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BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GLOBAL GENERATION INDUSTRY

Vol. 153 • No. 2 • February 2009www.powermag.com

Modern Distributed Computing

Buildingthe Electric Superhighway

Lasers Measure Boiler Slag

NERC StrengthensCompliance Programs

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Established 1882 • Vol. 153 • No. 2 February 2009

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Cover photo courtesy of Emerson Process Management

COVER STORY: PLANT COMPUTING

30 ISA POWID: Where Power Computing Professionals MeetLike just about everything else in our 21st-century world, power plants are becom-ing increasingly reliant upon digital and wireless technologies. This overview of theissues involved also updates you on POWER’ s newly enhanced partnership with theleading industry association for this critical component of power plant managementand operation.

32 Distributed Control Technology: From Progress to PossibilitiesToday’s distributed control systems (DCS) are less proprietary and more like personalcomputers than ever before. That means the latest DCS technology enables flexibil-ity and possibilities—like intelligent process optimization—that were unimaginable amere decade ago.

36 Optimize Your Plant Using the Latest Distributed Control System TechnologyThird-generation distributed control systems help power plants improve operational

efficiency and overall equipment effectiveness. They do so with tools that range fromobject-oriented design technology, to process and asset optimization, to more realis-tic simulation that enhances training opportunities.

40 Power Plant Automation: Where We Are and Where We’re HeadedHardware has gotten smaller while computing power has expanded exponentially.One result: Plant automation platforms now enable operators to have real-time ac-cess to experts far beyond their plant. In the future, control systems will no longercontrol the process—they will supervise it!

44 Enhancing Plant Asset Management with Wireless RetrofitsPlant asset management (PAM) is about optimizing the performance, availability, andreliability of specific plant assets. Wireless technologies can help your plant enhancePAM by making the most of digital data that is otherwise being wasted, while emerg-ing standards are making wireless adoption easier than ever before.

48 Wireless Technology Unlocks PossibilitiesWireless technology’s advantages include easier gathering of field data, increased as-

set life through continuous monitoring, and improved personnel safety. That all addsup to increased plant availability and lower costs. Here’s what you should keep inmind when shopping for a wireless network and supplier.

40




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www.powermag.com POWER |February 20094

54

10

FEATURES

COAL COMBUSTION

54 New Laser Technology Helps Reduce Coal-Slagging HeadachesA newly developed optical technology promises to allow power plant operatorsto make rapid adjustments to prevent boiler slagging and fouling problems—andthereby optimize the use of lower-quality coal. A successful pilot project demon-

strated the technology’s ability to measure coal ash composition and predict coalslagging potential.

TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

58 HTS Cables Speed Up the Electric Superhighway“There is likely at least one project or problem at most utilities where an HTS cablecould be considered a viable, if not preferred, solution,” says Jack McCall, Ameri-can Superconductor. Learn how high-temperature superconducting cables work,where they’re used now, and what they could do for you.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

61 NERC Drives Development of Sustainable Compliance ProgramsDoes the prospect of million-dollar-per-day, per-violation fines get your atten-tion? Good. Here’s how to avoid those fines. Organizations that commit to creat-ing a strong and sustainable compliance program to address the North AmericanElectric Reliability Corp. (NERC) reliability standards will not only be able to po-tentially reduce the cost of penalties, but they should also have far fewer viola-tions over time.

DEPARTMENTS

8 SPEAKING OF POWER

Engineers Week Is Feb. 15–21

10 GLOBAL MONITOR

10 TVA Containment Pond Bursts, Causing Massive Coal Ash Flood

12 Exelon Drops ESBWR for Victoria Plant, Weighs Options

13 China’s Nuke Power Boom

13 Eastern Europe Prepares for Nuclear Revival

14 New Technologies Could Improve Solar Cell Efficiencies

16 An Energy-Generating Door

18 Sri Lanka Commissions Major Thermal Power Plant

18 POWER Digest

20 FOCUS ON O&M

20 FERC Focuses on Internal Compliance Programs

22 Preventing Boiler Code Violations Creates a Safer Work Environment

24 Converting a Pump to Use Mechanical Seals

28 LEGAL & REGULATORY Oil—Unsafe at Any Price

64 NEW PRODUCTS

72 COMMENTARY

The Obama Administration’s Energy ChallengeBy Ronald Fisher, corporate transactional attorney with Blank Rome LLP





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SPEAKING OF POWER

Engineers Week

Is Feb. 15–21I just renewed my professional society membership dues forthe umpteenth year, and while writing the check, I pausedto consider if I was getting good value from them. I expect

to receive another “suitable for framing” certificate this year,as the number of my membership years ends with a zero, but Iwondered if there were other, more tangible benefits.

I should have walked away from the computer at that point,but one question often leads to another, and so it was today.It’s been some time since I sat in a classroom (although I still have this recurring dream about arriving unprepared for a final exam), so I browsed over to look at engineering enrollment and

graduation trends. They seem to have improved since my under-graduate days at San Diego State University, when my graduatingclass of mechanical engineers numbered an even dozen, givingme eternal bragging rights of having graduated in the top 10 of my class. Barely.

The National Science Foundation, which has charted scienceand engineering enrollments since 1972, reports that undergrad-uate engineering enrollments generally declined in the 1980sand 1990s, rebounding from 2000 through 2003, only to resumea slow decline since then. Engineering degrees awarded werejust under 39,000 in 1976. They peaked in 1985 with 77,572,then slowly declined to 59,258 in 2001, and slowly rose to justover 68,000 in 2006—accounting for 4.6% of all bachelor level

degrees awarded that year.The engineering profession continues to offer many excellentcareer opportunities, yet the academic challenges remain a for-midable barrier for many.

Engineering Interest in EngineeringOne of the leading organizations attempting to increase thenumber of engineers is the National Engineers Week Foundation(NEWF), a close coalition of more than 75 professional societiesin partnership with major corporations and government agencies.Their dedicated purpose is “ensuring a diverse and well-educatedfuture engineering workforce by increasing understanding of andinterest in engineering and technology careers among youngstudents and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and sci-ence.” For 2009, the cochairs are Intel and the National Societyof Professional Engineers.

NEWF reaches into K-12 schools to introduce the advantagesof a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) careerto “sustain and grow a dynamic engineering profession.” Thefoundation, focused putting the E in STEM, is diligently workingto remove “social, education, and economic barriers that deteryoung students from engineering and technology careers.”

NEWF has designated February 15–21 as Engineers Week tohighlight its many outreach activities, such as the Discover Eproject, through which 45,000 engineer mentors have workedwith five and half million students and teachers through class-room visits and extracurricular projects in 2008; the EngineerYour Life project, which encourages young women to explorea career in engineering; and the Discover Engineering (www

.discoverengineering.org ) project for middle school students.

Inspiring Junior EngineersMany 7th and 8th graders have been introduced to the profes-sion of engineering by the National Engineers Week Future CityCompetition (www.futurecity.org), now in its 17th year and thenation’s largest not-for-profit engineering education program.For 2009, more than 30,000 middle schoolers nationwide will work in teams with volunteer engineers in a semester-longproject to create their vision of a city of the future, completewith infrastructure, energy systems, and skyscrapers.

“The program inspires a respect for the role STEM plays in solv-ing many of the pressing global and social needs we are all fac-

ing. And it helps possibly lay the foundation for many of them topursue a career in these areas, something they might never haveconsidered before,” said Kathryn Gray, PE, National Engineers Week2009 chair and past president of the National Society of Profes-sional Engineers. The students create their cities using SimCity 4Deluxe software and then build 3-D table-top scale models. Thisyear’s topic is “Creating a Self Sufficient System Within the HomeWhich Conserves, Recycles and Reuses Existing Water Sources.”Thirty-six regional competition winners from 1,100 middle schoolswill then compete head-to-head for the overall title in Washing-ton, D.C., during National Engineers Week this month.

Pay Your Dues

Recruiting the next generation of engineers and technologists isimportant, so pay your dues. They’re being put to good use. ■

—Dr. Robert Peltier, PE Engineers Week is Feb. 15–21


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GLOBAL MONITOR

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TVA Containment PondBursts, Causing MassiveCoal Ash FloodJust after midnight on Dec. 22, 2008, a40-acre pond holding coal combustionwaste for a Tennessee Valley Authority(TVA) steam power plant ruptured, send-ing a wave of wet ash across 300 acresof rural land in Harriman County, Tenn.It was the largest coal slurry spill in U.S.history—more than three times the sizeof the Martin Country, Ky., sludge spill of 2000, and about eight times that of the1972 Buffalo Creek flood in West Virginia.Unlike that flood, which killed 125 peopleand injured scores others, this one, Ten-nessee authorities reported, resulted in no

serious injuries or hospitalizations.The reservoir was one of three contain-ment areas at the 1,700-MW Kingston Fos-sil Power Plant, one of several facilitiesbuilt in 1955 by the largest government-run utility in the nation. On the day of therupture, the TVA said the pond contained2.6 million cubic yards of fly ash and bot-tom ash—amounts well “within guidelinesfor the area,” the TVA said.

Initially, the TVA and the Environmen-

tal Protection Agency (EPA) had estimatedthe spill released 1.7 million cubic yards of coal ash, but in the days ensuing, the of-ficial estimate soared to 5.4 million cubicyards—double that said to be containedin the pond (Figure 1). Officials said thatheavy rains and freezing temperaturescould be to blame for the discrepancy:On that winter night, temperatures forthe region had plunged to 14F, and theplant had received an unseasonable total of 6.48 inches that month.

Fly ash is the silt-sized residue that istransported from the combustion chamberby exhaust gases and collected by par-ticulate emission control devices beforeentering the boiler stack; bottom ash is

the coarse material taken from the bottomof the boiler furnace in its dry form, oras a slurry. The Kingston plant produces390,000 dry tons of fly ash and 95,000tons of bottom ash per year, the TVA said.Both are typically pumped to an ash pond.Once the ash settles in the ash pond, itis pumped to “dredge cells”—engineeredand permitted facilities that are surround-ed by dikes constructed using compactedash, and which incorporate engineereddrain systems, water runoff controls, andmonitoring systems. The water flows into

a settling pond.The authority said it conducted compre-hensive inspections of its ash containment

areas, including daily visual inspections,quarterly solid waste and dike inspections,and annual detailed inspections of the ash-handling and storage dikes, but no signifi-cant problems had suggested that the dikeswere unstable and on the brink of failure.

It admitted, however, that leaks werenot uncommon findings in the reports. Inthe preliminary findings of its most recentannual inspection (concluded in October2008), a “wet spot” was found, indicat-ing a minor leaking issue. And in a priorinspection, which concluded on Dec. 4,2007, an inspector had recommended thatthe TVA should “repair any dikes showingsigns of erosion on the pond side.” Moreserious breaches had been found in 2003

and 2006. In those years, the TVA report-ed that the dike at Kingston experiencedsmaller, localized seepage that releasedsome ash from one of the dredge cells. Af-ter each incident, TVA said, it had madechanges and repairs to improve the con-dition of the dike. The utility also notedthat these problems were in an area of thedike southwest of the suspected locationof the current failure.

In the weeks following, with the toxicnature of fly ash played up, experts werecalling the coal ash spill the largest envi-

ronmental disaster of its kind. The failureto prevent the pond’s rupture also put intoquestion the TVA’s procedures, renewing

1. Ash Thursday. On Dec. 22, 2008, the earthen retaining wall of an ash pond for the Ten-

nessee Valley Authority’s 1955-built Kingston Fossil Plant failed, spilling 5.4 million cubic yards

of fly ash and bottom ash. More than 60 pieces of large equipment, such as the amphibious

trackhoe pictured here, have been used to remove the ash from roadways and railroad tracks

near the Tennessee plant. Source: TVA

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GLOBAL MONITOR

calls for stricter regulation of ash ponds.There are currently no federal standardsgoverning the disposal of coal combustionwaste, how impoundments are designed,or how frequently they should be inspect-ed. Regulation of ash ponds is essentiallyleft to states.

The New York Times suggested that this“lack of uniform regulation” stemmedfrom the EPA’s “inaction”; that in 2000,it had “backpedaled in the face of an in-dustry campaign that argued that tightercontrols would cost $5 billion a year.” But,the newspaper warned, an estimated 1,300similar ash ponds—most with reaches upto 1,500 acres—were scattered aroundthe U.S., and “most of them were unregu-lated and unmonitored,” because of vary-ing state requirements.

The EPA’s management of coal combus-tion waste is instead focused on recycling

fly ash and coal residue—an importantaspect, considering that each year, about43% of fly ash, flue gas desulfurizationmaterials, bottom ash, boiler slag, andother power plant by-products are usedbeneficially. According to the AmericanCoal Ash Association, of the 70 milliontons of fly ash produced each year na-tionwide, 15 million tons will be used incement production, for example. Fly ashis also used in geotechnical applications,and it serves as filler in wood and plasticproducts, paints, and metal castings.

Exelon Drops ESBWRfor Victoria Plant,Weighs OptionsA year after Exelon Nuclear ceremoniouslyannounced the selection of General Elec-tric-Hitachi’s Economic & Simplified Boil-ing Water Reactor (ESBWR) design (Figure2) as its preferred technology for a pro-posed two-unit nuclear facility in VictoriaCounty, Texas, the operator of the largestnuclear power fleet in the U.S.—and thethird-largest in the world—said it had

reconsidered its decision. The companysaid it is now negotiating separately withToshiba and GE-Hitachi, both vendorsof the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor(ABWR), and with Mitsubishi Heavy In-dustries for its U.S. Advanced PressurizedWater Reactor (US APWR).

The company said it came to that deci-sion after an “internal analysis conducted[last] summer showed that technologiesother than the ESBWR provide the projectgreater commercial and schedule certain-ty.” It wasn’t because the reactor had not

yet received design certification from theU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),said Exelon spokesperson Craig Nesbit.

“We still like the ESBWR design, but itremains very early in its development. Wedecided to switch technologies when itbecame clear that the ESBWR could notsupport our existing project schedules,”he said. “Both the ABWR and APWR theo-retically can.”

Exelon had filed a combined construc-tion and operating license (COL) applica-tion (prepared at a cost of $23 million)with the NRC only two months prior toits announcement this November. Thoughit said it would decide on an alternativetechnology by the first quarter of 2009and revise that application accordingly,the company stressed that it had not com-mitted to building the facility. That deci-sion would be made in 2010.

Exelon’s 10 nuclear stations—with 17reactors—represent approximately 20% of the U.S. nuclear industry’s power capac-

ity, and nuclear energy currently makesup 19.4% of the company’s own genera-tion portfolio. Exelon said recently that itfiled the Victoria County COL applicationhaving considered a Department of Energy(DOE) projection that U.S. electricity de-mand would surge 25% by 2030, whichmeant the nation needed hundreds of newpower plants. Based on DOE forecasts,maintaining nuclear energy’s share of thenation’s generation would require buildingthree reactors every two years, starting in2016.

But, in order to build new facilities,securing financing was imperative, Ex-elon said. Federal loan guarantees, whichwould pick up costs caused by regulatorydelays, could help potential builders raise

the necessary funds—but there aren’tnearly enough funds to go around. Inlate September 2008, 17 companies hadresponded by the close of a first-phasesolicitation period for federal loan guar-antees with proposals to build 19 newreactors at 14 proposed sites. Altogether,the companies had asked the Energy De-partment to provide $122 billion in loanguarantees—almost seven times the $18billion originally allocated by the DOE.

Among the DOE’s selection criteria isthe speed with which technologies canbe commercialized. Only two of five reac-tor designs submitted for consideration tothe DOE are currently certified by the NRC:GE-Hitachi’s ABWR and Westinghouse’sAP1000 pressurized water reactor. Designapproval for the ESBWR is expected thisyear, with certification following nextyear. The NRC only received Mitsubishi’s

US-APWR design certification applicationin December 2007, and it expects to is-sue its final decision in September 2011.A certification application for the final reactor design, AREVA’s US-EPR, was alsoreceived by the NRC in late 2007.

Exelon was one of four companies (alongwith Detroit Edison, Entergy, and Domin-ion) that had specified the ESBWR as thepreferred technology for planned sites. Itis not the only one to reconsider the de-sign: In mid-January, reports surfaced thatEntergy had asked the NRC to stop ESBWR-

specific work on its COL applications, andDominion was soliciting bids from otherfirms to lead the construction of anotherreactor technology. The three single-reac-tor COL applications in question were for

2. Heavy options. Exelon recently said it has reconsidered its selection of GE-Hitachi’s

Economic & Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (shown here) for a proposed two-unit nuclear

plant in Victoria County, Texas. The company is in talks with GE-Hitachi and Toshiba for the Ad-

vanced Boiling Water Reactor, as well as with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for its U.S. Advanced

Pressurized Water Reactor. Courtesy: GE Energy





GLOBAL MONITOR

Dominion’s North Anna plant, Entergy’sRiver Bend plant, and the Entergy-NuStartGrand Gulf plant.

Exelon confirmed to POWER that it wasconsidering the ABWR—a design the NRCcertified in 1997—because 12 of its exist-ing 17 reactors were Boiling Water Reac-tors. The US-APWR was also in the runningbecause its other five existing reactors arePressurized Water Reactors. Exelon is alsotaking into account that the 1,700-MW US-APWR design, which evolved from Westing-house technology, was developed from areactor that will soon be built in Japan.

Additionally, the company is consider-ing the benefits of sharing scarce regional human and technical resources: ABWR isthe same reactor design designated forthe proposed South Texas Project’s Units3 and 4 in nearby Matagorda County, whileLuminant has chosen the US-APWR for

its planned Comanche Peak Units 3 and 4in north Texas’ Somerville County. “Ulti-mately, our technology selection will bethe one that gives us the best opportunityfor success,” Nesbit told POWER.

China’s Nuke Power BoomChina has put its nuclear power plans on afast track, kicking off a construction fren-zy worth billions of dollars. In the lattermonths of 2008, the nation inauguratedconstruction of seven reactors, and in2009, work will begin on another 10.

In November, work began on a six-reactornuclear power plant in the eastern coastal province of Fujian. The first two reactors(each 1,080 MW) of the $14.6 billion fa-

cility will become operational in 2013 and2014. In mid-December, the China Guan-dong Nuclear Power Group started construc-tion on the $10.1 billion Yangjiang nuclearpower plant (Figure 3) in Dongping Town,Yangjiang City. The first of six domesticallyengineered CPR-1000 pressurized waterreactors (each 1,080 MW) is expected tocome online by 2013, with all units beingcompleted by 2017.

This year, the nation will start work onfour nuclear power stations, in Haiyang,Rongcheng in eastern Shandong province,Sanmen in eastern Zhejiang province, andYaogu in southern Guangdong province.The Haiyang and Sanmen stations will use Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology.The Yaogu station in Guangdong will useAREVA’s EPR. The Rongcheng station, devel-oped by China Huaneng Group, will use ahigh-temperature, gas-cooled technology.

According to The China Daily, the nation’splans are being fueled by a new energyblueprint proposed by the National Devel-opment and Reform Commission, whichwas spurred by rapid growth in demand andconsequent power shortages.

The most populated nation in the worldis at the same time trying to tackle airpollution problems stemming from itswidespread use of fossil fuels—about 80%of its electricity is produced from coal. Thenew blueprint puts China’s nuclear powercapacity target at 60 GW by 2020—a 50%

jump from an earlier goal. That meansthe nation, whose 11 reactors currentlyproduce a combined 9 GW at capacity (orabout 1.3% of the nation’s total power),

must add about 44 new reactors by 2020—or about four reactors every year. And if China sticks to its plans, it could sourceabout 130 GW of nuclear power from about100 reactors by 2030.

The recent announcements are only thebeginning. They are part of China’s 10theconomic plan, which calls for 25 new re-actors to start operations between 2010and 2016. Another 18 have been ordainedby the more recent 11th economic plan;these should come online between 2014and 2017.

All new reactors will use third-genera-tion technology, with domestically engi-neered designs taking priority. Of particularprevalence is the CPR-1000, or “improvedChinese Pressure Water Reactor,” a French-derived three-loop unit with 157 fuel as-semblies. This technology is even beingused in the nation’s first plant expansion,

which was announced at the end of 2008.The two CPR-1000 reactors with a total capacity of 2,160 MW officially enteredthe construction phase at Fangjiashan,near the existing Qinshan power plant inZhejiang province. These are scheduled tobegin operations in 2013 and 2014.

China plans to fuel its expanding nucle-ar fleet in the short term with domesticsupplies, even though its uranium ore hasbeen deemed low-grade and production isinefficient. In the long run—and to oth-erwise balance shortfalls—the nation will

import uranium from Kazakhstan, Russia,Namibia, and Australia.China has also considered and set up

solutions for nuclear waste management:It already has a closed–fuel cycle strat-egy for spent fuel, and it has built a cen-tralized spent fuel storage facility with astorage capacity of 550 tons that can bedoubled. As well as hosting a pilot repro-cessing plant using the Purex process, thecountry has also signed an agreement withAREVA to determine if it is feasible to setup a reprocessing plant for used fuel and

a mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication. This800 ton/year facility will likely be Gansuprovince, and it will be operated by AREVAfrom 2025 onward.

Eastern Europe Preparesfor Nuclear RevivalDespite hostilities that linger as a re-sult of the 1986 nuclear nightmare atChernobyl, Ukraine, and pressure fromthe European Union to shut down old-er-generation plants, Eastern Europeancountries from the Baltic to Bulgaria

are renovating existing nuclear plants orbuilding new ones. If these projects be-come reality, the region will be able to

3. Yangjiang nuke. An artist’s rendering of the Yangjiang nuclear power plant currently

under construction in Yangjiang City, in southern China’s Guangdong province. The facility will

comprise six units, each with a capacity of 1,000 MW. China is looking to build several large

nuclear projects in 2009. The country’s target is to increase nuclear capacity from 9 GW to 60

GW by 2020. Courtesy: China Guandong Nuclear Power Group





GLOBAL MONITOR

secure its power supplies as well as cover

the ongoing shortages in countries suchas Greece, Macedonia, and Albania.Romania in November signed a nucle-

ar deal to build two more reactors at itsplant in Cernavoda, on the River Danube,by 2015. Work at that plant has been on-going for 30 years. The Canadian-builtplant’s first CANDU unit went online in1996, and the second in 2007. The twonew units are each expected to add 720MW to the 1,310-MW facility. When com-plete, the Cernavoda, owned by a con-sortium of partners—GDF Suez, German

power giant RWE, Czech utility CEZ, andItaly’s Enel with 9.15% each, plus Spain’sIberdrola and a local unit of steel giantArcelorMittal with 6.2% each—will supply40% of Romania’s power needs.

Also in November, Slovakia inauguratedconstruction of two new reactors at its ex-isting Mochovce facility that would cover22% of the nation’s power needs after com-pletion in 2012 and 2013 (Figure 4). The€2.8 billion project continues work begunin 1986. Slovak government officials saidthe 880 MW of new capacity was neces-

sary after terms in the country’s accessionagreement with the EU forced the closureof two 400-MW Soviet-built reactors.

Slovakia and Hungary were the twomost hard-hit countries when Russiannatural gas exporter Gazprom cut sup-plies to Europe because of a row betweenMoscow and Ukraine. The two countriesimport more than 60% of their gas fromRussia, making up more than 40% of to-tal energy consumption. In early January,Slovakia declared a state of emergency,and Prime Minister Robert Fico said that

if gas supplies were halted for a longertime, the country would consider restart-ing the 440-MW unit at its older nuclear

power plant, Jaslovske Bohunice, which it

had shut down at the end of 2008.Poland, a country with no existingnuclear power plants, is considering con-struction of at least two. The governmenthas acknowledged it would in 2009 worktoward obtaining necessary financing.The country will soon announce the firstplant’s probable location, which it hassaid will depend on economic factors andcapacities of the Polish power grid. Thegovernment confirmed in January that aprivate consortium had been identified,and that France had pledged its support in

the plant’s development.Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia are alsostudying building a new nuclear powerplant near Lithuania’s existing Ignalinanuclear plant, to be operational by 2018.As an EU accession condition, Lithuaniahad agreed to shut down Ignalina—thelast Soviet-era, Chernobyl-type reactor fa-cility in the EU—by January 2010. But be-cause the plant provides about 70% of theregion’s power—and despite the EuropeanCommission’s efforts to allocate billions of euros and connect the region to Western

grids—the Lithuanian government said it isworried about its future electricity supply.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s state-owned elec-tricity company sealed a deal with RWE inDecember, granting the German companya 49% stake in the Belene Nuclear PowerPlant project. The 2,000-MW two-reactorplant will be built by Russian company At-omstroyexport with AREVA and Siemens assubcontractors. The project has sufferedseveral delays; construction was originallyexpected to begin in mid-2009, with thefirst reactor operational by 2014. Govern-

ment officials have said the project is criti-cal to securing power supplies for Bulgariaand the Balkans. Bulgaria was a primary

power supplier to the region until it wasforced to close down four of six reactors atits only nuclear plant at Kozloduy in 2006as a condition to joint the EU.

New TechnologiesCould ImproveSolar Cell EfficienciesDeclining oil prices, supply issues, anddwindling financing may have batteredsolar energy in recent months, but the in-dustry seems to have sparred well in theresearch arena. An assortment of institu-tions separately announced breakthroughsin their quests to boost the efficiency of solar cells. The technological advance-ments ranged in approach, from the de-velopment of an antireflective coating tothe formulation of more efficient solar cell materials, but all point to promising pos-sibilities for the industry.

Super-AbsorbentAntirefective CoatingIn November, researchers at New York’sRensselaer Polytechnic Institute said theyhad discovered and demonstrated a newantireflective coating that boosts theamount of sunlight captured by solar pan-els by allowing the panel to absorb the en-tire solar spectrum from nearly any angle.

The project, funded by the Departmentof Energy and the U.S. Air Force, involvedstacking seven layers of antireflective

coating—each with a height of 50 nano-meters to 100 nanometers—in such a waythat each layer enhances the antireflec-tive properties of the layer below it (Fig-ure 5). The seven layers were made up of

4. Slovak power. Slovakia inaugurated construction of two new reactors at its existing

Mochovce facility, shown here. The new reactors are expected to cover 22% of the nation’s

power needs after completion in 2012 and 2013. The new capacity is urgently needed after an

EU accession agreement forced closure of two Soviet-built reactors. The country hinted it would

restart one of those reactors this January, when it declared a state of emergency after Russia’s

Gazprom disabled natural gas supplies to Europe. Courtesy: Slovenské Electrárne

5. Antireflective coating. A new an-

tireflective coating developed by research-

ers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute could

help to overcome two major hurdles blocking

the progress and wider use of solar power.

The nanoengineered coating, pictured here,

boosts the amount of sunlight captured by

solar panels and allows those panels to ab-

sorb the entire spectrum of sunlight from anyangle, regardless of the sun’s position in the

sky. Courtesy: Rensselaer/Shawn Lin





GLOBAL MONITOR

silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide nano-rods positioned at an oblique angle, andthe nanorods were attached to a siliconsubstrate via chemical vapor disposition.The additional layers also help to “bend”the flow of sunlight to an angle that aug-ments the coating’s antireflective proper-ties so that each layer not only transmitssunlight, it also helps capture any lightthat may have otherwise been reflectedfrom the layers below it.

According to results published in the journal Optics Letters, the coating absorbed96.21% of sunlight shone upon it—com-pared to the 67.4% of sunlight absorbedby an untreated silicon solar cell. The hugegain in sunlight absorption was consistentacross the entire spectrum, from ultravio-let to visible light and infrared.

The new coating also tackles the trickychallenge of angles: If not optimally po-

sitioned, conventional solar panels absorbconsiderably less light, which is why somesolar arrays are mechanized to move slow-ly throughout the day. But, the antireflec-tive coating demonstrated absorption of 96.21% of sunlight evenly and equallyfrom all angles, no matter the position of the sun in the sky, the researchers said.The coating is designed to be affixed tonearly any photovoltaic materials for usein solar cells, including III-V multi-junc-tion and cadmium telluride.

Double-Sided Cell CoatingShows Efficiency BoostA team of physicists and engineers atthe Massachusetts Institute of Technol-ogy (MIT) used a similar approach, butthey applied an antireflective coating tothe fronts and backs of ultrathin siliconfilms to boost the cells’ output by as muchas 50%. The combination of multilayeredreflective coatings and a tightly spacedarray of lines—called a diffraction grat-ing—caused the light to bounce aroundlonger inside the thin silicon layer, giving

it time to deposit its energy and producean electric current.

As well as boosting efficiency, the thinfilms used in MIT’s technology presentsignificant potential savings because theyuse only about 1% as much silicon as dohigh-quality silicon crystal substrates thatmake up conventional solar cells. An eval-uation of the technology’s business po-tential also found “significant benefits inboth manufacturing and electrical powerdelivery, for applications ranging from re-mote off-grid to dedicated clean power.”

So how soon could we see commercial deployment of the technology? That maywell depend on the economic health of

the solar industry. “If the solar businessstays strong, implementation within thenext three years is possible,” said Lionel Kimerling, a professor in MIT’s materialsscience and engineering department.

Enhancing Solar Cellswith Nanoscopic ParticlesResearchers from the FOM Institute forAtomic and Molecular Physics in the Neth-erlands looking to convert a majority of all incoming light into usable energy saidin December they had successfully em-

ployed the nanoparticle approach to makegains in efficiency. Their technology usesnanoscopic metal particles to create tinyelectrical disturbances called “surfaceplasmon.” When light strikes the particle,it makes the particle vibrate, causing theincoming light to scatter and keeping moreof the light within the solar cell. The re-searchers also found that varying the sizeand material of the particles allowed forimproved light capture, including of colorsthat otherwise perform poorly.

The results, published in the journal

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Optics Express, showed that light capture for long-wavelength (red-dish) light could be improved by a factor of more than 10. A teamat the University of New South Wales in Australia had previouslyshown that overall light-gathering efficiency for solar cells usingmetallic nanoparticles could be improved by 30%. “I think we areabout three years from seeing plasmons in photovoltaic genera-tion,” said researcher Kylie Catchpole, who published the paperwith colleague Albert Polman. “An important point about plas-monic solar cells is that they are applicable to any kind of solarcell.” This includes the standard silicon or newer thin-film types.

Finding Better Materials for Solar CellsIn recent months, just as falling oil prices and a worldwide eco-nomic slowdown have dulled solar’s gleam and made it less at-tractive as a power source than coal and gas, hundreds of solartechnology factories have cropped up around the world. Mean-while, the cost of silicon has dropped by half. Industry analystsare forecasting that by 2010, as a result of the recent solar indus-try buildup, the supply of silicon for solar panels will far exceeddemand—driving prices down even more.

Hurtling over the silicon cost factor had been a priority for

researchers looking to develop other materials that could beused in solar cells—but so was efficiency. Several advancementshave been made as a result, though it now remains to be seenhow commercially viable they will be. Researchers at Ohio StateUniversity, for example, recently announced they had devised apotential solar cell material that can capture the entire visiblespectrum of sunlight. The material, an electrically conductiveplastic combined with metals, such as molybdenum and titani-um, has promising properties—including the ability to generate

electrons that remain in an excited energy state for a relativelylong time. Meanwhile, a team at MIT is looking closely at cuprousoxide, the reddish mineral used as a pigment and fungicide, forits promising optical properties. The team is using defect engi-neering methods to improve the mineral’s electrical properties. Itis also working with nine other compounds that it identified aspotential candidates for making solar cells.

Scientists are also looking to refine silicon production pro-cesses. Another MIT team, for example, is trying to develop arefining process to chemically or mechanically remove impuri-ties in silicon-rich quartz ore before the melting process—and

in doing so, eliminate steps in the costly purifying process. Asimilar study, also at MIT, seeks to improve the efficiency of solarcells made using multicrystalline silicon, rather than expensivesingle-crystal wafers, such as those used for computer chips.Multicrystalline materials contain defects within the grains calleddislocations, which tend to soak up a lot of the energy produced.The MIT researchers have found that reheating the material toa controlled temperature after it has initially cooled down inthe manufacturing process, a technique known as annealing,reduces the energy-sapping dislocations more than a hundred-fold—bringing it to nearly the same crystal quality as the pure,single-crystal form. MIT said that part of this research is alreadywell advanced and that the team is working with manufacturers

to bring it to market. Pilot runs are expected within a year, andfull-scale production soon thereafter.

An Energy-Generating DoorAn energy-generating revolving door installed at Driebergen-Zeist railway station in the Netherlands is the latest experimentin eco-building. Dutch company Royal Boon Edam Group Hold-ings designed the manual door to match the newly refurbishedstation’s sustainable technology theme, while keeping in mindthat the station—converted into a multifunctional area featuringrestaurants and a tourist information and visitor center—holds8,500 commuters at capacity.

The revolving door is equipped with a special generator (Figure

6) that is driven by human kinetic energy. The generator controlsthe rotating speed of the door to make it safer. A set of supercapacitors stores the generated energy as a buffer and provides a

6. An efficient entrance. Dutch company Royal Boon Edam

Group Holdings installed an energy-generating revolving door at a new-

ly refurbished railway station in the Netherlands. The revolving door is

equipped with a special generator that is driven by human energy. A

set of super capacitors stores the generated energy as a buffer and

provides a consistent supply for the low-energy LED lights in the ceil-

ing. The ceiling of the revolving door offers a clear view of the technol-

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consistent supply for the low-energy LEDlights in the ceiling.

The idea appears novel, but the amountsof electricity potentially generated andsaved are small—likely much less thanthe savings of 4,600 kWh Boon Edam cal-culated per year for the door when com-pared to a conventional sliding entrancedoor. The door does, however, offer usersthe experience of feeling useful. It is out-fitted with LED scales inside the door toindicate the amount of energy generated.When passing through the door at a slowspeed, the scale will light up in the redor orange zone, whereas a normal or fastpace pushes the scale into the green zone.Another LED indicator at the control unitshows when the illumination of the revolv-ing door is powered by human energy, orby the main supply. And the total amountof energy generated from the revolving

door is shown on a large display inside thebuilding. The door even features “HumanPowered Energy” stickers; these are “tomake users aware of their contribution tothis green building,” Boon said.

Sri Lanka CommissionsMajor Thermal Power PlantThe Sri Lankan government in Decembercommissioned the first phase of the 300-MW Kerawalapitiya Thermal Power Plant,the nation’s biggest combined-cycle powerplant project. The $300 million plant in the

western part of the country commencedoperations by generating 200 MW (Figure7). In its second phase, it will expand to300 MW. Per government estimates, powerproduced by the plant is priced at about20 rupees or $0.18/kWh.

Sri Lanka, which depends largely onhydropower, green-lighted the project in2005 after the Ceylon Electricity Board,a governmental body, warned that powerdemand for the nation of 20 million wouldsurge 8%, and at least 150 MW of newcapacity was critically needed by 2008.

The government awarded the plant con-struction tender to Sri Lankan companyLakdhanavi Ltd. According to availableinformation, despite ballooning costs, theproject was completed in just 10 months,aided by about 75 local engineers workingaround the clock.

Lakdhanavi expects that the secondphase of the project could be completedby the end of this year and will furtherreduce costs. According to its agreementwith Lakdhanavi, the Sri Lankan govern-ment will own the plant after 20 years. The

government expects that after completionof two projects currently under construc-tion—the 300-MW coal-fired Norochcholai

power plant and the 150-MW Upper Kot-male hydroelectric power station—SriLanka’s power generating capacity will have exceeded 750 MW. Construction of Norochcholai, the country’s first coal power plant, is expected to be completedby 2012, while the Upper Kotmale stationwill begin operation sooner, by 2010.

A second coal power plant at Sampur,Trincomalee, is also in the offing. In No-vember, the country’s power and energyministry said the project’s deal-makinghurdles had been cleared, and that the

joint venture between the CEB and theNational Thermal Power Corp. of Indiacould soon be under way. Each party will have an equity stake of $75 million in theprojects. Both will borrow required funds.The 500-MW plant is expected to take be-tween three and four years to build, andthe government anticipates that the plantwill be expanded to 1,000 MW in the proj-ect’s later phase.

POWER DigestNews items of interest to power industry

professionals.Monticello Plant Sets Safety Record.

Employees at Luminant’s MonticelloSteam Electric Station in Titus County,Texas, completed a 16-year safety streakin December 2008, working nine millionworker-hours—nearly 6,000 consecutivedays—without a single lost-time injury.The achievement is a record for Luminantand its affiliates.

The plant’s safety run began in July1992. “Since then, Monticello has imple-mented its Behavioral Base Safety Process

as a means to motivate and engage em-ployees in safe operations,” Luminant said.“Four times a year, the plant’s behavioral

safety team attends workshops designed toenhance safety programs and shares bestpractices with other industry leaders.”

Monticello is an 1,880-MW, three-unit,lignite-fired power plant. Unit 1 beganoperation in 1974, Unit 2 became opera-tional in 1975, and the last unit, Unit 3,became operational in 1978. Monticellohad previously set a national record withthree million operational hours withouta lost-time accident in 1983. Later thatyear, the plant also became the first coal generation station to reach four millionhours without a lost-time injury.

The National Safety Council, the onlyknown organization to compile national safe-ty records, no longer tracks safe work hours.The last safe work-hour record was loggedin 2000, when Carolina Power & Light Co.—now Progress Energy—worked 13,509,233hours without a lost-time injury.

Monticello’s streak wasn’t the only safe-work industry achievement celebrated lastyear. In June 2008, workers at DetroitEdison’s 1,100-MW Fermi 2 nuclear powerplant in Newport, Mich., completed 10million hours worked without a lost-timeinjury. That safe-work period stretchedback to June 17, 2002. The 72-monthperiod was the best performance at Fermi2, surpassing a 52-month stretch of 8.34million hours from 1992 to 1996.

AREVA Submits Eagle Rock COL Appli-cation to NRC. AREVA announced in De-

cember that its AREVA Enrichment Servicessubsidiary submitted a license applicationto the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commis-sion (NRC) for authorization to constructand operate its Eagle Rock Enrichment Fa-cility near Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The submission is a major milestone inthe development of AREVA’s multi-billiondollar enrichment facility. Eagle Rock will enrich uranium for nuclear power plantsusing a centrifuge process proven safe andeffective over the past three decades. Thisprocess also uses a fraction of the energy

consumed by older technologies.The company will continue to complete

detailed design work for the Eagle Rockfacility and work with the NRC as it re-views the license application. If approvedby the authority, construction could beginin 2011 at the Eagle Rock site 18 mileswest of Idaho Falls.

TransCanada to Aid Development ofMajor Canadian CCS plant. TransCanadaPipelines Ltd. has joined power generatorTransAlta Corp. in the development of Proj-ect Pioneer, Canada’s first fully integrated

carbon capture and storage (CCS) plant,the companies announced in December.

When completed, Project Pioneer could

7. Island power. Sri Lanka, a country

that depends largely on hydropower to meet

surging demand, recently commissioned a

300-MW thermal power plant in Kerawalapiti-

ya, a region in the island nation’s west. The

“Yugadanavi” is the country’s first combined-

cycle power plant. The project was reportedly

completed in 10 months. Several new power

plants are also in the offing. Courtesy: Sri Lan-

ka Department of Government Information





GLOBAL MONITOR

be one of the largest CCS facilities in theworld, and the first to have an integratedunderground storage system. The projectwill pilot Alstom Canada’s proprietarychilled ammonia process and will be de-signed to capture 1 megatonne (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) from an existingTransAlta coal plant in the Wabamun areawest of Edmonton, Alberta. The CO

2will be

used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) andwill be injected into a permanent geologi-cal storage site.

TransCanada will supply expertise in thedesign and construction of pipeline infra-structure to Project Pioneer. In addition toTransCanada, TransAlta said it is seeking in-dustry partners from the oil, natural gas, andoil sands sectors who can provide expertiseand knowledge across the full spectrum of process plant operations and reservoir knowl-edge for underground storage and EOR.

TransAlta is submitting detailed fundingproposals to both the Alberta government’sCCS initiative and the federal government’seco-Energy Technology Initiative. It hopesto receive funding commitments during2009. The company said that if it receivesfunding from both entities, Project Pioneerwill begin in early 2010, with operationscommencing in 2012. Preliminary front-

end engineering and design work for theproject is under way.

“New carbon capture technologies likechilled ammonia show tremendous prom-ise but are not commercially viable at thistime. Government and industry partner-ships are a critical catalyst required to ac-celerate their implementation, and providea sustainable competitive edge for Canadaand Canadian companies,” said Steve Sny-der, TransAlta’s CEO.

Nearly 100 projects worldwide—more than80 of them in the U.S.—are assessing vari-ous aspects of CCS, according to a databasecompiled by the American Coalition for CleanCoal Electricity (ACCCE). But this figure couldbe larger: The database (www.americaspower.org/Media/Files/ACCCE-CCS-Database) re-leased last December identifies only projectsengaged in government cost-sharing pro-grams; it does not include proprietary projects

and technologies that would not otherwisebe announced until they are ready for pub-lic demonstration. According to ACCCE, someof the projects are actual commercial-scalecarbon dioxide storage projects. A few dem-onstrate commercial use of available carboncapture technologies. The majority representongoing research into CCS techniques thatare required for broad commercial deploy-

ment in conjunctions with coal-based powergeneration.

Vattenfall Joins the Oxycoal UK Col-laboration. Swedish state company Vat-tenfall announced participation in theOxycoal UK collaboration, a project to de-velop a competitive oxyfuel technology forthe capture of carbon dioxide that is suit-able for full-scale plant application. Theproject involves burning coal in a mixtureof high-purity oxygen and recycled gas toproduce a gas rich in carbon dioxide thatcan be purified and compressed for trans-portation and storage.

The Oxycoal UK project is lead by tech-nology supplier Doosan Babcock and runby a group of industrial sponsors and uni-versity partners. Besides extensive knowl-edge and experience of CCS-technology,Vattenfall’s contribution to the projectwill be about £330,000. The project will

be running until November 2009, with apossible extension of two years.In 2008, Vattenfall’s opened its Oxyfuel

pilot plant in Schwarze Pumpe and present-ed plans for new CCS demonstration plantsin Denmark and Germany. The companysaid its primary goal is for CCS technologyto be commercially viable in 2020. ■ —By Sonal Patel.

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FOCUS ON O&M

GRID RELIABILITY

FERC Focuses on InternalCompliance Programs“. . . the most important [factor] in deter-mining the amount of the penalty are the seriousness of the offense and the strengthof the entity’s commitment to compli-ance.” —FERC’s Policy Statement on Compliance

By now, most electric industry partici-pants are aware of the mandatory reli-ability standards required by the EnergyPolicy Act of 2005 and managed by theNorth American Electric Reliability Corp.(NERC). Bulk-power system users, owners,

and operators (known as NERC registeredentities) are responsible for complyingwith the set of standards that are ap-plicable to their operations in their spe-cific region. Compliance is monitored bythe NERC regions (Texas Regional Entity,Western Electric Coordinating Council,Reliability First Corp., Midwest Reliabil-ity Organization, SERC Reliability Corp.,Florida Reliability Coordinating Council,Northeast Power Coordinating Council,and Southwest Power Pool) through spotchecks, self-certifications, audits, and in-

vestigations (Figure 1).

Compliance is proven by the registeredentities through valid and approved op-erating procedures, evidence of follow-ing those procedures, and documentedevidence of actions taken in response todirectives. However, having a full set of up-to-date and approved operating pro-cedures and meticulous records of compli-ance activities is only part of the picture.

Changing CulturePerhaps even more important in today’sreliability compliance structure is the na-ture and scope of the registered entity’sinternal compliance program. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),the sanctioning body for violations of re-

quirements associated with the reliabilitystandards, has stated on numerous occa-sions that it expects to see a “culture of compliance” in place and in force for eachregistered entity.

The aspects of such a culture for all compliance activities have been delineat-ed in both the FERC Policy Statement onEnforcement, Docket No. PL06-1-000, and,most recently, in the FERC Policy Statementon Compliance issued on October 16, 2008,Docket No. PL09-1-000 (www.ferc.gov/ whats-new/comm-meet/2008/101608/M-3

.pdf). Though internal compliance pro-

grams are not in themselves mandatory re-quirements, their presence and quality areclearly intended to weigh heavily in deter-mining the magnitude of sanctions in theevent of a verified requirement violation.

Registered entities are well advised tohave such a program in place as evidenceof their commitment to grid reliability andof their ongoing culture to manage andoptimize that commitment through a well-organized and robust compliance program.Paragraph 2 of the Policy Statement onCompliance clarifies the importance FERCplaces on such programs: “Accordingly,the purpose of this Policy Statement is toprovide additional guidance to the publicon compliance with our governing stat-

utes, regulations and orders. In responseto input from participants in the Com-mission’s July 8, 2008, staff workshop oncompliance, and based on our experiencein implementing our new civil penalty au-thority thus far, we discuss further some of the factors related to effective compliancethat the Commission will take into accountin considering whether to reduce or evento eliminate civil penalties for violations.These factors are: (1) the role of seniormanagement in fostering compliance; (2)effective preventive measures to ensure

compliance; (3) prompt detection, cessa-tion, and reporting of violations; and (4)remediation efforts.”

Obviously, the nature of compliancerequires more than a cursory operatortraining effort and drafting a set of pro-cedures. Compliance is not something totake care of and then move on; rather, itis an integral part of day-to-day opera-tions. Operators should be fully engagedin the consequences of their actions rela-tive to their applicable requirements, andmanagement will be held responsible for

ensuring that all aspects of complianceactivities, documentation, and trainingare addressed, managed, updated, and in-corporated into their business.

Some finer points of the internal com-pliance program are also laid out in thePolicy Statement on Compliance, page 4:

■ “Provide sufficient funding for the ad-ministration of compliance programsby the Compliance Officer

■ Promote compliance by identifyingmeasurable performance targets

■ Tie regulatory compliance to personnel assessments and compensation, includ-ing compensation of management

1. NERC knocking. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is expected to beef up

internal compliance inspections during 2009. Compliance inspections are carried out by the

North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) regional entities. Source: NERC

Notes: FRCC = Florida Reliability Coordinating Council, MRO = Midwest Reliability Organization,NPCC = Northeast Power Coordinating Council, RFC = Reliability First Corp., SERC = SERC Reliability Corp.,SPP = Southwest Power Pool, TRE = Texas Regional Entity, WECC = Western Electric Coordinating Council.

WECC

MRO

NPCC

RFC

SPP

TRE

SERC

FRCC


http://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/comm-meet/2008/101608/M-3.pdf









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KEY QUESTION FOR THE FUTURE







FOCUS ON O&M

■ Provide for disciplinary consequencesfor infractions of Commission require-ments

■ Provide frequent mandatory train-ing programs, including relevant ‘real world’ examples and a list of prohibitedactivities

■ Implement an internal Hotline throughwhich personnel may anonymously re-port suspected compliance issues

■ Implement a comprehensive complianceaudit program, including the trackingand review of any incidents of noncom-pliance, with submission of the resultsto senior management and the Board.”

Path ForwardAlthough not all of these measures lendthemselves to all types and sizes of enti-ties, they do provide useful guidance onhow an internal compliance program should

be structured. Management commitment tosuch a structure is further emphasized inparagraph 10: “The Commission expectscompanies to invest appropriate time andeffort in the creation, monitoring, andgrowth of strong internal compliance pro-grams. Depending on a company’s size andorganizational structure, the nature andcomplexity of the company’s involvementin activities subject to Commission regu-lation, and the range of compliance risksresulting from those activities, a compre-hensive and effective compliance program

may be time and resource intensive.”In other words, not having the time ormoney to invest in a robust complianceprogram is not a wise defense for failingto develop a culture of compliance.

FERC’s report on enforcement activitiesduring fiscal year 2008 is available at www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/2008-enforc.pdf.

—By Jim Stanton ([email protected]) ,POWER contributing editor and director of

NERC compliance for ICF International.

BOILER CODE

Preventing Boiler CodeViolations Creates a SaferWork EnvironmentNearly 10% of boilers and pressure vesselsinspected in the second quarter of 2008were slapped with violations, which meansthat the violations put workers and equip-ment in danger, according to a quarterlyreport released by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors.

The “Report of Violation Findings” in-dicated problem areas and trends relatedto boiler and pressure vessel operation,

installation, maintenance, and repair.The highest percentage of violations wasdetected in boiler controls, followed byboiler piping and pressure-relieving de-vices. A portion of the violations can beattributed to lack of knowledge and train-ing on Section 1 of the American Societyof Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME’s) Inter-

national Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.Properly functioning control or safetydevices are absolutely essential for anyboiler. The only way you can be confidentthey will work when called upon to do so isto regularly perform required maintenanceand testing while adhering to ASME coderequirements. Here’s a quick reminder of some of the key requirement updates.

Code Updates for Water LevelIndicatorsASME has specific minimum requirements

for direct (visual) and indirect (instru-ment) water-level indicators, which mustbe installed on every power boiler manu-factured in accordance with the code(Figure 2).

A gauge glass is the only form of directwater level indicator found on steam boil-ers. The various types are:

■ Tubular glass (for pressures up to 250psig), which displays the water level meniscus.

■ Prismatic (reflex) glass (for pressures

up to 350 psig), which displays blackcolor up to the water level and whiteabove the level.

■ Flat glass or transparent (for pressuresup to 2,000 psig), which displays aclear color for both the water belowand steam above the meniscus line.

■ Ported glass gauges (for pressures up to3,000 psig), which display green colorfor water and red color for steam by us-ing the principle of light refraction.

There are multiple code requirements forgauge glasses to ensure the safety of boileroperation and plant workers. For example,the code states that all boilers operated upto 400 psig must have at least one direct-reading water gauge glass in service at all times. This allows the operator to view theactual water level with no interface mech-anisms or sensors, which could distort thedisplay of actual water level.

The code also requires that tubular andtransparent gauge glasses with multiple

sections will overlap by a minimum of 1inch to prevent the loss of visibility of the actual water level. This is especiallyrelevant for flat glass gauges so the steamand water level interface meniscus can al-ways be seen.

New Code ChangeA recent change to the code relates toglass gauge design and construction.Transverse or cross-web structural websthat strengthen the body of a flat glass(transparent) type gauge are now prohib-

ited from use in boiler applications. Mask-ing shadows from the transverse membersmakes it difficult to read the liquid level along the length of the gauge glass, thusnecessitating the change in the code.

In addition to glass gauges, water lev-els can also be checked using remote (in-direct) indicators. These include:

■ Conductivity probe type■ Differential pressure transmitters■ Magnetic level indicators■ Guided wave radar

Section 1 of the ASME code has specificrequirements that must be followed whenusing these types of indicators.

Boilers operated at pressures greaterthan 400 psig may have either two direct-reading water gauge glasses in service ortwo remote level indicators on continuousdisplay for the operator in combinationwith one direct-reading gauge (whichmay be valved off but kept in serviceablecondition).

The code does allow the use of a com-

puter remote terminal to provide an inde-pendent indication of water level. Usingthe continuous display helps when the wa-

2. Easy boiler water level moni-toring. The DuraStar Flat gauge glass illu-

minator—approved for use in Class 1, Div 1,

Group B, C, and D environments—uses LEDs

for high-intensity imaging of the water line.

Courtesy: Clark-Reliance


http://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/2008-enforc.pdf











FOCUS ON O&M

ter level in at least one gauge glass is not

visible to the operator in the area wherecontrol actions are initiated (Figure 3).An additional type of indirect reading

instrument is a magnetic level indicator,which is based on float technology withmagnetic coupling of the indicator. Sub-section PG-12 in the 2008 edition of thecode restricts the use of a magnetic gaugeto 900 psig and does not allow the useof a magnetic gauge for control purposes.Therefore, the use of alarm or trip switch-es on a magnetic gauge is prohibited.

Users of magnetic level gauges should

be aware of some issues that affect waterlevel reading compared to gauge glasses.If the boiler in use has poor water qual-ity, the potential exists for an excessiveamount of iron particles to attach to thefloat, thereby causing an inaccurate level reading.

A faulty level reading can also occurwhen the magnetic gauge is not in syncwith the boiler’s actual operating condi-tions. If the boiler is operating at a pres-sure significantly lower than the intendedoperating pressure, the magnetic gauge

reading will be higher than the actual drum level. A failed float will result in afalse level indication.

Some users have unwittingly violated

the code by replacing water gauge glasseswith magnetic level gauges. They shouldknow that a direct-reading glass is still required on every boiler, no matter howmany indirect water level indicators areinstalled. The decision to eliminate all direct-reading water gauge glasses is animmediate code violation.

The code does permit the use of stain-less steel and nickel-based alloy materi-als for the construction of remote level indicators and for use in magnetic level gauge chambers and gauge glass bodies.

Ball check valves, when used with wa-ter gauge glasses, have their own coderequirements. For instance, ball checkvalves in upper and lower fittings mustopen by gravity, and the ball in the low-er check valve must rise vertically to itsseat. The ball seat in the upper fittingmust be a flat seat with either a squareor hexagonal opening, or arranged so thesteam passage can never be completelyclosed by this valve.

Code Updates for Water Columns

There are certain code requirements for wa-ter columns that are not required on powerboilers by ASME regulations but that, when

specified, must be designed and manufac-tured to comply with the code.

A water column is used on a steamboiler to reduce the turbulence and fluc-tuation of the water level so the gaugeglass can provide a steady, accurate waterlevel reading. Water columns are madefrom either cast iron (maximum 250 psig)or fabricated steel (maximum 3,000 psig).Stainless steel is prohibited for the con-

struction of water columns.Water level indication devices in water

columns include float alarm type, elec-trode (conductivity probe) alarm type, orno alarm. The latter is to be used for thesole purpose of supporting one or two wa-ter gauge glasses.

According to the National Board, a wa-ter column, if used, must be connected tothe boiler using a cross or equivalent pipefitting at each right-angle connection toallow visual inspection and cleaning of the connecting pipes. Sludge or sediment

of any kind in the water column or con-necting pipes can cause false water level indications (Figure 4).

3. Indirect readings. Remote boiler drum water level instrumentation, such as this Elec-

tro Eye-Hey system, is designed to give operators an all-inclusive view of multiple water level

probes. Courtesy: Clark-Reliance

4. Old reliable. The flat glass water

gauge remains the mainstay of boiler drum

water level measurement. Courtesy: Clark-

Reliance





FOCUS ON O&M

The ASME code requires a 1-inch mini-mum connection size from the boiler tothe water column and a ¾ -inch minimumconnection size from the boiler to a re-mote level indicator. Gauge glasses thatare required by code may be connecteddirectly to the shell or drum of the boileror to an intervening water column. Whentwo gauge glasses are required, both maybe connected to a single water column.

Section 1 of the code has standards forthe highest and lowest permissible waterlevel in water column connections. Thelower edge of the steam connection be-tween a water column and level indicatordevice shall not be below the highest vis-ible water level in the gauge glass.

Conversely, the upper edge of the waterconnection between a water column andlevel indicator device shall not be abovethe lowest visible water level in the gauge

glass. These parameters are established toprevent any accidental overheating of theboiler, leading to unwanted downtime andpossible worker injury.

Water columns are considered to be astandard pressure part, as defined in theASME boiler code; therefore, a code stampfor manufacturing is not required. Code-recognized materials and applicable weld-ing procedures are a must. Since 1991,the use of gauge cocks (also called trycocks) have not been required.

There are certain codes that apply to

condensate removal from heat-recoverysteam generators. Drain pots, which de-tect and remove unvaporized spray water,will include automatic detection of waterand automatic operation of the drain potvalves using a sensor device that triggersoperation of the drain valve.

Other Common Code ViolationsSome steam boiler operators have unin-tentionally violated the code as a resultof lack of oversight and failing to followproper maintenance procedures, as out-

lined by the original equipment manufac-turer. Other violations include:

■ Isolated and inoperable water gauges.■ Missing water gauges.■ Missing illumination from ported gauges.■ Inadequate display of remote level

indicators in control room, combinedwith isolated gauges.

■ Contaminated water gauges preventingproper level reading.

■ Multiple-section flat glass gauges with-out overlap.

■ Poor maintenance practices that lessenthe service life of the instruments.To achieve optimum safety for boiler

operation and plant personnel, any in-dividual responsible for the selection,specification, and replacement of level in-strumentation must understand the appli-cable code requirements. It is always wisefor managers to consult with the plant’sinsurance carrier to verify if they requireadditional instrumentation beyond the

code minimum requirements.—Contributed by James W. Kolbus, a product manager for Clark-Reliance Corp.

PUMPS

Converting a Pump to UseMechanical SealsWear and leakage are common mainte-nance problems that result in pump dis-charge pressure dropping below optimumlevels and reduced pump efficiency. Con-

verting pumps to mechanical seals elimi-nates fretting or grooving of the shaft andprovides for easier pump maintenance. Byconverting to mechanical seals, a plantalso avoids incurring expenses associ-ated with the replacement of sleeves andshafts.

Preparing large circulating pumps forthis conversion can be challenging be-cause of the size of the pumps or spacerestrictions. Sometimes it’s impossibledue to the extent of repairs that may berequired beforehand if the pipe has severe

corrosion. Fortunately, field service crewsare finding they can overcome these chal-lenges by making repairs on site using

portable machining tools developed forprecision, power, and their ability to workin restricted spaces.

Portable machine tools are proving tobe valuable assets in the drive to reduceplant downtime and streamline the repairprocess, which was the case recently at acoal-fired generation facility in northeast

Oklahoma.Circulating pumps at the coal-fired fa-cility were to be converted to mechanical seals from traditional packing to preventwear on pump shafts and better control leakage (Figure 5). Over time, traditional packing caused wear on the pump shaftbecause there was contact while the shaftwas rotating. The packing then requiredfrequent maintenance—either adjustmentand/or frequent replacement—so thepump could achieve maximum efficiencywithout reduction in head. Converting the

pumps to mechanical seals was expectedto extend mean time between pump main-tenance schedules and provide for moretrouble-free maintenance.

Inspection Reveals Corrosion andMisalignmentThe plant manager called Nick Hughes,vice president of field services for J-S Ma-chine & Valve, to handle the conversionproject. During inspection, Hughes foundthe pump casings were severely corrod-ed around the stuffing box faces, which

would be used as a gasket surface for themechanical seal. The stuffing box face hadto be realigned and machined to provide a

5. OK pump needs work. A power plant located in Oklahoma decided that upgrad-

ing its circulating water pumps to mechanical seals would be less expensive than replacing

sleeves and shafts. Courtesy: Climax Portable Machine Tools





FOCUS ON O&M

flat true surface for the gasket before thenew mechanical seals could be installed.The size of the pump—more than 11 feetdeep—posed another challenge.

In order to prepare the plant’s pumpsfor new mechanical seals, Hughes neededto machine the pump casing and keepthe gasket surfaces perpendicular to thepump shaft/bore within 0.0004 inch.Hughes concluded that the only way tosuccessfully complete this repair wouldbe to machine the pumps in place. He de-termined he needed a tool long enoughto reach from one end of the pump to theother and rigid enough to ensure a preci-sion cut.

The Right Tool for the JobLathes are often used to turn and ma-chine new parts for pumps; however, be-cause of the amount of work required and

the pump’s depth, for this project Hughesopted to use a BB5000 portable boringmachine manufactured by Climax Por-table Machine Tools. The boring machineincluded a six-foot bar, but for this par-ticular project, he rented one of Climax’slonger boring bars and a heavy-duty fac-ing attachment.

The BB5000 does line and blind bor-ing in cramped places where other toolswon’t fit and generates more torque thancomparable tools Hughes has used. Itsspecially designed inside-diameter (ID)

bearing mount brackets have a widemounting range, and the ability to eas-ily install and adjust the mount from theopen face portion of a bore simplifiescentering the mounts in the bores (Fig-ure 6). In addition, the heavy-duty facinghead attachment has a high removal rateto handle large-diameter facing jobs andcan achieve a flatness of 0.003 inch over20 inches. To expedite delivery, Climaxshipped the tools to him overnight.

Machining Pumps in Place

To position the 12-foot bar from one endof the pump to the other, a J-S machin-ist had to get inside the pump to set upthe ID bearings. With the top half of thepump casing off, the bar was set in thebore with ID bearings. After the top wasput back on, mounts were made to putthe adjustable bearing on the outboardends of the pump, allowing the bar to beadjusted and the drive and feed hookedup. The bar was set up and aligned witha dial indicator so that it was perpen-dicular to the shaft and parallel with

the installed bearings. The surface wasthen cut with a facing attachment—oneon each side of the pump. This set-up

avoided misalignment of the mechanical seal.

Typically, converting pumps to me-chanical seals can take up to 80 hours,but because Hughes was able to conductthe repair on site, the project was com-pleted within 25 hours, saving a substan-

tial amount of time and labor (Figure 7).As the demand for power grows, plant

managers are being driven to find more

efficient and cost-effective methods forstreamlining repair and maintenance pro-cesses in order to reduce plant downtime.As this project demonstrates, on-site repairusing precision portable machine tools of-fers significant advantages and enablesplants to get back online faster. ■

—Contributed by Andy Becker , vice president of Business Development and Market-

ing at Climax Portable Machine Tools.

6. Close tolerances.The pump casing gasket surfaces needed to be machined in-place

within 0.0004 inch normal to the pump shaft bore. Courtesy: Climax Portable Machine Tools

7. Time is money. The repair was completed in under 25 man-hours, far fewer than the

typical 80 man-hours, because the repair was completed on site. Courtesy: Climax Portable

Machine Tools





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LEGAL & REGULATORY

Steven F. Greenwald Jeffrey P. Gray

Aconfluence of circumstances promised to make 2008 atransformative year for renewable energy in the U.S.States enacted additional, and more demanding, renew-

able portfolio standards, promoting accelerated and sustaineddevelopment of “green” energy resources. Increasing concernsabout global warming and climate change prompted some of thisactivity. However, the unprecedented escalation of oil prices toalmost $150 a barrel (translating into prices at the pump in ex-cess of $4) was the largest impetus for demands that this nationend its addiction to fossil fuels.

The concluding months of 2008 were marked by even greatervolatility in oil prices: a decline of over $100 a barrel, to lowsnot experienced in half a decade and not expected ever to beseen again. This drop in oil prices provides obvious economicbenefits; the greater danger is that we allow this transitory pricerelief to again divert us from the national imperative to reduceour dependence on oil.

The current circumstances are very reminiscent of the latterdecades of the last century. The emergence of OPEC and con-tinued Middle East tensions in the 1960s and 1970s resultedin the price of oil climbing from historic levels of under $5 abarrel to then-unbelievable heights approaching $40 a barrel.The era of gas stations offering a free six-pack of Coke as an

inducement to fill up with 29 cent a gallon gasoline would beno more.

The Moral Equivalent of WarWithin a few months after his inauguration, President JimmyCarter explained the severity and consequences of the energycrisis to the American people: “With the exception of prevent-ing war, [the energy crisis] is the greatest challenge our coun-try will face during our lifetimes. . . . By acting now, we cancontrol our future instead of letting the future control us. . . .Further delay can affect our strength and our power as a na-tion. . . . Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people. . . . This difficult effort will be the ‘moral

equivalent of war.’ ”Congress responded by enacting the Public Utility Regulatory

Policies Act to spur development of nonfossil fuel generationresources and thereby reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Italso enacted the Natural Gas Policy Act, which removed pricecontrols on natural gas. State legislators and regulatory commis-sions initiated similar programs designed to promote alternativeenergy development, energy conservation, and demand responseprograms.

Short-Term Success/Long-Term FailureFrom many perspectives these Carter-era initiatives proved suc-cessful. Their legacy includes the first commercial-size applica-

tions of wind, solar, and biomass technologies. At the beginningof the 1980s, conventional wisdom assumed that oil priceswould exceed $100 a barrel by the end of the decade. Oil prices

did not breach that barrier until 2008 and remained in the teensthroughout periods during the 1990s.

Ironically, the initial success of these initiatives resultedin their failure over the longer term. Increased confidence inthe adequacy of natural gas resources, greater efficiencies incombined-cycle generation, and low natural gas prices madenatural gas the preferred choice for new power generation. Thedecline of oil prices ushered in a new generation of gas-guz-zling SUVs.

State regulators and utilities became more enamored with

“competition,” deregulation, and the promise of lower prices“today” than with committing the funds and resources neces-sary for advancing renewable power and infrastructure devel-opment. This mind-set was epitomized by the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission (FERC) in 1995. At the behest of theCalifornia electric utilities, FERC invalidated a competitive so-licitation that yielded offers of 20-year contracts for new windand solar projects. The price (less than 7 cents/kWh) was op-posed for being higher than for natural gas projects and wasdemeaned for subjecting the utility purchasers to “stranded”investment.

Those Who Can Not Learn from History . . .

History teaches that oil is anything but a one-dimensional “economic commodity.” Its price movements reflect more than just changing balances of supply and demand. An early andrepeated lesson has been that oil prices fluctuate dramaticallywith global geopolitical events. The lesson of this decade hasbeen that oil is subject to wild and unpredictable price gyra-tions for the same vagaries, uncertainties, and perhaps ma-nipulations associated with derivatives and other financial instruments.

The biggest lesson for the U.S. must be that we can not againbe seduced by seemingly low fossil fuel prices. We must notagain postpone to some future, more convenient time the pur-suit of renewable resources and transmission facilities on the

basis that fossil fuel resources are “less expensive.” The long-term economic, political, and environmental costs of fossil fuelsdemand that the nation’s commitment to “green energy” not bediscarded as outdated political campaign rhetoric.

We must seize this reduction in oil prices as an opportunity,and not again foolishly persuade ourselves that $2 gallon pricescan be the long-term solution. President Carter’s energy admoni-tions are truer today than when they were spoken over a quartercentury ago: “It is a problem we will not solve in the next fewyears, and it is likely to get progressively worse through the restof this century. We must not be selfish or timid if we hope tohave a decent world for our children and grandchildren.” ■

—Steven F. Greenwald ([email protected] ) leads

Davis Wright Tremaine’s Energy Practice Group.Jeffrey P. Gray ([email protected]) is a partner in the firm’s

Energy Practice Group.

Oil—Unsafe

at Any Price










http://www.kiewit.com/



PLANT COMPUTING

ISA POWID: Where PowerComputing Professionals MeetWhich new and emerging technologies will be essential to your power

plant’s success? Our special cover story series gives you a glimpseinto the future of advanced distributed controls, wireless applications,and automation technologies.

By Dr. Robert Peltier, PE

Advanced instrumentation and controls

have become the nerves and synapses

that make efficient and reliable power

generation possible. Not so many years ago,

boiler and turbine operation were more a

function of operator skill and dexterity, as

just about every plant function, from steamtemperature to turbine speed, required manu-

al control. Today, the speed of safety control

loops and equipment operation processes

have far surpassed the capabilities of a con-

trol room full of journeyman operators. From

today forward, power plant control will be

all about synergy between a technician and

advanced hardware and software that make

intelligent operating decisions possible in a

competitive business environment.

The future of power plant operation will

be about squeezing the last drop of per-

formance from existing power generatingassets. The first step in that process is intel-

ligently analyzing the overwhelming mass

of operating data that can be collected and

stored. Advanced technology tools are in

development that possess very human-like

heuristic algorithms that can sift through

mountains of data and piece together the

bits to create useful information that may

give a generating company a competitive

edge in the power market.

Future success will depend not on ac-cumulating more data but on designing

processes that can extract knowledge from

this information for human analysis and

decision-making. In essence, we’re looking

at a continuum of collecting data, develop-

ing information from that data, extracting

knowledge from the information, and then

developing the wisdom necessary to operate

a plant, a system of plants, or a complete

enterprise in the most economical way.

Thought leaders may disagree about

where we sit along this continuum, but the

consensus seems to be that our industry isalready very good at collecting data ad infi-

nitum but is much less capable of manipulat-

ing it and making an intelligent assessment

of it. Few plants have advanced IT tools at

their disposal to make independent decisions

to optimize processes at even the plant level.

Wisdom will only come to those who fully in-

tegrate their business processes and produce

actionable business intelligence beyond an

enterprise-wide optimization of their power

generating assets, fuel supplies, transmissionand distribution assets, and so on.

Our challenge as an industry today is to

continue to develop and implement the right

technology tools that will push us a little

further along this data-information-knowl-

edge-wisdom continuum.

To that end, we have worked with several

industry leaders, through our long-time part-

nership with ISA POWID, to develop this is-

sue’s cover story section on the state of the

art and the future of power plant computing.

The articles included explore how technol-

ogy advancement remains the key enabler of our evolutionary push toward enterprise-wide

asset management. I hope you enjoy this spe-

cial section as much as we enjoyed working

with ISA POWID and the authors. ■

The International Society of Automation (ISA) Power Industry

Division (POWID) is an organization of those with an interest

in the development and application of instrumentation and con-

trols in the power generation industry. Through POWID, origi-

nally formed in 1957, professionals share advancements in thesefields with their colleagues around the globe. The ISA POWID

currently has a global membership of approximately 2,400 mem-

bers and was given the ISA’s Outstanding Division Award for

2008, besting 16 other divisions.

POWID joined with EPRI in 1991 to sponsor what is now

known as the POWID/EPRI Controls and Instrumentation Con-

ference. This year will usher in another partnership. The 52nd

Annual POWID Symposium and the 19th Annual ISA POWID/EPRI

Controls and Instrumentation Conference (www.isa.org/~powid/

powid_2009_%20main.htm) will be colocated with the ELECTRIC

POWER Conference & Exhibition (www.electricpowerexpo.com) at

the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in the Chicago suburbof Rosemont, Ill., from May 12 to 14. POWER is the official pub-

lication of both conferences.

By colocating these two major industry conferences, attendees

will be able to leverage limited travel budgets and double the

educational benefit of a single trip.

ISA POWID Joins ELECTRIC POWER in 2009

Keep in touch. ISA POWID has developed a technical program

for its 2009 conference to help members stay connected with theirpeers and learn about the latest power generation instrumentation

and controls advances. The conference will be colocated with the

ELECTRIC POWER Conference & Exhibition in May. Source: TVA


http://www.isa.org/~powid/powid_2009_%20main.htm









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PLANT COMPUTING

Distributed ControlTechnology: From Progress

to PossibilitiesThe past decade has seen an explosion of technology that has significantlyaltered the process control industry. The adoption of commercially avail-able technology driven by desktop computing has allowed suppliers tofocus on applications to enhance the process and deliver ever-greatervalue to the user.

By Robert Yeager, Emerson Power & Water Solutions

Ten years ago at the 1998 ISA Power

Industry Division symposium, severalpapers were presented that reviewed

then-state-of-the-art developments in dis-

tributed control systems (DCS) technology.

Those developments included the emerg-

ing trend to incorporate greater amounts of

commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technol-

ogy into what had traditionally been highly

proprietary, vendor-specific architectures.

Specifically, those COTS components found

in the desktop computing industry included

personal computers (PCs) for DCS control-

lers and workstations, as well as commer-

cially available networking technology suchas Ethernet and fiber distributed data inter-

face (FDDI).

New Designs EmergeAlthough the DCS platform is sure to con-

tinue evolving to track the desktop comput-

ing industry, the significant developments

will be in the ability to apply more-sophisti-

cated applications that take advantage of theever-increasing speed, power, and flexibility

those platforms will provide.

We also have seen the emergence of con-

trol system technology that widely incor-

porates elements of conventional desktop

computing technology. From operator work-

stations to process controllers, networks, and

various operating system elements, the pro-

cess control industry has embraced standard

desktop computing and adapted its technolo-

gies to the unique needs of industrial control

applications. DCS technologies will continue

to expand in capability through the incorpo-ration of “open system” technologies.

The first move in this trend began in the

early 1990s with the gradual incorporation of

UNIX workstations and, to a lesser degree,

PCs for human-machine interface (HMI)

functions. Though some were initially leery

of applying these COTS technologies in mis-

sion-critical control applications, the apps

gradually gained acceptance (Figure 1).Through the 1990s, as computing power,

speed, and reliability in both UNIX and PC

technology increased at geometric rates, us-

ers increasingly embraced COTS desktop

devices for HMI functions instead of pro-

prietary vendor-specific HMIs. Whereas a

decade ago the UNIX workstation was the

most common choice, primarily due to the

perception that it had a more robust operat-

ing system, today the vast majority of users

are opting for the more familiar Windows

PC for HMI applications.

Also in the 1990s, the rapid growth indesktop computers’ microprocessor power

and speed led to the next logical evolution in

control technology. Control system suppliers

adopted these developments and moved away

from highly proprietary “unique” controllers

and architectures. They began incorporating

controllers utilizing PC architecture, albeit an

architecture adapted to the redundancy, fail-

safe operation, and environmental hardness

demands of industrial control applications.

Although they are not strictly using COTS

boards for controllers, DCS providers do use

standard commercially available componentsand architectures—but on custom-designed

boards to meet the demands of the industrial

control environment. Since they were first in-

troduced in the late 1990s, these “PC-based”

controllers have been able to seamlessly track

the more than tenfold increase in processor

speed, offering system designers and users

significantly more options than in the past.

The DCS network, or data highway, is

the third area where commercially available

technology has forever changed the process

control industry. A decade ago, DCS data

highways were highly proprietary architec-tures designed to facilitate communications

only between DCS components from one

1. Pushing the limits. The processor speeds of human-machine interfaces have in-

creased by a factor of 425, and memory has increased by more than a factor of 1,000, over

the past 20 years. Source: Emerson Power & Water Solutions

1988 2008

• Intel RMX and proprietary operating system (OS)

• 8-MHz Intel 8086 processor

• 1 MB (RAM + Prom), 500 kb disk drive• Dual monitor capability

• One main screen, one subscreen

• Proprietary hardware design

• MS Windows or Solaris OS

• 3.4 GHz Pentium D or 1.34 GHz Ultra Sparc IIIi

• 2 GB memory, 160 GB disk drives• Quad monitor capability

• Multiple alarm, trend and graphic screens

• Dell/SUN standard hardware





Oah8dg^p8Zg8A®;8lrlm^f8phne]8]kZfZmb\Zeer8

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ppplb^f^gl\hf¥^g^k`r¥\hgmkhel

9glp^kl8_hk8^g^k`r8CIRCLE 16 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/powermag-feb-2009pdf 36/76 www.powermag.com POWER |February 200934

PLANT COMPUTING

specific vendor. There were no standard

architectures; some highways were com-

pletely vendor-designed, while others were

loosely based on standards, but those stan-

dards were unique to their particular system.

Communications outside the highway were

difficult and required custom data links to

be developed, often at great expense.

Again from the desktop computer indus-

try, two de facto communications standards

arose: FDDI and Fast Ethernet. Both oper-

ated at 100 Mbps—10 to 50 times faster than

the proprietary DCS networks of the day.

And though neither offered the deterministic

features that most DCS networks provided,

their speed and overall high level of reliabil-

ity made them more than adequate for indus-

trial control applications (Figure 2). They

also had the benefit of more easily opening

the system and making interconnection with

third-party devices and corporate informa-

tion networks far more practical than with aproprietary DCS network architecture. Over

the past decade, the Fast Ethernet architec-

ture has gained market dominance and has

been joined by an even larger, Gigabit Eth-

ernet standard that has great applicability in

multiple network DCS architectures.

Many PossibilitiesToday’s DCS technology not only performs

its primary regulatory control function as

well as or more reliably than its proprietary

predecessor, but by incorporating commer-

cially available technology, it also enables

far greater flexibility.

An example of this flexibility is in simu-

lation. In the past, if a user wanted a simula-

tor as a training tool for operators, the only

option was to acquire controllers and work-

stations identical to those employed in his

system. Over time, with hardware upgrades

or system expansions, the only way to keep

the simulation realistic was to invest in du-

plicate hardware for the simulator. Withthe adoption of PC architecture for DCS

controllers, it is now possible to create a

virtual simulator, where the actual DCS ap-

plication software can reside on a desktop

PC and one PC can emulate up to 20 DCS

controllers. This makes the simulator easier

and less expensive to maintain, resulting in

a far more flexible and valuable asset.

Along with that inherent flexibility of

the modern DCS platform is the vastly

increased computing power of current

computer technology that offers a host of

enhancements that have altered the nature

and expectations of plant operations. Tra-

ditional functions such as process trend-

ing, alarming, logging, and historical data

collection have become not only easier to

accomplish but also easier to share beyond

the control room, making the DCS an inte-

gral part of the corporate IT infrastructure.

With enhanced data collection, manage-

ment, and analysis capabilities inherent in a

more-powerful platform, opportunities forprocess improvement within a unit, a plant,

and even a fleet become easier to identify

and to implement (Figure 3).

Smart ComputingThe DCS platform is not alone in capital-

izing on the advancements driven by the

desktop computing industry. Over the past

decade, low-cost, yet powerful, microchips

have become fully integrated components in

field devices such as transmitters and actua-

tors. Among other features, these ”smart”

devices can measure and report more thanone variable from the process while also

providing that data at much higher reso-

lution than is possible with conventional

field devices. In addition, they constantly

perform self-diagnostics and report on their

health, alerting operators to emerging prob-

lems before they affect the process.

These smart devices can exist on conven-

tional 4-20 mA twisted pair, or on a fieldbus

network that allows multiple devices to re-

side on a single digital communication bus,

2. Much-improved performance. The processing speed of logic controllers has

increased by a factor of 50 since 1988. Source: Emerson Power & Water Solutions

• 16,000 points per system

• 2-megabit highway

• 8 MHz Intel 8086 processor

• 1 megabyte memory (Prom + RAM)

• Local and remote I/O (Q-line)

• 32,000 points per controller



• 400 MHz Intel Celeron processor

• 64 MB RAM, 128 MB compact flash

• Local and remote and third-party I/O

1988 2008

1988 20081998



• 8 MHz Intel 8086 processor

• 32,000 points per controller

• 200,000 points per system• 3.2M points using multi-networking

• Gigabit highway

• 400 MHz Celeron processor

• 16,000 points per controller• 200,000 points per system


• 66 MHz Pentium processors

3. More zeros over time. The evolution of the DCS.Source: Emerson Power & Water Solutions





PLANT COMPUTING

as opposed to the older home-run concept of

“one device, one wire.” Fieldbus architecture

enables significant savings in wiring costs

for new plants or new control areas over the

high cost of traditional device wiring.

Smart devices can also be wireless. In

the past several years, wireless field devices

have proven themselves in a number of ap-

plications, where they enable the gathering

of direct process measurements from remote

locations without the expense of wiring.

A similar revolution is taking place in

diagnostics technology, which was once

reserved for major capital equipment. To-

day, the cost of diagnostic and monitoring

devices such as heat or vibration monitors

has decreased significantly, making it cost-

effective to install them to closely monitor

the performance and health of critical plant

equipment and to identify negative trends

before they affect operations.

The additional wealth of data from fieldsensors, actuators, and diagnostic equipment

leads to another significant development:

plantwide asset management systems as an

integral component of the DCS architecture.

This plantwide asset management concept

goes beyond the traditional DCS status alarm

concept and allows for detailed and coordi-

nated analysis of plant assets and operations

permitting proactive, not just reactive, re-

sponse to plant conditions (Figure 4).

Another trend that has emerged in the

past decade that will grow in importance

with the availability of a rich stream of datais intelligent process optimization. Utilizing

advanced mathematical techniques such as

fuzzy logic, these “smart” applications seek

to continuously track actual plant operating

conditions, learn as they accumulate experi-

ence, and then adjust process setpoints to op-

timize production based on a defined goal.

Such advanced techniques have already

been successfully employed in a number of

areas, such as NOx

optimization, where they

help utilities balance emissions against lim-

its or credits available. Currently, even more

advanced mathematical models are being

applied that take optimization even further,

including models that mimic biological re-

sponses, such as immune system response.

Along with all the benefits and increased

capability of open-system technologies come

increased demands for managing those sys-

tems. Most significant among those demands

is the requirement for increased attention to

system security. Although the North American

Electric Reliability Corp. Critical Infrastruc-

ture Protection standards provide a framework

for system security efforts, is vital that users

and suppliers work together in implementing

security programs that prevent both intentional

and unintentional threats to system integrity. ■

—Robert Yeager ([email protected]) is presi-

dent of the Power & Water Solutions divi sion of Emerson Process Management.

4. Emerging trends. DCS technol-

ogy will continue to evolve in response to

technology advances such as integrated

simulation, high-performance digital bus

architecture, wireless applications, cyber-

security concerns, and more-capable and ro-

bust software applications. Source: Emerson

Power & Water Solutions

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PLANT COMPUTING

Optimize Your Plant Using the Latest Distributed

Control System TechnologyDistributed control systems are powerful assets for new and modernized pow-er plants. Thanks to three product generations of technology innovations,these systems now provide new benefits—including improved O&M effi-ciency, greater plant design flexibility, and improved process control andasset reliability—that help competitive plants advance in the game.

By Ralph Porfilio, ABB Power Generation

With nearly 30 years of evolution—

and three fundamental technologygenerations—since their initial

introduction into power plant applications,

distributed control systems (DCS) have im-

proved considerably. Though specific release

dates vary among vendors, the first genera-

tion of DCS appeared during the 1980s, the

second generation during the 1990s, and

third generation in the mid-2000s.

With each major system release, many

new DCS capabilities and features have

been added, resulting in new benefits for

plant designers and owners.

First Generation: The Early DCSThe introduction of microprocessor-based

plant control occurred shortly before 1980

with simple single-loop controllers. This

technology quickly evolved into a DCS with

control processor redundancy, high-density

input/output (I/O) systems, and a human

machine interface (HMI).

Perhaps the most significant feature of the

early DCS was the ability to geographically

distribute control system processors and I/O

components, thus influencing power plant

designs by greatly reducing the amount of field wiring needed between control equip-

ment and field instruments.

As the first-generation DCS evolved,

advances in technology enabled PC-based

engineering tools as well as function block

programming, which greatly simplified the

construction and flexibility of controller-

based application code. As controller speed

and memory increased, control system en-

gineers quickly realized that control logic

strategies truly would only be limited by the

engineers’ imagination.

When compared to previous technolo-gies—plant computers and electrical ana-

log control systems—the first-generation

DCS stands out as a tremendous leap in

technology for its time.

Second Generation:The Open System DCSOne limiting factor of first-generation

systems is that they were designed to use

proprietary communication technologies.

Consequently, connections to third-party

systems were typically limited to custom-

developed interfaces. This changed during

the 1990s, and the DCS became recognized

as the optimal vehicle for integrating pro-

cess data from the various automation plat-

forms used within a typical plant.The open system DCS provided standard

communication interfaces for connecting the

various automation subsystems. Supporting

integrated plant operations for all automated

plant equipment, the DCS provided a cen-

tralized and common “single window view”

of plant data for control, logical interlock,

alarm, and history. Enterprise management

solutions, also enabled by the open system,

provided new opportunities for fleet man-

agement centers to improve operations by

remotely monitoring plant processes, ana-

lyzing unit efficiencies, and supporting co-ordination between operating units.

Additionally, the use of commercial off-

the-shelf technology emerged during this

period as standard Ethernet networking com-

ponents and Microsoft Windows-based sys-

tems were applied at the DCS HMI layer.

As demand for more open systems grew—

along with strong interest in integrating field-

bus technology and making full use of an

integrated operations and engineering environ-

ment—the third-generation DCS emerged.

Third Generation:The Extended Automation DCSToday’s power generators are faced with

intense pressure to improve production re-

liability and bottom line profitability. As aresult, current business goals focus on in-

creasing operational efficiency and overall

equipment effectiveness (OEE). In support

of OEE—a tool used to identify production

loss and asset availability—third-generation

DCS employ powerful object-oriented de-

sign technology to enable efficiency im-

provements within daily operations and

maintenance (O&M) activities.

Additionally, advanced process optimi-

zation technology is added to support im-

provements in process efficiencies such as

power plant heat rate. Asset optimization isavailable to improve production reliability

through improved process stability as well

as through asset monitoring for predictive

maintenance. Control system technology

also now integrates several fieldbus pro-

tocols, thus enabling more flexible plant

designs as well as improved data for main-

tenance. An example of a third-generation

DCS is ABB’s Industrial IT System 800xA.

Aspect System Technology.Embedded

within the 800xA DCS system’s platform

core is a new object-oriented technology

called an “aspect system.” Aspect systemtechnology provides an enterprise-wide data

management tool within the DCS operator’s

console. It allows plant O&M information

to be directly linked to DCS graphical ob-

jects. This means users with secure access

to the DCS screens (such as plant operators,

maintenance personnel, and managers) can

get personalized views of important plant

information. Providing the right informa-

tion to the right person at the right time for

informed decision-making saves time and

thereby improves operational efficiency.

“Aspect links,” which are simple, menu-driven links to O&M information, can be

launched via mouse click from DCS graphi-






http://www.indeck.com/



PLANT COMPUTING

cal objects, alarm points, or a controller con-

figuration drawing (Figure 1). Aspect links of

interest to plant operators may include alarm

decision system information, operational help

screens, live video feeds, start-up instruc-

tions, and trends. Links of interest to instru-

mentation and control personnel may include

detailed troubleshooting information such

as plant piping and instrumentation draw-

ings, equipment O&M manuals, application

guides, and smart device management tools.

Links used by maintenance management may

include work orders, fault reports, or spare

part inventories.

Permissions can be configured to manage

individual views into the aspect links, thereby

ensuring that system users can only view infor-

mation relative to their specific job function.

Process Optimization and Asset Opti-

mization. To support the goal of increased

plant process efficiency, advanced control

can be added to the DCS using model pre-

dictive controller (MPC) technology. The

MPC approach provides a multi-variable

algorithm that runs at a much higher fre-

quency than earlier optimization techniques

(typically, cycle times are measured in sec-

onds, rather than minutes). The result is an

accurate process model that can be added to

base system controls to produce less vari-

ability and smoother transitions. Less vari-

ability typically enables processes to operate

closer to equipment design limits, therefore

enabling significant improvements in steam

temperature, ramp rate, heat rate, situations

with complex coordinated control, and re-

duced emissions.

Asset optimization, now available within

most third-generation DCS designs, facili-

tates increased OEE and avoids unplanned

shutdowns, thereby increasing plant avail-

ability. Asset optimization can also extend

the life of plant assets by using advanced

predictive maintenance techniques. For plant

assets, a logical analysis function called the

“asset monitor” provides 24/7 supervision

of the plant device or process. Assets that

can be monitored include DCS components,

communication networks, smart instru-

mentation, process control loops, pumps

and drives. Power plant processes such as

feedwater heaters, water quality, and heat

exchangers can also be monitored. Asset

monitor options can be scaled to include any

number of assets, from plant to fleet

By applying object-oriented technology,

asset optimization is seamlessly integrated

with commercially available computerized

maintenance management systems (CMMS).

From the DCS process graphics, plant main-

tenance staff can get an asset management

view of the plant to access work orders, sparepart inventories, and maintenance activities.

They can also rely upon the DCS to identify

problems and automatically generate a fault

report for automated download back into the

CMMS.

Expanded Connectivity for Process

Control. Third-generation DCS control-

lers and I/O hardware occupy much smaller

footprint than earlier systems. DIN rail com-

ponents operate using 24VDC and can be

routed via redundant fiber optic networks.

This makes for a more scalable solution, as it

is much easier and economical to physicallydistribute clusters of remote I/O throughout

the plant. DCS controller technology has also

evolved to support SIL 2 and 3 standards for

safety as well as the traditional National Fire

Protection Association 85 requirements ap-

plied to many utility applications.

Integrated fieldbus is a significant third-

generation DCS enhancement. In particular,

bussed communication reduces field wiring,

and provides beneficial data for asset man-

agement. Because the technology allows

mixing bus protocol connections within a

common controller, it gives plant designersgreat flexibility for plant layout and final

control element device selection. Today’s

control systems support the integration of

many protocols, including Profibus, Founda-

tion Fieldbus, Device Net, and IEC 61850.

IEC 61850 is a recent development that is

used for electrical system integration into the

plant DCS. With capabilities of integrating

intelligent electrical devices (IED) for control

and asset monitoring and device management,

the IEC 61850 standard is emerging with con-

nectivity options for protection relays, drives,

medium- and high-voltage switchgear, andother equipment. Also, specifically for power

plant applications, DCS controllers can inte-

With today’s “open” DCS systems, care

needs to be taken to include security mea-

sures that can be easily integrated into

a particular plant owners’ overall security

strategy.

Critical infrastructure protection (CIP)

regulations developed by the North Amer-

ican Reliability Corp. and sanctioned by

the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

have spawned many DCS and SCADA se-

curity-related organizations, committees,

and discussion groups. The subject of DCS

security poses new challenges for plant

owners as well as DCS vendors.From the plant owner perspective, secu-

rity procedures need to be documented and

adopted by system users, especially those

in O&M. Procedures need to be enforced,

maintained, and updated whenever chang-

es are required. For tracking system chang-

es, the latest DCS provides a new audit trail

feature. Modern DCS systems are capable of

supporting secure configuration at many

levels (including domain, network, operat-

ing system, engineering tools, user access

to stations, individual control screens, as-

pect links, faceplates, and tuning).

As plant owners tailor security procedures

to support plant-specific and fleetwide

goals, the third-generation DCS system will remain adaptable to support a wide range

of customer-specific strategies.

DCS Security and the Open System

1. Linked up. Improving the efficiency of plant operations and maintenance, the 800xA

distributed control system (DCS) provides aspect link technology for navigating to important

plant information from DCS client screens. Source: ABB

Process tuning

Alarmdecision

Instructmanual

Video

Calibration

P&I diagram

Electrical

MaintenanceDCS client





PLANT COMPUTING

grate field-bussed specialty cards for turbine

control (overspeed, auto synch, and valve po-

sition), vibration condition monitoring, and

flame scanners.

Finally, thought they’re not classified as

fieldbus protocols, the highway-addressable

remote transducer (HART) and Modbus over

Ethernet have also been more tightly inte-

grated into the third-generation DCS con-

troller level (Figure 2).

Engineering Tool Enhancements. The

DCS software interface employs object-

oriented technology to provide user-defin-

able “library objects.” This approach allows

complete control strategies—such as motor-

operated valve control, faceplate, graphic

element, and aspect links—to be packaged

into a single library object that is available as

an element within the project library.

As an object is used repeatedly through-

out a project, it maintains its reference “in-

heritance” to the original library object. Thisallows for a consistent design approach for

all similar plant devices and also simplifies

maintenance of control configurations when

code modifications are required. Control

programming methods are available to sup-

port function blocks from previous first- and

second-generation DCS systems as well as

IEC version function blocks, ladder logic,

instruction list, structured text, and sequen-

tial flow charts.

Improved Power Plant Simulators.

When used for operator training, simulator

systems typically provide a substantial op-portunity to improve plant operational ef-

ficiency and expertise. Simulators can also

serve as testing grounds for verifying DCS

logic changes. In earlier DCS generations,

power plant simulators offered controller

hardware-based “stimulated” or PC “emu-

lated” simulators. The latest DCS simulator

technology provides a “virtual controller”

PC-based environment for running the origi-

nal equipment manufacturer (OEM) version

of the controller configuration.

The virtual controller is easier to maintain

than the previous-generations’ hardware-based stimulated simulators. Furthermore,

when combined with the OEM HMI and

actual operator process graphics, the virtual

controller approach provides the most realis-

tic simulation system environment and can

be easily coupled to a range of low- to high-

fidelity simulation process models.

Future Enhancements

DCS system capacities and controller per-

formance will continue to improve, there-

fore enabling even higher I/O quantities

per controller from both hardwired andintegrated fieldbus paths. Continued and

more widespread use of DCS electrical

system integration using the IEC 61850,

Profibus, and Profinet industry standards

is expected.

Regarding the physical layer of field-

bus technologies, one would expect that

all standard protocols will evolve toward

a redundant high-availability Ethernet for

fieldbus trunk networks. This would allow

a common industrial Ethernet field network

to be run to all areas utilizing fieldbus in-

struments and electrical gear and would

eliminate the need for multiple media

types when various bus protocols are used.The need for less-protocol-specific ca-

bling would result in a more cost-effective

plantwide wiring scheme.

Also anticipate increased use of wireless

technology for instrumentation using stan-

dard protocols and perhaps mesh networks

for the integration of communication devic-

es within the DCS for control as well as for

asset optimization.

For the foreseeable future, DCS applica-

tion software will continue to provide new

strategies and features in support of plant

goals to improve operations, process produc-tion, and reliability. The addition of informa-

tion systems that enhance the retention of staff

expertise (a necessity in plants with an aging

workforce) will result in operational improve-

ments and support efficient plant operations.

We also anticipate the increased deploy-

ment of asset management with process-relat-

ed asset-monitoring objects that are specific

to power plants. Computerized maintenance

management strategies within plants will

also improve reliability.

As business demands may pressure pow-

er plants for production increases, there also

may be new motivations to apply advanced

optimizing control applications. For exam-ple, as more electrons entering the electrical

grid are produced by sometimes less-pred-

icable sources, such as wind and solar en-

ergy, new operational requirements may be

imposed upon existing generating units.

Situations such as this can drive future plant

adaptations that may benefit from optimized

control or advanced control combined with

electro-mechanical modifications to support

variable-load optimization. ■

—Ralph Porfilio ([email protected] .com) is the director of technology and

applications engineering with ABB’s Power Generation North America Division

(www.abb.com) , an ABB Inc. company.

Operator network

Operatorclients

Extended operator workstation

Datahistorian

Remote stations

Engineeringworkstation

Servers Third-partysystems

Wireless

Control network

Turbine valve position Turbine position

Integrated safetyNFPASIL 2,3

Flamescanners

Instrumentation

Positioner

valves Drives

Turbineautosynchronization

Vibrationcondition monitoring

SubstationHV SWGR

LV/MVdrives and MCCs

Local control panel Wired I/OLV/MVswitchgear TransformerTurbine control

Boiler and balance of plant control

2. Extended automation DCS. Third-generation distributed control systems offer

many options for connecting plant process instruments and devices using fieldbus, Ethernet,

and wireless technologies, as well as through traditional hardwired I/O systems. Source: ABB


http://www.abb.com/


http://www.abb.com/



PLANT COMPUTING

Power Plant Automation: Where We Are

and Where We’re HeadedOver the past decade, power plant control systems have evolved from DCS-centered platforms with proprietary software, to open systems using in-dustry standard hardware and software, and then to totally integratedplant automation systems with almost unlimited connectivity and theability to interrogate field instruments from many different manufactur-ers. What’s next?

By Roger A. Leimbach, Metso Automation USA Inc.

Today’s power plant control room isevolving into an almost office-like

setting, typically quiet and with few

staff. Gone are the large boiler-turbine gen-

erator (BTG) boards and vertical panels

populated with indicators and strip chart

recorders. Also gone are the numerous

manual/auto control stations that allowed

plant operators to individually access final

control elements.

New technology has significantly changed

the purpose of the control room. No longer

a place where operators control, it is now

just one of several portals for an integratedteam of experts with the common objective

of maximizing the value of the plant’s assets

(Figure 1).

Over the past 10 years automation plat-

forms have progressed from primarily pro-

prietary hardware and software designs to

systems that maximize the use of industry

standard hardware and software. The Micro-

soft invasion has eclipsed most distributed

control system (DCS) platforms. In addition,the hardware, including controllers and I/O

modules, has gotten smaller while its com-

puting power has increased geometrically.

Automation systems are also fast becom-

ing commodities, yet generating companies

(gencos) have not relaxed their requirements

for a rugged design that includes compo-

nents and modules that meet high standards

for reliability. The typical power plant au-

tomation system is populated with rugged

I/O modules that meet strict standards for

isolation, surge-withstand capability, and

environmental specifications. Remote termi-nations external to the I/O modules are still

prevalent in many power plant installations

and will surely be with us in the future.

Off-the-shelf hardware solutions have re-

sulted in lower prices for hardware such as

I/O modules and even controllers. Studies

have shown that the value of hardware in-

cluded in system shipments continues to fall

while the value of software applications con-

tinues to rise. However, just because the tech-nology is available doesn’t necessarily mean

the technology is appropriate at any price.

At the same time, several different com-

puter bus architectures have evolved, and no

single one is more accepted than the others:

Fast Switched Ethernet, Foundation Field-

bus, Profibus, ASI, DeviceNet, and others

have all found wide acceptance by vendors

and users alike. However, most automation

system suppliers distinguish themselves with

applications and services that are specific to

an industry. The ability to supply products

and services that enhance operations—in-creasing availability, increasing efficiency,

and controlling emissions—is a major re-

quirement of the power industry today, and

its importance will grow in the future.

Beyond cheap computing and advanced

software applications, an automation system

must be designed to optimize the econom-

ics of plant assets. Deregulation has required

greater awareness of optimizing operations.

1. Control rooms are evolving. Gone are the large boiler-turbine generator boards, the walls of instruments, and strip chart recorders.

Decisions are made by a team of experts, most of whom will not be on site. Today’s automation systems include portals that allow people from all

over the world to access information in real time. Courtesy: Metso Automation USA Inc.





PLANT COMPUTING

Maximizing availability, efficiency, and

safety are crucial roles of an automation

system. Furthermore, monitoring, reporting,

and controlling emissions have been elevat-

ed, in some cases to the highest corporate

level, largely because of regulatory scrutiny.

In sum, the current operational environment

is far more sophisticated than at any time be-

fore, yet we’ve just barely scratched the sur-

face of automation system capabilities.

History of User InterfacesThe first direct digital control (DDC) sys-

tems of the 1970s offered graphical interfac-

es that mimicked conventional BTG boards.

Displays were ineffective because only part

of the process was visible at any one time.

Displays could be swapped around, but only

a small number of variables could be shown

on the low-resolution monitors that were

available. This problem was called the “key-

hole effect”: Operators were only able toview a very small number of plant variables

at any time and were never able to get the

complete “feel” of a plant.

In the 1980s the first DCS offered larger

displays that took operator tasks into consid-

eration. Historical information and trending

illustrated process dynamics. Higher-resolu-

tion screens and windowing allowed more

variables to be included on displays.

By the mid-1990s, supporting knowledge

and operator guidance messages were in-

cluded in most control systems. Their imple-

mentation and updating has been integratedinto the process control system and its en-

gineering tools. Typically, an operator now

points at a process object to retrieve associ-

ated design knowledge and guides. This sup-

port provides basic knowledge and help but

does not make decisions for the operator.

Intelligent expert systems promoted in

the 1980s—such as neural networks, fuzzy

logic, and other knowledge-based systems—

have been used to optimize specific func-

tions, such as emissions, unit heat rate, and

boiler fireside cleaning. But they have not,

for the most part, been used to support op-erator decision-making.

From Control to SupervisionToday, the operations team appears to be de-

tached from controls processes, which puts

more pressure on automation systems to not

just control but also provide timely informa-

tion to all parties concerned with plant op-

eration—operations, maintenance, owners,

and other specialists who can be called on to

provide advice. Technology can enable per-

sonal interaction with an expert in a remote

location who has real-time access to infor-mation from a process plant.

In the future, control systems will no lon-

ger control the process—they will supervise

it! Plant functions such as operation, main-

tenance, and management will be tightly

integrated across all plant functional areas,

and data will be ubiquitous. The system will

embrace the latest information and commu-nication technologies (ICT), and multiple

communication channels (some traditional

and some personal, such as instant messag-

ing) will be incorporated. Flexible, switch-

able interfaces will be at the heart of the

systems. Additionally, the operator interface

will evolve into a human computer interface

that allows collaboration among all the in-

terested parties, on- and off-site. This func-

tionality, coupled with asset performance

solutions, will allow all parties to participate

in the operation and optimization of a plant.

This development is already taking a stepforward. New “network-enabled cooperative

groups,” whose information is gathered from

people’s private computer activities, are now

available to the plant at a moment’s notice. A

virtual network of experts is going to be built

around production activities and will be sup-

ported by future automation systems.

Computer-SupportedCooperative WorkSignificant contributions to process control

systems in the area of knowledge manage-

ment and collaboration within organizationshas come from research in the field of com-

puter-supported cooperative work (CSCW)

and information systems. This research has

suggested that the key issue is to design sys-

tems with explicit concern for the socially

organized work practices of their users.

CSCW suggested in the 1990s that the

retention of data and events should be facili-tated by storing information in computerized

files. It was suggested that information tech-

nology should support organizational mem-

ory by making knowledge easily retrievable

in real time and by providing easy access to

individuals with the appropriate knowledge.

The familiar plant data historians and elec-

tronic diaries grew out of this research.

Recent ICT has enabled another new op-

erating concept: collaboration management.

Collaboration management facilitates the

networking a team of on- and off-site spe-

cialists who all can see the same informationavailable to plant operators in real time or via

retrieval of historical information to enable

the best decision-making.

The next step in the evolution of ICT is to

associate these communications with context,

increased efficiency, and additional intelli-

gence. Such system-based tools must auto-

matically integrate important process variables

and their historical trends with relevant activ-

ity, both human and process-oriented (events

and alarms), and then enhance that data with

information from diary entries. The end result

is extracting knowledge from disparate infor-mation sources and, ultimately, enhancing the

value of plant assets (Figure 2).

Business view

Product operation

Process level

Sub-process level

Device level

Integration and messaging

Collaborative O&Msolution

Maintenance operation

M o n i t o r i n g a n d t r i g g e r i n g

I n t e g r a t i o n a n d m e s s a g i n g Cost

analysis

Work order

planning

Inventorymanagement

Maintenance

action

Analyzing

andreporting

2. Consolidated data view. System portals allow experts located anywhere to view

operating and financial data deep inside an organization to promote better decision-making,

faster response, and increased management awareness. Advanced asset management soft-

ware packages combined with fieldbus technology allow computer systems to monitor the

process and plant equipment like never before. Source: Metso Automation USA Inc.





PLANT COMPUTING

Control Anything from AnywhereAutomation systems are in a transforma-

tional stage. They are now “network en-

abled” and fast becoming communications

channels that provide real-time information

to those who provide input to the decision-

making process.

Networked functionality is essential now

that utilities and other gencos are faced with

a new operational environment that requires

them to constantly reconsider the generating

assets needed to match demand based on ex-

ternalities such as environmental constraints,

water supplies, and, perhaps in the near future,

the cost of carbon emissions.

Large power plants are typically super-

vised and controlled by production and main-

tenance staff that uses the process control

system as a tool to automate process func-

tions and gather and present information to be

used by short- and long-term staff decision-

makers (Figure 3). The exchange of ideas, ac-cess to expertise, and unrestrained exchange

of information is indispensable. Under these

conditions it is preferable that an organization

behaving as a community be engaged to solve

short-term problems and to develop evolving

procedures for optimizing performance. Thus

the role of the control system is to automate,

inform, network, and store data.

In the future, gencos will reach beyond

their internal centers of excellence to gather

expertise from outside their organizations

to optimize operations through automa-

tion system “portals.” Teams of experts willbe preassembled as a “community” that

shares common goals. Each member may

have different expertise and will be called

upon to render advice at any time and from

anywhere.

Supporting Applicationsto Optimize AssetsAt the heart of the automation system are

tools and advanced applications to allow

gencos, their experts around the world, and

automation suppliers to access informa-

tion and real-time data from a portal to the

automation system, and hence to the en-

Portal

Automationsupplier

center of

excellence

Serviceprovider

Serviceprovider

Internet

PlantLAN

Corporate business systems

Assetinformationintegration

Product optimization

Availability optimization

Environmental optimization

Multi-state monitoring

Performance index

P

r o c e s s s t a t e

D i r t i n d e x

Pump

Flow

ΔP

Electric current

Online monitoringwith operation point compensation

Detection ofperformance changes

Alerting rules Automatic messaging

Distribution ofalerts and triggers

Maintenance

managementsystem

Messages,e-mails

Messages,e-mails

Enterprise

partners

Partners’systems

Sitehub

3. Stay in touch. Wireless engineering stations can access information from the system

about field devices, receive information from other sources, and permit technicians to make

configuration changes on the fly. Courtesy: Metso Automation USA Inc.

4. Cutting-edge access. Automation systems must facilitate predictive and condition-

based collaborative maintenance management at the plant. Connectivity is provided to other

corporate business systems, and information security must be guaranteed. Source: Metso

Automation USA Inc.

5. Future colleagues. Data and information will be transmitted to the automation supplier’s center of excellence and to the owner’s

experts around the world. Enhancing the rate of return on plant assets requires expertise beyond the confines of the plant. Source: Metso

Automation USA Inc.





PLANT COMPUTING

tire corporate business system (Figure 4).

Thus, a community of experts all with the

same objectives can collaborate. Addition-ally, performance-enhancing products and

services can be provided through the portal

to increase efficiency and minimize down-

time. Clearly, bullet-proof tools for infor-

mation security, notification management,

messaging, and application integration are

required.

Automation systems must include tools

to enable remote proactive maintenance, to

monitor and collect data from a system’s

network and send notifications to the appro-

priate center of excellence, where it can be

analyzed. Information from any plant devicesuch as pumps, fans, valves, transmitters,

electric motors, heat exchangers, boilers and

turbine must be collected in real time. Also,

quality and cost data are all available for

scrutiny by experts anywhere in the world

(Figure 5). A good example of how this tech-

nology can benefit an individual plant was

provided in “Entergy’s Big Catch” in the Oc-

tober 2008 issue of POWER.

The automation system then becomes a

platform that runs or interfaces with many

different application programs obtained from

the “community.” It becomes less and less acontrol system and more and more a recipi-

ent of supervisory optimization and control.

Automation companies can in some cases

become suppliers of basic control systems,

or platforms, for application experts locatedwithin the genco or for other consultants

within the “community.” This means that au-

tomation system platforms need to be, just

like Linux, an “open system” for all to use,

improve, and integrate (see sidebar).

In the future, automation systems will

integrate and access products and services

focused on maximizing production and

availability. The computers may be at a

power plant, but the expertise and software

will inevitably be located elsewhere. All will

be available through portals to the outside

world to reduce operating costs by optimiz-ing all the plant’s processes as a whole rather

than piecemeal. The system will avoid unit

trips through the use of condition-based

monitoring and collaborative networks of

experts, and it will provide for wide access

to experts who can provide input on designs

and operation.

In short, automation systems of the future

will further improve plant reliability by le-

veraging communities of expertise with ad-

vanced, open information technology tools

and hardware. ■

—Roger Leimbach ( roger.leimbach @metso.com) is director of sales and

marketing for Metso Automation USA Inc.

The community model facilitated by the

Internet is now being adopted by various

industries. Perhaps the best example of an

Internet community success story is that

of the Linux operating system.

Linux is an operating system that was

initially created as a hobby by a young

student, Linus Torvalds, at the Univer-

sity of Helsinki in Finland. He began his

work in 1991. Torvalds worked steadily

until 1994 when version 1.0 of the Li-

nux Kernel was released. The kernel, at

the heart of all Linux systems, is devel-

oped and released under the GNU Gen-

eral Public License, and its source code

is freely available to everyone. There are

now literally hundreds of companies and

organizations and an equal number of individuals who have released their own

versions of operating systems based on

the Linux kernel.

When the computing community em-

braced Linux as its own, it became a

world-class operating system, developed

by a community of people sharing infor-

mation. As with the World Wide Web (ex-

cepting firewalled or secured sites), all

data are available to all users, regardless

of their location or time of day.

Similarly, with the latest automation

systems, power plant staff can access

their community whenever they want

and discuss problems within forums that

contain records of all events. Results are

achieved through people interacting and

collaborating. New ideas are sent to all

parties in the community.

Well-functioning communities in a

power generation environment bring peo-

ple—including operators, maintenance

staff, management, and engineering

consultants—together to work toward the

same results: targeted quality, maximumproduction, minimum environmental im-

pact, and minimum costs.

Some gencos have established centers

of excellence that support multiple plants

around the world. Their expertise is avail-

able through the communication channels

established in their automation system.

How Do Communities Work?

x Security Strategies

x

Vulnerability Assessmentsx Mitigation Strategies

x Monitoring, Oversight

x Project Management

x Design, Implementation

x Configuration Management

PROTECT YOUR

ASSETS

YOUR PARTNER

FOR

CYBER

SECURITYCOMPLIANCE





http://www.hursttech.com/






PLANT COMPUTING

EnhancingPlant Asset Management

with Wireless RetrofitsWireless technology is a mostly untapped resource in the power generationindustry that can have a significant impact on the way business is done.It enables a greater degree of connectivity among devices for enhancedmonitoring and asset utilization and has led to the development of newapplications that improve productivity, uptime, and overall business per-formance.

By Paul Sereiko, AirSprite Industrial Wireless LLC

Industrial automation is one segment of the global economy that, to date, has

failed to take advantage of wireless tech-

nology. Major industries such as oil and gas,

chemical, power, and water and wastewater

treatment continue to operate their plants

mostly with older, hard-wired control sys-

tems. A typical process facility will have

well over 1,000 measurement points, none

of which currently uses wireless technology,

and many additional points that go unmea-

sured because of the cost of running wires

to each one. This overview focuses on the

need for standards-compliant, wireless, sen-sor-based technology in these industries for

enhanced plant asset management and the

benefits that will result.

Most, if not all, industrial plants use

networks to link devices and instruments

to their control and management systems.

Although these systems are complex, the

majority work with simple analog informa-

tion, such as temperature, pressure, level,

and flow readings. Though they are effec-

tive, these control and management systems

could add significant value if they were able

to access data that would allow them to domuch more than receive process measure-

ments from a device or send commands such

as “on/off” and “open/close,” or respond to

setpoints that essentially tell the plant how

to operate.

Many of the devices and instruments in a

plant actually collect and maintain intelligent

digital data about their own performance, in-

dividual processes, or the overall operation

of a plant. That data can be extremely valu-

able. For example, it can help managers pre-

dict when a problem might occur that would

force a plant shutdown. Unfortunately, mostof this data is trapped in devices. There is

no easy way for plant operators to access the

treasure trove of data and put it to good use.One plant application area that could ben-

efit from using wireless technology to take

advantage of previously trapped highway ad-

dressable remote transducer (HART) data is

plant asset management (PAM). The use of

PAM systems is considered a best practice

for asset performance management. PAM

applications facilitate improved performance

and increase the availability and reliability

of plant assets by maintaining contact with

all aspects of the plant, ranging from pro-

cess, mechanical, and electrical equipment to

field devices, analyzers, and networks. ThePAM system’s role is to monitor asset health,

predict potential problems and failures, and

make the most of maintenance and opera-

tions decisions. PAM is about optimizing the

performance, availability, and reliability of

specific plant assets, which for the purpose

of this article would be machinery, produc-

tion, and automation.

PAM as a practice involves:

■ Monitoring asset health. In many cases,

this ideally involves real-time sensing to

detect potential problem conditions, butfrequently sensing actually occurs week-

ly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly.

■ Assessing asset health data to predict po-

tential problems.

■ Deciding on the optimal course of action

for handling specific problems.

■ Acting to prevent and resolve problems,

such as issuing a work order to fix an

instrument.

PAM application functionality usually

includes:

■ Plant start-up and commissioning

management.

■

Calibration and compliance management.■ Monitoring of smart field devices.

■ Analysis of field data, such as for vibra-

tion patterns or valve signatures.

■ Integration with enterprise asset man-

agement and computerized maintenance

management systems.

The popularity of PAM systems is driv-

en by several factors, including a rapidly

growing number of plant assets, smaller

field staffs, and an increasing rate of retire-

ment for the aging baby boomer workforce.

There are now more loops for a technicianto maintain and less expertise per technician.

PAM systems are a major supplement to the

workforce and enable assets to be managed

effectively. Given these drivers, process

manufacturing companies are realizing that

maintaining competitive returns on plant as-

sets takes more than just manual workforce

efforts.

PAM systems go well beyond improving

maintenance, according to the ARC Advi-

sory Group, which is a consulting firm that

specializes in helping utilities deal with pow-

er operations management and technologystrategies. ARC estimates that by employ-

ing PAM systems, the number of unplanned

plant breakdowns could be reduced by nearly

45%, while production downtime could be

cut by slightly more than 20%. In addition,

plant managers could reduce their spare parts

inventory costs by 25% and product defects

by about 10%. On top of this, ARC estimates

asset performance could be improved by al-

most 40%, while workforce efficiency would

increase about 20% and plant availability

would improve by about 15%.

Another use of wireless access to a HARTinstrument is remote field device manage-

ment. For instance, plant maintenance staff





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PLANT COMPUTING

can cut time and effort by remotely adjusting

configuration parameters, such as damping

of upper and lower range settings, through

their wireless PAM system. There is no need

to physically locate instruments or do hand-

written reports.

Using Wireless Technology toRetrofit InstrumentationThe power generation industry is one that

has continued to operate plants mostly with

older, hard-wired control systems. Own-

ers have opted to upgrade plants rather than

build new ones. In an environment where

new construction isn’t an economical option,

they have been retrofitting aging equipment.

One new industrial technology that they

should be considering for retrofit projects—

wireless sensor networking—is emerging as

a tool at the field device level to economical-ly upgrade a plant for improved operational

productivity.

Every plant has a list of measurement

points to be added to the control scheme

when budget and time allow. Using wireless

technology to retrofit existing hard-wired in-

struments with smart wireless instruments,

while adding wish list measurement points

as wireless sensors, allows plants to mini-mize downtime and production interruptions

without the expense of implementing an

entirely new wireless implementation. How-

ever, unless new instrument measurement

points are being added, the wiring for the

old instruments is typically already in place,

which may make it difficult to justify the

premium for an entirely new wireless field

device and networking infrastructure. The

specific configuration and data monitoring

needs of your plant will determine the actual

cost of moving from a wired to a wireless

infrastructure.For years, plants have been replacing

older 4-20 mA field instrumentation with

intelligent HART instrumentation. Intel-

ligent devices, such as HART instruments,

collect and maintain valuable digital data

about their own performance, commission-

ing, condition, calibration, and production

processes. Ready access to this data can help

managers predict when a problem might oc-

cur that would force a plant shutdown. How-

ever, with older control systems, because of

the expense of adding HART modems tothe systems, the diagnostic and digital capa-

bilities of HART instruments were never en-

abled for continuous access (Figure 1). Such

HART instruments were essentially used as

4-20 mA analog field instruments.

To address this problem, the wireless in-

dustry (see sidebar) has been developing

standards. Emerging wireless standards—

such as the recently released WirelessHART

and the soon-to-be-released International

Society of Automation (ISA) 100.11a stan-

dards—support the design of wireless adapt-

ers that can be retrofitted onto existing 4-20mA loops. That enables the extracting of

digital performance data and wireless trans-

mission of this information to plant applica-

tions, such as a PAM system or process data

historian. Such information, in turn, drives

operational improvements.

An adapter can connect anywhere on a

4-20 mA loop to immediately retrofit existing

HART devices for wireless transmission of

intelligent data to critical plant and enterprise

applications. By retrofitting wireless infrastruc-

ture onto existing HART devices, that data can

bypass legacy control systems (Figure 2).Beyond PAM, wireless retrofits of intel-

ligent instruments can be valuable to control

room operations. For example, digital pro-

cess values can provide operators with an

alternative to their analog 4-20 mA signals,

especially when the analog signal has prob-

lems. These wireless retrofits can also pro-

vide completely new measurement points; if

field power is available, any 4-20 mA wired

instrument in combination with a wireless

adapter can readily add a new measurement

that is valuable for making advanced control

decisions.It is estimated that as many as 85% of the

25 million HART devices in use today cannot

1. HART trouble. In the past, all too often power plants failed to take advantage of the

capability of highway-addressable remote transducer (HART) technology to provide continuous

access to important digital data. Courtesy: ISA

HART Communication Foundation (www

.hartcomm2.org)

ARC Advisory Group (http://arcweb

.com)

VDC Research Group Inc. (www

.vdcresearch.com) ISA100 (www.isa.org/isa100)

Wireless Automation

Web SitesExisting HART devices

Ethernet

HART data

IntelligentHART data

4-20 mA signal

Analog only I/O Process-variable data

Legacy DCS

Host applicationsPlant asset managementProcess monitoringProcess data historiansEnergy management

ExistingHARTdevices

AirSpritewirelessadapters

Smart HART data

4-20 mA signalAnalog only I/O Process-

variable dataLegacy DCS

Ethernet

AirSpritegateway

HART data

Host applicationsPlant asset management

Process monitoringProcess data historiansEnergy management

2. Bypass surgery. Wireless adapters can be connected in such a way that they bypass

legacy control systems and enable previously installed HART instrumentation to handle wire-less transmission of data. Courtesy: ISA


http://www.hartcomm2.org/


http://arcweb.com/

http://arcweb.com/

http://www.vdcresearch.com/


http://www.isa.org/isa100



http://arcweb.com/

http://arcweb.com/







PLANT COMPUTING

directly connect their digital data to systems

that manage, monitor, and control industrial

plants. One goal of these new standards is to

enable the development of products that can

unleash the power of this trapped, intelligent

data, allowing easier access to information

about plant assets by directly connecting

many more sensors.

How Wireless StandardsAre Changing the LandscapeThe rapid adoption of wireless technology is

being driven by the emergence of new wire-

less standards such as ISA100 and Wire-

lessHART. These two standards currently

under development are aimed at industrial

wireless sensing solutions.

The HART Communication Foundation

(HCF) is working on the WirelessHART

standard, which is aimed at leveraging the

information collected by the nearly 25 mil-

lion installed HART devices. HART is avery popular industrial protocol, and Wire-

lessHART will be geared specifically to the

process industry, with a goal of enabling

reliable, robust, and secure wireless com-

munication in real-world industrial plant

applications.

The second standard is ISA100, which

will support multiple protocols, including

HART, as well as process and factory auto-

mation applications.

The two groups are cooperating, to en-

sure continuity and uniformity with wireless

standardization.Today’s typical wireless deployment in

an industrial setting usually requires the pur-

chase of proprietary wireless instrumentation

and systems from a single vendor. The head-

aches accompanying this strategy include

dependence on that vendor, added complex-

ity for plant staff, and escalated project and

maintenance costs. A goal of both standards

is to alleviate these headaches by allowing

vendors to build infrastructure products that

work with products from other vendors and

with what is already installed in the plant.

When wireless retrofit products are based onopen standards, they will work with installed

systems and devices and enable a lower-cost,

lower-risk way to encourage more wide-

spread use of wireless sensing.

A major benefit of the WirelessHART stan-

dard is that it will allow vendors to develop

adapters that will be able to connect directly

to installed HART devices—without chang-

ing anything on the device. These adapters

will extract the intelligent HART data and

then wirelessly transmit it directly to plant

and enterprise applications, such as plant

asset management, energy management, ormonitoring and control systems. There the

data are used to do a better job of predictive

maintenance, as well as to avoid major prob-

lems such as unplanned plant shutdowns.

It is estimated that each HART device

contains 35 to 40 data items that can be used

to improve the performance of an industrial

plant. The number varies by instrument, butthe data identifies a device, its properties,

its calibration settings, measured process

variables, and a good number of diagnos-

tic alerts related to the device. Retrofitting

makes all of these variables continuously

available to plant applications, enabling dra-

matic improvements in the management of

plant assets and plant operations.

Demand for wireless technology is grow-

ing in this typically conservative industry

due to needs for plant efficiency and com-

petitiveness. Given the WirelessHART and

ISA100 standards coming closer to fruition,end-user concerns over security, reliability,

and interoperability will abate, and adop-

tion rates are expected to increase. In a re-

cent analyst briefing, Venture Development

Corp. took the position that wireless growth

is being driven by monitoring and measur-

ing applications, as well as the prospect of

seamless integration with existing devices

and networks (Figure 3).

Wireless Is the Wave of the FutureIt is widely understood in the industrial world

that relying on degrading, failing, or poorlyconfigured systems leads to higher operating

and maintenance costs. Well-designed wire-

less retrofits that comply with the emerging

wireless standards will bring new levels of

productivity, uptime, and overall superior

performance to the generation industry. Wire-

less applications that transcend any specific

industry segment are already being deployed.

For example, operator mobility is en-

hanced with handhelds and tablet personal

computers that are wirelessly connected to

plant control systems, allowing operators and

maintenance personnel to roam their controlroom; wireless video adds process and plant

security; and a host of new real-time location

services for plant assets and people are just

around the corner.

To take advantage of these emerging ap-

plications requires a secure and robust in-

dustrial wireless infrastructure. The latest

technologies and emerging standards areenabling implementations in a highly secure

and robust fashion across the enterprise. It’s

critical that wireless communications—like

any wired networking—be properly engi-

neered, constructed, and maintained in order

to perform reliably.

Maintaining a Wireless SystemOnce a secure and robust wireless infrastruc-

ture is constructed, it must be maintained and

managed to keep it functioning correctly.

Wireless networks, although offering huge

savings versus their wired counterparts, bytheir very nature require more management.

Maintaining security keys, responding to

incidental or malicious interference, and

managing rapidly changing technology and

standards are just a few of the functions that

require an expertise not necessarily available

within the local IT organization of the typi-

cal power plant.

Many organizations are finding that it’s

more cost effective and more secure to con-

tract out the real-time management and op-

timization of their wireless infrastructure.

Unfortunately, many organizations simplyallow their wireless networks, which con-

tain multiple technologies, protocols, and

frequencies, to grow in an ad hoc fashion.

That is a sure way to have an unsuccessful

wireless experience.

The key to a fully functional wireless plat-

form that can enable solutions, such as retro-

fitting existing instrumentation for PAM, is

to engineer and manage those networks from

the top down. ■

—Paul Sereiko ([email protected]) is president of AirSprite Industrial Wireless

LLC. He is also cochair of the ISA SP100 Marketing Working Group and member of

the HART Communication Foundation.

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

$ ( m i l l i o n )

2004 2007Year

Original forecast Actual

3. Growth spurt. Investment in wireless automation in the process industries contin-

ues to exceed projections. Source: Venture Development Corp.







PLANT COMPUTING

Wireless TechnologyUnlocks PossibilitiesModern wireless systems improve productivity, monitoring activities,

and safety at power plants by enabling the right people to be at the rightplace at the right time. Wireless technology can put hard-to-access pro-cess and asset information at your fingertips, wherever you are, to enablemore accurate and timely decisions.

By Jeff Becker, Honeywell Process Solutions

Wireless technology offers benefits

beyond wiring cost savings. With

a multifunctional, plantwide wire-

less network, utility and power generation

facilities can improve safety, reliability, andefficiency through optimized employees,

equipment, and processes.

This overview is intended to assist power

industry companies in exploring the many pos-

sibilities of using wireless technology in plant

automation. It will help end users understand

what to look for when selecting a wireless net-

work for their requirements and will help them

get started with this innovative technology.

Wireless Networks’ BenefitsWireless technology has revolutionized net-

work connectivity in the IT world as wellas the commercial and consumer markets.

Substantial growth in wireless networks is

driven by standardization, industry invest-

ment, and research and development. Mod-

ern wireless applications and sensors deliver

powerful new capabilities, enabling end us-ers to improve operational performance.

Wireless systems not only provide advanced

sensing but also help users make decisions

positively affecting their overall business

objectives.

The advantages of wireless technology

include helping plant operators gather field

data more easily, increase asset life through

continuous monitoring, and improve the

safety of their most important assets—their

people. Wireless technology also promotes

improved plant availability, reduced down-

time, and increased productivity.As wireless technology gains greater ac-

ceptance, the wired world is slowly fading

into the background. Protocols such as Wi-Fi

represent the future, not only for traditional

wired IT network requirements but also for

monitoring and control applications acrossthe plant floor.

In order to take advantage of all the ben-

efits wireless technology has to offer, power

plants must adopt sound policies mitigating

risks and ensuring adequate security for pro-

cesses, personnel, and the environment.

Business AdvantagesPower plants implementing wireless systems

do so for the same reason the first telegraph

system was developed: cost savings. Utilities

look to wireless technology to add real busi-

ness value, both in terms of installation costsand optimized operations from increased

data availability.

Just as Guglielmo Marconi’s invention,

the radio telegraph system, eliminated the

need to erect poles for wired communica-

tion, modern wireless solutions simplify in-

stallation requirements when compared with

conventional wired networking, while also

improving reliability and productivity.

An ultra-secure and ultra-reliable wireless

field infrastructure supports not just wireless

instruments but also wireless local area net-

work (WLAN) applications under the Insti-tute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

(IEEE) standard 802.11 and mobile technol-

ogy such as handheld computers and mobile

human-machine interfaces (HMIs).

A single wireless network, supporting

multiple wireless technologies and classes of

service, can handle diverse tasks ranging from

communicating sensor information back to a

host system, to handling closed-loop control,

information, HMI, video, communication,

and enterprise applications. Wireless tech-

nologies developed for building management

and security can also be utilized in processplants to support both asset management and

personnel tracking.

1. On-site computing. Wireless mobility tools provide a fully functional PC environ-

ment that personnel can interact with directly from a handheld device while performing main-

tenance rounds, data collection, and inspections. Source: Honeywell Process Solutions





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PLANT COMPUTING

Most importantly, wireless networks can

be designed to support multiple commu-

nications protocols, as well as existing ap-plications and standard transmission control

protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) commu-

nications, so that legacy investments do not

have to be discarded.

Applications forthe Power IndustryAccess to the right process data can signifi-

cantly enhance operational efficiency and

extend access to critical process informa-

tion beyond the control room. A wireless

system can include anything from a network

of transmitters monitoring a single, specificapplication to a full-scale wireless network

deployed across an entire site to handle mul-

tiple applications, including monitoring and

supervisory control (Figure 1).

Modern wireless networks are formed

by a series of wireless access points, or

radio nodes, placed strategically in a fa-

cility. Many networks support a “mesh”

infrastructure, in which each radio node

communicates to at least one other node in

range, providing backup communication

should communication from one node be

interrupted. The coverage area of the radionodes working as a single network becomes

a mesh “cloud.”

The first generation of wireless products

were sensor-specific and not designed to cov-

er entire plants, which limited them to small-

er implementations. Today’s generation of

products is more appropriate for wider plant

deployment. These systems are optimized for

specific end-user applications, ranging from

read-only access over an intranet by multiple

casual users to secure system access for mo-

bile operators. The wireless collaboration

that such systems enable can improve deci-

sion-making, production uptime and process

monitoring, and incident avoidance.

Handheld access to process data allows

technicians in the field to view the lat-

est plant information to help identify fail-

ures and causes that may previously have

gone unrecorded. It also can open the door

for further investigation of a system’s reli-

ability. Users can integrate field data with

data from multiple other sources, including

production, control, and work managementsystems. Wireless systems also can provide

mechanical and engineering data and sup-

port the calibration of instrument databases.

Using wireless technology in the field helps

management improve the tracking and re-

porting of inspections, tests, and repairs for

pumps, actuators, valves, vents, pipes and

other plant process equipment.

The new breed of wireless transmitters

enables plant workers to obtain data and

create information from remote and hazard-

ous locations without the need to run wires,

where running wire is cost-prohibitive and/ or the measurement occurs in a hazardous

location (Figure 2).

There are countless remote applica-

tions in power plants that can benefit

from wireless technology. For example,

one Nebraska power plant is using wire-

less technology to monitor its remote oil

tanks. In addition, plant staff are now able

to efficiently monitor water run-off where

electricity is unavailable. Battery-powered

transmitters transmit data over long dis-

tances back to a powered node.

Other power plants are considering appli-cations such as:

■ Supervisory control and data acquisition.

■ Emissions monitoring.

■ Flame sensing with transmitters, or even a

remote wireless video.

■ Control applications, such as turbine con-

trol, boiler control, or motor control.

■ Monitoring the health of rotating assets.

Another example of remote usage is over

large areas such as wind farms. Many have

ineffective or no means to determine windspeed or kW/MW power production. Bat-

tery-operated wireless devices enable data

collection and accurate power production

calculations.

Furthermore, wireless multiplexers are

a simple and reliable means of implement-

ing a wireless solution for applications

with high-density input/output (I/O) con-

centrations. They provide the lowest cost

per wireless measurement point, which

enables new applications that save mil-

lions of dollars on wiring costs. This can

help with substation monitoring and com-

municating information back to a central

monitoring station.

Wireless technology is also an innovative,

cost-effective alternative for measuring the

health of water or corrosion from fluid in

tanks and pipes. For example, remote ana-

lytical pH readings enable plant operators to

monitor water quality. And, with a wireless

corrosion-monitoring system, online and

real-time corrosion monitoring now becomes

cost-effective.A wireless system can carry process and

maintenance data over the same network. Cor-

relation with maintenance and operator tasks

is possible by enabling mobile workers with

wireless technology, which saves them from

sifting through maintenance logs and match-

ing tasks with corrosion data. All the informa-

tion can be integrated into one set of data.

Most importantly, wireless technology

improves safety. By enhancing new op-

portunities for integrating asset tracking,

people location data, or real-time data and

supervisory control, wireless technologycan provide:

■ A real-time location system throughout

a facility to monitor employee locations

and ensure safe procedural operations.

■ Safety shower monitoring.

■ An infrastructure that supports emergency

responders.

■ Wireless leak detection and repair support.

■ Integration with existing control and safe-

ty systems.

■ Continuous wireless monitoring of equip-

ment and field devices for diagnosticequipment health assessments.

■ Voice-over-Internet protocol (VOIP) for

in-plant voice communications.

Finding the Right NetworkPower companies and other end users consid-

ering the implementation of wireless technol-

ogy have identified a number of key wireless

system requirements. These include high se-

curity, reliable communication, good power

management, open platforms, multispeed

monitoring, multifunction capabilities, scal-

ability, global usage, high quality of service,multiprotocol support, and control readiness.

According to wireless technology experts,

2. Wireless solution. An example

of a transmitter installed at a facility. These

wireless transmitters bring back data from

remote areas of the plant into the control

system to improve safety and efficiency.

Source: Honeywell Process Solutions





PLANT COMPUTING

the emerging wireless infrastructure will be

based on a universal mesh network support-

ing multiple wireless-enabled applications

and devices within a single environment

(Figure 3). With just one network supporting

multiple applications, deployment, network

maintenance, and security management will

be simplified.

A wireless network must be secure to en-

sure the entire facility is safe, offering one

comprehensive and end-to-end integrated

security system from the control or host

system all the way down to the sensor. This

means there’s only one wireless security

system to manage. A layered approach to

security means protecting the network from

multiple risks.

Mesh networks use a self-propagating,

self-healing network of nodes to achieve

blanket coverage of an area. A node can

send and receive messages, and in a mesh

network, a node also functions as a routerand can relay messages for its neighbors. If

one node fails for any reason, including the

introduction of strong radio frequency inter-

ference (RFI), the network can reroute data,

and connectivity will not be lost.

With point-to-point signaling, the power

consumption (and battery life) of each field

device becomes more predictable. This ef-

ficiency helps extend the life of batteries

so that they reach their standard shelf life

(some up to 10 years), maximizing the time

between battery changes. Changes in latency

caused by routing changes to the network also are eliminated.

Wireless mesh networks optimize perfor-

mance with efficient use of industrial, sci-

entific, and medical (ISM) radio bandwidth

and prioritizing messages so critical infor-

mation is received first. Because commu-

nication devices using the ISM bands must

tolerate any interference from ISM equip-

ment, these bands are typically given over

to uses intended for unlicensed operation.

Unlicensed operation typically needs to be

tolerant of interference from other devices.

In the U.S., ISM band usage is governedby Federal Communications Commission

rules.

Efficient wireless mesh networks miti-

gate signal interference in these limited ISM

bands by employing a frequency-hopping

spread spectrum (FHSS). This technique

modulates the data signal with a carrier sig-

nal that periodically “hops” from frequency

to frequency across a wide band. Through

the relaying process, a packet of wireless

data will find its way to its destination, pass-

ing through intermediate nodes with reliable

communication links.Installing a wireless network at a

power plant can pose some unique con-

siderations when one is trying to avoid

the risk of electromagnetic field interfer-

ence and RFI. Usually this problem can

be easily mitigated with proper placement

and antenna choices. Fortunately, wire-

less communication is not line-of-sight

technology; it can reflect and bounce off

metal in a facility. There are three main

ways to mitigate the risk from interference:

■ Spatial diversity: Every device sends to

two nodes in different locations to diver-

sify the communication.

■ Temporal diversity: A device sends data,

and if the data is not received by either

node, it will retry two more times, as

quickly as the next millisecond.

■ Frequency diversity: Every transmission

is performed at a different frequency.

Typical EMI interference is short, with

scattered bursts, making it relatively easy

to navigate around.

Matching multi-hop, wireless mesh

communications with distributed control

facilitates a new dimension of interactions

between sensors or sensor clusters. Sensors

can now communicate directly with other

devices on the network. Plus, monitoring

equipment can take readings from sensors

without having to directly access them via

wired connections. This is useful in calibra-

tion and troubleshooting.

By utilizing a single, universal, wireless

mesh cloud, end users have access to one

integrated platform supporting multiple

Wireless technology innovations promise

to open up a wide range of plant floor

applications where cabling is either dif-

ficult to install or prohibitively expen-

sive. They also have the key advantage

of integrating multiple devices, such as

sensors, mobile personal computers, and

security systems. But with so many ap-

plications being developed, standards are

a concern.

For example, the International Society

of Automation’s (ISA) ISA100 initiative,chartered in early 2005, is intended to cre-

ate a road map for implementing wireless

systems in the automation and control en-

vironment through defining and publishing

a set of standards and recommended prac-

tices, and forming technical groups.

ISA100 compliance will ensure supplier

specifications are consistent and easy

to interpret; user requirements are suc-

cinct, relevant, and easy to understand;

technology options are clear and easily

differentiable; and probable outcomes are

quantitatively evaluated against alterna-

tive wireless alternatives.

The electric power generation industry is

currently represented on the ISA100 com-mittee by companies such as TXU Power

and Consolidated Edison. All end users are

welcome to participate. More information

is available at: www.isa.org/isa100.

Wireless Standards Development

OneWireless

server

Ethernet

Controlsystem

Mobile station

Gateway

IntelaTrac PKS

Multinode

XYR 6000wireless

transmitter

PLCXYR 5000

wirelesstransmitter

Secure entry to plant network

3. Once is not enough. A wireless mesh network has multiple paths between access

points (nodes) to establish a redundant infrastructure. Source: Honeywell Process Solutions







PLANT COMPUTING

field protocols and applications. With a

high-speed and self-organizing mesh con-

figuration, network users achieve flexible

channel allocation and a robust architec-

ture with latency control and redundancy

for safe wireless control. They also have

one scalable network that conserves power

and spectrum. Best of all, plant personnel

only have one system to learn, operate, and

maintain.

How to Select a SupplierBecause most electric power companies are

unwilling to act as system or platform inte-

grators for their future plants, they look to

their automation supplier to perform this

function. The task includes not just provid-

ing equipment and support services but also

managing the platform over the long term so

that rapidly developing new technologies and

applications such as wireless can be quickly

and inexpensively added.Plant operators also look to their automa-

tion supplier to manage embedded technol-

ogy, so that process control systems remain

up to date and skirt around technological

dead ends without causing unnecessary cost

and downtime.

When choosing a wireless technology

supplier, consider whether the company

provides:

■ Comprehensive and end-to-end security

measures.

■ Documented best practices for a secure

wireless system configuration.

■ A secure wireless network architecture.

■ The latest security fixes.

■ Qualification of anti-virus software.

■ Policies focused on high security.

■ Established services to help assess, de-

sign, implement, and manage a secure

wireless environment.

Your supplier selection checklist should

also ask:

■ Does the supplier tightly integrate pro-

cess control with physical and cyber

security?

■

Does the supplier provide a dedicated se-curity response team to monitor and ad-

vise upon emerging security threats?

■ Does the supplier offer a security design

service providing a detailed design of the

security infrastructure connecting your

wireless network to the company’s busi-

ness IT network?

Getting Started with WirelessPower industry operations can now benefit

from a wireless technology that satisfies the

multiple conflicting demands of redundancy,

distributed communications, flexibility, and

reliability. Furthermore, self-configuring,

self-healing wireless mesh networks are in-

herently less expensive to install and main-

tain as radios and microprocessors become

cheaper.

To begin using wireless technology and

unlock the possibilities of this innovative

technology, it is important to view your

wireless implementation as a partnership

between the plant operator, the company

IT department, and the wireless technology

supplier. Each party has a role in determin-

ing the outcome of this effort.

In addition, always consider safety first.

If you can’t install wireless safely, it’s better

not to do it at all. Fortunately, with the right

technology and support, you can enjoy all of the advantages of wireless technology while

protecting your plant information and ensur-

ing safe operations. ■

—Jeff Becker ( jeffrey.becker @honeywell.com) is the global wireless

business director for Honeywell Process Solutions.

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COAL COMBUSTION

The most significant ash-related problem

in coal-fired power plants is deposition,

according to Steam, the authoritative

work published by the Babcock & Wilcox

Co. During the combustion process, coal ash

can be released in a molten fluid or sticky

plastic state. A portion of the ash, which is

not cooled quickly to a dry solid state, im-

pacts on and adheres to the furnace walls and

other heating surfaces; this phenomenon is

commonly referred to as slagging. Becausesuch large total quantities of ash are involved,

even slagging created by a small fraction of

the total ash can seriously affect with boiler

operation.

Specifically, slagging occurs when coal

ash accumulates, at high temperatures,

outside the tubes that carry steam inside a

power plant boiler. Slagging reduces heat

transfer from the flue gas to the steam tubes

and decreases a plant’s efficiency. In ex-

treme cases slagging can require a boiler to

be shut down while heat transfer surfaces

are cleaned or repaired. According to a 2007report by the Electric Power Research Insti-

tute, slagging and associated problems cost

U.S. coal-fired power plants approximately

$2.4 billion each year.

The variability of ash behavior is one of

the biggest problems for boiler designers

and operators. Although boilers are often de-

signed to burn a wide range of coals satisfac-

torily, no one unit can perform equally well

with all types of coal.

Recently, a new technology has been de-

veloped to assist power plant personnel in

dealing with ash-related challenges. Dur-ing the past two years, Lehigh University’s

Energy Research Center (ERC) has worked

with the Energy Research Co. (ERCo) of

Staten Island, N.Y., in developing an opti-

cal technology that will allow power plant

operators to make rapid adjustments to pre-

vent boiler slagging and fouling problems

(Figure 1). The project was funded by the

U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) State

Technologies Advancement Collaborative

(STAC) program, which was managed by the

New York State Energy Research and Devel-

opment Authority (NYSERDA) and a PhaseI Small Business Innovation Research pro-

gram from the DOE’s National Energy Tech-

nology Laboratory.

The ERC and ERCo have applied laser-

induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

technology to provide instant analysis of

the elemental composition of the coal be-

ing burned and correlation of that analysis

with the fusion temperature of the coal ash,

which is affected by the concentration of the

elemental coal ingredients.

Lower-Quality Coal WorsensSlagging ProblemsDuring the past 12 months, the price of coal

has almost doubled, for a variety of reasons.

Worldwide demand for coal is growing sharp-

ly. Bad weather has hampered production in

Australia and China. Shipping problems have

slowed exports from Australia and South Af-

rica. Because coal-fired power plants pro-

duce half the electricity in the U.S., the spike

in prices has increased utility bills in some

states, just as consumers already are coping

with rising living costs and a turbulent U.S.

economy. Those rising costs are forcing plantoperators to use lower-cost—often lower-

quality—coal.

Coal contains up to 10 component ele-

ments, including iron, potassium, sodium,

and calcium. The proportion of these differ-

ent elements varies from one coal mine to the

next and even among different seams from

the same mine. These elements affect ash

fusion temperature, as some mineral com-

positions are more susceptible than others tohigh-temperature slagging.

“A ship or cargo can deliver 100,000 tons

of coal at a time to a plant,” said Dr. Carlos

E. Romero, associate director and principal

research scientist at the ERC, in a recently

released statement. “Even if all of the coal

comes from the same mine, it can come from

different seams within the same mine, with

each seam producing coal with a different

composition.”

“These difficulties are compounded

when coal comes from different countries,

which is becoming the case more and moreas rising costs force plant operators to buy

New Laser Technology HelpsReduce Coal-Slagging HeadachesLaser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is starting to light the way for power

plant operators who want to reduce coal ash deposition in their boilers.

By Angela Neville, JD

1. Preventing sticky buildup. Laser-

induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) tech-

nology is designed to analyze coal composition

and provide fusion temperature feedback to

power plant staff who handle coal-fired boiler

operations. Courtesy: Energy Research Cen-

ter, Lehigh University

Slagging and associated problems cost U.S. coal-fired power plants approximately $2.4 billion each year.





COAL COMBUSTION

coal on the spot market to get the cheapest

price,” he said.

The problems addressed by LIBS, ac-

cording to Romero, have been aggravated

by changes in coal-buying patterns triggered

by coal’s growing cost. However, he thinks

rising prices are leading to one positive de-

velopment: “The climbing coal costs are

also giving power plant owners an incentive

to innovate,” he said.

Focusing on LIBS TechnologyLIBS is an advanced chemical analysis tech-

nique that has found applications in a range

of areas where rapid, in-situ, remote, and

semi-quantitative analysis of chemical com-

position is needed. The technique in its essen-

tial form is quite simple. Laser light is used

to ionize a small portion of the analyte, and

the spectral emission (characteristic of the

electronic energy levels) from the species in

the resulting plasma is collected to determine

the concentration of chemical constituents.

By focusing light from the laser to a small

spot, highly localized chemical analysis can

be performed.

In particular, the LIBS system developed

to analyze the chemical properties of coal

uses a pulsating laser with two frequencies,

one infrared and one visible light. The laservaporizes a sample, resulting in a distinct el-

emental signature. From these data, a newly

developed software package containing ar-

tificial neural network (ANN) models esti-

mates ash fusion temperature and predicts

coal slagging potential.

In their lab and site tests, the researchers

experimented with 16 different coals from the

Photodiodes

Laser path

Spectrometer Sample chamber

Collection fiber

UV beam dump

Laser head

Vacuum gauge

2. On location. The LIBS system was set up at Brayton Point Power Station to demon-

strate the feasibility of measuring coal ash composition and predicting coal slagging potential

via artificial neural network models based on LIBS emission intensity measurements. Courtesy:

Energy Research Center, Lehigh University

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COAL COMBUSTION

U.S., Indonesia, Russia, and South America.

Traditional techniques for measuring coal

composition and ash fusion temperature re-

quire operators to remove a sample from a

boiler and test it in a lab, which can take up to

three days. LIBS provides instantaneous data

without interrupting the process.

Power plant operators also have the option

of taking the measurements with a nuclear

analyzer that uses gamma rays. But the nu-

clear analyzer has a large footprint, Romero

explained, and is potentially hazardous,

whereas LIBS is the size of a table top and

is safe to use.

Successful Pilot ProgramRecently, the performance of the LIBS sys-

tem was verified in lab experiments and then

the system was set up at Dominion’s Brayton

Point Power Station, a 1,150-MW coal-fired

power plant in Somerset, Mass. (Figure 2) to

be tested in a real-world setting. The projecthad two goals: to demonstrate the feasibil-

ity of LIBS to measure coal ash composi-

tion and to predict coal slagging potential via

ANN models based on LIBS emission inten-

sity measurement. The STAC program sup-

ported this project, which was managed by

NYSERDA.

As part of this project, a LIBS measure-

ment system was developed and integrated

at the site. The system was first tested in the

laboratory using a broad set of coal samples

that included U.S. bituminous and subbitumi-

nous, and imported fuels. ANN models were

developed to relate the elemental spectra,

measured by the LIBS system, to the initial

ash deformation temperatures under reduc-

ing conditions. Using only LIBS raw spec-

tra eliminated the need to calibrate the LIBS

system or to construct calibration curves for

each element.

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,000

0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80Sample

A s h i n i t i a l d e f o r m a t i o n t e m p e r a t u r e ( F

)

LIBS (conveyor belt samples) LIBS (coal pipe samples)

ASTM analysis Coal certificate (ASTM) Moving average

3. Forecasting slagging challenges.This summary shows the LIBS measurements

from the Brayton Point Station in terms of the predicted ash initial deformation temperatures

that can lead to increased ash deposition rates. Courtesy: Energy Research Center, Lehigh

University

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COAL COMBUSTION

The team of ER Co., the ERC, and Bray-

ton Point performed static LIBS measure-

ments. The station burns approximately 400

tons of coal per hour when its units operate

at full load. The station’s fuel feedstock is

composed of eastern U.S. bituminous coals

from Central Appalachia and a variety of South American coals from Colombia and

Venezuela.

“The variability in coal feedstock at Bray-

ton Point poses a significant challenge to the

station,” said Robert De Saro, president of ER

Co., in the report, “A Brief Summary of LIBS

Test Results at Brayton Point Power Station.”

The coal stock’s variability creates seri-

ous problems for the station because it has

a mineral composition that is susceptible to

high-temperature slagging. Consequently, at

times, the station needs to take remedial ac-

tions to mitigate the impact of slagging fuels,according to De Saro.

Three coals were tested at Brayton Point:

Calenturitas (from Colombia), Central Ap-

palachian, and Drummond (from Colombia),

in that order. Figure 3 shows the results ob-

tained in terms of the predicted ash initial de-

formation temperatures.

The field results indicate an average LIBS-

based prediction for the Calenturitas fusion

temperature of 2,434F, versus 2,302F ±133F

for the American Society for Testing Materi-

als’ (ASTM) test. The average LIBS-based

prediction for Central Appalachian and Drum-mond coals is 2,722F and 2,432F, respectively.

The average value obtained from the ASTM

test for Central Appalachian and Drummond

is 2,700F ±133F and 2,459F ±133F, respec-

tively. These results demonstrate that LIBS

coal analyses performed on an hourly basis

would be capable of providing predicted fu-

sion temperature information with enough

resolution to alert operators of changes in fuelquality that may affect the operation of coal-

fired boilers sensitive to slagging impacts.

In response to fusion temperature data,

operators could make minor adjustments to

boiler operations, such as increasing com-

bustion air supply. Operators can also decide

more intelligently when to blend coals with

high and low slagging propensity to alleviate

the impact of slagging-intensive coals on the

boiler, as well as when to route low-quality

coal to boilers in the station that are more

fuel-flexible because of their design.

“LIBS would enable us to analyze coalwith the same accuracy as a three-day lab test

while meeting ASTM tests,” said Romero.

“Any problem we detect can be corrected in

real time.”

“This will be a tremendous help to the util-

ity industry,” he said. “We get a lot of phone

calls from utilities that are struggling because

of switched fuels and they have to blend fuels

because of slagging.”

The LIBS System’sSoftware Component

An advisory software named LIBS OnlineSlagging Advisor (LOSA) was also devel-

oped to demonstrate the merit of a concept

where LIBS-derived data would be fed to on-

line software to provide real-time predictions

of ash fusion temperatures and indications of

the slagging potential of power operations,

when ash fusion temperatures (AFT) devi-

ate from target furnace exit gas temperature

(FEGT) levels.

The main components of LOSA are: a

LIBS-based laser system used to measure the

slagging-related coal properties in-situ and

in real time, live plant data available through

the plant data network, a model based on the

artificial neural network for prediction of ash

fusion temperatures, and the software inter-

face (Figure 4).

The use of such software will allow boiler

operators to better coordinate coal yard op-

erations and adjust boiler control settings to

mitigate the impact of slagging on boiler op-

eration. Test experience with different boilers

burning coals with a range of compositions

has demonstrated that boiler control settingscan be manipulated to influence slagging in

coal-fired boilers. According to results from

prior testing, the key is to maintain FEGTs

below the coal ash fusion temperature to

minimize the adverse impact of ash condi-

tions on upper furnace slagging.

The unit parameters available for slag-

ging control include excess oxygen (O2),

mill classifier speed, vertical coal loading,

overfire (OFA) register opening, and others.

From parametric testing performed at Bray-

ton Point Unit 3 in this project, it was found

that increases in excess O2, opening of theOFA registers, and reduction of the classi-

fier help to reduce FEGT. This information is

provided by the software when a prescribed

target value for FEGT deviates from the es-

timated AFT.

“Our results have been very positive,”

said ER Co.’s Caparo. “LIBS analyzes

coal composition accurately and with good

repeatability. It also predicts ash-fusion

temperature accurately, with results that

compare very favorably with the results ob-

tained using the ASTM standards.”

Next StepsThe Brayton Point project demonstrated the

merit of the LIBS system that produces coal

elemental analysis and estimated fusion tem-

peratures. However, further development is

needed to equip a LIBS system with an au-

tomatic online coal-sampling attachment and

to achieve higher accuracy and repeatability,

according to Romero.

The researchers have been awarded a sec-

ond DOE grant to fund development of a

commercial prototype of the LIBS system.

They hope this next phase will move quicklyso the LIBS technology will be available to

power plant personnel in the near future. ■

4. Artificial intelligence leads to real results.The custom-designed LIBS Online

Slagging Advisor software contains artificial neural network models that estimate ash fusion

temperatures and provide valuable information about coal slagging potential. Courtesy: Energy

Research Center, Lehigh University







All over the world, electric utilities are

dealing with the challenge of trying to

move more electricity through urban

grids to meet the growing power demands

of 21st-century customers. In addition, they

must protect end users from increasinglylarger power surges, known as fault currents.

A technological breakthrough in cable

technology promises to assist utilities in

overcoming both of these problems. The new

cable is manufactured using hair-thin high-

temperature superconductor (HTS) wires

that conduct 150 times the electricity of

similar-sized copper wires (Figure 1). Whenplaced in a cable, these superconductor wires

act as almost perfect conductors of electric-

ity as long as a few conditions are met, the

most notable one being that the temperature

of the cable must be maintained below a cer-

tain critical temperature. This requires the

cable system to be continuously cooled with

liquid nitrogen, which is inexpensive and en-vironmentally safe. This also eliminates the

oil used in many conventional high-power

cables in cities across the U.S.

Overview of the New TechnologyIn November, POWER interviewed Jack

McCall, director of business development

of transmission and distributions systems

for American Superconductor, which is the

company that developed the HTS electric

power cables

“An understanding the basics of HTS

cables sets a good point of reference in dis-cussing their application,” he said. “There are

four primary characteristics of HTS cables

that differentiate them from traditional cop-

per cables: higher power transfer capability,

very low impedance, simplified placement

considerations, and optional fault current

limiting capability.”

McCall explained that the power density

advantage enables an HTS cable of any volt-

age to conduct up to 150 times more power

than traditional copper-based cables. Con-

versely, it is possible to carry a given amount

of power at a much lower voltage level than istypically used. For example, a single 15-kV

class HTS cable can carry 100 MVA, a level

usually associated with 69-kV copper cables.

The very low impedance of HTS cables

results in much lower power losses compared

with equivalent cables, he pointed out. When

placed in a network application, the cable’s

lower impedance attracts current flow from

parallel circuits, reducing the power losses in

those lines as well, although the refrigeration

system required by the cable system does off-

set some of the efficiency gains.

According to McCall, two characteristicsof HTS cables combine to produce simplified

siting requirements. The first of these is that

HTS Cables Speed upthe Electric SuperhighwayHigh-temperature superconducting cables deliver up to 10 times as much pow-

er as conventional electric power transmission cables. They are poisedto help to reduce grid congestion as well as installation and operatingcosts.

By Angela Neville, JD

1. Doing more with less. Hair-thin HTS wires conduct 150 times the electricity of simi-

lar-sized copper wires. Courtesy: American Superconductor Corp.

Inner cryostat wall

Liquid nitrogen coolant

Copper shield wire

HTS shield tape

High-voltage dielectric

HTS tape

Copper core

Thermal “superinsulation”

Outer cryostat wall

Outer protectivecovering

2. The big chill. Flowing between the layers of HTS wires in the cable, the liquid nitrogen

coolant cools them to about –200C (–328F). The cables use a liquid nitrogen refrigeration sys-

tem provided by Air Liquide. Courtesy: Nexans






HTS cables generate little to no magnetic field. This both dramati-

cally reduces the required right of way and eliminates the need to der-

ate the cables when they are placed near other cables or underground

infrastructure. The environmental and public relations benefits due to

the absence of magnetic fields are also apparent (there is no electric

field either, but that is true of all cables). Secondly, as the cables are

in a self-contained thermal envelope due to the refrigeration system,

there is no need to consider derating of the cables due to cable burial

method, depth, or soil type. Therefore, HTS cables are ideal for place-

ment in constrained right-of-way locations, especially when large

amounts of power transfer are desired.

McCall pointed out that another important innovation in the HTS

cable’s design is its built-in fault current limiting capabilities. The ca-

ble will act as a very low impedance, high-ampacity conductor under

normal operating condition, and then become highly resistive during

faults, limiting high-magnitude fault currents.

Cryogenic FeaturesOne of the most unusual features of the HTS cables is that their cores

have to be maintained at cryogenic temperatures. As a result of this

requirement, the HTS cable’s design had to be specially adapted to

include a cryogenic refrigeration system.“All known superconductor materials exist in either a supercon-

ducting or non-superconducting state,” McCall said. “To achieve su-

perconductivity, the materials must operate below a certain critical

temperature, below a certain critical current, and below a certain criti-

cal magnetic field. The magnetic field is not an issue in cable appli-

cations. The current criterion is met through basic cable design. The

cryogenic refrigeration system is required to meet the temperature

requirement. The liquid nitrogen coolant flows between the layers of

HTS wire in the cable to cool them to about –200C (–328F) and to

provide dielectric insulation between the center conductor layer and

the outer layers of the cable.”

HTS cables consist of concentric layers of HTS wire and a dielec-

tric material providing electrical insulation compatible with cryogenictemperatures, he explained. This is referred to as a coaxial “cold-di-

electric” design. The cable system was designed, manufactured, and

installed by Nexans, a worldwide leader in the cable industry. Figure

2 illustrates Nexans’ HTS cable design used at Long Island Power

Authority (LIPA).

From the Lab to the Real WorldU.S. commercial power grids are beginning to use the new HTS pow-

er transmission cable system.

“HTS cables have been well demonstrated at electric utilities and

are now being deployed in the grid,” McCall said. “Over the past two

years, three HTS cables have been energized in the U.S. Today HTS

cables by Southwire carry up to 3,000 amps at 13.2 kV in the grid thatAmerican Electric Power manages in Columbus, Ohio. National Grid

energized a distribution voltage HTS power cable system by Sumi-

tomo Electric in Albany, N.Y., in the summer of 2006. Other cables

have been energized by LS Cable and KEPRI in Korea and Innopower

and Changtong Cable in China.”

In April 2008, LIPA installed and energized the world’s first HTS

power transmission cable system in a commercial power grid, he

added. The Nexans 138-kV cable system installed in LIPA’s grid runs

nearly a half mile in length and is the longest and most powerful HTS

cable system to date (Figure 3).

At 574 MW, the LIPA cable system is able to serve 300,000 residents

and businesses in New York’s Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The 138-

kV system, which consists of three individual HTS power cable phasesrunning in parallel, was commissioned in April 2008 and is operating

successfully in LIPA’s Holbrook transmission right of way (Figure 4).

According to McCall, Con Ed in New York City is in the process

of installing a 4,000-amp, 138-kV fault current limiting HTS cable in

downtown Manhattan, and Entergy is in the early engineering stages

of installing a 2,000-amp, 138-kV cable in the New Orleans area.

Special Operational RequirementsMcCall noted that HTS cable requires certain operational consider-

ations that aren’t necessary with conventional cables. A utility will

need to provide regular substation access to the cryo-cooling sys-

tem supplier for periodic maintenance of the system. If fault current

limiting HTS cable is used, the resulting alternate low-impedance/

high-impedance characteristics of the cable may require more careful

attention when setting up protective relay schemes. Conversely, an

HTS cable requires no derating based on load levels, placement, or

ambient temperature.

He emphasized that HTS cables can be used anywhere in the trans-

mission grid. HTS cable systems consist of the cables, their termina-

tions, and the cryo-cooling (refrigeration) system and its associated

controls. In general, the cables should terminate in substations, as

the cable terminations are larger than conventional terminations. The

substation environment also needs to provide space for the required

cryo-cooling equipment.

Cost Considerations“The production cost of HTS wire is presently more expensive than

that of copper, primarily due to the relatively small quantity of HTS

wire currently being produced,” McCall said. “The industry projects

the latest HTS wire technology, referred to as 2G, will be no more ex-

pensive, and should ultimately be less expensive, than copper on a cost

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per kilo-amp-meter basis (price/performance

ratio) once it enters large-scale production.”

The cost of HTS cable systems must be

considered in light of the overall solution

they provide, he pointed out. For example,

if a single cable can replace a bank of eight

conventional cables, avoid extensive street

work, and eliminate the need to upgrade doz-

ens of circuit breakers, then that total benefit

must be considered. As more HTS cables

are installed and manufacturing capacity is

scaled up, the cost of HTS wire, cooling sys-

tems, and so on will also drop, increasing the

system’s economic value.

“Initial applications for HTS cables will be

very high-value ones,” he said. “HTS cables

will initially be most cost competitive in urban,

high-power, limited right-of-way applications.

As manufacturing costs decrease, their finan-

cial competitiveness in a much wider variety

of applications will grow as well, including

the short- to medium-distance transmissionapplications where higher-voltage under-

ground cables are currently deployed.”

Looking Down the RoadThe U.S. power grid will undergo a signifi-

cant period of investment and redesign over

the next few decades. The need for extensive

additions to the transmission grid to connect

renewables to the power grid is well estab-

lished. Whether from simple increases in

population, or from industry-changing events

such as large-scale adoption of plug-in hy-

brid electric vehicles, significant load growthwill continue within high-population-density

urban areas, requiring extensive additions to

the load side of the network as well.

“The greatest challenge to the widespread

use of HTS cable systems is actually educa-

tion and industry awareness,” McCall said.

“Most utility personnel who are involved in

the day-to-day planning and project engi-

neering process are not aware of HTS cable’s

unique characteristics or its availability.

There is likely at least one project or problem

at most utilities where an HTS cable could

be considered a viable, if not preferred, solu-tion. Widespread application will not occur

until the time that HTS cables become an

active part of the set of technologies that a

utility considers during its day-to-day prob-

lem-solving and planning activities.”

HTS cables will likely first be adopted to

strengthen urban networks, increasing reliabil-

ity and enhancing utilities’ ability to supply in-

creased load without building new substations,

he predicted. This first use of the new technol-

ogy may be followed by applications where

HTS cables are used to inject large amounts

of power from nearby regional transmissiongrids into load centers. Eliminating grid con-

gestion or line siting issues on these regional

networks would be a logical next step. Further

out, the Electric Power Research Institute is

already studying the development and use of

very long inter-regional HTS high-voltage di-

rect current cables capable of transmitting 10

GW over distances of up to 600 miles.“The industry will continue to make im-

provements in wire manufacture methods, as

well as in the amount of current an individual

HTS wire can carry,” he said. “Work also

continues in developing more cost-effective

cryo-cooling systems that are optimized for

HTS cable applications. These innovations

and developments will continue to roll out asthe demand for HTS cables increases and the

industry grows.” ■

3. Lighting Long Island. This photo shows the first cable phase being pulled through

a conduit in Long Island Power Authority’s Holbrook transmission right of way. Courtesy:

American Superconductor Corp.

4. Power pioneer. The world’s first HTS power transmission cable system energizes the

Long Island Power Authority’s Holbrook transmission right of way. This system, which consists

of three cables running in parallel in a 4-foot-wide underground right of way, is capable of carry-

ing 574 MW. The three cables shown entering the ground can carry as much power as all of the

overhead lines on the far left. Courtesy: American Superconductor Corp.






Asignificant concern for power compa-

nies in 2008 was compliance with the

North American Electric Reliability

Corp. (NERC) Reliability Standards, and this

is an issue that will increase in importance in2009 and coming years. Though NERC be-

gan nearly 40 years ago as an industry orga-

nization focused on improving electric power

reliability, the organization’s responsibility

and authority has increased over time, often

after a major power disruption.

Following the 2003 Northeast blackout

that resulted in the loss of power to nearly

6.5 million customers, the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (FERC) was given

the directive to create a national regulatory

organization for electrical reliability. FERC,

in turn, delegated to NERC the authority toenforce reliability standards and assess fines.

NERC Basics

The NERC reliability standards consist of a

wide-ranging set of requirements, from tech-

nical controls on the quantity and quality of

electricity supplied to the grid to administra-

tive procedures for personnel and staffing.

The 14 reliability standards each consist of

multiple specific requirements, resulting in

94 mandatory and enforceable reliability stan-

dards—each of which has several audit items.

Compounding the breadth of the reliabilitystandards is their relative newness—and po-

tential financial impact. Despite its 40-year

history, NERC has only had the authority to

enforce reliability standards and assess fines

for noncompliance since June 2007. The

current audit cycle represents the first year

that organizations face significant monetary

fines for noncompliance, and though the

initial fines have been relatively small, the

maximum fines are one million dollars per

violation, per day. In addition to the finan-

cial penalty, violations are publicly reported,

representing potential damage to an organi-zation’s reputation (Figure 1).

As this story was being written and the

2008 audit cycle came to a close, the power

industry was breathing a collective sigh of

relief. Although the 350 scheduled NERC

audits were, by all accounts, thorough and

represented a significant level of effort forthe audited companies, the fines have been

relatively few and far less expensive than the

potential million dollar ceiling.

As of November 2008, 37 companies

had been cited for compliance issues, and

only two of those were ultimately fined,

for a total of only $255,000. However, this

should not indicate that NERC will not as-

sess higher, and more numerous, fines in the

future. Many industry observers believe that

NERC has taken a more accommodating ap-

proach in this first audit cycle, preferring to

warn utilities first and follow that warning upwith increased observation and higher fines

for noncompliance in the future.

One potential mitigating factor against high-

er, and more, fines in the future is the direction

taken by FERC in a revision to its policy state-

ment issued on October 16, 2008. Within that

document, FERC states: “Achieving compli-ance, not assessing penalties, is the central goal

of our enforcement efforts.” The statement

goes on to identify four factors that FERC will

consider when assessing or reducing penalties:

actions of senior management; effective pre-

ventative measures; prompt detection, cessa-

tion, and reporting; and remediation.

While at the time of writing this article

NERC had not issued updated guidance spe-

cific to this revision, the four factors identified

by FERC are pillars of any strong compli-

ance program and should be considered part

of a best practices approach to compliance.Organizations that commit to the creation of

a strong and sustainable compliance program

NERC Drives Development ofSustainable Compliance ProgramsCompliance with reliability standards has moved beyond the “check the box”

phase to one of regulations with real deliverables and fines for noncom-pliance. Utilities that aren’t vigorously evaluating and refining their com-pliance procedures today may find NERC’s 2009 audit cycle much morechallenging.

By Peter Stapleton, CA Inc.

1. Pass your audit. The North American Electric Reliability Corp. reliability standards con-

sist of a broad set of requirements, ranging from technical controls on the quantity and quality

of electricity supplied to the grid to administrative procedures for personnel and staffing. Each

of the 14 standards consists of multiple specific requirements, resulting in 94 mandatory reli-

ability standards, each of which has several audit items, which a comprehensive compliance

program must address. Source: CA Inc.

SOx, other

Complianceprogram

NERC

Repeatable processes

Assessment Remediation Testing

Fundamentals

Evidence Risk Issues

Controls Regulations Assets Test plans






will not only be able to potentially reduce thecost of penalties, but they should also have

far fewer violations over time.

Demonstrating ComplianceThe power industry’s initial response to NERC

compliance requirements has been similar to

initial responses to Sarbanes-Oxley (the 2002

federal law requiring enhanced financial dis-

closure standards for publicly traded U.S.

companies). There has been an immediate ef-

fort to “get compliant” and demonstrate com-

pliance by whatever means possible, which

in many cases has meant a resource-intensivedocumentation drill, often captured and ex-

changed via an innumerable array of spread-

sheets. Although this is a normal and perhaps

necessary first step, it must be followed by

the implementation of a sustainable and cost-

effective compliance program.

In developing what FERC calls a “vigor-

ous compliance program,” one principle that

seems to be lagging at affected organizations

is the adoption of a controls-focused ap-

proach. In part, this is due to semantics. The

NERC reliability standards seldom mention

the word “control,” and certainly not with theemphasis of Sarbanes-Oxley or other com-

pliance standards. NERC focuses on require-

ments, and power companies have focused

on demonstrating that the requirements have

been met (Figure 2).

There is an additional challenge: The

technical and engineering staff generally has

a specific and different understanding than

management of what constitutes a control.

Compliance controls are practices established

by management to help ensure that business

processes are carried out consistently, and in

accordance with the compliance standard.They can be either preventative or detec-

tive in nature, and they range from entirely

manual and administrative to automated andtechnical. This semantic difference is an im-

portant hurdle to overcome, as without clear-

ly defined and regularly tested controls, it is

nearly impossible to satisfy two of the four

factors proposed by FERC: effective preven-

tative measures and prompt detection, cessa-

tion, and reporting of violations.

A robust set of controls and continuous

control monitoring provide for a sustainable

and ongoing compliance program. Rather

than a quarterly or annual fire drill to col-

lect data that demonstrates the meeting of a

requirement, the compliant organization iscontinually monitoring a set of key indicators

that align with compliance objectives.

An additional level of maturity occurs

when the controls are mapped against a set of

higher-level control objectives, which in turn

are derived from governance directives that

include regulatory documents, industry best

practices, and corporate policy. Establishing

control objectives and identifying the associ-

ated controls allows for standardization and

reuse of work across all of the compliance

programs, which reduces costs and minimiz-

es the impact on operations.

Record-Keeping ChallengesAlong with the creation of controls, and the

rationalization of controls across different

regulatory standards, the centralization of

compliance data and records is an essential

element in a sustainable compliance program.

Centralization of data enables the reuse of data

and a reduction in duplicative testing, which

is a significant area for cost savings, as well

as providing a compliance repository of key

documentation that can reduce the time and

effort required to prepare for audit actions.Though the tasks and activities involved in

implementing and testing controls are often

distributed throughout an organization—and

can include service providers, consultants,

and third parties—the collection and mainte-

nance of records must be consolidated. Data

consolidation is also important for making

compliance activities visible within an orga-

nization and for reporting purposes.

Though program visibility and detailed

reporting may sound like nice-to-have capa-

bilities rather than requirements for a strong

and sustainable compliance program, they are

actually key elements. FERC describes the

“critical importance of the role of senior man-

agement in fostering a strong compliance eth-

ic within a company” and expands upon that

theme by detailing the expectations for execu-

tives to establish a culture of compliance.

Executives must not only express a com-

mitment to regulatory compliance but also

take an active interest in the results and ac-

tions of any compliance program for reasons

beyond the importance of compliance itself.Reviewing the status of critical controls and

key performance indicators provides a deep

view into the operations of the business, the

level of organizational risk, and the alignment

of operations with the business’s stated goals

and objectives. Finally, significant amounts

of money are at stake, both in potential fines

and in possible risk to the business resulting

from noncompliant operations.

Compliance audits generate large numbers

of tasks that must be assigned and tracked

throughout the organization, including ser-

vice providers and third parties. Ideally, in-dividual tasks would be approached as audit

projects, allowing them to be managed more

effectively, and the multiple projects would

together constitute an ongoing compliance

program. This project- and program manage-

ment–focused approach provides a number

of benefits, not the least of which is ensuring

timely and accurate completion of the work.

With a more formalized approach to

managing compliance projects, barriers to

success—such as key personnel who are

over-allocated or key resources that are

unavailable—become apparent, as do dupli-cate or unneeded tasks. The goal is to reduce

costs, ensure the consistency and predictabil-

ity of the process, and eliminate expensive

last-minute surprises.

When difficulties are discovered, the same

project management tools and techniques

can be used to plan and execute remediation,

thereby providing a history of the steps taken

to remedy the problem.

Finally, for central compliance groups,

this approach provides a transparent record

of work completed and planned, which is es-

sential to support either charge-backs to theappropriate business unit or future budgeting

requirements.

2. Inspect performance. NERC has only had the authority to enforce reliability standards

and assess fines for noncompliance since June 2007. The 2008 audit cycle was the first during

which organizations faced significant monetary fines for noncompliance. A robust compliance

program must have more than written policies in place; it must also include corporate controls

that ensure those policies are complied with. Source: CA Inc.

Remediation

Testcontrols

Controlobjectives

ControlsPolicies

Risks

Businessobjectives

Industryregulationsand bestpractices

Assess, monitor, and mitigate risk

Identifyrequirements

Set policies to meetrequirements

Create controls toenforce policies

Monitor andremediatecontrols






The Fifth Factor

Many organizations are grappling with these

issues and looking for better ways to central-

ize data, manage projects and programs, and

monitor controls. Technology can play a vi-

tal role in helping organizations develop and

maintain a sustainable compliance program.

There are many tools that can help store data

and provide appropriate access to it, as well

as applications that can assist with managing

projects while automating some of the tasksand workflows.

One newly emerging solution area that

brings many of these capabilities together

is called governance, risk, and compliance

(GRC). In FERC’s October policy statement,

governance and compliance remain front and

center as key priorities. Many organizations

find that the same tools used, and much of the

same data collected, to support compliance

can also be applied to identifying organiza-

tional risk and minimizing excess risk. GRC

solutions bring these related subjects together

in an attempt to gain the most insight with theleast impact on operations.

The path to a sustainable compliance

program is neither short nor easy. In order

to reach this goal, it is important to choose

clearly defined and funded intermediate steps

rather than attempting to implement a sys-

tematic change all at once. Multiple shorter-

duration iterations will demonstrate progress

and improve external perceptions of the com-

pliance organization while yielding continu-

ing improvements.

Several sources for guidance should be

considered, not only those that are specificto NERC. For example, organizations such

as the Committee of Sponsoring Organiza-

tions of the Treadway Commission (COSO)

and the Open Compliance and Ethics Group

(OCEG) have amassed volumes of infor-

mation that provide valuable advice for de-

signing compliance and risk management

programs. Furthermore, the ISO 27001/2 and

CoBit standards provide frameworks for IT

security and compliance that are relevant to

NERC’s Critical Infrastructure Protection

standards.

A final consideration in constructing acompliance program is deciding if there is

an organizational need to address additional

regulations, beyond NERC’s and FERC’s,

with the same systems and processes. Al-

though instituting a compliance program can

be labor-intensive at the start, having one will

save time and money in the long term. Given

the size of the potential fines from NERC and

FERC, a compliance program could poten-

tially save money in the short term, as well

(Figure 3).

The power industry faced only moder-

ate enforcement activities in 2008; however,there is no guarantee that 2009 will not be

more challenging. In addition to the poten-

tial for a stricter enforcement environment,

there is the likelihood of future regulation

related to the grid modernization needed to

support renewable power and an increased

focus on risk management by North Ameri-

can corporations. These factors added to the

FERC revised policy statement argue for cur-

rent investment in and focus on implement-

ing sustainable compliance programs for the

future. ■

—Peter Stapleton (peter.stapleton @ca-grc.com) is senior principal product

manager for CA Inc.’s GRC Manager.

3. More than a paperwork drill.The response of industry to the NERC reliability rules

has been similar to the initial efforts of publicly traded companies in dealing with Sarbanes-

Oxley. There has been an immediate effort to “get compliant” and demonstrate compliance

by whatever means possible, which in many cases means a resource-intensive documentation

drill. Though this is a normal, and perhaps necessary, first step, it must be followed by a sustain-

able and cost-effective compliance program. One approach is to use computer-based compli-

ance management software, such as CA GRC Manager, shown here. Source: CA Inc.

POWER magazine has served

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Vortex-Shedding FlowmetersUniversal Flow Monitors launched the P420 Series,a set of plastic, vortex-shedding flow rate transmitters designed to process corrosivefluids, water, brine, and low-viscosity fluids in water treatment, chemical, and desalinationapplications. The series features plastic flowmeters that have no O-ring seals or othermoving parts that can stick, bind, or coat processing water or corrosive fluids.

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http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/powermag-feb-2009pdf 67/76 February 2009 |POWER www.powermag.com 65

NEW PRODUCTS

Inclusion in New Products does not imply endorsement by POWER magazine.

Repairing Water Pipes with Ice PlugsFacilities facing emergency plumbing repairs are typically forced to shut downand then drain the entire water system. RIDGID’s new SF-2500 SuperFreezepipe-freezing unit is designed to avoid this costly and inconvenient processby quickly isolating sections of copper or steel pipe with ice plugs.

Plugs are formed in as little as five minutes in steel pipes of up to 2inches and copper tubing of up to 2½ inches. A single unit can even formtwo plugs at the same time. The RIDGID SF-2500 operates automaticallyonce the freeze heads are attached to the pipes and it is turned on, and

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Plant Communication LinkParker Hannifin’s Instrumentation Products Division introduced PilotPro, a new process sample conditioning system communications

interface designed to provide a link between plant process control operations and analyzer maintenance networks, regardless of wherethe two are located. A sensor and solenoid administration module,Pilot Pro is designed to acquire, transmit, and manage real-time

sample system information via an electronic interface, facilitatingcritical process control decision-making.

The flexible communication capability on Pilot Pro could, forexample, allow analyzer engineers and technicians to receive critical sample system data (pressure, temperature, and flow) to promoteproactive maintenance activities and reduce system downtimes.Custom pneumatic and electric feedthroughs could also provide the

end user with reliable separation of hazardous zones while allowingreal-time troubleshooting of electrical components. The interfacesupports a variety of communication protocols, including Ethernet,Modbus, and Profibus. (www.parker.com/pilotpro) ■

Upward Mobility

The Max Climber 2000P-IPM rack and pinion personnel and material elevator by Beta Max Inc. uses little spacewhile providing a safe and efficient means of access forworkers performing maintenance work at high levels. TheMax Climber 2000P-IPM easily attaches to scaffolding ora building exterior and is designed with a base systemfootprint of 93 inches by 95 inches.

Interlocked landing gates are available for safe enteringand exiting above ground level, as well as a platform forunloading materials at the work level. With a maximumpayload of 2,000 pounds (or seven people) the elevatortravels at speeds up to 80 fpm and operates via 230V/3-phase power. Additional features include floor stops, toensure stopping at the desired level with no jogging of the cabin, and an optional frequency drive controller thatprovides soft start and stop. The Max Climber 2000P-IPMhas been designed in compliance with current safetyregulations and can be set up for either temporary orpermanent installations. (www.betamaxhoist.com)

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The Power Plant of the Year award will be

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COMMENTARY

The Obama Administration’sEnergy ChallengeBy Ronald Fisher

As the Obama administration takes office, energy resourceallocation is both the most critical national security is-sue and the most critical economic issue facing us. It will

be difficult to sustain and improve economic growth unless weimplement policies that result in the more rational use of energyresources, especially those for which there is a finite supply.

How Is the Obama Administration Likely toFace the Challenge?On the demand side, President-elect Barack Obama’s energy plan

when he was a candidate contemplated a 15% reduction in elec-tricity demand by 2020 by requiring utilities to meet mandatorydemand reduction targets and by seeking to decouple the utilitysector’s profit from increased energy usage. The plan promotedenergy conservation by reimbursing electricity distribution com-panies for a quarter of their expenditures on smart grid invest-ments. Furthermore, to reduce national oil consumption, Obama’splan called for one million high-mileage, plug-in hybrid electricvehicles to be on the road by 2015.

On the supply side, candidate Obama’s plan focused on renew-able energy sources and carbon dioxide emissions reduction. Theplan included a national renewable portfolio standard requiringthat 10% of electricity production come from renewable energy

sources (such as wind, solar, and biomass) by 2012, increasing to25% by 2025. It also contemplated a national carbon cap-and-trade program to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, andby 80% by 2050.

While candidate Obama’s energy plan acknowledged nuclearpower as a carbon-free source of electric power, it also recog-nized that key issues, including the security of nuclear fuel,spent fuel storage, and proliferation risk, needed to be ad-dressed. The plan also called for the U.S. Department of En-ergy (DOE) to start a public-private partnership to build fivecommercial-scale, coal-fired plants that capture and sequestercarbon dioxide emissions.

Prior to the inauguration, it is unclear which of these goals

President-elect Obama’s energy team—including DOE secretarynominee Steven Chu, 1997 co-recipient of the Nobel Prize inphysics; Lisa Jackson, nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency; and Carol Browner, nominated as assistantto the president for energy and climate change—will focuson. But given the characterization of Browner’s post as theObama administration’s “climate czar” and statements by Churegarding coal being his “worst nightmare,” it would not besurprising to see a strong early push for carbon cap-and-tradelegislation.

But by unduly emphasizing in troubled economic times a car-bon cap-and trade program, which Chu admits could result in a25% increase in electricity costs, the Obama administration risks

focusing energy policy on consumer penalties rather than marketincentives. Although there is bipartisan congressional supportfor such a program, a detailed debate on anticipated cost im-

pacts has yet to occur. When it does, that support could quicklyevaporate.

As an alternative, a national energy policy that allocates fos-sil fuel and renewable energy resources in a manner that ensuresour national security and fosters “green” economic development(where “green” is the color of money) might find more supportamong the investors, taxpayers, and consumers who fund privatecapital and public subsidies to support that policy.

What Does This Mean Specifically?

First, promote and reward energy conservation and efficiency asa national security issue; every barrel of oil we use now is oneless that will be available when we need it for strategic purposes.How? Structure power markets and incent suppliers, through ac-celerated depreciation or otherwise, to invest in smart grids andto permit consumer price transparency. Adopt national policies,similar to those contemplated by certain states, that incent andpermit suppliers to grow even if demand falls. Fund research anddevelopment (R&D) on more efficient hybrid vehicle technology,appliances, and building materials, and then reward their use.

Second, promote the gradual and rational transition from ulti-mately finite fossil fuels to nuclear and renewable energy sourc-es as an economic development issue. How? A federal renewable

portfolio standard is a good start, provided that it takes intoaccount regional differences in available resources. Stable, long-term production and investment tax incentives for nuclear andrenewable power developers, similar to those enjoyed by fossil fuel power producers, are critical. It is important to fund R&Don spent nuclear fuel recycling and storage in order to mitigatesecurity concerns. It also is crucial to recognize that our fossil fuel supplies are a significant strategic asset and that we shoulduse them accordingly, including the development of clean coal alternatives.

Candidate Obama’s energy plan contemplated most of theseproposals. At issue is not the what, but the how. President-electObama can define the nation’s energy future by effecting policies

that promote energy conservation and efficiency as well as thetransition from finite fossil fuels to nuclear and other alterna-tive sources. By framing those policies as national security andeconomic development incentives that resonate with and rewardstakeholders, the Obama administration will better position it-self to successfully carry them out.

A happy consequence of that success would be progress inachieving the desired reduction in carbon dioxide emissions,without penalizing stakeholders. ■

—Ronald Fisher ([email protected]) is a corporate transactional attorney with Blank Rome LLP and chairs that law

firm’s energy industry team. He and his colleagues represent public utilities, their unregulated affiliates, independent power

project developers and owners, and the investors who fund them.The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of

Blank Rome LLP, its partners, or clients.








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