Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the manufacturing and infrastructure operations industries, announced that version 10 of its Triconex® Tricon® controller has been approved for use in safety-related nuclear power plant instrument and control applications by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In a Safety Evaluation Report (SER) dated April 12, 2012, the NRC indicates that the latest version of the Tricon controller can now be used in safety-related (1E) applications, like reactor protection systems, in U.S. nuclear power plants and U.S. Department of Energy facilities that require licensing or oversight by the NRC. It is the first controller from a dedicated automation vendor to achieve such certification from the NRC and it remains the only triple-modular-redundant system to be qualified.

“The Triconex Tricon system is extremely important to us as we continue to migrate to digital technology, while providing safe, clean, reliable power to our customers in California,” said Scott Patterson, program manager for I&C obsolescence for Pacific Gas & Electric, which operates the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo, Calif. “Partnering with Invensys, an automation vendor whose core competency is safety systems, gives us an additional layer of protection as we upgrade older safety-related equipment. NRC certification means we can move forward with modernizing and optimizing our plants to ensure their continuous safe operation. We are confident this technology will enhance future upgrades and new designs, as well as ease the licensing process.”

"In 2002, the NRC certified an earlier version of our Tricon controller, and since that time we have made a number enhancements,” said Clayton Scott, chief nuclear officer, Invensys Operations Management. “We sought this unprecedented second certification so that we can continue to deliver the industry’s most reliable safety controller, helping our customers produce the safest, most reliable energy possible. Enabled by our Triconex technology, our nuclear customers can now apply Tricon controllers in both their existing fleet and new builds. This certification will be of tremendous value to the fleet of U.S. nuclear plants that require modernization. It also sets a new standard for control and safety excellence for the global nuclear industry.”

Brooks Instrument will unveil its new XacTorr CMX0 capacitance manometer, as well as the new EtherCAT capabilities of its GF40/80 mass flow controller at Intersolar North America, July 10-12 in San Francisco. Brooks will showcase these and other mass flow, pressure and vacuum products for the solar and semiconductor industries at Booth 5648.

The Brooks XacTorr CMX family of capacitance manometers provides solar and semiconductor manufacturers with highly stable and repeatable measurements for pressure sensitive processes. The product offers full-scale ranges from 1,000 Torr to 100 mTorr, as well as 0.15% of reading accuracy. With its patented Mark IV sensor the Brooks XacTorr lasts up to three times as long in aggressive processes compared to other capacitance manometers. The rapid recovery feature allows the sensor to recover from large changes in pressure faster than other vacuum gauges on the market, significantly decreasing downtime.

Valve gearboxes manufactured by Rotork Gears have been supplied for the operation of giant butterfly valves in a 17 billion Renminbi (RMB) project designed to increase, improve and secure the future supply of fresh water to the city of Shanghai.

The Qingcaosha raw water project will provide a daily supply of over seven million cubic metres (tonnes) of clean water through a network of huge pipelines, the main four with a diameter of 5.5 metres (DN5500). Rotork heavy duty model IW17 worm gearboxes have been ordered to operate butterfly valves manufactured by CVVT (China Valve Technology Ltd) on these pipelines.

Please click to read further 'Rotork’s big valve gearboxes assist the supply of fresh water to Shanghai'

Rockwell Automation has introduced new high-speed Input/Output (I/O) modules for its ControlLogix programmable automation controller (PAC) platform that enable faster machine speeds in a wide range of discrete applications.

The Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 24vdc I/O modules, used with the ControlLogix 5570 family of PACs, can significantly improve total System Response Time (SRT) through new hardware technology and peer-to-peer communication capabilities that significantly reduce the time it takes for modules to communicate with the controller. Since SRT equates to the time required for input module response, controller processing and output module response, reducing I/O latency results in higher machine speeds for increased parts production.

For details please click Input/Output Modules from Rockwell Automation Achieve Faster Speeds