Lungile Nyanga and Samson Mhlanga
Demand-side-Management, Fuzzy Controller, Induction Furnaces
The paper is a design of an automated Demand-side management system that will optimize electricity usage in a manufacturing plant using induction furnaces, through a multi-furnace controller. The multi-furnace controller controls two furnaces which alternate in between being a melting and a holding furnace. The control system selectively delivers preselected percentages of available power to furnaces. The power supply delivers power to both furnaces. A capacitor station in parallel connection to the power supply and the furnaces is tuned to form a tank circuit therewith and acts as the power factor correction device. Switches control the selected power delivered to the furnaces respectively and control the delivery of a first portion of the power for holding molten product in the hold furnace as the master control. Simulation model was design using fuzzy logic controller. The results show that using the multi-furnace controller results in a 30% decrease in the operating costs of the furnaces as demonstrated by the model plots.
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