Rockwell and Actemium Deploy AI to Optimize Refrigeration

Rockwell Automation and Actemium have collaborated to optimize one of the most energy-intensive systems in frozen food manufacturing: industrial refrigeration. Utilizing Rockwell's PlantPAx distributed control system (DCS), Actemium developed RtCOP (Real-Time Coefficient of Performance), an autonomous artificial intelligence application. Deployed at a major frozen french fry manufacturer, this solution increased energy efficiency by 17%, generating annual savings of $130,000 per site. In addition to reducing operating costs, the solution decreases the mechanical strain on refrigeration equipment, thereby helping to improve its long-term reliability.

Autonomous Real-Time Optimization and Workload Relief
Acting as a continuously active virtual operator, RtCOP analyzes system capacities, yields, and environmental conditions in real time. The application autonomously determines and implements the optimal combinations of compressors, condensers, and evaporators. According to Jim Gillis, General Manager of Actemium Atlantic Canada, this continuous ranking of equipment based on energy consumption is a task that human operators cannot perform manually in real time. Faced with a shortage of skilled labor, the solution significantly lightens the workload for plant personnel. The manufacturer is currently deploying this system globally across its various facilities, relying on dashboards to benchmark energy efficiency from one site to another.

Additional Context: Technological Background and Market Dynamics
This section provides technological and market background not explicitly detailed in the original release.

In the food processing industry, industrial refrigeration systems traditionally operate on reactive control logic based on fixed setpoints (such as PID loops). These methods struggle to adapt to dynamic variations such as instantaneous production load or fluctuations in outdoor ambient temperature. By integrating machine learning algorithms directly into the core of a modern DCS, manufacturers transition to Advanced Process Control. The AI anticipates refrigeration needs and dynamically adjusts suction pressure and compressor sequencing in a closed loop. This approach is particularly crucial in frozen food processing, where strict cold-chain preservation is non-negotiable. It allows plants to offset rising electricity costs and achieve decarbonization targets without compromising food safety.

Edited by Lekshman Ramdas, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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