Honeywell secures three sustainable production control projects
Honeywell's Experion system, controller platform, and automation integration capabilities are key to Valorly's renewable energy and Flambeau River Biofuels' green diesel projects, and the efficiency of Toyota's European paint operations.
David Greenfield -- Control Engineering, 10/28/2009
In three separate announcements from Honeywell, it was noted that:
- the company's Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS) would be used to help increase the amount of thermal and electrical energy Valorly generates from residential waste;
- Flambeau River Biofuels (FRB) has selected Honeywell to supply and integrate all automation equipment for its largest second-generation "green diesel" plant in the United States; and
- Toyota will implement Honeywell's HC900 Hybrid Controller platform and Profit Controller in up to three of its European assembly plants by the end of 2010 to reduce energy requirements and boost environmental performance at each site.
Valorly, a division of the French utility Suez Environnement says it will use the additional thermal and electrical energy generated from residential waste to help meet 2020 European Union (EU) commitments for heat and transport sector requirements. This EU initiative requires 20% of the EU's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. The project involves the migration of Valorly's existing process control system to Honeywell's Experion PKS and will be undertaken at Valorly's Rillieux-la-Pape production plant.
Experion will be used to control Valorly's incineration system, which transforms waste into both thermal and electrical energy. Incinerating 150,000 tons (2300 kcal/kg for calorific value) per year generates 36,000 MWh of electrical power--enough to supply 16,500 homes; and 94,000 MWh of thermal power--enough for the equivalent of 30,000 inhabitants. The Experion system will also be used to tie together critical subsystems, including process units and safety systems and deliver relevant information directly to operators for improved decision making in the control room.
Flambeau River Biofuels' new "green diesel" will be located in Park Falls, WI, and is expected to be operational by 2012. It will produce energy, transportation fuels, and chemicals from renewable biomass resources. Specifically, the plant will process 1,000 dry tons per day of woody biomass from bark, sawdust, and residue typically burned after forest harvesting.
Honeywell will design all automation and control components for the project, in addition to supplying integrated solutions ranging from wireless instrumentation to building controls. Overall, this project includes the use of Honeywell's distributed control, safety technology, terminal automation, process technology, process simulation, and optimization applications.
The plant is expected to produce 10 million gallons annually of wax typically produced from fossil fuels, and 8 million gallons of green diesel to be used as the blend stock in transportation and aviation fuels. The process also produces heat that will be used to generate steam and electricity for the co-located FRB paper mill, making the mill fossil fuel independent.
At Toyota Motor Europe, the HC900 Hybrid Controller will work in conjunction with Honeywell's Profit Controller to optimize the company's European plants' air supply units and deliver greater energy-efficient temperature and humidity control within the paint finishing spray booths. Feasibility studies are currently being conducted to assess the application of the HC900 Hybrid Controller platform in each plant.
The implementation follows a successful pilot project with Toyota in the UK, where energy use was reduced by 25% in the paint booths. This equated to a saving of 4% of the site's total energy consumption. Toyota Motor UK says it expects to achieve a full return on its investment in less than two years.
Access other Control Engineering content related to alternative energy:
- FabTech 2009 focuses on alternative energy potential for manufacturers
- Siemens and Winergy open 'green' wind turbine manufacturing facility
- Energy Audits: Starting Point for Sustainable Production
- Edited by David Greenfield, editorial director
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