Avantha Power selects platform for plant-wide optimization
Indian electric utility deploys Rockwell Automation to integrate islands of automation.
Avantha Power, part of the Avantha Group, one of India’s leading global business conglomerates, has selected Rockwell Automation as its automation provider for the utility’s balance of plant (BOP) applications for the next three years. The investment allows Avantha Power to adopt a common control platform for its entire BOP system, improving plant-wide optimization as well as reducing lifecycle costs.
“Avantha Power is aiming to achieve an installed capacity close to 4,000 MW of power in the next five years, so uptime and reliability are key goals,” explained Randy Selesky, director, power and energy for Rockwell Automation. “By standardizing its BOP systems on a single, open control platform that is field-proven, its staff can enjoy the reduced maintenance time that comes with improved system flexibility.”
The Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system will monitor and control up to nine BOP applications, including coal handling, ash handling, mill reject, water treatment, and fire protection systems, at the company’s two coal-based thermal power projects, each consisting of two 600 MW units being set up at Raigarh, Chattisgarh, and Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
“The Integrated Architecture system can be easily replicated in both facilities, reducing our engineering time significantly,” said Janmejaya Mahapatra, head of instrumentation and control for Avantha Power. “We only need to train our operators on one control system for all of our BOP applications. In addition, the system can be managed from a single, central location using one standard EtherNet/IP network to ease dataflow throughout the facility for improved troubleshooting and reduced downtime.”
“Leveraging an integrated BOP solution rather than traditional non-integrated islands of automation is an innovative trend in the Indian power generation industry,” said Partha Bhaumik, power industry manager for Rockwell Automation India. “Avantha Power’s use of an integrated BOP control strategy helps them achieve faster plant start-up and operational flexibility.”
The two greenfield electric power plant projects will begin power production over an 18-month period, beginning in March, 2012. “The overall reduction in system complexity with a Rockwell Automation system helps make our aggressive timeline achievable,” said Mahapatra.
Rockwell Automation
Visit the Control Engineering Process Control Channel.
Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander(at)cfemedia.com
Integrator Guide
| Search the online Automation Integrator Guide |
|
|
|
|
Visit the System Integrators page to view past winners of Control Engineering's System Integrator of the Year Award and learn how to enter the competition. You will also find more information on system integrators and Control System Integrators Association.
Case Study Database
Get more exposure for your case study by uploading it to the Control Engineering case study database, where end-users can identify relevant solutions and explore what the experts are doing to effectively implement a variety of technology and productivity related projects.
These case studies provide examples of how knowledgeable solution providers have used technology, processes and people to create effective and successful implementations in real-world situations. Case studies can be completed by filling out a simple online form where you can outline the project title, abstract, and full story in 1500 words or less; upload photos, videos and a logo.
Click here to visit the Case Study Database and upload your case study.