Simulation Services Projects Address Distributed
Control Systems

Framatome Technologies’ Simulation Services Group provides software products and services that significantly reduce the costs associated with upgrading electric generating plant training simulators. FTI’s Simulation Services Group has several recent or current projects in which it is providing assistance to upgrade or adapt existing simulators to support newly installed Distributed Control Systems (DCS) technology.

Carolina Power & Light (CP&L) is typical of many utilities that are upgrading their fossil plant control systems from conventional hard panel controls to computer-based DCS, in which computer workstations are used as the operator interface to the plant.

These control system upgrades often lead to an upgrade of the plant’s operator training simulator in order to match the changes brought to operating procedures by the new control system.

FTI’s Simulation Services is working with CP&L to adapt an existing simulator from the utility’s Roxboro fossil plant to its Mayo fossil plant. Simulation Services role in the project is to provide simulation software that allows CP&L to emulate the DCS operator stations on simulation PCs. Using a local area network of PCs to represent multiple plant operator stations, the software converts the DCS configuration files to Microsoft^® Visual Basic^® files that execute on PC simulation monitors exactly like the control operator workstations. Another FTI simulator software module connects the emulated graphics to CP&L’s previously developed process model for their fossil plants.

FTI is also working with CP&L on a similar project for the Sutton fossil plant. However, this plant uses a different control system that requires the development of a new translator; FTI is developing the translator.

Simulation Services has also provided emulation of the few hard panel functions that are left after a DCS upgrade, including a synchroscope panel that is displayed on a PC monitor.

CP&L has plans to provide several more on-site training simulators for each DCS type over the next few years. Tri-States Generation & Transmission of Colorado is also working with Simulation Services to upgrade the utility’s training simulator as its plants make the transition from hard panel to workstation control.

The Simulation Services Group’s DCS translator technology was originally developed in the mid-90s for a simulator at PSE&G’s Bergen combined cycle plant in New Jersey.