The open PLCnext Technology ecosystem in thermal processing technology

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The open PLCnext Technology ecosystem in thermal processing technology

Fewer emissions with a higher overall equipment effectiveness

More countries are committing to net-zero emissions, aiming to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 °C. With the PLCnext Technology ecosystem and MLnext software solution, Phoenix Contact is helping tp reduce emissions.

The EU aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, as part of the European Green Deal and the 2015 Paris Agreement. This transition to a climate-neutral society is both a challenge and an opportunity, involving all societal and economic sectors, from energy and industry to buildings, agriculture, and forestry.

Conversion of existing thermal processes along the entire production chain

For sustainable climate strategies to succeed, all areas of industrial facilities must be considered. Failure to do so will undermine efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and comply with environmental directives.

Energy-intensive industries must convert thermal processes to low-carbon methods urgently due to climate-driven geopolitical changes. This requires sustainable, minimally invasive technologies and secure digitalization platforms. Heating systems should use renewable energy, ensuring energy availability, product quality, and cost-effectiveness. Conventional heating concepts need rethinking for low-carbon heat generation.

Need for change through the use of hydrogen

The power-to-gas (PtG) principle, which converts electrical energy into chemical energy (gas) by means of water electrolysis, is crucial for modern gas and hydrogen networks. This creates new requirements for industrial furnaces.

Hydrogen and its mixtures lead to a reduction in the air requirements, a change in the calorific value, higher combustion speeds, higher flame temperatures, and an increase in nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2). This impacts the “machine,” including the melting tank, furnace, boiler, supply technology, burner, and especially the controller and automation system.

Requirements on the thermal processing technology

Integrating thermal processes into existing systems must be efficient and minimally invasive. Past digitalization often overlooked crucial mechanical equipment for fuel-air ratios and other key functions.

Future thermal processing technology requirements: • Operation on open, holistic ecosystems/platforms • Scalable integration of combustion and exhaust gas sensors • Functional safety and cybersecurity per IEC 62443 and NIS 2.0 • Introduction of ML and IIoT for monitoring and optimization • Increased agility with low/no-code apps for adapting fuel lines using platforms like Grafana

PLCnext Technology

Machine learning for fuel and process optimization

By detecting unusual behavior patterns early, PLCnext Technology with MLnext software helps prevent malfunctions in combustion processes, enhancing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), optimizing fuel-air ratios, and enabling intelligent cross-factory monitoring.

Phoenix Contact’s Digital Factory now initiative supports the All Electric Society principle, offering scalable, data-secure automation solutions via the PLCnext Technology ecosystem. In addition, these solutions facilitate easy integration into thermal processing machines worldwide, aiding manufacturers, system integrators, and operators in creating tailored products and systems.

Certification of functional and data security

The PLCnext Control product family, certified by TÜV Süd for OT Security (IEC 62443-4-2) and existing safety certification, sets new standards. The IEC 62443 standard emphasizes linking security and safety in automation solutions. With a focus on OT security and remote access, the PLCnext Control family complies with the upcoming Machinery Regulation.

Certification of functional and data security

Signal connection through intelligent isolators

Users must adapt fuel-air ratios to new fuels using parallel sensor systems for efficiency without impairing operation. Existing infrastructures should be converted to IEC 62443-compliant segmented networks to prevent data collisions or illegal access.

Both goals can be achieved in parallel. Field signals connect to PLCnext Control or edge devices using Mini Analog Pro signal isolators and the “PLCnext IIoT Framework” app. Phoenix Contact’s configurable thermal processing control cabinets process, normalize, and send signals in real time, saving space, hardware, and engineering time. The MLnext app can virtualize information from various sources on-premise or in the cloud (e.g., Proficloud.io).

Read more about PLCnext Technology.

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