A real-time Utilities Management System for optimising cleaning operations in a brewery

Real-time intelligent system technology can be an effective means of optimising industrial operations. A large, intelligent Utilities Management System (UMS) has been developed at Foster's brewery in Yatala, Australia. The system is based on the G2 real-time intelligent system platform and it contains a number of modules that have been designed to improve the energy and utilities consumption of brewery operations. Of particular interest was the management and optimisation of the brewery's extensive Clean-In-Place (CIP) systems. The UMS monitors every step of every cycle of each CIP set and its real-time mass balance estimates chemical use and loss. An operator decision support system has also been developed that helps to minimise any redundant cleaning cycles. This system has been instrumental in lowering the bulk caustic soda consumption (per hectolitre of beer) of Yatala brewery by over 57% between the financial years F05 and F08.