Energy Efficiency Benchmarking-Concepts for Material Flow Systems: Investigations on automated storage and retrieval systems (classification, indicator-models, measurement cycles/methods)

Research output: ThesisMaster's Thesis

Abstract

This master’s thesis deals with the determination and evaluation of the energy efficiency of fully automatic storage and retrieval systems. The continuing rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate system, rising energy costs and the growing demand for environmentally responsible designed products even in the field of intralogistics led to a research project called effMFS at the Institute of Logistics Engineering at the University of Technology, Graz.
The research project analyzes three types of AS/RS, in particular miniload systems, horizontal carousel systems and shuttle systems, regarding their comparability in terms of energy efficiency. Due to the fact that a direct comparison of several systems has never been done on a scientific level, a basic benchmarking procedure is to be elaborated.
In a first step, this paper describes the fundamental theory of these systems in order to characterize the most important parameters of each system and to find a common base in the vast amount of system specifications, which enables and assures comparability. Furthermore, an excerpt of literature and current scientific research dealing with energy efficiency is presented.
Based on the findings, several energy efficiency indicator models are derived. These models are in accordance with the already acquired knowledge of the effMFS project, which confronts the energy demand with the logistical performance of the systems. To evaluate the energy demand, a standardized guideline is elaborated, that benchmarks the system’s power usage over time during a pre-defined representative operating cycle. This cycle includes a load spectrum that consists of several operating states (full load, partial load and standby) as well as specific reference points (storage compartments), that have to be approached by the S/R machines during the benchmarking process. The reference points were derived using standardized guidelines, that were taken out of literature, or using real-life data and are defined as positions, that resemble the mean cycle times for double cycles.
Finally a step-by-step procedure for a proper measurement is described and some boundary constraints as well as environmental conditions are proposed.
Original languageEnglish
QualificationMaster of Science
Awarding Institution
  • Institute of Logistics Engineering (3090)
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Hafner, Norbert, Supervisor
  • Lottersberger, Florian, Supervisor
Award date27 Jan 2015
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2015

Fields of Expertise

  • Sustainable Systems

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