On/Off Control Versus PID Control: A Comparative Case Study On Condensers of Cooling Systems

Abstract

The exponential growth of industries makes energy efficiency a key factor to be considered, especially in industries that relies on equipment with a high demand of electrical power. Therefore, an analysis of device efficiency is one of the premises of the evolution of industrial equipment. A condenser is an equipment present in cooling systems that are used in small, medium and large organizations. Research and studies on the efficiency of this type of equipment becomes relevant, especially in countries that experience blackouts that reach cities and states, such as Brazil. In the present work, a case study of a local supermarket that uses industrial refrigeration systems was carried out, in which the performance of a control of an ON-OFF vs PID system was evaluated. After collecting the specific parameters of the fans, it was found that the control via PID became more efficient than the ON-OFF, with a considerably lower power consumption of about 26.35%, resulting in greater use of electrical energy and considerable savings for the organization.