A leading pulp and paper company engaged MAVERICK to migrate recovery boiler control panels to a modern distributed control system and consolidate the operator HMI of three PLC platforms.
Objective
The customer’s recovery boiler controls technology was severely outdated, limiting their capabilities. They partnered with MAVERICK to complete the configuration, migration, and commissioning of their recovery boiler controls to an existing ABB 800xA modern distributed control system (DCS). They also needed MAVERICK to integrate three different PLC platforms into the DCS to create a single and seamless human-machine interface (HMI) for improved efficiency.
Results
MAVERICK Automation Services (AS) and Field Services (FS) personnel generated a front-end loading (FEL) plan to migrate the outdated panelboard controls and digital single loop controllers to an ABB 800xA DCS platform. They closed all remaining factory acceptance test (FAT) action items and provided consultation and configured the third-party interfaces with the DCS. The team is also scheduled to assist with startup and commissioning.
Solution
- Conducted a field walk-down and FEL to identify remaining scope and challenges of the migration.
- Retraced and verified all field wiring, updating instrument loop drawings, as necessary.
- Assisted in developing and correcting functional specifications used to configure the ABB 800xA platform. These documents described the functionality, alarms and interlocks for each instrument loop in the DCS.
- Integrated the HMI of three different PLCs into the DCS HMI using three different protocols (Modbus TCP, Modbus Serial and EtherNet/IP) so that operators had one consistent window from which to see the entire power boiler and recovery boiler processes.
- Used simulation software to provide medium fidelity process simulation in a virtual operator training environment.
- Closed all remaining action items from previous FATs and conducted final FAT on all closed action items.
- Used best practices to verify and update customer drawings, including process and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), instrument loop drawings, and instrument location drawings.
Add comment