Austin Utilities controls power plant with powerful, expandable
PlantWeb field-based architecture
 It
recently took only a few short weeks to transform the 30-megawatt
Austin Utilities power plant in Austin, Minnesota, from an
antiquated facility into a model of efficiency for small-to-medium-sized
power stations. A new process automation solution using PlantWeb
field-based architecture from Emerson Process Management incorporating
the latest intelligent field instrumentation and leading edge
process management technologies made the difference.
James French, project coordinator for the Southern Minnesota
Municipal Power Agency, which operates the plant, said, "The
scalable technology we selected meets current needs with minimum
costs, and it can be expanded economically in the future.
Reduced installation and commissioning costs were an added
bonus." As part of the PlantWeb solution, all old pneumatic
instrumentation and single-loop boiler controls in the plant
were replaced with approximately 200 new intelligent pressure
and temperature transmitters, FIELDVUE digital valve controllers,
and other advanced field devices from Rosemount and Fisher
Controls.
A DeltaV automation system with integrated Asset Management
Solutions software was installed in a totally revamped control
room. The new system accommodates digital signals to and from
74 FOUNDATION fieldbus-compliant instruments, as well as communications
with other instrumentation using the HART protocol. The PlantWeb
architecture and fieldbus technology contributed significant
savings during construction and helped get the plant on line
faster. Substantial savings were realized, for example, in
reduced labor for wiring.
 "Reduced
engineering time and material savings further enhanced the
total financial benefit of utilizing this technology,"
French stated. "Since a good deal of loop checkout and
instrument configuration was done directly from the control
room, startup was smoother and faster," French said.
"We're now seeing greater operating efficiency with fewer
control problems. Personnel no longer have to go out into
the plant to check on operating parameters; it's all right
there in front of them. The added information generated by
the smart field instrumentation produces an accurate, historic
record that wasn't possible previously." The entire project
was engineered and managed by Novaspect Inc., the local Emerson Process Management
representative.
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