Safety instrumented systems help modernize refinery

Triconex triple-modular redundant (TMR) technology from Invensys Process Systems is helping to modernize the burner management systems in the power plant at a Colombian refinery. Ecopetrol S.A.'s Cartagena refinery, located in the Mamonal industrial area on Colombia's north coast, has a capacity of 80,000 barrels per day and produces gasoline, middle distillates, propane, and fuel oil.

By Control Engineering Staff May 18, 2006

Triconex triple-modular redundant (TMR) technology from Invensys Process Systems is helping to modernize the burner management systems in the power plant at a Colombian refinery. Ecopetrol S.A. ‘s Cartagena refinery, located in the Mamonal industrial area on Colombia’s north coast, has a capacity of 80,000 barrels per day and produces gasoline, middle distillates, propane, and fuel oil.

As part of the modernization effort, Invensys will implement four Tricon TMR high-availability systems for burner management system (BMS) applications at the plant’s steam generators (boilers). The systems will protect new burners being installed as part of the modernization. The equipment is expected to increase control reliability and availability, increase boiler safety, and help bring the refinery into compliance with Safety Integrity Level and Safety Instrumented Systems provisions of international standards.

Invensys Systems L.A. Colombia will install the new systems and provide a range of professional services, including engineering, configuration, and start-up. TMR technology features three isolated, parallel control systems and extensive diagnostics integrated into one system. The architecture eliminates a single failure point and enables on-line maintenance and programming downloads, self-calibration, and fault localization.

—Jeanine Katzel, senior editor, Control Engineering, jkatzel@reedbusiness.com