In 2021, the Brazilian chemical industry had a turnover of US$ 142.8 billion, according to the study “The performance of the Brazilian chemical industry” (2021). These facts not only prove the importance of this sector in Brazil, but also reaffirm its significance worldwide, as it occupies the fifth largest position among manufacturing industries.
During the stages of the production process, this sector makes use of different types of natural resources, such as water, oil and natural gas, biomass, etc. Despite this variety, electricity is the primary resource and is used in the majority of processes, such as:
Heat (70% of energy consumption): energy is transformed into heat as a element in several chemical reactions;
Driving force (22% of energy consumption): many machines need electrical energy for their proper functioning;
Direct heating (4% of energy consumption): some processes require direct heating in the machinery;
Electrochemistry (3% of energy consumption): energy is used to power chemical reactions such as electrolysis;
Refrigeration (1% of energy consumption): used to cool substances and rooms when required;
The efficient use of the natural resources has become a recurring theme among industries, which resulted in the creation of the term ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). The acronym refers to actions focused on sustainable production process that are aligned with both market and the environment demands.
This case is about how a large chemical company used the ST-One Solution to reduce energy consumption in its production process. Data science was applied restricted to the utilities area, which is responsible for providing essential resources and services to the functioning of operations.
Copyright: MotionArray