CK-Line – EHT Control Software
Description
CK-Line is a hardware and software package used for centralized supervisory control and servicing of EHT equipment in a plant. CK-Line Software is used as part of EHT systems.
Architecture
CK-Line Software has a three-tier architecture:
Zero tier is the level of instruments and actuators, and consists of heating line monitor sensors and a required number of actuators (switching devices, heat tracing lines, protection devices).
First tier is the level of PLCs, I/O devices, interface converters that acquire zero tier information, process and generate commands for actuators.
Second tier consists of operator workstations, I/O servers, active network equipment and peripheral devices (printers, external data storage etc.). The second tier provides process and system data access to process personnel, engineers and office staff and managers, and data transfer to the plant process control level.
The second tier may be of various types:
1. Cabinet type: HMI panel, minimalistic interface, easy field use and no extra features
2. Desktop type (SingleNode). A full-fledged EHT system workstation, full data access, best value for money.
3. Desktop type, client-server architecture: 1 server + 2 EHT system workstations. Powerful, reliable and functional. Workstations could well be thin clients, to partially make up for server costs. The number of workstations may be extended at the user’s discretion; the workstations may be located remotely in different process rooms and offices. Desktop workstations may be combined with panel PCs on a board.
4. Central heating: data consolidation from several local CK-Line servers. This feature allows for consolidation of control of a few CK-Line hardware and software packages in a single operator interface. Supervision of a large number of field equipment effected via a single control centre. This option involves extra costs, while at the same time, it minimizes the number of staff to service the EHT equipment throughout the plant (field, site etc.).
We included a SCADA KSE Platform-based CK-Line software package for all above options except for the first one.
Basic Functions
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Heat trace line control pursuant to a preset sequence or as defined by operator
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Equipment setting, changing automatic control and regulation modes
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Event collection and storing, report generation
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Communications hardware (controller connection diagram) and heating equipment (plant plan depicting lines) troubleshooting feature
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EHT line power supply control (board status mimic graphics, event logging, historical trends)
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Regular EHT line status reporting
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Historical trending based on EHT line characteristics
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Metering of electric power used for heat tracing
- EHT line energy performance
Advantages
1. EHT line remote control upon the operator’s command enables:
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Combined independent control of each EHT line by the relative temperature of heating element plus manual switch on/off feature
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Flexible control of feeding substation loads
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Partial off-loading of feeding substations upon command from the operator’s workstation
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Taking equipment offline for maintenance upon command from the workstation
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Enhanced capability of putting EHT equipment on-stream without potential overload of feeding substations
2. Flexible settings and due consideration of EHT line operation modes enables:
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Reducing operational expenses through automated EHT control in the most efficient conditions based on preset temperature settings as required by the process
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Comparison of the current EHT settings against the design values, printout of line reports with non-design settings
3. Keeping a regulatory EHT data base enables:
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Keeping track of EHT equipment run time, including lines, number of switching equipment operations and circuit breaker trips
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Formation of records (EHT line registers, switching equipment registers, EHT line protection equipment registers)
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EHT equipment maintenance scheduling
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Computer-aided make and printing of as-built documentation for EHT equipment maintenance
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Formation of routine switching logs
4. The basic functions of CK-Line enable:
- Investigation of emergency situations through review of the event log and historical trends.
Purposes
CK-Line software enables to achieve the following purposes:
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Higher energy performance of EHT process
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Lower overhead costs related to EHT maintenance
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Higher reliability of EHT equipment resulting from principal process reliability
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Reduced emergency rate due to upsets of EHT equipment
Environment
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An extensive environment for development including a mimic editor, user script support, running mimics in debug mode from studio, convenient tools for app diagnostics and debugging
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Multiple user development capability
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Supported development over network (development studio uses OPCUA protocol to connect to the server)
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Powerful and simple tools for data backup and recovery integrated into the environment