Control System World

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has announced that it has been selected by ExxonMobil to perform engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for its Crude Flexibility Engineering and Construction Project at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Beaumont, Texas.

Company officials did not disclose the contract value, but noted that this project is a release against an existing long-term agreement. The project aims to expand crude oil throughput at ExxonMobil’s Beaumont refinery, increase production in the jet fuel unit, and optimize energy usage by enabling the crude unit to run different crude slates.

In making the announcement, Jacobs Group Vice President Manuel Junco stated, “We are pleased to build upon our long-term relationship with ExxonMobil and strengthen our presence at the Beaumont Refinery as we help them reach their goals on this project.”

Jacobs is one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of technical professional and construction services.

Schneider Electric Software, a global leader in industrial software for the process industries, has announced that Shell has signed a global agreement for Spiral Suite that includes planning, scheduling and supply and distribution optimization modules.

Spiral Suite is the industry's only unified planning and scheduling environment designed from the ground up. It fully supports all supply chain work processes across large and small refineries, bringing together enterprise crude knowledge management, planning, scheduling and envelope optimization activities in a single software application. The result is a solution that better explores opportunities, reduces operational risk and shrinks the gap between planned and actual results. All activities are supported within a single application, with a single user interface and a single source of data with version and data management control. Spiral Suite enables information to be shared easily between users, improving understanding and collaboration between traders, planners and schedulers and replacing potentially disjointed point solutions.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Shell on this project. Spiral Suite promises to enhance the refinery business environment where diverse business groups can collaborate to understand how their decisions impact others and then cooperate to collectively unlock the maximum value of their economic forecasts,” said Ravi Gopinath, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Schneider Electric Software. “It increases transparency and collaboration across different business groups, enabling our customers to make the best overall decisions for safety and profitability while taking better advantage of new opportunities presented by the market.”

When building a machine, skid or industrial application, engineers often re-use IP addresses. Network address translation (NAT) is a methodology that enables this without introducing a duplicate IP address error into the plantwide architecture. A new white paper from Cisco and Rockwell Automation, “Deploying Network Address Translation within a Converged Plantwide Ethernet Architecture,” provides guidance and validated architecture designs to help engineers deploy NAT for one machine or skid, or for an entire cell or area zone in a plant.

Manufacturers benefit from NAT when the IP address space within the plantwide network infrastructure is limited and not every device needs to communicate outside the skid or machine-level network. Meanwhile, OEMs can leverage NAT to more quickly replicate skids and machines.

The white paper summarizes key design principles from a comprehensive design and implementation guide on NAT.

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Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country, and its infrastructure is developing rapidly to meet the growing needs of its urban population and various industries. Bali, Indonesia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and its water infrastructure is rapidly developing to satisfy the growing needs of its tourism industry. To meet the growing water demand in the Sanur beach resort on Bali’s southeastern coast, the Indonesian government’s, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PU) planned to build the new Petanu water treatment plant. The Indonesian state-owned plant builder, PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk, constructed the plant.

The Petanu water Treatment plant is dedicated to set a new level of water supply operation in Indonesia. Instrumentation and automation technology is introduced to improve its operational accountability as well as the easiness of its manageability for the operator. SCADA system is the appropriate measure to reach the goal. The Petanu water treatment plant started its commercial operation in May 2014 and produces 300 liters per second (approximately 25,920 cubic meters per day) of drinking water. The plant will increase its production progressively to supply drinking water for three municipalities in Southern Bali (Gianyar, Denpasar and Badung).

The PU and Waskita Karya selected Yokogawa’s process automation system as a one stop solution which includes FAST/TOOLS™ SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system, STARDOM™ network-based control system, and various field instruments. To meet the urgent market demands, PU and Waskita Karya requested Yokogawa Indonesia to deliver these instruments and systems within three months from the order. Furthermore, PU and Yokogawa are committed to support the capacity building for the operator in the Petanu water treatment plant, especially in operating and maintaining SCADA system.

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Matrikon has announced the release of its Matrikon OPC Server for Wonderware Historian. Previously known as the Matrikon OPC Server for InSQL, the latest version of this popular OPC Server adds support for the current version of the Wonderware Historian, support for the latest Microsoft Windows operating systems including Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit versions) , Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012 (64-bit), and expanded functionality.

In response to user feedback, the Matrikon OPC Server for Wonderware Historian now includes support for performing real time (OPC DA) and historical (OPC HDA) writes to the Wonderware Historian on top of its original read capabilities. This allows users with OPC enabled client applications like HMI (SCADA) software or other applications to send data to the Wonderware Historian directly through this OPC Server. Tag level security for OPC HDA was also added to ensure data is protected at the granular level.

The MatrikonOPC Server for Wonderware Historian formally InSQL supports both real-time and historical data access to one or more Wonderware IndustrialSQL databases or Wonderware Historians. Applications that require connectivity to these databases can use this OPC Server to access real-time and historical process data that is archived by an online analyzer, laboratory personnel, etc.

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Rockwell Automation has released its new Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus 7 Performance graphic terminal to simplify and streamline visualization in large, complex applications. The PanelView Plus 7 Performance terminal expands on the recently released PanelView Plus 7 Standard model with a larger screen option, more processing power, expanded connectivity and greater software support.

“Large machine builders and heavy process industries often require multiple terminals or use PCs to monitor trends and information for their complex applications,” said Scott Oakley, global product manager, Rockwell Automation. “With the PanelView Plus 7 Performance terminal, they can consolidate that hardware into a single interface where hundreds of screens, alarms and tags can be conveniently accessed and monitored.”

New capabilities in the PanelView Plus 7 Performance model include:

Larger screen option: The Performance model has six screen-size options, including a new 19-inch option – the largest to date from Rockwell Automation. The 19-inch screen offers machine builders and end users more display area on which they can design, control and monitor large applications. The Performance model also includes new keypad options to complement the terminal’s standard touch screen.

More processing power: A more powerful CPU supports larger displays and larger applications. While the Standard model supports applications with up to 25 screens and 200 alarms, the Performance model supports applications much larger in size and complexity.

Expanded connectivity: With the addition of an embedded Ethernet switch and two Ethernet ports, the PanelView Plus 7 Performance terminal can support a device level ring (DLR) topology for single-fault resiliency. The terminal also has expanded mobile connectivity. Remote desktop services enable a plant manager, maintenance technician or support provider to securely access the HMI from a remote location to troubleshoot a problem, walk through setup procedures, review alarming and more. In addition, plant operators can monitor HMI data within the plant using a tablet, smartphone or other mobile device.

Greater software support: With video playback support, machine builders and end users can now incorporate helpful videos into the terminal to support operator training and troubleshooting. Microsoft Office viewers and Internet Explorer support give operators instantaneous access to network-based Office files and HTML pages, such as standard operating procedures, directly from the terminal.

The PanelView Plus 7 Performance terminal also retains the benefits introduced with the PanelView Plus 7 Standard terminal. This includes the ability to save projects and critical machine information on an SD card. For example, machine builders can save a single machine’s configuration on an SD card and re-use it for multiple similar machines, while operators can archive machine data for faster terminal replacements and easier troubleshooting.

Both PanelView Plus 7 models work with FactoryTalk View Machine Edition (ME) software from Rockwell Automation to better handle multiple applications on a single terminal. They also use the same clamping technology that allows easy terminal installation and removal without the use of tools. This reduces installation and maintenance time, and minimizes the risk of overtightening and damaging the terminal during installation.

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Yokogawa Meters & Instruments announces its latest Compact Power Meters, the WT300E series. They are enhanced versions of Yokogawa's 5th generation of compact power meters which have been the world's best-selling power meter. They have been the instrument of choice for a wide range of applications in production testing, quality assurance and Research & Development.

This new family consists of the Models WT310E single phase, WT310EH single phase high current, WT332E two-element and WT333E three-element versions. These new units offer enhanced measurement accuracy of 0.1% of reading +0.05% of range. The WT310E provides extremely low current measurement capability to 50 micro-Amps, and up to 26 Amps RMS. For the engineer doing Stand-by-Power measurements, Energy Star®, SPECpower and IEC62301 / EN50564 testing, Battery Charger and other low level power measurements, the WT310E is the ideal solution.

Many of today's power conversion circuits use energy saving switching techniques. These can cause highly distorted voltage or current waveforms with high harmonic content. To measure these waveforms accurately, the WT300E series power meters use high resolution sixteen bit Analog to Digital converters with a digitizing rate of 100 kS/s. They have a new enhanced low frequency measurement capability of 0.1 Hz. Overall bandwidth is DC and 0.1 Hz to 100 kHz,

The WT310EH is a single phase high current version with current ranges from 1 Amp to 40 Amps RMS. The bandwidth on this model is DC and 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz. The WT332E is a two element meter for use on split phase and three phase three wire circuits. The WT333E is a three element meter for use on three phase three wire or three phase four wire circuits. These models have current ranges of 0.5 Amps to 20 Amps RMS, with low current measurements to 5 mA. All models have voltage ranges from 15 to 600 Volts RMS, and low voltage measurement capability to 150 mV.

An optional Harmonic Analysis function is available for the WT300E series Digital Power Meters. This will benefit the design and test engineer in product performance evaluation and for power quality conformance testing. Both the Normal power parameters and Harmonic data are measured simultaneously providing for faster and more accurate power analysis. Harmonic Analysis and THD Calculations can be made up to the 50th order from a 50 or 60 Hertz fundamental frequency.

The Integration function measures Amp-Hour and Watt-Hour parameters. This is especially important for stand-by-power measurements. In the stand-by mode the current can be very low. Then when the device goes to operation mode, the current can increase substantially. The new Auto Range feature will optimize the range setting for maximum accuracy measurements. Yokogawa's “Average Active Power” function makes it possible to measure power consumption under conditions where the power fluctuates greatly. Watt-Hours are measured over some time period then the Time is divided out to leave an average power reading. This is the industry preferred method for Stand-by-Power measurements.

All the industry standard communication interface ports such as USB, GPIB, RS232 and Ethernet are available for the WT300E series. The standard interface is USB plus GPIB or RS232. Ethernet is an available option. Measured digital data from the WT300E series can be acquired by Yokogawa recorders via Ethernet or Modbus/TCP directly. Yokogawa's WTViewerFreePlus software is provided with each WT300E unit. This permits displaying and saving the measurement data, numeric values, waveform display and trend graphs. Also IEC62301/EN50564 software for stand-by-power measurements is available as a free download.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it has created a corporate brand slogan to encourage the joint pursuit of activities with its customers that will create value and foster growth. The global rollout of this new slogan, Co-innovating tomorrow, is set for September 1, the 100th anniversary of Yokogawa's founding.

The decision to create this new slogan has its origins in dramatic shifts in our business environment that are the result of globalization, the transition to a multipolar world order, and the industry changes that are accompanying the increasing integration of things and information. In response, Yokogawa has drawn up a long-term business framework and formulated a vision statement that reads, Through "Process Co-Innovation*", Yokogawa creates new value with our clients for a brighter future. We are now accelerating our efforts to bring about a transformation that will allow us to sustain growth for another 100 years. To share the essence of this vision statement with our stakeholders and encourage all employees to join forces in the pursuit of this initiative, Yokogawa has established the corporate brand slogan of Co-innovating tomorrow.

The term Co-innovating conveys our determination to engage in the co-creation of value through the development of solutions in long-term partnerships with our clients. tomorrow expresses our resolve to move steadily into the future one step at a time.

Under this new slogan, Yokogawa will seek to establish even stronger bonds of trust with its customers by working with them to create value and stimulate growth.

* Process Co-Innovation: A concept for an automation business that will utilize all of Yokogawa's measurement, control, and information technologies. According to this concept, Yokogawa will seek not only to optimize production processes but also the flow of material and information within and between companies, including their value and supply chains. This concept will encompass the entire range of Yokogawa solutions and will entail a commitment to working with clients to create new value on their behalf.