Energy Conservation at a Leading Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturer

Client

The client is a renowned Ayurvedic medicine manufacturer with a large-scale production facility operating 24×7. Their manufacturing units rely heavily on Air Handling Units (AHUs), which are critical for maintaining air quality and temperature control in the production environment. However, AHUs contribute significantly to daily energy consumption, making energy conservation a priority.

Challenges

• High energy consumption of AHUs – The AHUs ran continuously without optimization, leading to excessive power usage.
• Lack of real-time visibility – There was no centralized system to monitor energy usage, temperature, humidity, and system health.
• Limited control and automation – AHUs operated on static schedules, lacking an intelligent mechanism to adjust based on demand or environmental conditions.
• No predictive insights – The client lacked historical data analytics to identify inefficiencies, set energy benchmarks, or predict energy-saving opportunities.

Our Solution: Smart Energy Optimization with iThings

To address these challenges, iThings was implemented as the central IoT platform to monitor, optimize, and automate the energy consumption of AHUs.

1. IoT-Based Energy Monitoring and Control

iThings connected AHUs, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), energy meters, and controllers through an RS-485 communication protocol to collect and process real-time data on energy consumption, humidity, and air temperature.

2. Smart AHU Automation with Edge Processing

An iThings gateway was installed to process data locally and synchronize it with the iThings cloud, enabling real-time analytics and remote control of AHU operations.

3. Centralized Dashboards for Visibility & Analytics

iThings provided custom dashboards displaying energy usage trends, system health, humidity levels, and valve state. Historical energy consumption trends allowed comparative analysis for further optimization.

4. Predictive Energy Optimization for Cost Savings

AI-driven algorithms analyzed energy consumption patterns and suggested dynamic adjustments to AHU operations, reducing wastage while maintaining indoor air quality.

5. Remote Monitoring and Automated Alerts

The system enabled remote monitoring and control via a web and mobile interface, allowing facility managers to adjust setpoints, operating modes, and schedules dynamically. Automated alerts notify users of high energy usage or deviations, ensuring quick corrective actions.

Benefits of iThings Implementation

• Energy savings of 10% or more – Smart automation and real-time adjustments optimized AHU performance, reducing energy consumption.
• Centralized visibility and control – Facility managers gained real-time monitoring of AHU performance through iThings dashboards.
• Reduced operational costs – Intelligent scheduling and predictive analytics minimized unnecessary runtime, lowering electricity expenses.
• Optimized HVAC efficiency – Continuous monitoring of humidity, temperature, and air quality ensured optimal working conditions without excess power usage.
• Scalable and future-ready solution – The system can expand to monitor other industrial equipment, further improving energy efficiency.

Tech Stack Used

• iThings IoT Platform
• iThings Gateway for Edge Processing
• RS-485 Communication Protocol
• AHU Controllers, VFDs, and Energy Meters