Plant Automation Research Articles

Метод экспертного выбора цифровых компонентов систем промышленной автоматики на основе марков¬ской модели

Expert evaluation and reasonable selection of digital components in the microelectronic market is a complex and responsible task. For its solution, the known methods of carrying out expert estimations do not fit fully in connection with the laboriousness of the results processing. The development of an expert choice method for digital components that allows you to quickly obtain a generalized collective expert evaluation (CEE), evaluate the consistency of expert opinions and make informed decisions is a quite actually. The goal of the study is to develop a method for forming a voucher for the selection of digital components of industrial automation systems based on the Markov chain and its verification in the real practical situation. A method is proposed for CEE forming for complex components of automation systems based on the Markov model. When aggregating expert preferences, each alternative is represented as a state of the Markov chain. Next, for the vertices of a Markov graph, the Copeland number is calculated, equal to the difference between the number of arcs entering and leaving the vertex. In collective ranking, alternatives are arranged in descending Copeland numbers. The developed method has a high speed in comparison with the known analogs. The correctness of the proposed method, its efficiency and speed has been confirmed by real expertise and in the process of computer modeling. The executed researches showed that the developed method for the collective expert evaluation forming works 80-200 times faster than the method based on the median Kemeni. The practical significance of the proposed method has been demonstrated on the real expertise carried out at the enterprise «Krioprom» (Odessa, Ukraine) when purchasing a batch of programmable logic microcontrollers within the large-scale project framework for cleaning units automation of industrial air-separation plants.

Design, automation and remote management of a water purification plant

Design, automation and remote management of a water purification plant

Towards Industrial Cybersecurity Resilience of Multinational Corporations

Abstract The digital domain, or cyberspace, has developed into the fifth domain for military operations, along with air, sea, land and space. Malware presents a significant and growing threat, not just to industry but to digital environments in general. Although, no complete protection against cyber threats will ever be realistic, a resilience against a certain level of threat should be achieved to safeguard industrial corporations. The existing cyber resilience of multinational corporations is arguably typically inadequate and, in the context of digital supply chain integration, the potential consequences are larger. This situation could be significantly improved through the decision on senior management level for effective adoption of existing standards, processes and resources. Cyber resilience requires conscious planning and relentless action from both the security provider and the multinational corporation. Effective internal procedures along with appropriate architecture of plant automation infrastructure, including response and recovery planning, can have a substantial impact on the resilience of a plants Operational Technology (OT) as well as its ability to withstand or recover from a cyber incident. This paper provides a practical perspective of cybersecurity resilience and defence in a multinational industrial environment. Some example recommendations that are both practical and effective are included.

Application of formal verification and falsification to large-scale chemical plant automation systems

In this paper, we apply formal verification and falsification of temporal logic specifications to analyze chemical plant automation systems. We present new results, obtained by applying a recently-developed approach to handle combined invariance and reachability requirements. In addition, we develop a set of tests that can be generated automatically for a given control system, some of which have the same form as those in the existing literature, and some of which combine invariance and reachability, to which we apply the new approach mentioned previously. In both cases, we work with abstractions of the automation systems in order to apply symbolic model checking to industrial-scale problems. We demonstrate the results using a series of small illustrative examples, and also report results from an industrial case study. The methods that we apply are implemented in a pair of open-source software tools, which we describe briefly.

A configurable partial-order planning approach for field level operation strategies of PLC-based industry 4.0 automated manufacturing systems

The machine and plant automation domain is faced with an ever increasing demand for ensuring the adaptability of manufacturing facilities in context of Industry 4.0. Field level automation software plays a dominant role in strengthening the overall flexibility of manufacturing resources. Classical programming approaches based typically on signal-oriented languages result in disproportionate effort for ensuring necessary flexibility. To address this challenge, a novel approach based on artificial intelligence planning techniques is presented which is able to handle domain specific requirements while facilitating efficient, scalable problem solving. Throughout this article, a discussion of specific requirements on automated planning techniques for field level automation software in the machine and plant automation domain with respect to Industry 4.0 is provided. An intensive study on existing works and their drawbacks towards addressing these requirements is presented. The proposed configurable partial-order planning approach is based upon a combination of an adapted goal-based planning formulation and its reformulation by means of linear programming techniques. It is shown that the proposed approach is able to efficiently solve large planning problems by exhibiting positive scalability characteristics which indicates its applicability for real-size plants.

Cyclic Automation of a Plant for the Removal of CO2 from Biogas

An upgrading process to obtain biomethane from biogas is studied, consisting of carbon dioxide removal by an amine-based pelleted solid sorbent inside a fixed-bed tubular reactor. The amine catalyst undergoes a saturation effect, so that a regeneration stage is necessary. In order to ensure continuous biomethane production, the plant automation requires a set of reactors working in parallel. This way, while a reactor is in the adsorption stage, another one is in the regeneration stage. The duration of the stages is such that three reactors at least are needed. Overall, this leads to a cyclic control system. In this paper we develop a dynamic model of the batch process, based on mass, energy and momentum conservation equations and on algebraic constitutive relations. From the initial partial differential equation model, a lumped-parameter description is worked out, leading to a nonlinear system with 280 state variables. Such model is used to understand the adsorption/desorption process in detail and then design a cyclic control structure.

Multilevel MVU models with localized construction for monitoring processes with large scale data

Massive amounts of data, accumulated in real time and over decades, are spread over a wide variety of the modern automation in chemical plants. However, several standard process monitoring algorithms, such as kernel-based algorithms, do not easily scale to such orders of magnitude. Particularly in their running time and memory complexity increasing dramatically with the increase in the size of the data set. This paper proposes a scalable approximate kernel based on the multilevel maximum variance unfolding (MLMVU) technique that uses low rank kernel-based MVU approximations for reducing and distributing the computational load among parallel multilevel machines to achieve time efficiency. Theoretically, it is guaranteed that the performance of the proposed MLMVU can approximate that of the centralized MVU. The mathematical framework is presented for the development of MLMVU and various aspects of their computational complexity and approximation ability are discussed. The greater time efficiency and scalability in the computation are achievable. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is confirmed through a simple nonlinear system and the industrial Tennessee Eastman process.

Integrating Future Engineers’ Professional and Communicative Knowledge and Skills in the Process of LSP Teaching

Ponte Academic JournalDec 2017, Volume 73, Issue 12 Integrating Future Engineers’ Professional and Communicative Knowledge and Skills in the Process of LSP TeachingAuthor(s): Anna V. Tsepilova ,Anastasia L. BotovaJ. Ponte - Dec 2017 - Volume 73 - Issue 12 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2017.12.57 Abstract:The present article provides theoretical grounding of integration of future engineers’ professional and communicative knowledge and skills in educational process. It also aims at evaluating the effectiveness of teaching involving such integration. Key concepts in cognitive linguistics, discourse theory and competence-based approach have been considered with regard to engineering education. The target competence should be formed as a result of integrated development of an engineer’s professional and communicative skills and abilities. Modern educational standards have been used to identify skills and abilities comprising this competence for a student majoring in Electronics and Automation of Nuclear Power Plants. An experimental study has been conducted. Its results show that organizing the process of LSP teaching as integration of professional, linguistic and communicative constituents improves the students’ academic performance and prepares the learners for real professional communication. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Improving technical maintenance of systems of mini hydropower plants: Analysis of causes of malfunctions, faults, failures and system failures

The paper presents many years of experience related to the activities of technical maintenance of mechanical and electrical plants. It shows the analysis of the cause of many malfunctions, faults, failures and system failures that occur in mini hydropower plants. Systems of mini hydropower plants are discussed in terms of improving the technical maintenance by functional units: turbine regulator with turbine, mechanical assemblies (multiplier and flywheel), flexible couplings that connect plant assemblies, electrical circuits, lubrication systems, automation and high-voltage installations. Below is a brief overview of the application possibilities of technical diagnostics i.e. of a monitoring system in mini hydropower plants.

Практическая апробация языка IndustrialC на примере автоматизации установки термовакуумного напыления

Практическая апробация языка IndustrialC на примере автоматизации установки термовакуумного напыления

Design and Implementation of a Cloud-Based LED Lighting Control System for Protected Horticulture

<abstract> <b><i>Abstract. </i></b> Effective extension plant lighting or supplementing of certain spectral wavelengths of light can enhance the growth quality of plants. This article proposes an effective cloud-based light-emitting diode (LED) management system that employs an intelligent LED lighting technique and a plant physiology database to automatically adjust the required light conditions suitable for plant growth, including the light formula, light quality, and light/dark photoperiod. The proposed system can efficiently reduce labor costs and increase the production and quality of plants. Meanwhile, it saves electric energy consumption using a programmable lighting control technique. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed system in a plant factory. Tissue analyses are also performed to assess the growth response of plants under different lighting modes. The proposed cloud-based lighting management system can be applied to greenhouses to achieve standardized plant production and automation in the future.

Automation and control of water treatment plant for defluoridation

Automation and control of water treatment plant for defluoridation

Efficiency of a cleaning protocol for the removal of enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strains in dairy plants

Staphylococci are considered a major concern in dairy plants mainly due to the intensive production flow, automation of processing plants and increased demand in the microbiological quality of dairy products. This study aimed to identify S. aureus strains isolated from three Brazilian dairy plants, evaluate the influence of time, temperature and contact surface on the bacterial adhesion process, as well as the efficiency of simulated hygiene and sanitation protocol in removing adhered cells. For genotypic analyses, the presence of icaA and icaD in strains was evaluated. Adherence assays were performed in biofilm reactor, comparing the influence of 2 temperatures (5°C and 35°C), 2 surfaces (stainless steel and polypropylene) and 4 contact times (3, 6, 12h and post-sanitization). To evaluate the process effectiveness in removing adhered cells, neutral detergent and sanitizing agent based on sodium hypochlorite were used in order to simulate the situation observed in one of the dairy plants analyzed. The presence of icaA and icaD genes was determined in 75.3% and 77.6% of strains, respectively; 70.6% of isolates showed both genes, whereas 17.6% showed no genes. Genes for enterotoxin production were found in all samples, relating to SEG and SEH toxins. The number of cells adhered on both surfaces was about 3 and 6 log10 CFU/cm2 at temperatures of 5°C and 35°C, respectively, for most situations evaluated, with significant increase over the evaluation period. In general, the temperature of 35°C favored greater adherence of S. aureus. At 5°C, there was a considerable number of adhered cells, but in populations significantly lower than those observed at 35°C. The cleaning and sanitizing protocol was ineffective in removing adhered cells; better performance of sodium hypochlorite was observed at 5°C, which should be related to lower adherence observed at this temperature. Thus, the process was not able to reduce the number of S. aureus bacteria adhered on both surfaces to safe levels under the conditions evaluated.

Can we use IEC 61850 for safety related functions?

Safety is an essential issue for processes that present high risk for human beings and environment. An acceptable level of risk is obtained both with actions on the process itself (risk reduction) and with the use of special safety systems that switch the process into safe mode when a fault or an abnormal operation mode happens. These safety systems are today based on digital devices that communicate through digital networks. The IEC 61508 series specifies the safety requirements of all the devices that are involved in a safety function, including the communication network. Also electrical generation and distribution systems are processes that may have a significant level of risk, so the criteria stated by the IEC 61508 applies. Starting from this consideration, the paper analyzes the safety requirement for the communication network and compare them with the services of the communication protocol IEC 61850 that represents the most used protocol for automation of electrical plants. The goal of this job is to demonstrate that, from the technical point of view, IEC 61850 can be used for implementing safety-related functions, even if a formal safety certification is still missing.

Managing the touristic pressure: performances prediction of an advanced biological system by means of regression trees

A regression tree model has been used to make predictions of six gross parameters (COD, CODsol, N–NH4+, TN, Ptot and TSS) of an innovative SBBGR reactor. R2 values ranging from 0.94 to 0.97 were found for ammonia and total phosphorus, respectively. This application showed its usefulness as a decision support system for wastewater treatment plants in tourist areas which typically operate under high stress conditions due to the sharp fluctuations of wastewater flow and composition. A forecast of the bioreactor’s performance would help the plant manager to put in place the required practices and procedures. The regression tree model could be part of the automation and control system of the SBBGR plant, allowing the change of operating conditions to be carried out automatically and in an effective way to face the touristic stress issue.

A Smart Maintenance tool for a safe Electric Arc Furnace

Abstract: The production process in steel making involves plenty of variables to know the actual status in plant operations and the deviations from optimal and safe operating conditions. The deviations depend on diverse uncertainties due to the material variability and, more in general, the complexity of modeling the physical and chemical transformations occurring in the production assets. The transformations are partially observable by means of measurable parameters. The “man in the loop” is then essential to cope with the tasks of monitoring, controlling and diagnosing the asset health status. Today, these tasks can be aided by the plant automation as a lever to support supervision and decision by the operators. The project reported by this paper was developed in this context, leading to enhance the decision-making capabilities. In particular, a condition monitoring tool was deployed by seeking the opportunities provided by plant automation enhanced according to Industry 4.0 paradigm. The tool is now running on an Electric Arc Furnace of the steel making plant of Tenaris Dalmine, in Italy. The project used the experience and knowledge gained by Tenaris Dalmine process and maintenance operators as foundation for initiating the conceptualization of a novel and approach. Thus, the tool – resulting from engineering and implementation of the concept – is integrating plant automation with intelligent data analytics, as a result of close collaboration between Tenaris Dalmine and the Manufacturing group of the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering of Politecnico di Milano. The tool enables to detect incipient failures through monitoring of the furnace panels and of the hearth/bottom of the furnace; thus, it allows to enhance the operations by avoiding downtimes that may lead to risky consequences on people safety. The tool has to be considered an example of smart maintenance and its implementation reflects a path towards building cyber-physical systems in production.

English

Automation is the use of control systems, intelligent electronic devices, instruments and new communication technologies to enhance the quality of work, better monitoring and controlling of the system to reduce the human interface with system. Automation plays an increasingly important role in the world economy. Automation has had a notable impact on power sector beyond manufacturing industries also. Now a day’s Power plant control systems have evolved from SCADA-centered platforms to communicate with industry standard hardware and software, and then to integrate power plant automation systems with almost unlimited connectivity. The system will embrace the latest information and communication technologies (ICT), and multiple communication channels (some traditional and some personal, such as instant messaging). Interoperation of various control system in power house and substation automation system from SCADA was a challenge in past decades, but with the development of IEC 60870 - 5 - 103/104 and IEC 61850 interoperation of various automation systems is possible. IEC 60870 standard is used for telecontrol in electrical power system such systems are used for controlling electrical transmission grids, power house control system like turbine controller, Protection system, Excitation System and other geographically widespread control system. This paper describes a SCADA System for hydro power plant automation in compliance with the various IEC standard and interfacing protocols to ensure interoperability among the various devices.

Cost Effective Monitoring and Automation of Concrete Plant Using PLC

A PLC is a digital computer used to automate electromechanical processes. This research is based on automation and real time monitoring of concrete plant by using Siemens PLC. Automatic plants can work continuously and can decrease the gap between demand and supply. For such plants there is no need of labor so there is no human error. Without human error the quality of product is better and the cost of production would definitely decrease. The main motivation factor of this research is cost effective automation and real time monitoring of plant.

Desenvolvimento de um jogo sério para ensino sobre a elaboração, operação e manutenção de plantas industriais.

&lt;p&gt;A necessidade de desenvolvimento de ferramentas que auxiliem o educador no processo pedagógico e incentivem o aluno a manter-se atraído pelo assunto em pauta é de grande importância. Com base neste tema, este trabalho tem o propósito de desenvolver um jogo sério do tipo simulador, capaz de ser utilizado&lt;br /&gt;por estudantes do ensino médio e superior, incentivando o aprendizado de tópicos de física e automação industrial, através da elaboração e experimentação de plantas industriais. Desta forma, proporcionando aos alunos um ambiente interativo para o estudo de fenômenos envolvidos em processos industriais que necessitem de demonstrações e ensaios práticos.&lt;/p&gt;

GUI based Wireless Communication for Plant Automation

field instruments of the process plant are communicated with the remote control room where the supervisor is alarmed to monitor the process parameters regulating at some desired value. The onsite monitoring is limited to only specific supervisors. This paper aims to interface the plant parameters to web server for constant monitoring the state of the process plant at various locations by multiple supervisors. This paper considered the temperature parameter (PV) to regulate at some desired value. The measured signal is logged by the arduino board and then the signal is transferred to the AT mega 328 microcontroller. PID algorithm is applied to regulate the parameters. AT mega 328 is used as a controller and to output the data serially to IEEE 802.4.15 wireless communication device. The data received at the personal computer for analysis and monitoring the state of the plant parameters using Graphic user interface (GUI) approach. GUI is implemented with the support of python, internet of things application. The developed model produced more reliable results to consider for implementation in process plants. Keywordstemperature, Arduino board, AT mega 328 microcontroller, Graphic user interface.