Teesside, U.K.— Following 10 months of development, deployment, testing, and refining with several customers, Emerson Process Management's (Austin, Tex.) MDC Technology division has unveiled an Internet-based service, "e-fficiency," that delivers information about plant equipment performance directly to a web browser. Using model-based technology with data reconciliation and parameter estimation software, customers can supply data by posting to the e-fficiency FTP site or allow Emerson Process to extract data on a defined frequency. The service supports all major process plant equipment.

Traditionally such process equipment is provided with manufacturers' design characteristics, such as power consumption, throughput, pressure ratio, etc., as well as normal, minimum, and maximum operating points. This data may include a collection of curves to characterize the equipment over its operating range. E-fficiency uses this information to compare current versus design characteristics, and makes the results available in a secure web location. Users can access monitoring conditions of any item for closer examination. A summary screen provides an overview of operating data and calculations made against the fitted model.

For more information, Circle 351 or visit www.e-fficiecny.com/tour/tour1_master.asp or www.controleng.com/freeinfo.