has to stay open by making such hold-open times unnecessary. The savings come into play because the hold-open time begins to elapse only once the sensors have released the door. Each additional hold-open time therefore only increases the amount of money literally flying out the “door”!
Energy studies evaluating possible savings generated by the use of suitable technologies have already been conducted. The results of such studies prove that reducing the hold-open time from ten to five seconds can save as much as 3000 € a year in energy costs (this is dependent on the size and number of doors, as well the frequency with which the doors are opened). Additional advantages include reduction of CO2 emissions and noise control. Shorter hold-open times also reduce temperature fluctuations and less air circulation in, for instance, storage or sales areas, leading to reductions in employee illness rates. This is just another example of the positive effect targeted industrial door automation can have.
Finally, it should be noted that simply installing an automatic door will not save energy – particularly if the door stays open all day. Saving energy depends on a complete, targeted package, including energy saving drive, intelligent frequency converter control and sensor system – this makes it possible to improve the energy balance.
4/2010
