Plant Management
The application required a full range of Hirschmann WLAN products including outdoor access points and modular MICE switches, together with accessories, antennas, switches, media converters and surge arrestors. For enhanced security, the EAGLE firewall was used at the demarcation point to the customer’s process-LAN. To build the backbone, Belden’s PROFInet copper and fibreoptic cables were used, as well as Lumberg Automation Ethernet M12 connectors for all Ethernet devices. At locations where wired LAN access was difficult, wireless point to point links were installed. Significant benefits associated with the project include
improved overall efficiency resulting from both the faster commissioning time for the petrochemical process control system and improved maintenance efficiency, as well as an overall system cost reduction - due to fewer indicator units being needed.
Harnessing smart solutions
Invensys Operations Management has launched SmartGlance, a new software as a service (SaaS) partner offering that delivers industrial and manufacturing intelligence data, archived in plant automation systems and data stores, to smartphones. The SmartGlance solution will be offered as part of an endorsed partner agreement the company has signed with Sarla Analytics, an innovative supplier of smartphone applications focused on business intelligence. “Web-based reporting tools simply can’t match the speed, functionality or readability of Sarla’s SmartGlance reports,” said Rob McGreevy, vice president, platform and applications, Invensys Operations Management. “The great thing about SmartGlance is that it is a native phone app, not a web client, so you can use advanced touchscreen features on your smartphone to quickly access and scroll through the reports. Everyone has a smartphone these days. They are rapidly becoming an important, everyday tool that can be used to achieve productivity excellence. With SmartGlance, managers, engineers and operators can use them to view the most current process and equipment performance data as well.” The new SaaS offering will be hosted at a secure SmartGlance data centre that minimises the need for customers to have local IT support and maintenance. Invensys
Operations Management will supply data connectors that enable data stored in its Wonderware Historian and other products to be included in SmartGlance reports and analytics. The native SmartGlance phone application takes
full advantage of the many powerful display features of touchscreen-based smartphones (Fig.2). Interactive tabular reports, along with trends, bar charts and pie charts, can be manipulated easily, allowing extensive data drill down capabilities. Users can even issue or share reports with co-workers via e-mail, enhancing real-time collaboration and effectively adding enterprise control capability to smartphones. Following the completion of a recent project, Emerson
Process Management’s Smart Wireless technology has saved Atlas Pipeline-Westex an estimated US$725,000 in installation costs and has improved production efficiency at Atlas’ Benedum natural gas processing facility near Midkiff, Texas. The self-organising IEC62591 (WirelessHART) network
connects a new plant with an older unit in the same facility. Pulling data from the old plant into the new plant’s control room using conventional wiring was not financially feasible because of the distance and obstacles between the two plants. The wireless network includes 99 of Emerson’s Rosemount
wireless temperature, pressure, level, and discrete-input transmitters that communicate with three Smart Wireless Gateways to collect real-time data from gas processing and storage tanks, cooling towers, and compressors. The majority of the wireless devices replaced local indicators in the old plant, while others measure pressure along pipes between the two plants and tank level in the new plant.
Digital automation systems
Data from the wireless network is integrated into the plant’s DeltaV digital automation system, which monitors and controls critical plant processes. Atlas operators also use AMS Suite: Intelligent Device Manager predictive maintenance software to actively manage key field devices in both plants, including Fisher valves. Predictive diagnostics provided through AMS Suite have enabled Atlas to eliminate operator rounds to the old plant, saving multiple trips per day. In another recent wireless project, Codelco, the world’s
Offshore technology centre for China A
BS, the provider of classification services to the global offshore industry, has announced the
establishment of the ABS China Offshore Technology Center (COTC) in partnership with Shanghai’s Jiaotong University (SJTU). The focus of the centre will be on new
technology research for offshore facilities. While the research efforts will support development activities in the Greater China region, applied research will also be conducted on a wide range of oil and gas development issues. Heading up the COTC will be George
22
www.engineerlive.com
Wang, ABS Manager, Advanced Analysis Department, Shanghai. Wang and his team will be located within the ABS Shanghai office and plans are already underway for expansion of the COTC. ABS Chief Technology Officer Todd
Grove said: “The complexity and demands of offshore exploration and production mean we must continue to be proactive in assisting industry develop economical, safe and environmentally sensitive ways to address field development challenges “Research centres like this are an
effective way to partner with academia and
industry on a regional basis to conduct leading edge research which becomes the foundation for technical guidance and Rules.” The COTC will be ABS’ fourth offshore
focused research centre strategically positioned around the world to support clients’ activities. ABS has established these research
centers as an extension of the society’s Corporate Technology Research & Development Group. l
For more information, visit
www.eagle.org
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