Universal Process / Temperature Controllers
Benxi Steel Migrates to Emerson's Ovation(TM) Control System in Less Than Six Days
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Cost and time of control system replacement reduced by using existing I/O
PITTSBURGH - Emerson Process Management has successfully completed a WDPF(TM) -to-Ovation(TM) control system migration project at the Benxi Steel Company's No. 5 Blast Furnace, located in Benxi city in the Liaoning Province of China. The No. 5 Blast Furnace was built in 2001 and this migration project, which reduced system-replacement downtime by retaining existing I/O modules, has helped extend its service life while also improving overall reliability and availability.
Installing the new Ovation system was accomplished in five days and 14 hours within a scheduled maintenance outage. The quick turnaround was critical: to avoid equipment damage, a high temperature needed to be maintained in the furnace - even when it was not producing steel. By getting the No. 5 Blast Furnace up and running in less than the seven days originally scheduled for the outage, Benxi Steel Company was able to resume steel production more quickly than anticipated and save the energy costs required to warm the furnace when it was not in production.
"We selected Emerson for this short-turnaround project because they offered the latest technology and also had extensive control system migration experience," said Wang Zhiming, I&C director, Benxi Steel Company. "Due to the detailed engineering and testing accomplished prior to the outage, we were able to put the furnace directly into commercial operation without the time typically associated with on-site commissioning. This speaks volumes about the diligent work performed by Emerson and CISDI prior to the outage to ensure the control system replacement went smoothly."
For this migration project, Emerson supplied five Ovation controllers and seven workstations. In all, the Ovation system manages nearly 2,500 I/O points, monitoring and controlling all major equipment and processes, including material filling, stove, top and furnace body. China CISDI Engineering Co. Ltd. was the general contractor for the migration project.
The quick system migration would not have been possible without the straightforward migration path Emerson provides for users of its previous-generation WDPF system. This proven, economical alternative to complete system replacement offers WDPF customers the latest technology while allowing them to retain much of their existing control system investment, including control logic, graphics, I/O cards, field cabling and terminations.
"Emerson's WDPF-to-Ovation migration is a fast and flexible solution that enables our customers to enjoy the latest technologies while still maintaining much of their existing investment," said Bob Yeager, president of the Emerson Process Management's Power & Water Solutions division. "We're pleased to count Benxi Steel Company among the many Emerson customers who have taken advantage of this option, which is not only cost-effective initially, but also contributes to greater operational efficiency and reliability on a day-in and day-out basis."
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, mining and metals, food and beverage, life sciences and other industries. Its Pittsburgh-based Power & Water Solutions division (emersonprocess-powerwater.com) is a global supplier of advanced distributed process control and information systems, and a recognized leader in developing plant-wide process control solutions for the power generation, water treatment and wastewater treatment industries. These systems and solutions play a key role in the Emerson mission of combining superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Emerson brands include PlantWeb(TM), Ovation(TM), Scenario(TM), SmartProcess(TM), SureService(TM), Syncade(TM), DeltaV(TM), Fisher(TM), Micro Motion(TM), Rosemount(TM), Daniel(TM), and AMS Suite.
About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE:EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and consumer markets through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2009 were $20.9 billion. For more information, visit www.Emerson.com.
