Posted to News on 4th May 2012, 12:46
Drive-based fuel-saving system achieves rapid ROI
Control Techniques has installed its RIS.GA drive-based fuel-saving system on 12 cranes at the Port of Felixstowe, resulting in fuel savings of up to 25 per cent and a payback period of less than three years.
Felixstowe container port has invested in Control Techniques' RIS.GA system for diesel saving on 12 rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs). With a recent assessment of diesel usage confirming savings of up to 25 per cent per crane, this investment in the RIS.GA system is expected to give a return on investment of well under three years.
Diesel generators on board RTGs and mobile harbour cranes (MHCs) usually run at constant speed to provide the drive system and auxiliaries with a constant supply voltage, regardless of whether the crane is in operation or standby. Control Techniques' RIS.GA is a drive-based system that manages the diesel generator, allowing its speed to be reduced during standby while maintaining essential power for auxiliary and safety equipment.
The Port of Felixstowe's container storage area is served by a fleet of 74 RTGs and is currently undergoing further development, hence the need for the 12 new cranes that have been fitted with the RIS.GA system. Control Techniques was already quoting the Port of Felixstowe authorities for drive retrofits, and was able to present a convincing case for installing the RIS.GA system - estimating a return on investment of two to three years.
How it works
Analysis of RTG oil samples indicates that periods of idling have not caused any problems, and that savings have been very substantial, varying with duty up to around 30 per cent - though generally averaging at about 25 per cent. The RIS.GA software, which is stored on a 37kVA Unidrive SP AC drive, is set to allow the diesel generators to run on for a minute before initiating run-down to tickover speed. At tickover, the diesel generators produce 300V, which is boosted by the drive with RIS.GA up to the 415V required for operation of the auxiliary equipment. When required, the diesel generator will run up to operational speed in five seconds.
All 12 RIS.GA systems were supplied fully wired and assembled, and ready to connect in an IP65 stainless steel cubicle. Each is fitted above the electrical house of its crane. Control Techniques delivered each system when it was convenient to the Port of Felixstowe's Engineering Department and carried out all of the electrical installation and programming. As it is a static electronic system, it requires little or no maintenance.
RIS.GA has been applied successfully on rubber tyre gantry and mobile harbour cranes throughout the world and is saving fuel on cranes manufactured by ZPMC, Kalmar, MGM-OMG, Doosan and Fantuzzi Reggiane. In many cases, savings can be as much as 50 per cent, and ROI can be as short as one to two years, depending on local oil costs, with proven reduced wear and stress extending the working life of the diesel engine, generator and electrical auxiliaries.
Follow the link for more information about the RIS.GA fuel-saving system.
