SYSTEM THINKING
Ramachandra L
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
B. V. Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and
Technology
Hubli
SYSTEM :

A system is any group of interacting, interrelated, or
interdependent parts that form a complex and
unified whole that has a specific purpose
System Thinking:
Systems Thinking is a way of seeing and talking about
reality that helps us better understand and work with
organization and communities to influx the quality of
our lives.
THE CONCEPT OF A SYSTEM
The several ways to think of and define a system include:.
A system is composed of parts.
All the parts of a system must be related (directly
or indirectly), else there are really two or more
distinct systems
A system is encapsulated, has a boundary.
The boundary of a system is a decision made
by an observer, or a group of observers.
A system can be nested inside another system.
A system can overlap with another system.
A system is bounded in time.
o A system is bounded in space, though the
parts are not necessarily co-located.
o A system receives input from, and sends output
into, the wider environment.

A system consists of processes that transform
inputs into outputs.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM
 Systems
have a purpose that defines it as a
discrete entity that holds it together

Purpose of an automobile……
Take you from one place to the other
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM
 All
parts must be present for a system to
carry out its purpose optimally

Automobile without its spark
plugs……
Car doesn’t work
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM

The order in which parts are
arranged affects the
performance of a system
Automobile with the driver in the
backseat and the tires in the front seat
SYSTEMS ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN STABILITY
THROUGH FEEDBACK
 Feedback
provides information to the
system that lets it know how it is doing
relative to some desired state
Steering car and Feedback
SCIENCE SYSTEMS THINKERS CONSIDER THAT:
 A system is a dynamic and complex whole,
interacting as a structured functional unit;
 Energy,
material and information flow among the
different elements that compose the system;
 A system is a community situated within
an environment;
 A system is a community situated within an
environment;
 Energy, material and information flow from
and to the surrounding environment via semipermeable membranes or boundaries;

Systems are often composed of entities seeking
equilibrium but can exhibit oscillating, chaotic,
or exponential behavior.
WHAT IS SYSTEM THINKING ?
Systems thinking is the process of understanding
how a group of interacting, interrelated,
interdependent components influence each other
within the whole.

Rather than viewing each problem as an
independent entity, it must be considered in
the context of its relationship to other parts of
the system. Systems thinking teaches
students how to solve problems,
communicate, use data, and design policies
for greater success.
Systems thinking is a very disciplined way of
understanding the dynamic relationships between
things so that you can make better choices and
avoid unintended consequences,”
SUGAR INDUSTRY:
Complete process flow diagram of all the processes in a sugar industry
ETHANOL PRODUCTION:

It is expected that 5% bio-ethanol will be blended with petrol sold in
all the States and UTs of the country.
The EBP Programme is presently being implemented in a total of 13
States with blending level of about 2% against a mandatory target of
5%.

A stable EBP programme would ensure sustainable benefits for the
sugarcane farmers across the nation. It will ensure an alternative
market for the farmers who frequently get adversely affected in case of
bumper crop of sugarcane and lack of its demand in the market. It
will also provide an incentive to small and medium farmers to
increase efforts towards sugarcane crop as better returns would be
ensured.

Procurement of ethanol at a price determined
by the market will ensure stability. EBP
programme not only provides opportunities to
sugarcane farmers, but it also ensures the use
of ethanol as bio-fuel in a big way which is
environment friendly. Besides, to the extent of
implementation, this reduces the dependence
on imported crude and leads the nation ahead
on fuel self sufficiency
COGENERATION:

Co-generation is the concept of producing two
forms of energy from one fuel. One of the forms of
energy must always be heat and the other may
be electricity or mechanical energy. In a
conventional power plant, fuel is burnt in a boiler
to generate high-pressure steam. This steam is
used to drive a turbine, which in turn drives an
alternator through a steam turbine to produce
electric power. The exhaust steam is generally
condensed to water which goes back to the boiler.
THE BENEFITS OF COGENERATION:

Increased efficiency of energy conversion and use.

Lower emissions to the environment, in particular of CO2, the
main greenhouse gas

In some cases, biomass fuels and some waste materials such
as refinery gases, process or agricultural waste (either
anaerobically digested or gasified), are used. These substances
which serve as fuels for cogeneration schemes, increases the
cost-effectiveness and reduces the need for waste disposal.




Large cost savings, providing additional competitiveness
for industrial and commercial users while offering
affordable heat for domestic users also
An opportunity to move towards more decentralized forms
of electricity generation, where plants are designed to meet
the needs of local consumers, providing high efficiency,
avoiding transmission losses and increasing flexibility in
system use. This will particularly be the case if natural gas
is the energy carrier
An opportunity to increase the diversity of generation
plant, and provide competition in generation. Cogeneration
provides one of the most important vehicles for promoting
liberalization in energy markets.
SYSTEM THINKING ENABLES US TO CONSIDER THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM AS A UNIT TO HANDLE THE ISSUES
OF SUGAR PRODUCTION ALONG WITH
Efficient management of quick deliver of
harvested sugarcane for crushing,
 Use of excess bagasse for power generation in a
cogeneration plant.
 The decision making regarding the capacity of
the cogeneration plant is dependent on the
availability of surplus bagasse.
 Refining of the brown sugar to white sugar based
on the customer demand and market
requirement.
 Efficient conversion of molasses to produce fuel
ethanol to blend with gasoline.
