Automation & Control


instrumentation package totalling 45 devices. Integration of Profibus components, commissioning and optimisation of control algorithms, and training and instruction were also included in the contract. In terms of integration, 33 devices operating in explosion


hazardous areas are connected to six FISCO FOUNDATION fieldbus channels. The ControlCare Field Controller acts as a linking device, interface to the visualisation and is responsible for control and safety tasks. Additional devices are to be found in safe areas. The digital signals for motor control are routed through two SFD 101 Remote I/O units that are also connected to the H1 bus. Meanwhile, on the banks of the Vistula river in Warsaw,


Poland’s largest waste water treatment plant – Czajka - will be commissioned in mid-2012 to treat the waste water collected from roughly 2.1 million inhabitants living in the greater metropolitan area of the city. Siemens’ Industry Automation Division will be providing


a comprehensive automation solution for this major project, based on the Simatic PCS 7 process control system. More than 60 automation systems, more than 200 Sitrans flow meters, about 100 Multiranger level transmitters, Pointek level switches, and a large number of Ultramat gas analysers will make Czajka an environmentally friendly plant (Fig. 1). With a population of around 1.7 million, Warsaw is the


most important conurbation in central and eastern Europe and a major transport and trading hub. The city’s river serves as an important potable water resource, but also collects waste water from the area. Downstream towards the Bay of Gdansk, the Vistula was


heavily polluted because existing waste water treatment plants could cope with only 70 per cent of all the waste water. The new plant has been designed for a daily treatment capacity of 435,300m3, representing a major part of the waste water collected from Warsaw and neighbouring districts. Alongside the complete process automation, including project planning, installation, and system tests, Siemens will also be supplying the lion’s share of low-voltage power supplies and energy- saving drive technology. Meanwhile EGE has launched two new controllers aimed


at different aspects of process control. Its new KGFT-CER series of level controllers ensure that fill levels are reliably monitored even in environments with high pressures and high


temperatures. They can withstand pressures of up to 30 bar at 140°C, and up to 15 bar at 200°C. Manufactured from 1.4571 stainless steel and a special ceramic, the IP 68 sensors are steam proof and can therefore undergo sterilisation processes, which are required in medical technology and many pharmaceutical and food applications. The second new addition is the SDNC 5 inline flow


controller which provides new optimisation possibilities for process technology engineers. Measuring 37x40x67 mm, the flow controller is very compact and serves as a space- saving alternative to conventional devices. EGE delivers the sensors with pre-programmed operating parameters, thereby minimising installation efforts. The analogue SDNC 5 version comes with an adjusted measuring range, while the switching version with a PNP transistor output is programmed with the limit value that needs to be monitored.


Three awards Finally, Brooks Instrument, a leading provider of advanced flow, pressure, vacuum and level solutions, has won an unprecedented three awards from a specialist instrumentation publication. Brooks won in the categories of vacuum technology, gas flow measurement and control and software. The company’s XacTorr vacuum capacitance manometer


received top honours in the vacuum technology category. The XacTorr is a premium, heated gauge that uses patented dual-zone heating to ensure 0.1°C temperature uniformity. It provides superior reliability by combining Brooks’ patented Mark-IV shielded sensor technology and patent pending digital temperature control, which reduce the buildup of condensable products that lead to signal drift and premature device failure. Another winner, the SolidSense II pressure transmitter,


has been designed for stable, accurate and reliable pressure monitoring in high purity and general industrial applications. . In the category of software, Brooks won for its Smart


Interface Model 0260. This Windows-based software application provides expanded control and monitoring capabilities in laboratory and research environments for Brooks RS485 Smart Protocol thermal mass flow meters and controllers. Together with the Brooks Smart Interface (BSI) tabletop hardware module, the 0260 provides a turnkey solution for monitoring and controlling up to 30 mass flow meters or controllers. ■


Temperature control in extreme environments I


ncorporating a calibrated RTD sensor, microcontroller, and solid-state switch in a rugged and weatherproof housing, SoliStat 2-10 is a one-piece, ready-to-use temperature control solution from Engenity. It is ideal for situations in which operating temperatures range from –40°C to +125°C, where direct currents up to 20A or greater are being switched, and where a low-power standby/shutdown mode is required. Because of its solid-state construction, SoliStat exhibits none of the arcing associated


with the opening and closing of mechanical switches, a characteristic that is particularly pronounced in DC applications. Switch arcing, the leading cause of intermittent operation and eventual failure in mechanical switches, is eliminated in SoliStat. As a result, SoliStat exhibits longer mean time to failure than its thermo-mechanical counterparts. The combination of RTD temperature sensing, solidstate switching, and weather- resistant construction ensures reliable and repeatable operation over the course of SoliStat’s


lifetime. SoliStat is also highly resistant to damage from mechanical vibration and shock as well as variations in ambient temperature and humidity. For DC applications in harsh environments or widely variable environmental conditions there is no better performing temperature control element available. In terms of applications, Solistat finds uses in water line and filter freeze prevention, equipment cabinet warming and cooling, and instrumentation monitoring and temperature regulation. ■


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