Emerson to Install PlantWeb® Digital Plant Architecture with Ovation® Expert Control System at Kansas City Power & Light's Iatan Units 1 and 2
PITTSBURGH, PA Dec 6: Emerson Process Management announced today that it has won two contracts from Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) to install its PlantWeb® digital plant architecture with the Ovation® expert control system at Iatan Units 1 and 2 in Platte County, Mo. KCP&L, with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., serves about 500,000 customers in 24 western Missouri and eastern Kansas counties - a territory of approximately 4,600 square miles.
Under the first contract, Emerson will digitally automate Iatan Unit 2, a new 850-MW, coal-fired unit that is being built as part of KCP&L's comprehensive energy plan to meet the future energy, environmental and economic needs of the Kansas City area. This unit is classified as a "supercritical" plant, meaning it will use new clean coal technology enabling operation at elevated steam temperature and pressure for increased efficiency and reduced fuel-related emissions. This facility, to be co-owned by Aquila Inc., The Empire District Electric Company, Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. and the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission, is scheduled to go into service in 2010.
Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture utilizes high-speed communications networks, intelligent field devices, asset management software, and bus I/O technologies to help power producers control critical plant processes, increase plant efficiencies and megawatt production, and realize long-term operations and maintenance savings. For new plants, PlantWeb offers additional advantages to power generators: by lowering wiring costs, and streamlining device installation, communications verification and troubleshooting, this digital bus-based approach translates into faster startup, and reduced startup and commissioning costs.
The Ovation control system, a key technology that powers PlantWeb, will monitor and control the unit's supercritical boiler, as well as the burner management system, motors, sootblower and balance of plant processes. The Ovation system will also interface to the unit's turbine and control the Air Quality Control System (AQCS) for the unit's flue gas desulphurization (FGD) system.
Under the second contract, Emerson's Ovation system will also control the AQCS for the new FGD system that is being added as part of a pollution control upgrade project for Iatan Unit 1.
Both projects include extensive use of digital bus-based technologies for networking intelligent field devices: The Unit 1 AQCS project includes 22 Foundation fieldbus segments and 12 PROFIBUS DP segments, while Unit 2 incorporates 102 Foundation fieldbus segments and 50 PROFIBUS DP segments.
Furthermore, Emerson's PlantWeb digital automation solution for Iatan Units 1 and 2 includes AMS(TM) Suite: Intelligent Device Manager, which streamlines device configuration, enabling savings and increased startup efficiency. AMS Device Manager also provides online access to instrument and valve process information, predictive diagnostic information, and automatic documentation of field device maintenance information - all contributing to ongoing efficiency of plant operations and maintenance activities.
Emerson's hi-fidelity simulators are also included in the Unit 1 and 2 automation projects. KCP&L selected Emerson's innovative virtual simulator architecture, in which actual controllers are replaced with Ovation virtual controllers that reside on a Microsoft Windows-based personal computer, known as the virtual host. The virtual controllers, which utilize standard Ovation engineering tools and operator interfaces, run the point scanning, alarming and complete algorithm set, including advanced control algorithms as they exist in the plant's controllers. As such, the virtual controller provides one-on-one functionality that mirrors the actual Ovation controllers that comprise the plant control system. And, because the virtual technology merges all the benefits of a full simulator into one or more PCs, it offers KCP&L a higher level of affordability and scalability - with a significantly reduced footprint.
Incorporation of the virtual simulators will further streamline plant and scrubber startup at Iatan by validating control/logic loops prior to commissioning. The simulators will also serve as training tools, enabling operators to fine-tune their skills and familiarize themselves with the new controls, further boosting efficiency.
"The addition of Iatan Unit 2, along with the environmental upgrades to Iatan Unit 1, will more than double the energy supply at the site, while substantially reducing regulated air emissions there. These projects are important components supporting the continued growth and economic vitality of the area," said Brent Davis, project director, KCP&L. "Emerson, with its experience applying digital automation technologies to supercritical power plants and FGD systems, had the credentials we were looking for."
"We are gratified by KCP&L's confidence in Emerson and our PlantWeb digital bus approach," said Bob Yeager, president of the Power & Water Solutions division of Emerson, noting that this is Emerson's first contract with KCP&L, which has traditionally utilized ABB control systems."We are pleased that Emerson's advanced automation and control technologies will manage critical power generation processes for KCP&L and, in doing so, help ensure an affordable and stable supply of electricity in this growing region."
About Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com), an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the power, water and wastewater treatment, chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and other industries.
Emerson's Power & Water Solutions division (www.emersonprocess-powerwater.com) is a global supplier of advanced distributed process control and information systems. The Pittsburgh-based company is a recognized leader in developing plant-wide process control solutions for the power generation, water treatment and wastewater treatment industries. Power & Water Solutions plays a key role in the Emerson mission of combining superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services.
About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2006 were $20.1 billion. For more information, visit www.GoToEmerson.com.
