Adroit Technologies’ scada software is being used to control and monitor a power station in a major project requiring exceptionally high levels of availability and security of power supply. The demanding application makes full use of the system’s hot standby capabilities and state-of-the-art technology, particularly its graphics and trending functions.
When the diesel-fuelled power station at RAF Fylingdales in Yorkshire, England, reached the end of its economic life, Turner Group secured a 25-year agreement to provide power for the site under a PFI (private finance initiative) contract. This required the group to invest in installing new gas engine equipment, refurbishing existing facilities and forming a company, TG Power, to operate the station.
Tilsley & Lovatt, part of Turner Group, designed and installed the new power regime, which provides electricity and hot water for the whole site. This design company has considerable power station expertise and its extensive technical knowledge made it a natural choice for this exacting project.
The project
The task was complex, with many technical and logistical issues to be resolved. Absolute continuity and security of supply power to the RAF during construction had to be guaranteed. Gas had to be brought to the site, with particular care being taken of the environmental impact on the surrounding nature reserve.
The SSPAR (solid state phased array radar) system at RAF Fylingdales presented a technical challenge, requiring a sophisticated system for engine speed control and power sharing to maintain radar performance regardless of load. As the only available power supply, security and reliability of the associated control system are paramount and redundancy has been incorporated throughout the system to meet these criteria. Potential EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) interference from the radar system also necessitated special design precautions.
Seven Waukesha gas engines were selected for primary power generation and four diesel engines were retained to provide dual-fuel station capability for use in emergencies, such as an interruption to the gas supply.
Tubex Automation was chosen as the system integrator for the project and its team was responsible for the overall systems design, computer and PLC hardware, PLC programming, and design and configuration of the scada system. The company also trained the TG Power system operators.
Andrew Hull, director of Tubex Automation comments: "The project was a typical example of how we take a concept and work within the technical constraints in a cost-effective manner. We designed the system for high reliability, with lots of redundant back-up, a dual network and dual Dell hot standby servers. It was also important that the front end was visually pleasing and intuitive besides being technically sound."
System architecture
All the instrumentation feeds data to centralised Allen-Bradley PLCs. Ancillary equipment, such as the boilerhouse and the radiator system, is connected via an Ethernet network with five Ethernet hubs. Common services control is via distributed I/O on an Allen-Bradley DeviceNet network.
The PLCs and data acquisition modules interface with Adroit scada software, which provides the interface for the stop/start functions of the engines and monitors engine performance. The scada system also controls and monitors auxiliary plant and the back-up diesel engines. Speed of communication and reliability are key factors. The control system and computers have their own UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
The system has a modem link to both Tilsley & Lovatt and to Tubex for remote diagnostics and interrogation of the software. Waukesha USA and Holland can also monitor the performance of the gas engines. For security reasons there are no external control facilities.
Conclusion
John Ballinger, managing director of Adroit Technologies concludes: "As a key component of the control system, Adroit's hot standby capability was instrumental in its selection for the project, as was its state-of-the-art technology in terms of graphics, trending and performance. Adroit is exception-based, which means that it is notified of changes in the PLCs rather than polling them, giving better performance. In a 25-year contract, changing the scada system after 10 years is not a cost-effective option.
"The Fylingdales project is prestigious for all the companies involved. The choice of Adroit scada for this project reaffirms its position as the product of choice for systems requiring true redundancy, reliability and performance."
For more information contact Charles Hudgson, Adroit Technologies, +27 (0)11 658 8100, [email protected], www.adroit.co.za
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