How much power can a tile plant save in its slip agitation section?
BEE's Morbi report gives three options on a section using 350,989 kWh a year. A timer that runs agitators 40 minutes an hour saves 105,297 kWh for Rs 0.22 lakh. VFDs save 52,648 kWh for Rs 3.99 lakh, payback 1.87 years. Efficient motors save 14,529 kWh, payback 3.4 years.
Why agitators waste power
Agitators keep ground slip uniform in the underground tanks until it goes to the spray dryer, and they run 24 hours a day. Motor load is 65 to 72% just after fresh slip arrives from the ball mill, then drops once the mix is even. BEE measured seven 5.5 kW agitator motors at 21 to 55% load, and the lightly loaded ones ran at 35 to 53% efficiency.
The three options side by side
- On and off timer: 10 minutes on, 5 off, so each motor runs about 40 minutes an hour. About 30% saved, 105,297 kWh, Rs 4.26 lakh a year. Cost Rs 0.22 lakh, payback about 19 days.
- VFD on each agitator: slows the motor once the slip is uniform. About 15% saved, 52,648 kWh, Rs 2.13 lakh a year. Cost Rs 3.99 lakh, payback 1.87 years.
- Energy efficient motors: 4 to 8 points better efficiency at part load. 14,529 kWh, Rs 0.59 lakh a year. Cost Rs 2.01 lakh, payback 3.4 years.
- The report presents them as alternatives, not as savings you can add together.
Check this before you choose
- The 350,989 kWh baseline is about 44 kW round the clock for 330 days. The seven motors BEE measured drew about 18 kW in total. Meter your own agitator section for a week before you trust any of the three savings.
- Ask your slip supervisor whether the solids settle in a 5 minute stop for your body mix. Trial the timer on one tank first.
- Agitators can be fitted one tank at a time, so there is no shutdown.
One tile plant, one year (estimate)
- Timer: 350,989 x 30% = 105,297 kWh x 0.675 = 71.1 t CO2
- VFD: 350,989 x 15% = 52,648 kWh x 0.675 = 35.5 t CO2
- Efficient motors: 14,529 kWh x 0.675 = 9.8 t CO2
- The report's 84, 42 and 11 t use an older grid factor of about 0.8
CO2 at CEA's FY 2025-26 grid factor of 0.675 kg per kWh. Money at the report's Rs 4.05 a kWh.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads each month's electricity bill into kWh and CO2 records, so a drop after the agitator change shows on the bill it came from. A sub-meter on the agitator feeder makes the saving clear on its own.
Sources: BEE, Detailed project report: energy conservation in agitation section, Morbi ceramic cluster (SAMEEEKSHA), CEA CO2 Baseline Database, version 22.0
Last reviewed 2026-11-01. Report figures are from a BEE SME programme project report; costs and paybacks are at the report year's prices. Check today's power tariff and a current quote.