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Welcome to the February 2013 issue of ICEnews, the Instrumentation, and Control Engineering news source. ICEnews is a compendium of useful information which we endeavour to issue quarterly.
We want to make this newsletter a source of information that YOU can use in YOUR job, while also keeping you informed on what is happening in our industry both directly and indirectly. We welcome your Press Releases, information, AND any technical articles you may have that could be appropriate for this newsletter or our web site. If you have something you would like to contribute, please send it to ICEnews.
ICEweb’s primary purpose is to disseminate information about Instrumentation, Control, Electrical and Fire & Gas Engineering to you the practitioners and developers of these arts. Our quarterly publication ICEnews is another mechanism to get this information out to you.
We strive to get you high quality mainly technical information for free with direct access to technical papers where possible, without those time consuming pesky registration links which only add more unsolicited mail to your inbox.
Subscribe to this newsletter by registering your e-mail address via ICEweb or sending a note with the subject ‘subscribe ICEnews’ to ICEnews. Generally you will only get one email per quarter.
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ICEart - Technical articles related to Instrumentation and Control (Just "click" on the Hyperlink for the full article or paper)
Engineers - The Imagination Knows No Limits - This 'U Tube' video is just brilliant with some "interesting" automation ideas!
The Scale of the Universe - This application whilst not being automation related is very "cool" and demonstrates just how insignificant the human race is in the larger scale of things.
Metso
has acquired U.S. Software Company ExperTune Inc- ExperTune's products are
widely used as software tools to analyze and monitor the performance of
industrial processes and to identify the associated maintenance and improvement
opportunities.
Need Some Technical “know-how”? ICEweb has a page which details a selection of excellent Instrumentation, Automation, Control, Electrical, Electronic and Information Technology books from IDC Technologies. These can be purchased from ICEweb . Also detailed are other links to more useful references.
What’s in your pocket? Why not fill your pocket with an IDC pocket guide. Their six Engineering Pocket Guides are bursting with over 500 pages of valuable information. The six titles include: Instrumentation, Electrical Engineering, Data Communications, Formulae and Conversions, Electronic Engineering and Industrial Automation. Whether you are interested in just the one title or if you need the whole set send an email to books@idc-online.com .
New ISA publication - Advanced Control Foundation: Tools, Techniques, and Applications - The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces that it has produced a new book that explains the concepts and terminology of advanced control, and highlights the advanced control tools and techniques most widely and effectively applied in the process industry today. Advanced Control Foundation: Tools, Techniques, and Applications by Terrence L. “Terry” Blevins, Willy K. Wojsznis and Mark Nixon is designed to help control engineers and process engineers gain a more thorough understanding of the concepts and capabilities of advanced control products and solutions, which have been proven to reduce variation in plant operation, achieve production targets and improve plant production. “The book is ideally suited to process and control engineers who have a sound understanding of conventional control techniques but have little or no background on advanced control,” says Blevins, who was instrumental in establishing Emerson Process Management’s Advanced Control Program and, along with his co-authors, has extensive experience in the design and startup of advanced control solutions. “It provides practical examples that allow readers to quickly become familiar with the advanced control techniques commonly utilized in the process industry today. In addition, the web site that accompanies the book (www.advancedcontrolfoundation.com/) presents workshops on commercially available solutions that apply the advanced control concepts and techniques outlined in the book.”
101
Tips for a Successful Automation Career - Greg McMillan and Hunter Vegas -
Do you want to:
- Know more than your boss?
- Sleep like a baby before a startup (less crying in the middle of the night)?
- Get back early from startups?
- Have vendors ask what you think works best?
- Become the “Go To Person?”
- Have your CEO smile at you?
- Inspire your children to become automation engineers?
- Get a knowing twinkle in your eyes like the technologist about to retire?
- Get asked what is your key to success?
- Get invited by operators to special meals in the control room kitchen?
- Create a worldwide recognition of the value of the automation profession?
- Become famous and a regular guest on late nite TV?
- Be remembered for all the right reasons?
While this book cannot guarantee the above results, the content should provide
an automation engineer with a proven path to career and technical success. So
much of the automation field depends upon experience, and many feel that
experience can only come with grey, thinning hair and lots of wrinkles. However,
with this book, we invite you to take full advantage of two lifetimes of
hard-fought lessons learned and to avoid many of the technical and career
pitfalls made by the authors.
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Foundation Fieldbus, Fourth Edition - Ian Verhappen and Augusto Pereira The fourth edition of Foundation Fieldbus significantly expands the
subject matter of the earlier editions of this popular book not only to
help you stay current with this evolving technology but to also enhance
your understanding of Fieldbus. This edition provides in-depth coverage
on Fieldbus communications and configuration, including calculation of
macrocycle for Control-In-Field and in the Host system and how the
different forms of communication on the H1 network work with each other
to make Control-In-Field possible, including the use of these different
methods to optimise network bandwidth. |
Industrial Ethernet Handbook - A Practical Guideline - This guideline is intended for planners, installation engineers and startup engineers for Industrial Ethernet (IE) networks. It communicates, from experience, tips, tricks and shortcuts that make the work easier. This guidelines is not an IE compendium from a basic manual. Thanks to valued ICEweb sponsor Weidmuller Australia.
Fieldbus Foundation 2013 General Assembly to Be Held in Shanghai, China - The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that its 2013 General Assembly would be held in Shanghai, China, on March 12-15, 2013. This annual event is open to Fieldbus Foundation members and non-members, and will be attended by leading Foundation fieldbus suppliers, end users and industry participants from around the world.
The
Fieldbus Report - In This Fall 2112 Issue - Foundation for ROM Demos, Ease
of Fieldbus Implementation, Value of Global Seminars, Updated Engineering Guide,
Advances in Fieldbus Diagnostics, Host Registration Update and First Registered
Device Couplers.
HART
Communication Device Information can now Integrate into FOUNDATION fieldbus
Systems - Due to the collaborative efforts of the Wireless Cooperation Team
(WCT), specifications for transducer blocks for HART and WirelessHART devices
have been added to the latest Foundation™ fieldbus (FF) technical
specifications. This addition enables full integration of HART and WirelessHART
device information, including device diagnostics, into a Foundation for ROM
(Remote Operations Management) system.
Workshop - Practical
TCP/IP and Ethernet Networking for Industry – Perth 14 & 15 March /
Brisbane 18 & 19 March / Sydney 21 & 22 March / Adelaide 25 & 26
March 2013 - The internet has made a substantial impact on the way we do
business, as well as the plant and factory environment. One of the great
protocols inherited from the internet is TCP/IP, which is used by most
present-day automation and process control systems. SCADA systems, Programmable
Logic Controllers and even low level instruments are using TCP/IP and Ethernet
to transfer information. TCP/IP and Ethernet are truly open standards, available
to competing manufacturers and providing the user with a common standard at low
cost. This workshop covers the main aspects of TCP/IP and Ethernet in detail,
including the practical implementation of TCP/IP in computer and industrial
areas and the practical use of the internet and intranets. You will learn to
troubleshoot and maintain TCP/IP networks and communication systems in an office
and industrial environment. The workshop is designed to give you a superb
fundamental grounding in TCP/IP and the internet, as it is applied to industrial
automation and process control. The
objective is to provide a useful and practical toolbox of skills that can be
applied immediately to your plant or facility.
ICEed - Educational links associated with Instrumentation, Control and Fire & Gas
Call for Papers - If you have an upcoming conference and are calling for papers please contact us.
E-Learning
IDC have a range of E-Learning courses Covering Data Communications, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Instrumentation, Mechanical Engineering and Project Management .
Training and Workshop Schedules
IDC have a huge range of workshops and training courses in Australia and USA.
Free Courses! - The Engineering Institute of Technology, in conjunction with IDC Technologies will be running regular hour workshops covering basics, troubleshooting, new developments and much more including;
6 February 2013 - Electrical Power System Fundamentals for Non-Electrical Engineers - Register Here
13 February 2013 - Principles of Intrinsic Safety - Register Here
20 February 2013 - Mechanical Design Concepts for Non-Mechanical Engineers - Register Here
27 February 2013 - ** LIVE SESSION ** Troubleshooting of SCADA and Data Acquisition Systems - Register Here
6 March 2013 - Nuts and Bolts of Temperature Measurement - Register Here
13 March 2013 - A (VERY) Short Trip through Digital Signal Processing - Register Here
20 March 2013 - Nuts and Bolts of Industrial Ethernet - Tips and Tricks - Register Here
27 March 2013 - ** LIVE SESSION
** Lightning, Earthing/Grounding and Surge Protection - Register
Here
Downloads
of slides from past technical courses
February
Practical
Project Management for Engineers and Technicians
Practical
Instrumentation for Automation and Process Control
March
Fundamentals
of Industrial Automation
Practical
TCP/IP and Ethernet Networking for Industry
April
Practical
Power System Protection
Practical
SCADA Systems for Industry
ICElinks - Electronic Instrumentation Newsletters and links of Potential Interest to our readers.
A really great website for the latest news is the Read-Out Instrumentation Signpost.
Control Engineering have a great range of newsletters covering;Are you into Hydraulics? Brendon Casey's Inside Hydraulics Newsletter contains loads of technical tips and money saving techniques.
Automation World offers some electronic newsletters of interest including;
The Flow Control Network has a excellent newsletter for flow "buffs".
Jim Pinto's Website has lots of great content pertaining to Automation.
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Looking for some Technical Information on Control, Electrical Instrumentation, Fire & Gas, Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and many other subjects?
Search the vast ICEweb Free Technical Engineering Library for information on Control, Fire & Gas Systems, Electrical, Instrumentation and Safety Instrumented Systems.
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ICEnew — Great new Technical Links posted on ICEweb.
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ICEweb has developed the following pages thanks to our
sponsor Prochem
Pipeline Products; |
Just click on the title header to go to ICEweb's super pages on each of the following subjects.
2013
Designated the Year of Air Quality - As many countries fail to meet air
quality targets and large numbers of premature deaths still result from air
pollution, Jim Mills, a particulate monitoring specialist and Managing Director
of Air Monitors, explains why 2013 should be a pivotal year - Local Authorities
monitor
ambient air quality and publish data for the benefit of the public. However, as
a result of public sector cutbacks environmental health professionals are
focused on maintaining performance whilst implementing cost savings.
Black
Carbon – the Elephant in the Room! - Jim Mills - Traditionally, ambient
particulates have been measured gravimetrically according to their size. This
article Jim Mills, demonstrates that the time has come to change or at least
augment the way ambient particulates are monitored and regulated. It explains
why the measurement of Black Carbon could change the way we look at particulate
pollution, so that focus will be given to strategies that could result in
improvements to human health AND make a very significant contribution to the
fight against climate change. Also outlined is the rationale behind a new
€3million EU funded project (Carbotraf ) which will use Black Carbon
measurements to inform traffic management systems in both Glasgow and Graz.
Verify Fluid Flow to Your Analyzer and Keep Your Plant Running - Sam Kresch - No matter how sophisticated a fluid analyzer system may be, it will be ineffective if a sample flow fails to reach the analyzer sensor or if the sample is contaminated or stale. The most advanced systems in the world cannot provide accurate results without a valid fluid sample. Gas chromatographs (GCs), mass spectrometers, optical spectrometers and photometers are a few examples of analyzer technologies applied in process and plant systems that need sample flow assurance. It is an accepted industry best practice that sampling systems have some type of flow monitor to assure valid samples and analysis - from Fluid Components.
How to Manage Vaporization in an Analytical System - D Nordstrom and T Waters - When done properly, this process ensures that all compounds vaporize at the same time, preserving the sample’s composition - from Swagelok and Hydrocarbon Processing.
A
New Era of Liquid Chromatography: Improving HPLC Throughput with Automation
and Real Time Diagnostics - Today's drug discovery labs are charged with
moving thousands of samples through HPLC and MS screening processes. If your
lab is operating 24x7 to keep up with the throughput demand, every second
counts. To achieve high throughput, not only must the run time of a single
analysis be shortened, but the total cycle time of the injection sequence
and run time needs to be optimized. Solvent management automation and real
time diagnostics allow you to increase sample throughput and maximize system
uptime while meeting the need to produce reliable results and identify
leads. This automation and diagnostics can be achieved by installing an
in-line real time flow measurement device in the solvent management system -
from Brooks Instrument.
Thanks to our sponsor Invensys Triconex ICEweb's Burner Management System page has around 70 fantastic technical links , many which are new, to assist you if you work in this area.
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Welcome to Invensys
OpsManage 2013 Conference Whether you are an existing Invensys client,
or involved in using, optimizing, specifying or applying
automation and operations management technology the Invensys
OpsManage conference will have something for you. Our event has
developed over more than 10 years from a humble user event to a
significant conference that embraces Invensys customers old, new
and prospective, identifies industry trends, show cases best
practises, creates a positive networking environment and profiles
latest solutions in the automation and industrial IT arena. Having
traditionally been held on the eastern seaboard, it’s the first
time we have hosted the event in the West. So please keep an eye
on this
web site, we will update as content is developed with input
from the industrial and process automation community. |
Loads of links to cable information can be found on this page.
Identifying Tray Cables for Your Next Installation - Though rapidly increasing in popularity, tray cables are still a point of confusion for many. While the term “tray cable” is being heard everywhere, many do not understand what exactly a tray cable is or the benefits of using tray cables. Another gray area for many comes from the variety of types of tray cable, what each means and in which applications each type should be used. This paper defines what a tray cable is, describes the different types of tray cables, provide uses and standards for each type of tray cable. It will also provides a reference guide regarding the applications and governing standards for each tray cables type - from Turck.
What to Know When Selecting Your Cable Solution - When selecting the proper cabling for industrial applications, it is important for users to consider performance strengths and limitations associated with each cable solution in order to select cabling that meet an application’s exact needs. This white paper will address the differences between AWM recognized cable and UL listed cable, describing the testing requirements listed cables must satisfy and highlighting the benefits associated with ITC and PLTC cables, such as durability, reliability and longevity – from Turck
Thanks to our sponsor Samson Controls a total of 33 new technical papers and engineering articles have been added to ICEweb's Comprehensive Control Valve Page. The page covers a broad range of design, selection, specification and maintenance subjects.
Predicting
Control Valve Reliability Problems and Troubleshooting in
Fail-safe
Control Valves in Case of Fire - W. Schneider
Control
Valve Styles - Control valves exist in innumerable styles
and options. The most common constructions used in process industries today are
discussed. To reach a certain systematic in the description of the various
styles, a distinction is made regarding essential criteria and functionalities.
A rough overview of the control valves most frequently used is given.
Valve Style Advantages and Disadvantages - This is a useful spreadsheet.
Butterfly
Valve Styles - Butterfly valves contain a concentrically
or eccentrically oriented disc which can be rotated in a normally sandwich-like
housing or body. The angle of rotation is usually 90 degrees for ON-OFF service;
for continuous control applications the aperture angle is normally limited to
only 60 degrees. Because of the ease of manufacture and the cost-saving
construction butterfly valves are - particularly at big nominal sizes and low
pressure differentials - a more economical alternative to standard control
valves.
How
to Select Control Valves - This
very useful information from the renowned Béla Lipták
Practical
Control Valve Sizing, Selection and Maintenance - Dave Macdonald BSc(Eng) -
This manual is intended to provide an understanding of the key issues involved
in the selection of control valves for typical process industry applications. This
chapter looks at the fundamental
principles involved in the control of fluid flow and it describes how the
adjustment of flow capacity is typically used to control pressure, flow, level
and temperature in processes
Control Valve Selection and Sizing Engineering Design Guideline - There are many available guidelines developed to aid engineers in selecting and sizing the valves, but mostly these guidelines are developed by certain companies and might only be suitable for the application of the valves provided by their own companies. Hence, it is important to get the general understanding about control valve sizing and selection first. Later, whenever changes are needed in a process system, this basic knowledge is still applicable. This guideline is made to provide that fundamental knowledge and a step by step guideline; which is applicable to properly select and size control valves in a correct manner. Control valve supports the other devices and work together resulting and ideal process condition. Hence, it is crucial to make some considerations before deciding the correct control valve sizing and selection. The selected valve has to be reasonable in cost, require minimum maintenance, use less energy, and be compatible with the control loop. Malfunction in control valve might cause process system does not work properly - from kolmetz.com.
Ease Control Valve Selection - Trevor Bishop, Meredith Chapeaux, Liyakat Jaffer, Kiran Nair and Sheetal Patel - With so many types and options available, choosing the right control valve can seem daunting. Selection can be simplified by considering the process fluid, the service requirements, and how the various valves function - from CEP Magazine.
|
ICEweb
Advertising - Did you realise that there are over 500 pages on ICEweb!! Page
exclusive sponsorship
for a year with your logo in a prominent position. All
technical information will have live links to your company. ICEweb
will search for suitable technical information from your website and
include this in a priority
position
on the page. To
sponsor/advertise in ICEweb, please contact Jim
Russell, ICEweb Director. |
New ISA publication - Advanced Control Foundation: Tools, Techniques, and Applications - The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces that it has produced a new book that explains the concepts and terminology of advanced control, and highlights the advanced control tools and techniques most widely and effectively applied in the process industry today. Advanced Control Foundation: Tools, Techniques, and Applications by Terrence L. “Terry” Blevins, Willy K. Wojsznis and Mark Nixon is designed to help control engineers and process engineers gain a more thorough understanding of the concepts and capabilities of advanced control products and solutions, which have been proven to reduce variation in plant operation, achieve production targets and improve plant production. “The book is ideally suited to process and control engineers who have a sound understanding of conventional control techniques but have little or no background on advanced control,” says Blevins, who was instrumental in establishing Emerson Process Management’s Advanced Control Program and, along with his co-authors, has extensive experience in the design and startup of advanced control solutions. “It provides practical examples that allow readers to quickly become familiar with the advanced control techniques commonly utilized in the process industry today. In addition, the web site that accompanies the book (www.advancedcontrolfoundation.com/) presents workshops on commercially available solutions that apply the advanced control concepts and techniques outlined in the book.”
Human Factors Engineering in Projects - This report is concerned with human factors issues that can reasonably be expected to be within the scope of Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) funded engineering projects, including the design and layout of platforms, process plants and associated piping, equipment and facilities; control rooms (including the Human Machine Interface (HMI) to Distributed Computer Systems (DCS) and other computer systems), as well as buildings (including administration, accommodation, warehouses and workshops) - from OGP.
Tuning of PID Controllers in both Open and Closed Loop Control Systems - This covers the application of procedures for open and closed loop tuning and how to calculate the tuning constants according to Ziegler & Nichols - from ICEweb sponsor IDC.
Workshop - Fundamentals of Industrial Automation – Perth 11 & 12 March / Adelaide 14 & 15 March / Hobart 18 & 19 March 2013 - The workshop is aimed at you if you are interested in gaining an overall appreciation and general understanding of industrial automation and control technology. this ranges from the factory floor (sensors, instrumentation, actuators, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Distributed Control Systems (DCSs)) Programmable Logic Controllers, Distributed Control Systems, SCADA systems, Industrial Ethernet, Fieldbus, wireless to OPC – best practice and trends.
|
New
AVEVA Electrical offers
Plant
market up to 30% man-hour savings
Shift Handover -The Importance of Continuity - Shift handover has been shown to be a common source of revenue loss and safety incidents in plant operation. Both economic and regulatory pressures demand substantial improvement in the shift handover process. Every engineer knows that discontinuities are invariably a source of weakness, whether in physical structures or in continuous processes. This is particularly true in the case of shift handover but, whereas physical discontinuities may be easy to identify and remove, discontinuities in working procedures can be far more difficult. It has long been recognised in the plant industries that the discontinuities of shift handover are among the most common and potentially serious sources of problems. These can range from minor impacts on operational efficiency to the most serious safety incidents; all incur corresponding levels of economic cost. The root of the issue is the transfer of information from outgoing to incoming shift teams. This paper looks into the problems arising and describes how the latest information management technology can be used to overcome them. To download AVEVA's paper on Shift Handover visit http://www.aveva.com/en/Media-Centre/Business_Papers.aspx Sustainable Energy Management - Putting Information
Assets to Work in the Process Industries - This paper outlines the
challenges facing process plant operators in implementing effective
Energy Management strategies. It describes how these challenges may be
overcome through the use of currently available Information Management
technologies supported by a comprehensive, Service-Oriented Architecture
(SOA). Information Management technology can overcome the technical
barriers to effective Energy Management and provide the means to harness
an enterprise’s extensive, but often under-exploited, information
assets. Such capability supports the key elements of a sustainable,
long-term Energy Management programme: best practice methodology and an
integrated framework to address its information requirements. Rather
than being just a short-term initiative with a single objective, this
type of programme constitutes a substantial step on the road to
implementing a comprehensive Operations Integrity Management strategy to
deliver enterprise-wide business benefits. An Energy Information
Management strategy can thus lead to more extensive and sustained
optimisation of all aspects of asset operation. To
download AVEVA’s paper on Sustainable Energy Management
visit www.aveva.com/pr/Energy-Mgmt. Top Ten Instrumentation Headaches - AVEVA spoke to instrumentation and control experts across the industry and identified no less than ten key areas where other vendors’ instrumentation design technologies fail to meet engineers’ and designers’ requirements. These are the top ten headaches that the engineers and designers face on a daily basis. The good news is that companies can avoid these headaches entirely by deploying the ‘visual engineering’ approach at the heart of AVEVA’s field-proven instrumentation solution. Register to read the full paper here. A Shocking Waste of Money - Eight Reasons Why Electrical Design Costs More Than it Should - Electrical engineering and design is one of the most complex and demanding challenges facing EPCs and shipbuilders, in new builds, in-plant projects, and marine refit. Recent capital expenditure on electrical engineering and design has been estimated to reach $3 billion in the hydrocarbon plant industry alone. But should we be shocked by this figure? Surely such a complex discipline necessarily comes with a high price tag? Expense is inevitable, certainly. But wastefulness is unforgivable. Unfortunately, the technology used to plan and design electrical systems, just like that used to design instrumentation and control systems, is often just that – wasteful. Because it has been developed with little regard for engineers’ and designers’ natural working methods, it results in cumbersome and error-prone methods of handling data, and prevents users from making effective technical use of the natural synergies that exist between many activities. Register to read the full paper here AVEVA releases the Latest and most Powerful Version of AVEVA Instrumentation - AVEVA has announced that AVEVA Instrumentation 12.1, an enhanced version of its highly successful and market leading instrumentation and control engineering software is available. AVEVA Instrumentation 12.1, the most powerful instrumentation application on the market and one of AVEVA’s fastest growing products, is available for both plant and marine environments. Like AVEVA’s recently launched brand new application AVEVA Electrical, it has been designed and tested in close collaboration with AVEVA customers who have demonstrated up to a 30% man-hour savings with the new product.“AVEVA Instrumentation has proven to be a highly successful engineering product for AVEVA”, commented Bruce Douglas, Senior Vice President- Marketing & Product Strategy, AVEVA. “AVEVA Instrumentation integrates with AVEVA Electrical, which is a compelling piece of additional functionality to this platform. No other supplier provides such close synchronisation between these two important disciplines enabling true integration. “We are excited to be able to provide the plant and marine markets with two mission-critical applications that are so tightly integrated and offer our customers such compelling quality improvements and efficiency savings.” AVEVA Instrumentation can be implemented stand-alone, integrated as part of AVEVA’s Integrated & Engineering Design approach or with other third party software. New functionality includes an improved intuitive and easy to use interface, with enhanced graphical engineering capabilities. This allows tabular data such as component references to be represented at the click of a button, dramatically increasing productivity. To learn more visit www.aveva.com/aveva_instrumentation. AVEVA – the world's leading engineering software provider, whose vision and commitment have completely redefined the plant, power and marine industries. Find out more about AVEVA Instrumentation and other products here. |
Instrument
Interconnection Block Diagram – An Instrument Interconnection block
diagram is a drawing showing interconnection between each device
including; the instrument, junction box, marshalling cabinet, panel, etc.
This drawing can provide a glance view of overall connection of the system.
Typical
Instrument Block Diagram
Cable
Schedule – A Cable Schedule is a document containing list of
instrument cables. This document shows cable as well as gland requirements
for each instrument or connection. The information of the cable schedule
includes ; Cable Number, Cable Type / Specification, Cable Size, Cable Length ,
Source and destination termination description and Cable gland type / size for
each incoming cable.
Typical
Cable Schedule
Instrument
Tubing Layout - Instrument Tubing Layout shows routing of instrument
tubing according to plant layout and the location of source and destination
points connected by tubing. In addition, instrument tubing layout shows the
details related to instrumentation tubing such as; Tubing number/identification,
Tubing orientation, Type of fluid carried inside the tubing i.e hydraulic or
pneumatic (air/gas) by appearance of different tubing symbol.
Shutdown
Logic Diagrams – A Shutdown logic diagram (also known as ESD logic
diagram) shows a hierarchy of shutdown level within a plant or platform.
An
Example Shutdown Logic Diagram
I/O
List
I/O
Schedule Example - A useful example of an I/O Schedule.
Cause
and Effect
Example
Cause and Effect - A useful example of an Cause and Effect diagram.
Workshop - Practical
Project Management for Engineers and Technicians –
Workshop - Practical
Instrumenta
Thanks to AVEVA take a look at this page with just masses of information on the Instrument Database Approach to ICE Design Engineering.
Make or Break with Project Management - Bill Lydon - Project management is critical to ensuring projects are implemented correctly, on time and within budget. Good project management also communicates to your management or stakeholder that you are a professional. These are thoughts from my experience managing many projects and consulting to clients on projects. The most valuable lessons were learned when taking over projects that were in serious trouble - from Automation.com
Walking the Fine Line - Scott Sommer and Christopher Russell - Systems integration is tough work. Often we implement someone else’s design to the complete satisfaction of the owner. Every project produces a list of lessons; the challenge after completing the project is to learn from those lessons and avoid repeating the same mistakes. We have compiled 25 lessons in hopes that systems integrators, end users, and managers alike will not only gain respect for the role of systems integration in industrial project execution, but also avoid pitfalls and errors that keep a good project from becoming an excellent one - from ISA and InTech
Communicate: Avoid Assumptions like the Plague - Michael Whitt - There are certain design tasks and group interactions key to the development of a computerized process control system. Systems integration (SI) represents a vast category in that development, and it includes software development, data communications, and operability issues - from ISA and InTech.
Dynamic Process Simulators and Training Systems
Plenty of information on this subject.
Many pages with Numerous Technical Links and White Papers on various Electrical Subjects.
ABB
Solves 100-Year-Old Electrical Puzzle – ABB have announced a breakthrough
in the ability to interrupt direct current, solving a 100-year-old electrical
engineering puzzle and paving the way for a more efficient and reliable
electricity supply system. After years of research, ABB has developed the
world’s first circuit breaker for high voltage direct current . It combines
very fast mechanics with power electronics, and will be capable of
‘interrupting’ power flows equivalent to the output of a large power station
within 5milliseconds- that is thirty times faster than the blink of a human eye.
Minimizing Arc Flash Exposure in Industrial Applications - This white paper will discuss the definition of an arc flash, including its risks, consequences and causes, industry standards to protect against arc flash and a solution to minimize arc flash exposure – from Turck.
Workshop - Practical Electrical Wiring Standards - AS/NZS 3000:2007 – Brisbane 14 & 15 March / Adelaide 18 & 19 March / Perth 21 & 22 March 2013- This workshop aims to familiarise the participants with the requirements laid down in the standard AS/NZS 3000:2007, commonly known as Australia-New Zealand Wiring Rules. For those installations covered in the scope of this standard, its provisions are mandatory and must be followed. Any engineer involved in the planning and design of electrical systems, their installation or maintenance must have a clear idea about the various requirements contained in the standard.
Workshop - Practical
Power System Protection for Engineers and Technicians – Perth 8 & 9
April / Sydney 11 & 12 April /
Townsville 18 & 19 April 2013 - This workshop has been designed to give
plant operators, electricians, field technicians and engineers a better
appreciation of the role played by power system protection systems. An
understanding of power systems along with correct management will increase your
plant efficiency and performance as well as increasing safety for all concerned.
The workshop is designed to provide excellent understanding on both a
theoretical and practical level. Starting at a basic level and then moving onto
more detailed applications, it features an introduction covering the need for
protection, fault types and their effects, simple calculations of short circuit
currents and system earthing. This workshop includes some practical work, simple
fault calculations, relay settings and the checking of a current transformer
magnetisation curve.
Electrical and Instrumentation Enclosures
ESD Valves - Shutdown and Blowdown
Emergency Shut Down Valves (ESD) - Quarter-turn valves are the most common ESD control valves for actuation. Automatic control valves are fitted with hydraulic, pneumatic and electric actuators that respond to changes in pressure, flow or temperature, and automatically open or close the valve. Danger and damage from fire at refineries, petrochemical and offshore installations can be minimized by efficient protection of the systems controlling the plant. Remote valve operation station of fire proof actuator with accessories and air reservoir system to guarantee three complete cycle in the event of fire pneumatic operated with “Darchem” fire proof protection - from our sponsor Samson Controls.
Functional
Safety of Globe Valves, Rotary Plug Valves,
Ball Valves and Butterfly Valves
General notes for the Calculation and Selection of Actuators - These general notes from Samson Controls are useful.
Partial-Stroke
Testing on final Elements to Extend Maintenance Cycles - Thomas
Karte and Karl-Bernd Schärtner - In the process industry, the testing of
safety instrumented systems is an inherent part of the safety approach.
Usually, function tests are performed once a year on the entire instrumented
system, consisting of sensor, logic solver, and final element.
Further scheduled testing routines depend on local requirements and
even involve removing valves from the plant and inspecting them in the
workshop. These common procedures have not lost their importance even in
view of the IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 standards. However, these standards
require a quantitative analysis of safety equipment and SIL (Safety
Integrity Level) ratings. The probability of failure for the safety loop and
its individual components need to be calculated. The degree of coverage of
the performed tests plays a key role. As a result, maintenance cycles can be
planned more flexibly and even extended in some cases. This changed
approach to safety is accompanied by the development of smart positioner
diagnostics. This article discusses the opportunities of partial-stroke
testing and the risks involved - from ICEweb sponsor Samson
Controls. Functional
Safety of Globe Valves, Rotary Plug Valves,
Ball Valves and Butterfly Valves Reliability
Data and the use of Control Valves in the Process Industry in accordance with
IEC 61508/61511 - Thomas Karte, Eugen Nebel, Manfred
Dietz and Helge Essig - IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 are the relevant standards for
the specification and design of safety-related control loops in the
process industry. Control valves used in these loops play a key role when it
comes to determining the safety integrity level (SIL) of the safety instrumented
function (SIF). A wide variety of sensors and PLCs, the other key components in
the safety loop, are available with validated data concerning their probability
of failure. However, this sort of data is only available for a limited number of
control valves as statistical proof is difficult to obtain due to the
multitude of process conditions that exist in the chemical industry. This paper
describes the investigation method used for a series of control valves. The user
can determine the SIL achieved using this investigation data, the planned plant
structure, and an exact analysis of the process - from ICEweb sponsor Samson
Controls. Working
Towards the Calibrate-Once Flow Meter - New research at NEL, supported by
NMS, will independently review, test and analyse novel technologies involving
secondary sensors and measurements that will aid in the development of
condition-based monitoring of flow metering systems.
Previous work at NEL established that, by using secondary and diagnostic
measurements, variations in flow rate indications due to real changes in flow
rate could be reliably discriminated from those caused by anomalies such as
calibration drift. Therefore, an
initial objective is to develop an ability to determine, in-situ, when
recalibration of a flow meter is required - based solely on its measurement
performance.
Calibration
and Standards in Flow Measurement - Richard Paton - Calibration is defined
as follows: ‘The set of operations that establish, under specified conditions,
the relationship between values of quantities indicated by a measuring
instrument or measuring system and the corresponding values realized by
standards.’ It is important to recognize at the outset the definition of a ‘calibration’
and to note that the ‘comparison’ applies only to the conditions at the time
of the calibration. The purpose of calibration is to increase the confidence in
the reading obtained from the flowmeter in service - From IDC. Thanks to Honeywell Analytics A Total
of 26 new Fire and Gas Technical links have been added to ICEweb's Fire and Gas
pages. They cover Gas Detection Design and Selection, Fire and Gas Design
Engineering including, Fire and Explosion Protection and Much More. Pages
include; Selecting
and Placing Gas Detectors for Maximum Application Protection - Dave Opheim -
Many industrial processes involve dangerous gases and vapors: flammable, toxic,
or both. With the different sensing technologies available, and the wide range
of industrial applications that exist, selecting the best sensor and locating
them properly for the job at hand can be a challenge - from Detector Electronics
Corporation. The
Detection of Hazardous Gases - The detection of hazardous gases has always
been a complex subject and makes choosing an appropriate gas monitoring
instrument a difficult task. This chapter provides A simple guide to the various
sensor technologies available and Terms Definitions and Abbreviations - from
International Sensor Technology. Gas
Sensor Calibration - Gas sensors need to be calibrated and periodically
checked to ensure sensor accuracy and system integrity. It is important to
install stationary sensors in locations where the calibration can be performed
easily. The intervals between calibration can be different from sensor to
sensor. Generally, the manufacturer of the sensor will recommend a time interval
between calibration. However, it is good general practice to check the sensor
more closely during the first 30 days after installation. During this period, it
is possible to observe how well the sensor is adapting to its new environment -
from International Sensor Technology. Sensor
Selection Guide - Each of the following sensor, electrochemical, catalytic
bead, solid state, infrared and photoionization detectors must meet certain
criteria to be practical for use in area air quality and safety applications -
from International Sensor Technology. Catalytic
Combustible Gas Sensors - Catalytic bead sensors are used primarily to
detect combustible gases. They have been in use for more than 50 years.
Initially, these sensors were used for monitoring gas in coal mines, where they
replaced canaries that had been used for a long period of time. The sensor
itself is quite simple in design and is easy to manufacture. In its simplest
form, as used in the original design, it was comprised of a single platinum
wire. Catalytic bead sensors were produced all over the world by a large number
of different manufacturers, but the performance and reliability of these sensors
varied widely among these various manufacturers - from International Sensor
Technology. Hydrogen
Detection in Oil Refineries - This white paper offers a practical approach
for the deployment of fire and gas detectors that maximizes detection
efficiency. The approach is based on the notion that any one detection technique
cannot respond to all hazardous events and consequently, the risk of detection
failure is reduced by deploying devices that have different strengths and
limitations. Diversified
Technologies for Fixed Gas Detection - Edward Naranjo and Gregory A.
Neethling - Over the years, a variety of gas detection technologies have been
developed for the oil, gas, and chemical process industries. The advent of
embedded electronics, sophisticated firmware, new materials, and spectral
techniques has prompted remarkable improvements in detection. In many cases,
technology development proceeds through parallel routes with each technology
staking its own specialist market. Catalytic bead sensors and infrared detectors
are two examples of conventional sensing methods with wide customer acceptance.
Likewise, comparatively newer technologies like open path, gas cloud imaging,
and ultrasonic gas leak detection have made inroads into the safety
instrumentation market, not due to their novelty, but because they solve
customers’ problems like no technology before them. In such a world of
competing solutions, it is tempting to think single technologies will provide
answers to most industry challenges. Offshore platforms, onshore terminals, gas
compressor stations, and other facilities, however, are complex environments no
single type of detector is bound to cover completely. Experience has shown it is
in fact the combination of gas detection schemes that provide the enhanced level
of safety that customers demand. Fundamentals
of Combustible Gas Detection - A Guide to the Characteristics of Combustible
Gases and Applicable Detection Technologies - from General Monitors. Combustible
Gas Safety Monitoring: Infrared vs. Catalytic Gas Detectors - When designing
a combustible gas safety monitoring system for oil/gas, petrochemical or other
applications, how do you decide whether to use infrared or catalytic gas
detector technology? Both sensing technologies have their advantages dependent
upon your application’s specific requirements. A thorough analysis of your
application’s unique field environment is needed to ensure optimal
performance, safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness. A quick decision, of
course, can lead to poor detector choices as well as safety, performance,
maintenance, and life-cycle cost consequences - from General
Monitors. Combustible
Gas Detector Sensor Drift: Catalytic versus Infrared - Kelly Rollick, Allan
Roczko, and Leslie Mitchell - Catalytic bead combustible sensor technology, used
for decades to measure combustible gas concentrations, dates back to the 1830s.
The infrared spectrum was discovered in 1800. The 1950s saw a surge in infrared
spectrum use for many technological applications, including gas detection. These
distinct gas detection technologies offer advantages and disadvantages, with
conditions determining the better choice for specific applications - from ISA. Performance
Based Gas Detection System Design for Hydrocarbon Storage Tank Systems
-Srinivasan
N. Ganesan and Edward M. Marszal - The design of hydrocarbon gas detection
systems using risk analysis methods is drawing a lot of attention because
industry experts have come to a consensus that design codes used in
traditional gas detection system design work are not sufficient for open
door process areas having serious hazards, such as fire, flammable gas and
toxic gas. The ISA Technical Report TR 84.00.07 provides
guidelines for the design of fire and gas systems in unenclosed process
areas in accordance with the principles given in IEC 61511 standards. This
paper presents an overview of the design of gas detection systems using risk
assessment methods that are described in the ISA technical report. These
methods are statistical in nature and are used to assign and verify targets
for the performance metrics (detector coverage and safety availability) of
gas detection systems. This paper also provides an overview of the
performance based safety life cycle of gas detection systems from conceptual
design stage to operations and maintenance - from isssource.com. Gas
Detection Reference Guide - This comprehensive design guide from Scott
Safety covers; Gas
Detection Infrared Sensors Broaden Scope of Platform Gas Analysis - Jeff
Markley - Catalytic detectors reveal the presence of combustible gases
through a change in the resistance of the embedded coil - but their
sensitivity can be affected by airborne contaminants. Infrared sensors allow
open path detectors to detect gas up to 200 metres away - from Offshore.
Carbon
Monoxide (CO) Information - The European standard for domestic Carbon
Monoxide (CO) alarms is EN50291 and this also provides details of where you
should and should not install a CO alarm in a domestic property. The key
points from this standard are as follows: Fixed-Point
Industrial Gas Detection - These gas detectors are used extensively on
floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, as well at
onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities.
Gas
Detection Sampling Systems for use in a wide range of Applications including
the Printing and Coating Industry - Sampling systems are particularly
useful when detection of flammable or toxic gases cannot be done by simply
locating a detector in the required area. Factors preventing this may
include physical location, temperature, humidity, dust, air flow and
corrosive environments. A sampling system can be used to precondition a gas
sample to enable accurate detection in both safety and process control type
applications.
The
Benefits of IR Gas Detection for Oil and Gas Applications - Gem Bayless
- Gas detection has been through a number of evolutions since the birth of
the industry over 50 years ago. A major milestone in its history has been
the introduction of Infrared (IR) gas detection, which uses a Hydrocarbon
gases ability to absorb IR light at a pre-determined wavelength. Thanks to
its notable value, which includes a fast speed of response (typically T90 in
less than 5 seconds), fail-to-safety operation, immunity to poisons and
ability to work in inert atmospheres, IR detection is fast becoming a
popular method of detection - particularly within the oil, gas and
petrochemical industries -from Honeywell and PetroOnline.
Integrated
Fire and Gas Solution - Improves Plant Safety and Business Performance -
Fire and gas (F&G) detection and mitigation systems are key to
maintaining the overall safety and operation of industrial facilities.
F&G systems include offshore petroleum exploration and production,
onshore oil and gas facilities, refineries and chemical plants, marine
operations, tank farms and terminals, pipelines, power plants, mining and
paper mills. A F&G safety system continuously monitors for abnormal
situations such as a fire, or combustible or toxic gas release within the
plant; and provides early warning and mitigation actions to prevent
escalation of the incident and protect the process or environment. By
implementing an integrated fire and gas strategy based on the latest
automation technology, plants can meet their plant safety and
critical infrastructure protection requirements while ensuring
operational and business readiness at project start-up - From Honeywell.
Code
of Practice for Visual Alarm Devices (VADs) Used for Fire Warning - This
Code of Practice gives recommendations for the planning, design,
installation, commissioning and maintenance of facilities using VADs to give
the primary warning of fire to certain persons in and around buildings,
other than single-family dwellings - from LPCB.
Australian/New
Zealand Wiring Rules - Amendment - AS/NZS 3000:2007/Amdt 2:2012 - Electrical
installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules) - Summary of
the major (not all) changes detailed in this Amendment. New
Standard - AS/NZS 60079.33:2012 - Explosive Atmospheres - Equipment
Protection by Special Protection ‘S’ - The objective of this Standard is to
provide requirements and the specific methodology for the assessment, testing
and marking of electrical equipment, parts of electrical equipment and Ex
components with special protection ‘s’. High
Integrity Pressure Protection Systems - (HIPPS) A swag of information on this
interesting subject. Instrumentation
Valves, Tubing and Fittings Please support our Level
Page sponsor Austral-Powerflo
Solutions, see all their Magnetrol Level solutions on the page. Comparing
Differential Pressure Transmitter Accuracy - Ted Dimm - Differential
pressure transmitters are extremely versatile instruments fitting a broad
range of applications in various process industries. Accuracy is a key
performance measure for any process-measuring device, and is an important
factor for proper device selection and maintenance. Differential pressure
devices are very versatile, but it is not always easy to understand,
calculate, or compare accuracies between devices. This document is intended
to help the reader better understand what manufacturers’ accuracy
statements mean, what specifications are important for a given application,
and how to properly compare various product capabilities - From Honeywell
Process Solutions. Thanks to our sponsor Invensys
Triconex ICEweb's Safety
Instrumented Systems page has been extensively upgraded with an
alphabetical listing - so if you need more information on SIS
just go to this
page as a first "port of call"! This industry leading conference will focus
on the technology and application of safety-related control and
instrumentation systems in the chemicals, energy, mining and
manufacturing industries. Fourteen World class speakers will
present an array of technical papers which will demystify the
complex and challenging issues of using control systems technology
to maintain and improve the safety of people and plant whilst
ensuring profitability. Featuring International Keynote Speakers
Paul Gruhn and Ron Bell, this is an event which really makes the
most of your valuable time and is just too good to miss! Download
the Conference Brochure. Paul
Gruhn (USA) -
ISA Fellow, ICS Triplex Training Manager Paul is an ISA Fellow, a member of the ISA 84
standard committee (on safety instrumented systems), the developer
and instructor of ISA courses on safety systems and the primary
author of the ISA textbook on the subject. Paul developed the
first commercial safety system modelling program over
17 years ago. He has a B.S. degree in Mechanical
Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, is a licensed
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Texas and an ISA 84 Expert. Ron
Bell (UK) - IEC
61508 Expert, Director, Engineering Safety Consultants From 1992 to 2006, Ron was head of the Electrical and Control Systems Group in the Health and Safety
Executive (UK government safety regulator). In 1998 he was appointed as one of the five UK members of
the binational Channel Tunnel Safety Authority which is a post he held for 13 years. He chaired one of the
two IEC working groups responsible for developing IEC 61508 (the international standard dealing with
safety critical systems). He also chaired one of the two teams responsible for the recent revision of IEC
61508. He is a Director of Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd (ESC), a technical consultancy specialising
in functional safety. In 2005 he received the IEC 1906 Award for his work on functional safety and in
particular IEC 61508. He received the OBE in the Queen's 2006 New Year Honours. The
Hidden Costs of Successful Safety - Luis Duran - This
article describes many of the hidden costs and side effects associated with
safety instrumented systems (SISs), especially those embedded with distributed
control systems (DCSs). It covers some of the safety-related questions users
need to ask their DCS vendors, even though many suppliers don’t want to answer
them. Thanks to www.controlglobal.com Smart
Valve Positioners and their use in Safety Instrumented Systems - Thomas
Karte, Jörg Kiesbauer - As part of efforts to reduce life cycle costs of
control valves in the process industry, smart electro-pneumatic positioners play
an important role due to their self-adaptive features and their highly developed
diagnostic functions. Their use can lead to decisive improvements in
availability and reliability. To make full use of this potential, which has
often been discussed in theory in the past but hardly been put into practice to
date, NAMUR Recommendation 107 and Guideline VOl 2650 provide information on the
scope of diagnostics and the generation of alarm states. Applications in safety
instrumented systems are of particular interest as smart positioners are used
more and more with on/off valves in place of classic solenoid valves. In the
process industry, the use of on/off valves in safety instrumented systems is
governed by the IEC 6 1511 standard. The basic principle behind this standard is
the safety management life cycle, which can be effectively supported by the
diagnostic functions of positioner - from our sponsor Samson
Controls. Applying
Tank Farm Safety Standards for Petroleum Storage Tanks in India - S. K.
Ravindran and John Joosten - Like other process industry operations, petroleum
tank farms present difficult challenges for automation and safety technology.
Tank farms, storage areas and loading/unloading sites all need effective safety
solutions to protect personnel, assets and the environment. The consequences of
incidents at these facilities can be enormous. The tank farm environment, being
a hazardous area, requires continual monitoring of critical process parameters.
Accurate and reliable tank level monitoring is especially important to prevent
overfill situations. Some overfills are small and easily contained, but the
accumulation of product from repeated overfills or a single large spill can
cause significant soil and ground water contamination. Worse yet, recent
catastrophic incidents at tank farms and terminals can be traced to ineffective
safety technology leading to loss of level control and, ultimately, to loss of
containment. Tank farm operations benefit from a holistic approach to industrial
safety, which integrates advanced technology at all plant protection layers -
and the people who interact with that technology - to help end-users achieve
their safety objectives.This white paper describes various standards and
recommendations as per international and Indian publications addressing safety
in petroleum storage tank farms. It also discusses possible
technologies/solutions, which can be used to comply with industry guidelines and
create a safe work environment - from Honeywell. Safety Critical
Valve Testing - Do you Comply? A recurring theme of pipeline facility inspections
relates to the testing of safety-critical riser emergency shutdown valves
(RESDV). NOPSEMA views the
testing of safety-critical valves against defined performance standards to
be crucial in demonstrating the ongoing functionality of risk mitigation
measures described in the safety case for a facility. RESDV functional and
seat leakage rate testing is generally scheduled, with defined
frequencies, within the facility planned maintenance system. Planned
functional tests are frequently recorded as complete due to opportunistic
valve operation/activation coinciding with planned process shutdowns or
process trips. While this in
itself is not a problem, crucial performance data can be overlooked or
omitted if not captured by the maintenance system. Operators held
incomplete records of RESDV testing, with minimal data relating to valve
time-to close and seat leakage rates.
This lack of data will prevent meaningful comparison against
defined performance standards, or accurate assessment of any deterioration
in valve performance. While valve time-to-close and seat leakage rate
performance standards were generally specified, they were often applied
generically across all pipes and pipelines associated with a facility.
It is considered good practice to ensure that maximum tolerable
time-to-close and seat leakage rates are identified for individual valves
based on duty, location, product, size, blow-down rates and isolated
inventory volume and justified by a risk assessment process. Inspection findings of greatest concern were those
which indicated that test procedures did not always reflect real life
service and, therefore, produced false or misleading outcomes.
Inspections identified poor practices, such as operating the valve
repeatedly prior to the test or shock loading the valve seats to ensure
tight closure. Automation
Federation Representatives Confer With White House Officials on Growing
Cybersecurity and Economic Threats - Representatives of the Automation
Federation (AF) recently met with President Barack Obama’s staff to help
confront two serious threats to US national security and economic growth:
cyberattack, and the lack of advanced manufacturing skills among American
workers. Address
SCADA Security Vulnerabilities NOW, Not Later - Eric
Byres - Who is responsible for fixing the thousands (some say 100,000) of
vulnerabilities that exist in PLCs, DCS, RTUs and other automation devices that
are in use in facilities around the world? SCADA
Security Basics: Integrity Trumps Availability - Eric
Byres - There is more to consider when it comes to industrial security
priorities. SCADA
Security Basics: Why Industrial Networks are Different than IT Networks -
Heather MacKenzie - This blog looks at SCADA security from another angle, which
is “Why is securing Industrial Networks different than securing IT
Networks?” It covers three ways to address these differences. Shamoon
Malware and SCADA Security – What are the Impacts? - Heather MacKenzie -
The most destructive post-Stuxnet discovery of advanced threats is a malicious
malware known as Shamoon. Like Stuxnet, Duqu and Flame, it targeted energy
companies in the Middle East, this time Saudi Aramco, Qatar’s RasGas and likely
other oil and gas concerns in the region. It is a new species however,
because it did not disrupt an industrial process as Stuxnet did, nor did it
stealthily steal business information as Flame and Duqu did. Instead it removed
and overwrote the information on the hard drives of 30,000
to 55,000
(yes those numbers are correct!) workstations of Saudi Aramco (and who knows how
many more at other firms). Nothing this damaging has been seen in a while. As a
Kaspersky Lab expert commented “Nowadays, destructive malware is rare; the
main focus of cybercriminals is financial profit. Cases like the one here do not
appear very often.”What does Shamoon mean for SCADA and ICS Security? This is
an interesting article into what is in effect cyber terrorism. The
iPhone is Coming to the Plant Floor – Can we Secure it? - Eric
Byres - This is an issue that industry needs to come to terms with
quickly if we are ever going make our plant floors secure. What is your company
doing about mobile devices on the plant floor? Does it have a strategy? Axial
Surge Relief Valve - The high-capacity proportional pilot design allows fast
response and will eliminate the dangers of a pressure surge. All components
operate solely on fluid static pressure to provide ultimate protection. Owing to
stable opening behaviour, pilot design and consequently high effective capacity,
the valve can fully protect the piping systems against dangerous and costly
surge pressure damage. Control
Valves for Critical Applications - Dr J Kisbauer, Samson A.G.- Know the
causes of cavitation and how to prevent them. Solenoid
Valves - Solenoid Valves are among the most frequently used control valve
accessories. They are integrated into the fitted pipes of the pneumatic actuator
and fulfil versatile tasks depending on required procedures, safety regulations
or other factors. The solenoid valve often represents the only interface between
the pneumatically operated control valve and the electric control system where
as other devices, as e.g. positioner or signal transducer might be completely
omitted. This is, above all, the case in discontinuous operations
(batch-processes), where the control valve is for part of the time either open
or closed. Intermediate valve positions are usually not required for these
applications. Technical information on Cryogenic Ball, Gate, Globe and
Check Valves - In the Oil and Gas industry,
valves are exposed to some of the most extreme
conditions imaginable. Corrosive and erosive
environments and extremely high and low temperatures for example, require
tough equipment, tough materials and tight tolerances. The technical links here
provide engineering solutions. Check out our sponsor Prochem
who have these solutions. Control,
Instrumentation, Fire & Gas and Safety Instrumented Systems Engineering
Standards - This is a New Page under development so bear with us, lots more
information will be added over the next few months. Catalogue of
International Standards Used in the Surge
and Lightning Protection We thank our sponsors Zedflo
Australia for the following information. Terminals
- Electrical and Instrumentation Wiring Precisely
Connecting Signals in Process Control Systems - Proper signal transmission
is often an immense project, particularly in process plants: Several thousands
of field signals need to be wired to the DCS (Distribution Control System). In
doing so, the clear and simple connection of the wires, their shielding, the
protection against lightning and surges, as well as the conversion of the
signals must be implemented in a precise and efficient way. In response to these
requirements, Weidmüller has designed a variety of precisely tailored solutions
for connecting signals in process control systems. Weidmüller
App - Latest news and information about Weidmüller's products whenever you
want - Information is available via buttons aptly named ie. 'News', 'Product
Catalogue', 'Search', 'User Information', 'Enquiry List', 'Company Profile' and
'Innovations'. Quick
Selection Guide Modular Terminal Blocks - Need a terminal? Choose from the
huge range detailed here. Just
the Right Tool for your Application - This informative brochure is sorted by
application areas. That way you can quickly find the quality tool you are
looking for. It also contains useful tool tips Self-validating
Thermocouples - NPL has been working with the European Space Agency (ESA) to
develop in-situ self-validation of thermocouples, up to 2300 °C. JUST HAVE A LOOK AT THIS
PAGE! A huge repository of information on Actuators including Compact
Actuator Solutions and Systems, Subsea Valve Actuator Applications, Offshore
Valve Actuator Applications, Safety Related Systems Valve Actuator Systems,
Spring Return Hydraulic Actuators, Spring Return Pneumatic Actuators, Compact
Double Block & Bleed (DBB) Valve Actuators, Double Acting Actuator, Valve
Actuator General Information, Scotch Yoke Design Valve Actuators, Firesafe
Actuators, Hydraulic Actuator Design and Operation, Electrical Actuator
Design and Operation, Control Valve Actuator Design and Operation and Valve
Actuator Accessories. Check out our sponsor Prochem
who have these solutions. ICEsafety Information and News on Health & Safety. Shift Handover -The Importance of Continuity - Shift handover
has been shown to be a common source of revenue loss and safety incidents in
plant operation. Both economic and regulatory pressures demand substantial
improvement in the shift handover process. Every engineer knows that
discontinuities are invariably a source of weakness, whether in physical
structures or in continuous processes. This is particularly true in the case of
shift handover but, whereas physical discontinuities may be easy to identify and
remove, discontinuities in working procedures can be far more difficult. It has
long been recognised in the plant industries that the discontinuities of shift
handover are among the most common and potentially serious sources of problems.
These can range from minor impacts on operational efficiency to the most serious
safety incidents; all incur corresponding levels of economic cost. The root of
the issue is the transfer of information from outgoing to incoming shift teams.
This paper looks into the problems arising and describes how the latest
information management technology can be used to overcome them. To download
AVEVA's paper on Shift Handover visit http://www.aveva.com/en/Media-Centre/Business_Papers.aspx "I Could
Have Saved A Life That Day" – A poem from NOPSEMA that is worth
reading because it has an important message. I could have saved a life that day,
It wasn't that I didn't care, I had the time, and I was there. I knew he'd done the job before, If
I called it wrong, he might get sore. So I shook my head and walked on
by, He knew the risks as well as I. I could have saved a life that day,
but I chose to look the other way. That guilt is something I must
bear, but it isn't something you need share. The question asked, or thing you
say, could help them live another day. I could have saved a life that
day, but I chose to look the other way. Attributed to Don
Merrell Applying
Tank Farm Safety Standards for Petroleum Storage Tanks in India - S. K.
Ravindran and John Joosten - Like other process industry operations, petroleum
tank farms present difficult challenges for automation and safety technology.
Tank farms, storage areas and loading/unloading sites all need effective safety
solutions to protect personnel, assets and the environment. The consequences of
incidents at these facilities can be enormous. The tank farm environment, being
a hazardous area, requires continual monitoring of critical process parameters.
Accurate and reliable tank level monitoring is especially important to prevent
overfill situations. Some overfills are small and easily contained, but the
accumulation of product from repeated overfills or a single large spill can
cause significant soil and ground water contamination. Worse yet, recent
catastrophic incidents at tank farms and terminals can be traced to ineffective
safety technology leading to loss of level control and, ultimately, to loss of
containment. Tank farm operations benefit from a holistic approach to industrial
safety, which integrates advanced technology at all plant protection layers -
and the people who interact with that technology - to help end-users achieve
their safety objectives.This white paper describes various standards and
recommendations as per international and Indian publications addressing safety
in petroleum storage tank farms. It also discusses possible
technologies/solutions, which can be used to comply with industry guidelines and
create a safe work environment - from Honeywell. Manufacturing
and Automation Safety Useful
Free Software and Tools for Engineers Commonsense
Engineering Safety Tips When Commissioning Plant - IDC
have compiled a list of tips on working safely when commissioning a plant or
with machinery from an electrical, mechanical, instrumentation and IT point of
view This brand new page covers technical aspects of all the above devices! The
signal problem solver from Moore Industries is very useful, have a look at it
along with many other useful links here. Signal
Isolators, Converters and Interfaces: The “Ins” and “Outs” -
whether you call them signal isolators, signal converters or signal interfaces,
these useful process instruments solve important ground loop and signal
conversion challenges everyday. Just as important, they are called upon to do a
whole lot more. They can be used to share, split, boost, protect, step down,
linearize and even digitise process signals. This guide will tell you many of
the important ways signal isolators, converters and interfaces can be used, and
what to look for when specifying one - from our sponsor Moore
Industries. Instrumentation
Technology - Techweb Fieldbus
Foundation and ISA100 Wireless Collaboration Delivers Backhaul Architecture
Model -The Fieldbus Foundation has announced the approval of a backhaul
architecture model, developed in collaboration with International Society of
Automation standards committee ISA100. It provides a common framework enabling
multiple industrial communication protocols to run over a shared wireless
backhaul network in process automation systems. Completion of this work is a key
milestone supporting implementation of the Fieldbus Foundation’s wireless High
Speed Ethernet (HSE) backhaul included in Foundation for Remote Operations
Management (ROM) technology.
ICEtime
-
Seminars, Tradeshows, Conferences and Events of interest to our
readership. If you would like
to have your event listed in ICEtime, please send a note or press release to ICEnews. Take
a look at ISA's
comprehensive calendar of Automation events 2013 March 4 - 5 South
East Asia Flow Measurement Conference 2013 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 12 - 15 Fieldbus
Foundation 2013 General Assembly -Shanghai, China 25 - 28 ABB
Automation & Power World May 1 - 2 The
Americas Flow Measurement Conference 2013 - Houston, USA 1
- 4 CSIA
2013 Executive Conference - TradeWinds Island Grand - St. Pete Beach,
Florida, USA 5
-8 Invensys
OpsManage 2013 Conference 7 - 10 National
Manufacturing Week - Melbourne, Australia July
1 - 3 Australian
Gas Technology Conference & Exhibition - Perth Convention Centre, Perth,
Australia The following companies have
kindly contributed to the creation and sharing of this information by offsetting
the costs associated with its production and distribution. Well recognised by
such brand names as Circle Seal Controls, Hoke Gyrolok fittings and Go
Regulators, CIRCOR International Inc is a leading supplier of valves,
related products and services to a wide range of users who require
precise, efficient and safe fluid control systems. For over 125 years
they have been providing a complete array of fluid control products and
technologies to a highly fragmented industry.
For more information
go to http://www.circortechnologies.com/ The
Honeywell
Analytics group of
companies provides gas detection solutions in industries where
potentially hazardous chemicals and gases exist.
A full range of fixed gas, portable gas and flame detection
equipment is available for the measurement of flammable gases, toxic
gases and oxygen concentrations. The
company provides design, development and manufacture of electrochemical,
catalytic and infrared sensors, along with Chemcassette technology,
placing the company at the forefront of innovation. The company offers
solutions to increasingly difficult gas detection and monitoring
applications. For
more information go to http://www.iceweb.com.au/Suppliers/honeywell_analytics.html
Prochem
is Australia’s leading supplier of quality stainless steel piping and
mechanical instrumentation products. They are agents for a huge range of
instrumentation products including Hoke Gyrolok, Hoke Instrumentation
Valves, Circor Tech Products, Go Regulators, Circle seal, Atkomatic
Solenoid Valves, Classic Filters, Manual Sample Systems, King
Instrument Company , Hoke Pipe Fittings , Anderson Greenwood Instrument
Valves , Anderson Greenwood Primary Isolation Valves , Pacson Valves and
ATC Actuators, BSM Valves, O'Brien Tracepak and O'Brien Analytical,
BuTech , Stainless Steel Tube, Saddles and Leak Check , Teflon Lined
Braided Hoses. AVEVA
Instrumentation; instrument and systems engineering, design,
documentation and management for the entire plant lifecycle. AVEVA
Instrumentation provides a comprehensive, powerful and intuitive suite
of software tools which support the entire lifecycle of a plant’s
instrumentation and control systems. Engineers and plant designers will
find their work easier and more productive, thanks to its extensive
catalogue- and rules-based functions and unique features such as
graphical ‘drag and drop’ design. Plant operators will appreciate a
dedicated, affordable solution which makes handover and commissioning
more efficient and which goes on to save time and cost throughout the
continuing processes of maintenance, modification and upgrade. Customer
evaluations have consistently reported substantial gains in productivity
compared with rival products. To see why, visit www.aveva.com/instrumentation
for product information. To see AVEVA Instrumentation in action, visit www.aveva.com/events
for details of AVEVA roadshows and events near you, or contact your
nearest AVEVA sales office to arrange a demonstration on your premises. Whilst every
effort is made to ensure technical accuracy of the information supplied by
iceweb.com.au, ICEnews, Keyfleet Pty Ltd and its employees accept no liability
for any loss or damage caused by error or omission from the data supplied. Users
should make and rely on their own independent inquiries. By accessing the site,
and reading this newsletter users accept this condition. Should you note any
error/omission or an article offends please do not ignore it, contact the
editors and we will review, rectify and remove as necessary. © ICEnews 2013.
Reproduction for personal use is permitted.
These
pages cover; Coriolis, Metering, Multiphase, Orifice Plates, Ultrasonic,
Thermal, V-Cone, Vortex and more!
Fire
and Gas
Technical Papers covering many aspects of Fire and Gas
Engineering. Thanks to Honeywell Analytics this page has been extensively
re-modelled with many new links added.
Honeywell
Analytics Gas Book
- This updated handbook is intended to offer a
simple guide to anyone considering the use
of gas detection equipment. It provides an
explanation of both the principles involved
and the instrumentation needed for
satisfactory protection of personnel, plant
and environment. The aim has been to
answer as many as possible of the most
commonly asked questions about the
selection and use of industrial gas
detection equipment.
Fire
Detection
Fire
Protection
Gas
Detection
- System architecture and application, Designing a Gas Detection System,
Industrial Hazards, Common Hazards by Industry, Fixed vs. Portable
Detection, Warnings, Alarms and Response Functions.
- Sensor technology including; Catalytic Bead Sensors, Infrared Sensors,
Electrochemical Sensors, Photo Ionization Detector, Metal Oxide
Semiconductor Sensors,Sensor Performance Factors and Flame Detection.
- Glossary of gas detection terms
- Ideally, an alarm should be fitted in every room that contains a fuel
burning appliance
- If there is an appliance in a room where people sleep then a unit should
be installed in that room.
- If a room has a flueless / open flued appliance then a unit should be
located in that room.
- If an appliance is in a frequently used room (kitchen, sitting room) then
locate a unit in the room(s).
Hazardous
Areas Instrumentation and Electrical Equipment
A huge technical library of Technical
Information covering a wide range of Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas.
Need some Technical Information on
Hydraulics? Look at ICEweb's page.
ICEweb has very comprehensive pages on this subject.
Technical
Information on Laser Level and Other Laser Instrumentation Applications.
Technical
Information covering a wide range of level subjects including General Theory,
Capacitance, Displacer, Float/Magnetic, Radar, Ultrasonic, Boiler Level and
more!
This
section of ICEweb is dedicated to new and emerging technologies.
Covers General Theory, Technical
Papers, Transmitters, Regulators,
Safety Tips, Blockage Tool and more Pressure Related Technologies.
This must be just about the world's most comprehensive
Pressure Relief Valve resource covering Technical Papers, Technical Manuals,
Engineering Handbook, Calculations, Sizing, Selection and Relief Design.
Specifications, Standards, Technical
Papers and Articles.
Safety
Instrumented Systems (SIS)
Ten
Truths of Safety Instrumented Systems - Selection and
design of safety systems is not trivial, and it never has been. Operating
companies in the process industries must face compliance with new safety
standards such as IEC61508 and IEC61511, while implementing safeguards that
provide asset protection without disrupting asset utilization or compromising
production targets. What are the fundamental selection criteria for safety and
critical control equipment? What key principles must be clarified in order to
ensure successful selection and implementation of the system?
When
a SIL Rating is not Enough - Robin McCrea-Steele, TÜV
FSExp Invensys-Premier Consulting Services - SIL rating is a measure of the risk
reduction capability and probability of failure-on-demand. It measures only the
"Fail Safe" nature of the device and should not be the primary or sole
measurement considered when selecting a safety system.
Quality
of a SIS has a Direct Impact on Plant Performance -
Quality isn't always implemented the same way by every company. Quality
Assurance procedures differ between vendors, regardless of product compliance
with safety standards and certifications. Nevertheless, a vendor must make sure
that their SIS performs to the intended specification.
This comprehensive page has numerous technical papers on
Process Control Security issues
A swag of technical papers can be found here.
This
is a comprehensive Technical Reference on Solenoids
It
will never happen to me? Don't you believe it...Globally, some 2000 on-going
thunderstorms cause about 100 lightning strikes to earth each second!! This page
provides a comprehensive range of links to help resolve the potential effects.
Technical Papers and Articles on how to test and calibrate
along with typical equipment. Thanks to our sponsor Zedflo
Australia ICEweb's Test
and Calibration Instruments page has been extensively upgraded.
Low
Pressure Calibrations - When
you're performing a low pressure calibration, there are some things you can do
to make the job easier and better (more accurate) - From
Martel Matters Newsletter.
Temperature
Calibrations (Thermocouple Edition) -There
are a few "gotchas" in temperature calibration when we're talking
about T/Cs and RTDs. Each has its own problems, This article will focus on
calibration of T/C instrumentation -
From
Martel Matters Newsletter.
Need to know how to wire and terminate your control consoles,
marshalling cabinets and junction boxes? Thanks to our sponsor Weidmüller
ICEweb's Electrical
and Instrumentation Terminals page has some great information
Covering a whole range of temperature
measuring techniques along with General Theory, Conversions, Selection and
Application this page must be your first choice when looking for quality
technical information.
ICEwebs Valveweb
page has been completely reworked to help you get to your required
information quickly and efficiently.
Check
out ICEweb's Variable
Speed Drives Page. We are looking for more technical papers on these and
other Electrical subjects.
See ICEweb's comprehensive page which covers a huge volume of
super information on this subject!
Software and Tools that will help with engineering design. Really
excellent free tools to help you in your job and at home can be found on ICEweb’s
“Tools” page.
A
Gateway to a huge amount of Instrumentation Technology Information.
News
and technical links to Industrial Instrumentation Wireless items of interest
- physical basics of wireless communication
- antennas
- modern wireless technologies
- available standards, their properties, advantages and disadvantages
- requirements in industrial applications
If some of these topics are unknown, setting up a wireless system can be
difficult and debugging a nonworking wireless system is based on luck and not on
know-how. Therefore, it can be very valuable to understand some basic principles
rather than skill or knowledge. This short introduction describes some
information which might be useful when setting up and debugging a wireless
system in an industrial application – from Pepperl + Fuchs
ICEsponsor¾
Newsletter Sponsor Recognition
They also offer project management for specialized fire and gas systems,
a global network of service centres and 24-hour on-line technical
support.
The
best way to discover the measurable business benefits of AVEVA
Electrical is to see it for yourself. Your local AVEVA sales team
will be pleased to show you its many features and benefits.