Scada system watches over motorway safety

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 21, 2006

CitectScada is being used by Silchester Controls as part of a control and monitoring system for a revolutionary inter-seasonal heat transfer system.

CitectScada is being used by Silchester Controls as part of a control and monitoring system for a revolutionary inter-seasonal heat transfer system (IHT) designed and developed by Icax, a London-based sustainable energy company.

The IHT system is currently undergoing evaluation trials by the Highways Agency on a service road at Toddington adjacent to the M1 motorway to determine its effectiveness in preventing ice and snow formation on roads.

In addition, a secondary benefit may be that the longevity of the road surface is improved by reducing the temperature extremes of the road surface (which may exaggerate wear and tear).

The project is managed for Highways Agency by the Transport Research Laboratory.

"The pilot IHT project is a real showcase for the technology", said Cevn Vibert of Silchester Controls.

"To get the best from our control system, we had to ensure the highest levels of flexibility in terms of local and remote monitoring and reporting; and the highest levels of operating reliability".

"We've used CitectScada in many of our previous projects, and we know that the package can deliver all of these benefits".

If successful, the pilot IHT scheme could lead to the technology being adopted on many roads that are prone to freezing.

"IHT is an environmentally friendly British invention that will transform the way roads are used", said Icax Director, Mark Hewitt.

"There will be no need for gritting in winter, and roads will be cool in the summer and may require less maintenance as surfaces last longer".

IHT is flexible and versatile in its application, encompassing, buildings, runways, car parks, schools and playgrounds, as well as roads.

The patented system comprises an array of pipes located in the upper surface of the road.

The fluid in the arrays transfers heat from the road surface to another array in the ground at a lower depth.

The heat is stored in the ground (using the earth as a thermal mass store) and retrieved when it is required for keeping the road snow and ice free in winter.

The control and monitoring system for the IHT project at Toddington was designed and installed by Silchester Control Systems of Alton in Hampshire based on the controls philosophy provided by ICAX.

The company was chosen for its experience across a wide range of industrial sectors, and for their successful track record in working with some of the world's leading manufacturing and process companies.

Silchester designed and built the complex control system required for the most effective heat transfer solution.

Their system allows for 12 modes of control, all of which are monitored by CitectScada.

The Scada package stores data regarding temperatures and flows: it provides trending facilities; archives data; and provides reporting of the IHT system performance.

CitectScada also fulfils the project requirements for both local and remote monitoring of the IHT system.

Local monitoring is from a central site adjacent to Junction 12 on the M1.

Remote monitoring is from anywhere in the UK - or the world, courtesy of CitectScada's integrated web client.

Viewed simply using Internet Explorer, the web client provides secure, reliable and simple access directly to the first page of the Scada system.

It allows changes to graphics pages; offers full functionality, with support for all CitectScada features; supports user files and also Active-X controls; and provides data file compression to cater for slow links.