CASE21 · Manufacturing · Air, oxygen and nitrogen compression
Designing real-time compressor optimization for a steelworks oxygen plant
A forty-compressor proposal combines gas demand, equipment intensity, load and operating conditions to support efficient-unit selection and required-unit staging across an oxygen-production utility.
01 · CASE ANALYSIS
Operating challenge
Many air, oxygen and nitrogen compressors operated in parallel. Separate equipment readings did not provide a common view of unit efficiency and plant-wide gas-production performance.
Power, airflow, gas supply, pressures, temperatures and cooling conditions needed to be integrated so that low efficiency and excessive staging could be identified in real time.
02 · CASE ANALYSIS
Data and proposed diagnostics
The proposal covers forty compressors and approximately 788 data points including weather. Air-compressor multistage pressure/temperature, cooling water and venting are combined with oxygen/nitrogen compressor power, flow and inlet/discharge conditions.
Oxygen, nitrogen and argon production/supply and gas venting complete the balance. Unit intensity, load-intensity correlations, plant comparisons, trends and reporting support diagnosis.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Compressors | 40 air/oxygen/nitrogen units |
| Data points | Approximately 788, including weather |
| Estimated annual electricity | 1,571,731 MWh |
| Estimated annual electricity cost | Approximately KRW 110 billion |
03 · CASE ANALYSIS
Operating and implementation plan
Choose higher-efficiency units and calculate required operating units from gas demand, unit capacity and performance. Distinguish equipment deterioration from a poor system operating combination.
The schedule allocates six months for system and measurement installation followed by six months for optimization and performance checking. A reference intensity is to be measured after data quality and instrument calibration have been established.
04 · CASE ANALYSIS
Proposal economics and M&V
The source estimates approximately 1,571,731 MWh/year and KRW 110 billion/year of electricity from oxygen output and intensity. Its 3% expectation corresponds to approximately KRW 3.3 billion/year.
Proposed project cost is approximately KRW 1.029 billion: KRW 619 million for software/consulting and KRW 410 million for metering/hardware installation. These are historical proposal assumptions. Verify actual energy and intensity under comparable gas demand and operating conditions.
| Item | Source proposal |
|---|---|
| Buildout | 6 months |
| Optimization and verification | 6 months |
| Expected saving | 3%; approximately KRW 3.3 billion/year |
| Software and consulting | KRW 619 million |
| Metering and hardware | KRW 410 million |
| Total proposed cost | KRW 1.029 billion |
05 · CASE ANALYSIS
Engineering lesson
An information system provides the basis for optimization; installation alone does not prove energy savings. Establish the baseline and then verify the operating changes.
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