Frigosorno: Monitoring water use for compliance and sustainability
Efficient resource utilization and regulatory-compliant energy monitoring in the food industry.
- Implementation of a comprehensive water monitoring system
- Use of PLCnext Technology for cross-manufacturer data integration
- Integration of Smart Services for consumption analysis and process optimization
- Fulfillment of legal requirements for water consumption documentation
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About Frigosorno and the Project
Frigosorno is a long-established meat processing company based in Osorno, Chile. Founded in 1945, the company has built a reputation for delivering high-quality beef while maintaining a strong commitment to food safety and sustainability. Located in Chile’s agricultural heartland, Frigosorno benefits from ideal conditions for livestock farming and has positioned itself as a key player in the national and international meat industry.
To support its sustainability goals and meet increasing regulatory demands, Frigosorno partnered with Phoenix Contact to implement a modern energy and water monitoring solution. The project aimed to increase transparency in resource consumption and lay the foundation for long-term efficiency improvements.
Project goals
The main objective was to create transparency in energy and water consumption across various production stages and to comply with legal requirements. Through precise measurement and smart data analysis, the project aimed to identify savings potential and optimize resource usage.
- Meeting legal requirements for water usage documentation
- Identifying inefficiencies and potential savings
- Creating a reliable data basis for future sustainability initiatives
- Enabling continuous monitoring and optimization of resource usage
Key benefits
- Full transparency of water consumption
- Improved compliance with environmental regulations
- Identification of optimization potential across production processes
- Scalable system architecture for future expansion
- Enhanced decision-making through near real-time data availability
Project challenges
One of the key challenges was the integration of devices from different manufacturers. These devices initially delivered inconsistent data formats and values. Thanks to the open architecture of PLCnext Technology and Phoenix Contact’s integration expertise, the system was successfully harmonized, ensuring reliable and consistent data across all sources.
Full transparency of energy and water consumption. Enabling data-driven efficiency, compliance and long-term sustainability.
– Florian Jacob (Product Owner)
Technical hardware setup
To enable precise and scalable energy monitoring across Frigosorno’s production facilities, three PLCnext Controllers were deployed as the central processing units of the system. These controllers collected and processed real-time data from multiple energy meters installed at key consumption points.
Phoenix Contact energy meters were used to measure the consumption with high accuracy. In addition, existing third-party meters already in use at the facility were integrated into the system. Thanks to the open architecture and protocol flexibility of PLCnext Technology, these external devices could be seamlessly connected, ensuring consistent data acquisition across a mixed hardware environment.
This setup provided a reliable and expandable foundation for centralized monitoring, analysis and future integration of Smart Services.
Smart Services
Time Series Data Service
To optimize water usage while meeting regulatory requirements, Frigosorno uses the Time Series Data Service. This Smart Service transforms raw data collected by the hardware into clear, actionable insights via customizable dashboards.
View into the dashboards of the project
Water monitoring and reporting
Frigosorno currently uses the Time Series Data Service to monitor water consumption across its facilities. The system provides detailed insights into water usage by sector, including volumes drawn and wastewater returned for treatment. This data is used for internal analysis and to meet regulatory reporting requirements.
Custom alerts for water usage thresholds
The Smart Service also includes an alerting function. Thresholds for parameters such as electricity and water usage can be configured individually. When these thresholds are exceeded, the system sends notifications to designated personnel. This allows for timely responses to anomalies, supports efficient resource management, and helps prevent unnecessary costs.
Expansion of monitoring to electricity and compressed air
Looking ahead, Frigosorno plans to expand its monitoring capabilities to include electricity and compressed air. These resources are critical to production efficiency and cost control. By integrating additional measurement points and extending the existing Smart Services infrastructure, the company aims to achieve the same level of transparency and responsiveness for these utilities as it has for water. The goal is to create a unified system for resource monitoring that supports both operational optimization and compliance.
Further information
Hi, my name is Florian Jacob and I am glad to help you out!
Please do not hesitate to contact me. Also, if you have any suggestions or comments, just send us a message to inbox[at]phoenixcontact-sb.io and we will answer as soon as possible.