System controls

Steering and controlling

State of the art controls with visualization systems and, on inquiry, remote maintenance functions may be supplied for the following applications:

Power plants
Heating plants
Heating boilers
Drying systems
Ash and fuel transport systems

With our many years of experience in plant construction and process engineering, we are able to supply controls to suit all applications. These controls are always planned and manufactured to customer specifications to permit the greatest possible flexibility. Our controls are fail-safe and powerful systems.

The software

Software development is an important and never-ending process in control and optimization work. A leading intelligent plant-control software has been developed built on the fundamental knowledge gained from generating power with biomass and driven by our studies, research and customer support. Steering and control processes may be adapted to suit individual plants in line with the components employed and based on customer requirements.

The hardware

We employ the solutions that are best suited to the respective applications to enable the flexible and economic automation of plants and machines. The hardware we use is employed in automation systems throughout the world.

The control centre

Control centres and visualization systems constitute an important factor within plant control without which plants couldn't be operated. The visualization systems present plant processes graphically thus allowing them to be grasped more easily.

All important process values are recorded and output in the form of curves thus allowing the plant's operational progress to be continuously monitored. Which also means that making fine adjustments becomes considerably easier.

In automatic plant operations, the control systems are responsible for controlling such equipment as pumps, fans and motors. Each of these devices may also be operated manually without restriction.

Such important operational signals as alarms, warnings and information may be clearly presented and even archived.

Alarm systems

The plant control system will forward warnings or malfunctions to the plant operators when they occur. If a remote access system has also been installed, the problems at the plant may – depending on the signal – also be dealt with from another location.

Fans, motors and pumps with frequency converters

Energy savings:
Energy is saved when motors run at the speeds required at that specific moment in time. This applies specifically to pumps and fans. Which means low power consumption even at low speeds and high torques.
Process optimization:
The adaptation of speeds to process requirements delivers several benefits: e.g. efficient and optimum plant utilization. Speed is adapted to operating conditions in the best way possible.
Low-wear motor operation:
The number of stops and starts may be reduced. Which thus prevents unnecessarily severe wear on machine components.
Low maintenance effort:
Frequency converters do not require any maintenance

Process data acquisition

Data acquisition is absolutely essential to processing and adapting operational data. Such data is reproduced in the form of curves over a specific period or as tables for further processing by the operator in other applications.

Intelligent control

The circuits in our plant controls are self-learning and adapt automatically to requirements. The following lists a few controls used in the production of hot water:

Energy production power control
Residual oxygen control (O2) for automatically optimizing efficiencies
Control for constant low pressure in the burning chamber during all operating states
Performance correction controls for borderline cases
Fuel control
...

Many other intelligent and self-learning controls are used in other types of plants we provide – e.g. combined heat and power plants or drying systems.

Remote access / remote maintenance

Remote access means that it is possible to access the plant via the Internet using computers, laptops, mobile phones or other mobile devices. This allows you to keep an eye on everything and in the event of support being required, you can save the travel expenses for the service technician.

Energy meters

Meters for measuring heat quantities (kW / MW) – for hot- and warm-water production
Meters for measuring steam quantities (t/h) – for combined heat and power plants
Performance meters (kW / MW) – for furnaces

Composition

The control systems consist mainly of programmable logic controllers (PLC), process visualization systems and switch cabinets (along with frequency converters for fans, motors and pumps).

In the event of malfunctions, plants may be automatically made safe as necessitated by the problem at hand.