Plc-based load management in steel rolling mill

This article presents a physically-based load model and formulation for continuous process industries to use in implementing industrial load management. The formulation utilizes an integer programming technique for minimizing electricity costs by scheduling the loads and satisfying the process, production, and maximum demand constraints. The case study of a typical steel rolling mill, with the proposed model, shows that savings of about 5.21% in electricity costs are possible with optimal load scheduling under TOU tariff. After scheduling the loads, real time implementation of load management action is investigated using a programmable logic controller. © 2010 Energy Engineering All. rights Reserved.