PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS BOTH BOILERS AND SENSORS


A partnership between one of the UK’s oldest and best-known boiler manufacturers, Byworth Boilers, with SICK’s industrial instrumentation division, has helped fine-tune boiler house controls to save up to 7% on customer fuel bills. Steam remains one of the most


effective and efficient ways of transporting and delivering heat for modern industrial processes. At its heart is the industrial boiler, a process-critical workhorse that must always be completely reliable. In its 52 years, Byworth Boilers has


consistently demonstrated an insatiable appetite for innovation. The company will open a £2 million extension to its manufacturing headquarters in Keighley, West Yorkshire in 2020. Industrial boilers are


energy hungry. Measurement and control are the means to get every last drop of fuel efficiency, by keeping every element of pressure, level and temperature in perfect balance. The company’s relationship with SICK has grown from initial R&D trials of a simple pressure switch to the point where Byworth has standardised on SICK instruments for various processes across its boiler ranges. SICK’s PBS pressure transmitter, LFP guided wave radar level sensor, TBS temperature switch and Dosic ultrasonic flowmeter, are used for new systems as well as for replacement parts, and the FTS calorimetric flow switch has recently completed successful tests in the R&D centre. Jason Atkinson, head of technical


THE SMART RESPONSE


COVID-19 has revolutionised all our lives. George Walker, managing director of Novotek, explains the role digitisation can play in getting manufacturers back to pre-pandemic production levels, while also keeping their workers safe and complying with social distancing guidelines. A Deloitte global survey from


Standardisation of instrumentation


has been a continuing journey across the entire Byworth boiler range, explained Atkinson. This not only benefits customers, but also optimises the company’s own operational efficiency. “We use SICK’s PBS pressure


The Dosic ultrasonic flowmeter


sensors to control the hot well tank level, as well as to regulate steam pressure output from the boiler. The SICK PBS is a transmitter with two switch points. So, instead of having 3 or 4 different instruments, we could use one instrument on two different boiler designs. This also helped us move away from 230V and 110V


towards a standard 24V DC control architecture. Not only does this save energy, space and reduce wiring, but the SICK PBS pressure transmitters are all on M12 plug connectors, which makes it easier for our service engineers. They are just plug and play.” Perhaps the greatest technology


and product development, said: “From the customers’ point of view, it’s the Byworth Boiler that performs, not any one of the instruments or control systems on it. So, our suppliers need to be long-term partners. “We got solid reliability from SICK


from the beginning. They have adapted their technology, provided training and support for us and our customers, and they have grown to understand our process very well.”


step-change was when SICK introduced guided wave radar technology, which Atkinson recognised could be used for sensing water level in the boiler. Until the arrival of SICK’s LFP Inox sensor, Byworth had used either a capacitive sensor or a float system for continuous level measurement of water in the boiler. The capacitive sensor technology was sensitive to foam and the float system was sensitive to turbulence in the boiler. The SICK LFP Inox overcame both


of these challenges. The firmware adaptation for the LFP met the combined requirements of a sensor


insensitive to foam and turbulence with a display that is easily accessible to a boiler operator or service engineer. Byworth’s successful trials of the


SICK Dosic ultrasonic flow sensor confirmed its competitiveness and accuracy, so it has been introduced for feed tank metering on the smaller boiler range. Because feedwater has often undergone a reverse osmosis process, it can have a very low conductivity, so a magnetic flow meter could not be used. The Dosic has also proved useful for fuel oil metering. Meanwhile, trials have completed to use SICK’s calorimetric FTS thermal flow switch to monitor flow in the softener drains. Standardising and rationalising into


one central control was the concept behind Byworth’s Unity digital control system. Traditionally boilers have evolved with individual control systems for different parts of the boiler. “On the Unity systems we have done studies that demonstrate fuel savings of 7 per cent annually, over and above what is achieved just by installing new plant. That’s based around how we control everything from one unit in the boiler house, rather than in separate, individual processes - how we sequence boilers, how we modulate them, how we bring them online and so on,” said Atkinson. “Standardising on sensors helps us to control the data coming from different parts of the boiler house a lot more finely. Of course, we are looking for accuracy, reliability and repeatability of measurement, too. “Our relationship with SICK has


been a mutually beneficial partnership, where both companies have ended up with a better product.” www.sick.co.uk


June 2019 shows that although digital transformation is considered a top priority, only 14 per cent of executives in industry believe their factories are ready to make the changes needed. The events of the last few


months, however, could be the catalyst that convinces many to invest in digitisation. Technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics and Augmented Reality will help get productivity back on track and keep workers safe. With a sharp increase in the


number of people working from home, implementing a range of technology tools can enable industrial plant managers to remotely operate, monitor and control equipment efficiently, effectively and safely. The IIoT allows electronic


devices in factories to connect so plant managers and engineers can collect and analyse real-time data on machine performance. The new generation SCADA/DCS systems from Novotek allow plant managers to connect all devices in the plant, collect data and share it to measure the real time performance of the entire plant. Built-in cameras and sensors


enable the equipment to send data signals to the SCADA system, helping it pinpoint anomalies in system functions, alerting users that action needs to be taken. With fewer people on site,


Novotek UK recommends remote assistance technology with augmented reality like Vuforia Chalk. This can help staff to collaborate from anywhere in the world, maintaining high levels of productivity and reducing costs. www.novotek.com/uk/


“The original designer and manufacturer of coaxial valves with 60 years of experience”


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Ema : Emaill: john.osborn@coaxvalves.co.uk Web: www.co-ax.com


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6 JULY/AUGUST 2020 | PROCESS & CONTROL


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