A new process control system is implemented at the Aksu Power Plant
As part of an investment programme, the top level of an automated process control system (APCS) has been replaced at power unit No. 3 of the power plant operated by Eurasian Energy Corporation (forming part of the Eurasian Resources Group (ERG). The company has allocated about KZT 66.81M for the replacement of this equipment.
‘At modern power plants, an APCS is just as important and demanding as main equipment. A modern APCS is a reliable, efficient system that is easy to operate; its main task consists in efficient control of technical equipment in order to ensure the highest possible technical and economic performance. Given that the equipment we operate had been functioning 24/7 for ten years and its service life had come to an end, we were faced with the issue of replacing it. We thoroughly examined all available options and selected a solution characterized by the best price/performance ratio,’ said Roman Paustyanov, head of the thermal instrumentation and control unit at the power plant of JSC EEC.
Overall, power engineers have replaced four servers which store and process information on operational tasks performed at the power unit, seven operator terminals (computers) and four MX terminals (remote graphic display terminals), three network switches and network communication lines. The new equipment has a larger hard drive capacity; this has enabled an increase in the storage duration of the online archive from three months to five years, which is undoubtedly essential for the analysis of economic performance of the power unit.
Equipment was replaced by specialists from CJSC Interautomatika in cooperation with employees of the thermal instrumentation and control unit of the power plant.
‘As far as we know, this is the most advanced process control system in the Republic of Kazakhstan,’ said Alexey Olokhtonov, team leader at CJSC Interautomatika. ‘TPTS-51 process control systems are widely used at power units whose capacity exceeds 120 MW at TPPs and NPPs both in the CIS and in countries outside the CIS, while the capacity of power units of the Aksu Power Plant totals 300-325 MW. Throughout the entire operating life of the APCS, no emergencies have been detected. This version of the system features network switches that are more compact and have a higher performance. Systems that we implement utilize state-of-the-art highly reliable microprocessor controls manufactured by the SIEMENS concern or under its licence. Employees of the Aksu Power Plant have expressed a lively interest in the operation of the system and its functions and have performed assembly and installation work to a high standard.’
Last year, a similar technical solution was implemented at power unit No. 4.
By now, power unit No. 3 has been successfully put into operation and has started to generate electricity.
We would like to remind that the Aksu Power Plant has been upgrading power units successfully since 2001; five out of eight units have already undergone a comprehensive upgrade. Currently, power unit No. 5 is being refitted; this will cost about USD 277M. Overall, since 1996 JSC EEC has allocated over KZT 190bn for repairs of various degrees of complexity and refitting of equipment at the power plant.
Installed capacity of the Aksu Power Plant totals 2,450 MW.
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