By Roberto Gisotti and Fabio Pecce, Burgo Group, Duino, Italy
BRUSSELS,
June 27, 2011
(RISI) -
The Burgo Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high quality coated paper, producing a complete range of products using sustainable production methods. Located in Northern Italy, Burgo's Duino plant specialises in medium weight coated (MWC) web-offset paper and light weight coated and MWC gravure paper. The total capacity is around 300,000 tonnes/yr, with additional wood pulp and energy from the cogeneration plant produced for third parties.
Some of the automation systems at the Duino plant required modernization. We were particularly concerned with the supervision system on Line 3, which dated back to the mid-1990s. This system's consoles were limited in the type and amount of information they could display. They were also difficult to manage, and replacement parts had become hard to source.
We selected two potential suppliers for the Line 3 migration project. One of the candidates was Emerson Process Management, whose DeltaVTM process automation systems we had adopted at several Burgo plants, including one within the wood pulp section at the Duino site. After we evaluated the available solutions from both companies, Emerson was deemed to be the preferred supplier, not only because of the technology offered but also the expertise and local support available.
The significance of this selection was later magnified when we decided to standardize on Emerson's DeltaV system and use this project to develop guidelines for the modernisation of the entire plant.
Avoiding production downtime
With more than 25,000 I/O points in total, updating the automation system for the entire Duino plant represented a real engineering challenge. We decided to start within the woodpulp production area and finish with the paper machines.
The migration was performed over a number of steps. We began by replacing some of the operator stations, before moving on to the supervisory system on Line 3. The remaining parts of the control system migration were managed over three further steps, requiring more than 10,000 signals to be added to the DeltaV system. A gradual approach was adopted from the beginning, and as a consequence there have been some significant improvements even at the early stages of implementation.
For a complex investment project such as this, both the technical implications and the economic returns must be carefully assessed. We agreed that for the project to be deemed a success, migration from the old system to the new had to take place without production being stopped. If production were to be stopped, the lost output could be approximately 400 tonnes/day, which would affect the company's profits.
When migrating to Emerson's DeltaV system, it is possible to create a separate supervisory network that works in parallel with the existing system. This cohabiting network enables the new system to be fully tested and optimised without the need to stop production at any time. When the actual cutover from the old system to the new system takes place, any problems have been resolved, so this critical stage of the process runs smoothly. This functionality prevented any downtime and enabled production levels at Duino to be maintained. By removing the cost of lost production, the DeltaV system was able to provide an almost immediate return on the investment.
In addition, having the two systems working in parallel has enabled the operators to observe them carrying out the same activities. This provided our most efficient system training ever. This parallel configuration also enabled operators to optimize the setup of the new system even before commissioning was completed.
The success of this migration project actually led to an additional stage being added: the previously unplanned automation of the coating kitchen section. Using Emerson's DeltaV system and FlexConnectTM pre-wired terminal connectors, it was possible to replace the existing system and implement 2,500 I/O points in only nine days. This is truly exceptional and has helped to increase plant availability.
Operational advantages
Because of the large distances between the coating unit, paper machine and coating machine at the Duino plant, we decided to install separate control rooms for each section. Operators in each room monitor similar instruments and have access to identical tools within the new automation system. The graphics for the DeltaV system interfaces are consistent, making it easier for operators to quickly familiarize themselves with different sections of the plant and providing us with a flexible workforce.
Among the innovations available to all operators, the DeltaV continuous historian has become an essential diagnostic tool that operators now rely on for monitoring and managing variable trends. The ability to display these in graphs provides a much clearer view of events and helps operators to establish which path to take to optimize production.
The new system also takes full advantage of the considerable experience of the operators. Expert advice and information from these operators has been entered onto the system, which is now displayed in the form of messages used by any operator to help improve the efficiency and security of the plant.
At first glance the new automation system may seem complex, but in reality it is much simpler to use and much more effective. For example, the DeltaV system can provide important information about the process before an event occurs to help operators to intervene quickly to prevent plant trips. The system then provides the operator with clear, concise and detailed information about what has just occurred.
We wanted to take this operator guidance to the extreme by configuring graphics to open on pages, when needed, describing the specific part of the process that may have a problem and providing a checklist of corrective actions to be carried out. The operator receives as much assistance as possible, helping to minimize intervention times. This results in a reduction in field maintenance costs and increased productivity.
The combination of Emerson's experience and technology has simplified operator tasks and enabled sizeable improvements in output. Based on variable trending and analysis, operators can optimize production processes by implementing changes to parameters within the system's easy-to-use development environment. This functionality means there is no longer a need for the automation vendor to carry out these relatively simple system adjustments.
The DeltaV system interfaces are supported by a simple hardware design. The controllers are compact and modular. Changing a module is a very simple task, leading to reduced work times and increasing the availability of the system.
Future innovation plans
Looking forward, we plan to adopt Emerson's AMS Suite predictive maintenance software to manage field instrumentation at Duino. AMS Suite provides realtime predictive diagnostics from intelligent field instruments to further help the operators avoid costly shutdowns. AMS Suite will also be used to increase the efficiency of our maintenance operations. Burgo plans to test Emerson's Smart Wireless technology, which offers a number of benefits including lower installation costs.
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