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Product category: Plantwide control
News Release from: MatrikonOPC | Subject: MatrikonOPC
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 02 December 2005

Standards-based software brings upgrade
online

Standards-based OPC software proves the best technology to provide fast and reliable connectivity for an upgrade project at the John P Madgett Power Station.

Dairyland Power Co-operative is a Wisconsin-based generation and transmission co-operative (G and T) that provides wholesale electrical requirements and other services for 25 electric distribution co-operatives and 20 municipal utilities in the Upper Midwest of the USA The company's John P Madgett Power Station, built on the Mississippi river at a cost of $179 million and has been in commercial operation since November 1979

The large single unit station has a generating capacity of 400MW of electricity.

In the autumn of 2004, Dairyland began a modernisation project that would increase its capacity by 24MW and improve reliability by more than 6%.

Extensive maintenance and equipment upgrades, including the installation of a Diamond Power intelligent sootblowing system and the replacement of the plant control system, were performed as the plant underwent a major overhaul.

In order for the intelligent sootblowing system to perform optimally, it required approximately 100 inputs of field data from the plant's Emerson/Westinghouse Ovation DCS, updated every 5-10 seconds.

To ensure efficiencies in power generation, energy savings, and a reduction in equipment and maintenance costs, a reliable data link between the plant's DCS and the sootblowing computer was required.

Because both the sootblowing system and the DCS were OPC-compatible, Dairyland researched possible OPC solutions that would improve data reliability.

After evaluating software from MatrikonOPC, the company opted for the company's standards-based OPC solutions as the best technology to provide fast and reliable connectivity for the project.

OPC is a standards-based technology used to transfer data among devices and applications.

OPC products are inexpensive, easy to use, and provide off-the-shelf solutions based on open industrial connectivity standards.

Dairyland's Duane Hill explained how they deployed the software.

"Two MatrikonOPC products were used".

"First we used the free OPC Explorer Utility to help identify the control system's point structure, and to determine the actual point names".

"We then implemented MatrikonOPC Tunnelling technology to eliminate DCOM setup issues, and to ensure the highest level of reliable data exchange between the two systems".

"OPC Explorer was used again to verify data was being passed and to set up the points needed".

OPC Tunnelling technology provided a dependable solution connecting disparate systems together enabling true interoperability.

Hill added: "OPC reduced implementation costs and time".

"We were able to do the integration ourselves and with no problems".

"In a minimal amount of time I installed Tunneller on the Ovation DCS first and then on the client computer".

"Within 5 minutes I had data access at the client verified by OPC Explorer".

"Within a few more minutes, data was being transferred to the client".

"Implementation of OPC Tunneller was effortless".

The problem with traditional maintenance is that it is scheduled on a regular basis regardless of equipment usage and operating condition.

Thus, equipment that is rarely used receives the same amount of maintenance as frequently used equipment.

Consequently, some equipment is maintained too often, thereby increasing maintenance costs unnecessarily, and yet other equipment suffers undue wear-and-tear while waiting for its scheduled maintenance.

This results in expensive repair costs that could have been avoided, and more importantly, ignores required maintenance activities that should be performed immediately.

"MatrikonOPC products have performed flawlessly".

"We have had absolutely no problem with the interface system", said Duane Hill, Dairyland Power Co-operative.

Real time data from the Westinghouse Ovation DCS used by the new Diamond Power sootblower will enable the Madgett generating station operators to prioritise and optimise their maintenance resources.

"Instead of blowing on a schedule determined by the personal decision of an operator, the sootblowing response will be activated based on real time events or conditions within the boiler", resulting in the prevention of unscheduled downtime on account of tube wastage, fouling and plugged air heaters.

Because these factors can be measured, software applications can automatically monitor them and alert maintenance only when the equipment condition necessitates action.

Dairyland is considering a similar project at another plant in the next few years. Request a free brochure from MatrikonOPC ...

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