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      How to Calculate Efficiency of Assets and Equipment in AlphaX

      Monitor Actual Performance Against Targets to optimise operations, ESG and equipment performance targets

      Efficiency calculations help you track how well a piece of equipment or process is performing compared to its target output. Whether you're managing energy generation, equipment utilization, or system performance, AlphaX enables you to set up custom calculations to monitor efficiency as a percentage. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you set up and visualize these calculations.

      1. Accessing the Calculations Module

      1. Open the AlphaX platform.
      2. Navigate to Calculations in the main menu.
      3. Click Create New Calculation to open the setup wizard.

      2. Setting Up the Efficiency Calculation

      Fill Out the Calculation Details

      • Name: Give your calculation a descriptive name (e.g., Energy Production Efficiency).
      • Description: (Optional) Add details about what the calculation measures.
      • Data Type: Set to Percentage to display the result as a percentage.

      Choose a Trigger

      You can select how the calculation is triggered:

      • Time-based Trigger: Calculate efficiency at regular intervals (e.g., minutely, hourly, daily).
      • Event-based Trigger: Trigger the calculation whenever there is an update from a field device or sensor.

      3. Defining the Actions for the Efficiency Formula

      Action 1: Actual Measured Output

      • Select the data source (sensor) that tracks the actual performance or production (e.g., energy produced in kW).
      • If applicable, you can select multiple data sources to measure combined performance across different equipment or processes.

      Action 2: Target Output Value

      • Add the expected or target value (e.g., 100 kW/day). This represents the standard or goal you want the system to meet.

      Action 3: Convert to Percentage

      • Add an action that multiplies the result by 100 to convert it into a percentage.

      Formula Example:

      Efficiency (%)=(Actual Output (kW)Target Output (kW))×100

       

      4. Example Calculations

      1. Target Output: 100 kW/day

        • Actual Output: 92.1 kW/day
        92.1 / 100 × 100 = 92.1% efficiency.

      2. Exceeding Target:

        • Actual Output: 101.2 kW/day
        101.2 / 100 × 100 = 101.2% efficiency (indicating over-performance).

      5. Visualizing Efficiency Data

      AlphaX offers powerful widgets to help you visualize efficiency data for quick insights.

      Recommended Widgets:

      • Info Box Widget: Display the current efficiency percentage at a glance.
      • Heatmap Chart: View time-based efficiency trends, highlighting under- and over-performance periods.
      • Line Chart or Table: Compare actual vs. target output over time for detailed performance analysis.

      6. Common Use Cases

      Building Energy Management:

      • Measure the efficiency of an HVAC system’s cooling or heating output relative to the target.
      • Compare actual vs. expected energy usage to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

      Solar Panel Performance Monitoring:

      • Track daily energy generation from solar panels and compare against forecasted or ideal output to detect underperformance.

      Equipment Utilization:

      • Measure the flow rate of a pump or motor compared to its target. This helps detect whether the equipment is underperforming or over-delivering.

      Lighting System Performance:

      • Ensure that lighting in a facility meets the target illumination levels (e.g., measured in lux) and track deviations to identify potential optimizations.

      Final Tips

      • Efficiency can exceed 100% if actual production surpasses the target value.
      • Use dashboard widgets to monitor multiple processes side-by-side for comprehensive performance insights.
      • Set up alerts to notify you when efficiency drops below or rises above a specified threshold, allowing for timely corrective actions.

      By following this guide, you can use AlphaX to monitor and optimize the efficiency of your equipment and processes, ensuring improved performance, reduced operational waste and better sustainability outcomes.