In the era of Industry 4.0, automated machine regulation has come to play an increasingly important role in waste water management. Digital control systems depend on measurement values that are constantly recorded by sensors and have become significantly faster, more accurate and more precise than a manual control system could ever be. AERZEN control technology offers a wide range of options and implements optimal automated machine control, including for third-party products. There is tremendous potential for savings, both for decentralised individual systems and smart global control systems. AERZEN control systems are easily integrated into existing plants or machines and immediately facilitate demand-driven operation at all times.
Decentralised or centralised control system, individual or global control system. Our intelligent control system models are designed especially for the operation of compressed air machines and serve as the nervous centre of the compressor unit. Thanks to their modularity, they offer a variety of options and can meet any requirement. The modular system enables flexibility and cost efficiency. Only what is required for the specific application is integrated into the system. As a specialist in blowers and compressors, AERZEN leads the way in efficient machine control in a wide range of industries. We support you with analysis and advice.
AERtronic is a traditional local assembly control system. As an individual blower control, it is generally built into the acoustic hood of a machine. However, it can also be installed separately on a rack or in a switch cabinet. AERtronic constantly provides optimal control for the machines connected to it and reports operational events at an early stage. All operating data, such as pressure and temperature range and other parameters, are combined in the AERtronic and recorded in memory.
Targeted analysis of operating processes can be performed with the help of the recorded data. This enables maintenance and service periods to be systematically planned and corrective measures to be introduced with greater precision. Adjustable limit values simplify monitoring of compressor operation. Thanks to its communication function, AERtronic is able to incorporate the assemblies into the existing control systems via a fieldbus connection.
As a master global control system, AERtronic controls up to twelve assemblies. The machines in the compressed air station are switched on and off as needed. This avoids no-load operation and minimises load or no-load switching cycles.
The clear and intuitive 4.3" TFT display (thin film transistor display) with touchscreen enables the control and on-site monitoring of process data, such as operating hours, working pressure, service hours or operating events. After commissioning and entry of the operating parameters, AERtronic independently assumes control of the machine at maximum efficiency.
The Profinet fieldbus system is considered an Ethernet-based communication standard in the field of automation technology. That’s why in addition to other fieldbus connections such as MODBUS RTU, PROFIBUS DP, MODBUS Gateway and MODBUS TCP, AERtronic also offers a Profinet interface. This ensures a secure connection to the customer’s own IT system and bi-directional data exchange between the control room and compressed air station. Compared to other fieldbus systems, the Profinet fieldbus connection offers greater flexibility, faster device and network diagnosis and, thanks to the higher data rate, a significant performance boost. Profinet modules can be retrofitted quickly, easily and inexpensively at any time.
In addition to AERtronic, AERZEN has developed another type of intelligent control system known as AERsmart. AERsmart was conceived from the outset as a global control system that intelligently controls different compressor systems. As the ideal control system for innovative Performance3 technology, it gives waste water treatment plants additional potential for energy savings.
Performance3 is an AERZEN development that refers to the combined operation of various AERZEN blower technologies: the Delta Blower, a positive displacement blower, the Delta Hybrid, a rotary lobe compressor and the Aerzen Turbo, a turbo blower or turbo compressor. The individual machines are optimised for various volume flow ranges and have different strengths. By combining the different machine technologies into a linked system, this technology allows plants to make flexible, demand-based use of the machines’ different strengths in terms of energy efficiency.
Blower, Hybrid and Turbo can be implemented individually, in pairs or threes, depending on the load. This optimises energy usage for each load requirement. The variable application of these various technologies has enabled waste water treatment plants to achieve energy savings of up to 30%. When an intelligent AERsmart control system is used, the efficiency boost provided by combined Performance3 operation can be further increased by up to 15%.
The AERsmart acts as a conductor, which in each case switches to the most efficient machine or the most efficient combination of machines. The performance range data of the assemblies and their efficiency levels are saved in the AERsmart algorithm. The intelligent evaluation of these details results in the active regulation of the integrated machine system. The coordination and control of up to twelve machines, including third-party models, is therefore possible. The requested volume flows are distributed intelligently amongst the individual machines.
Furthermore, as with AERtronic, AERsmart enables process data to be saved and analysed and transferred to other systems. While AERtronic only controls displacement machines, i.e. blowers and compressors, AERsmart also controls other technologies such as turbo blowers.
How does this work? The amount of oxygen and the values for compressed air and volume flow required by the aeration tanks are transferred to the control system as nominal value signals or via a bus connection. The AERsmart then selects the optimal machine combination from the linked system. In this way, the volume flow is always precisely generated in line with the load. The required air quantities are optimally distributed across the various technologies and their efficiency levels. This generates the oxygen supply in the aeration tank more efficiently than ever before – even with frequent changes in load, it produces a virtually perfect characteristic diagram.
AERsmart is available as awall-mounted or console design. Since it always constitutes a central control system rather than an individual one, it is not built into a machine. A user-friendly interface and intuitive menu navigation enable simple installation. The high-resolution 12" touchscreen clearly displays the overall process data and the data from the individual machines. The monitor can, for example, display the previous day’s total air quantity and differential pressure, detailed information on the individual machines, the utilisation per week and the previous day’s individual air quantity or pressure flow. In this way, the performance and life cycle of each compressor and of the whole machine park can be monitored and analysed. Like AERtronic, AERsmart therefore provides an unprecedented level of transparency regarding the total life cycle of the machine or the group of machines. The control system communicates via analogue signals or bus systems such as MODBUS, PROFIBUS or PROFINET. It can be networked with the process control system and other systems. What's more, just like AERtronic, AERsmart also has a wide range of languages to choose from, thus guaranteeing that the control system can be used securely all over the world.
AERZEN WebView enables AERtronic and AERsmart to be expanded into a decentralised control system with globally available remote access to process and machine data. All that is required is a Web-enabled mobile or stationary device and a standard browser. The application requires no additional software or apps. AERZEN WebView continuously displays all the operating data of the air compressors that are controlled by AERtronic or AERsmart. Users can also retrieve and transfer fault messages and message histories. WebView thus enables decentralised, site-independent control, monitoring, maintenance planning and remote diagnosis via Intranet or Internet.
