Friends, today in this article we will learn about energy auditing . I am going to give you information about all this in a very good way. So let’s start.
Energy Audit –
Energy audit is a systematic process carried out continuously in an energy plant to study the energy of the plant and analyse the energy utilization.
Objectives of Energy Auditing
- Identifying the quantity and cost of different energy inputs.
- To monitor current energy consumption patterns across various cost centers of the operation.
- To establish the relationship between energy input and production output.
- To identify potential areas of thermal and electrical energy economy.
- To highlight wastage in large areas.
- Identifying potential areas of energy savings in individual cost centres.
- Implementation of energy conservation measures and reality of savings.
- Develop medium to long term energy programmes.
- To study the feasibility of energy conservation opportunities.
- To find out how the energy required in a plant can be reduced by using energy saving devices in plants or industrial buildings.
The energy audit to be carried out depends on the following-
- On the functions and types of industries.
- On the intensity of the final energy audit requirement.
- On the possibility and magnitude of the desired cost reduction.
The primary purpose of energy auditing is to determine ways to reduce or minimize per unit production and operating and consumption costs.
This is an important systematic approach in the field of energy management.
Detailed energy audit takes place in the following three phases.
- Pre-audit Phase
- Audit Phase
- Post-audit Phase
Pre-audit Phase
Under this, a preliminary study of the work area is done. This is very important for future planning. After visiting the preliminary work area, the energy audit team takes the following actions-
(i) Discuss with senior management to explain the objective of energy audit.
(ii) Discuss economic guidelines and financial capability analysis.
(iii) Discuss the types of equipment and tools in use, prevalent operations, functions and control methods.
(iv) Collect all data related to main energy consumption.
In the first phase, the energy audit team makes a list of the necessary equipment and prepares an action plan for the energy audit. A brief meeting is held with the heads of each department.
Audit Phase
It takes several weeks to several months to complete this stage. The following processes have to be done in this stage-
(i) Collect initial data, prepare process flow diagram and energy utility diagram.
(ii) Taking different types of measurements and comparing them with designed data.
(iii) Various equipment or machines or processes are tested and power (MD, PF and KWH) is calculated for 24 hours. The change in load of pumps, fans, compressors is checked. The efficiency of furnaces is checked and the working system of various equipment is observed by experiment.
(iv) Energy use is analysed.
(v) Necessary points for energy conservation are identified and compiled. Opinions of various people are taken. Suggestions given earlier by people working in the plant are reviewed.
(vi) If energy audit of the plant or unit has been conducted in the past, the suggestions given by that audit are reviewed.
(vii) Vendors are contacted for new efficient technology.
(viii) Cost-benefit analysis is done.
(ix) Energy audit report is presented and presented to the top management.
Post-audit Phase
On the basis of the audit report, an action plan for energy conservation is prepared and worked upon accordingly and reviewed from time to time.
What did you learn today :-
Now you must have known about energy audit and you must have got the answer to all these questions very well.
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