Process Control Solutions

 

DCS Lifecycle Planning

 

The microprocessor-based digital control system (DCS) has come to dominate the controls sector of the electric power industry since the early 1990's. DCS lifecycle planning involves evaluation of system capacity limitations, budgetary constraints, unit age, availability of spare parts and technical support, and plans for future expansion to determine if, when, and how to upgrade the DCS.

 DCS Lifecycle Planning

Plant Optimization

Poorly integrated plants have problems such as high operator workload during startup, a high number of CT trips, and difficulty ramping load. DCS logic modifications can provide solutions to some of these problems offering significant improvement at minimal cost. An evaluation of the plant operating history, control logic, and O&M requirements will reveal potential improvements in the
DCS control logic.


• Reliability & Operability Assessments
• WDPF DPU Memory Optimization
• Controls Optimization & Tuning
• Logic Additions & Improvements
• Serial Interface Additions
• Alarm Management

Ovation Retrofit
Projects

PCS specializes in control system engineering, project management and commissioning support for Ovation control system retrofits providing the following:

• AS-BUILT logic drawings
• termination lists
• factory acceptance testing
• commissioning support

AS-Built
Logic Drawing

Clean,easy-to-read AS-BUILT logic
drawings and termination lists improve
plant O & M, help identify plant optimization opportunities, and provide the foundation for a control system retrofit. PCS reviews WDPF, TXP, INFI-90, Delta-V, Allen-Bradley, Mark-IV, or Mark-V control logic and supplies AS-Built logic drawings and termination lists.

DCS Training and
System Administration

Onsite DCS training allows a large number of plant personnel to be trained on a flexible schedule using their own equipment, control logic, and operating procedures. Training material, tests, and hands-on exercises can be organized around specific performance objectives customized to fit the specific needs of the trainees.

Computer-based, self-paced training is a useful complement to onsite training and “cookbook” procedures are a valuable resource especially for I&C technicians responsible for multiple DCS platforms, PLCs, CEMS computers, and plant instrumentation.

System admin support includes hardware cleaning and inspection, system back-ups, unix system housekeeping, and processor capacity documentation. “Hot-Spare” hard-drives for the software server and MMIs can turn a worst-case scenario into routine maintenance.