Case Studies – Remote Monitoring and Control, Temporary Climate Solutions

Minimizing energy usage in food processing plants to enhance sustainability

In response to the government's new greenhouse gas initiative, a leading food producer is enhancing its environmental responsibility. Since August 2023, Polygon has provided a year-round cooling solution to a Texas poultry plant. While managers were satisfied with 55-62% relative humidity and a temperature of 55°F, Polygon saw room for sustainable improvements. They identified equipment automation as a key opportunity for energy savings and improved workflows.

CHALLENGE: 

The Polygon cooling system setup required staff to manually monitor temperature and humidity in multiple vital processing areas of the facility. Then depending on conditions, change in and out of plant required PPE and manually turn the outdoor Polygon units on/off. Not only did it consume valuable labor hours by requiring employees to manually turn the equipment on and off twice a day, but it also wasted energy because equipment sometimes ran unnecessarily overnight and on weekends.

SOLUTION:

To address these challenges, the Smart Controller was introduced as a solution. This system was seamlessly integrated with the existing cooling equipment, requiring minimal downtime and disruption to ongoing operations. By automating the operation of the equipment based on preset schedules, the Smart Controller eliminated the need for manual intervention, reducing labor hours and preventing unnecessary energy consumption.

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The implementation of two Smart Controllers, each managing a pair of DX-40 and DX-25 cooling units, was tailored to the unique requirements of this facility. These controllers were remotely connected to a centralized monitoring system via a communications gateway, enabling real-time data transmission to and from the cloud. This centralized monitoring system provided plant managers with comprehensive oversight and control, further optimizing workflows and energy efficiency.

Installation of the Smart Controllers was very efficient, taking only a single day and involving 8 hours of labor. The retrofitted system seamlessly integrated with the existing equipment, minimizing downtime and disruptions to ongoing operations.

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The ExactAire dashboard tracks equipment status and ambient temperatures, operating on a preset schedule with manual overrides (0 for off, 1 for on). In this screenshot, both cooling units are active. The charts below show detailed on/off times and the relative humidity and temperature. This data helps adjust schedules and trigger equipment operation.

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BENEFITS:

Enhanced Equipment Monitoring and Maintenance- The implementation of Smart Controllers provided real-time visibility into equipment status and environmental conditions, enabling proactive maintenance and minimizing downtime.

Reduced Human Interventions- Previously, employees had to visit the facility twice daily, wearing different PPE for inside and outside tasks. The Smart Controllers eliminated this need, solving a significant personnel issue.

Energy Consumption Savings- Smart Controllers optimized the operation of the DX-40s and DX-25s, significantly reducing energy consumption, decreasing the facility's carbon footprint, and lowering operational costs.

What can food production facilities expect when working with Polygon?

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