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IMCS Versus Conventional MCC - Are The Benefits Realised in Practice
IMCS Versus Conventional MCC - Are The Benefits Realised in Practice
I. INTRODUCTION
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process controllers by means of multi-core cables. This
allows the exchange of control and status information and
some measurement information.
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hardwired.
II. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF IMCS In this project there would have been less
cable costs savings because cables are still run
A. Advantages of Intelligent Motor Control Centers between control room and substation.
2) Engineering Workstation local to the switchboard
After a number of years in service (when the
1) Late point definition of DCS I/O: historical data would have been useful to aid
Allows for more time during project maintenance), there was no one available who
development. You don’t have to determine all could remember how to operate it because no
details to allow the MCC to be built, cabling to be one had been using it regularly during the
ordered or installation drawings to be completed. intervening interval.
2) Plug and play: 3) “Old” IMCS was not serviceable after a number
The same unit is used for all kW-ratings. It is of years. Needed to be upgraded with newer
independent of compartment height. version. Newer IMCS was not compatible. Didn’t
3) Significant reduction of external cabling and fit in the same space and did not use the same
associated checking during commissioning communication protocol. However the
4) Simplification of typical motor schematic switchgear had a minimum of at least 15 years
diagrams lifetime left.
5) More compact compared to conventional (less 4) Generally the IMCS provides (little) information
devices, A-meter, hr-counter, …) to the DCS for process control and (more)
6) Less devices is also a cost benefit! information to the electrical maintenance staff. In
7) All signals are available. If needed in the future it most plants process control is independent from
is available. If for analysis purposes currents maintenance. The IMCS has to serve both
have to be trended it is possible without adding parties. Both parties have different
additional devices. responsibilities and are using the same system.
8) Less maintenance needed. In practice this can create for communication
9) No need for current injection to check EXE conflicts between the two parties. In an ideal
motor-protection functions (however watch dog world relevant maintenance information would
is not sufficient for A/D converter verification, so be passed directly to the Maintenance
still need to check analogue signals against Management System and hence directly affect
external reference e.g. local ammeter). scheduling of tasks based upon condition
10) Inhibiting restarting until the motor has cooled monitoring rather than purely on an elapsed time
sufficiently helps prevent operator abuse of basis.
equipment 5) Cost of providing serial links in DCS and
separated routes for dual communication link
cables between DCS and IMCS can be high for
B. Disadvantages of Intelligent Motor Control Centers some installations and can significantly reduce
perceived cost benefits of a reduced number of
cables.
1) When different models of relays are available 6) Reliability of hot standby links (to provide a
some engineering must be done before ordering robust communication solution) has been found
the MCC to assure the right functions are in practice to rarely achieve the predicted
available. performance.
2) Are much more complex and hence need much
more configuration than simply entering motor
FLC. A much larger amount of setting B. Examples of good IMCS integration
information has to be kept and be retrievable.
3) Lifetime of devices can be less than
conventional devices (components) 1) Project with complex process control (loading
4) What if IMCS is obsolete and needs to be terminal)
replaced? Is it compatible, does it fit in the same Lots of stands, lots of products, lots of pumps
space? with product dependant functionalities
5) May need to purchase of additional spare parts Intelligent MCC was communicating to the
to guarantee lifetime matching that of the rest of process control PLC.
the MCC The control PLC determined the amount of
MCC I/O needed.
Flexibility of system to be reconfigured easily
to adapt to changes in pump selection, loading
III. EXPIERIENCES WITH IMCS rates etc reduced engineering and installation
costs
A. Examples of bad IMCS integration 2) Loading data (amps/kW) from pumps used in
DCS control to help optimize energy use on a
plant against flow rates & production targets
1) During use only limited information was 3) Project timescales reduced by allowing and
exchanged with DCS: element of concurrent engineering between final
Only running / tripped / available / load (A)’s detailed design and manufacture of MCC
were communicated, Emergency stop was
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IV. CONVENTIONAL OR INTELLIGENT, THE For the intelligent MCC the following price adders have
FINANCIAL COMPARISON been included in the model:
- Cabling costs (material and labour) for
A model was developed to be able to determine the communication cable
financial differences between a conventional and - Intelligent module (and other materials needed
intelligent MCC. to convert a conventional starter to an intelligent
starter)
CONVE NTIONAL MCC V ERSU S INTE LL IGENT MCC USING 100 MOTOR S TARTE RS
1 87 ,5
1 00
1 00
p c.
p c.
6 .25 0,00
The model determines the number of I/O points needed Often in making such comparisons there are
and calculates material costs involved. Also the cable compromises to be made, as rarely in practice are there
types and cable lengths are calculated including the cable only benefits and no dis-advantages in choosing one
material and installation costs. solution over the other.
For the intelligent MCC the cost savings are related to: The main driver in choosing between the technologies
- no need for DCS I/O is “which approach gives an lower overall cost to the
- no need for conventional wiring project?” Often this is influenced by the ability to allow
process engineering and electrical design to overlap and
thereby contribute to reducing or at least holding the
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project duration. Benefits of early completion or achieving
planned completion dates can be very, very large and far
outweigh the difference in equipment costs.
VI. INTELLIGENT MCC, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS VII. CONCLUSIONS, ARE THE BENEFITS OF IMCS
REALIZED IN PRACTICE?
• Compartment temperature measurement (i.s.o. IR
scanning) In practice we have seen a strong tendency for more
• Communications suitable for safety bus (no ESD and more MCC’s to be specified with intelligent devices.
relays needed). This implies a need to comply with There is a greater amount of data requested to be made
additional requirements to achieve a suitable SIL available to DCS or SCADA systems. Whether this is as a
rating. Will users be happy to discard hard wiring result of a real need or merely response of designers to
for emergency stop signals? the capability being available is not wholly clear.
• Make re-start scheme’s work reliably. Currently
settings are not recorded (communicate them and Intelligent MCCs offer lower installation costs when a
make the scheme visible). When restarting relays reasonable of MCC information has to be communicated
are used they can have unrevealed failures (they with the Process Control system.
are not telling that they are fault) Intelligent MCCs offer a high degree of flexibility with
• Eliminate interposing relays regard to information available to be communicated now
• Reduce amount of wiring (e.g. communication over or in the future. If certain functionality is not needed today
mains power or auxiliary power supplies) but needs to be added in the future most intelligent MCCs
• Better Data management. Record settings in the can handle this without major changes.
field. Make it visible what changes have been
made in the field compared to “released” settings Also important for low maintenance costs is the lifetime
(approved by site management). of the Intelligent MCCs. Software and electronics tend to
• Allow web browser functionality : no special change with a more rapid pace than the MCC main
software is needed on your PC. Just hook-up the components. In the past, suppliers of intelligent devices
laptop using an Ethernet or USB connection. have not given backward compatibility and upgrade paths
sufficient thought. Users are now being faced with
• Allow next to local monitoring / parameter setting
complete system replacements and major upgrade costs
optionally for remote monitoring / parameter setting
after only 12-15 years of operation
through Internet.
• Allow for integration of normal (low cost) multi-
It has been an article of faith in the past by many users
meters with the IMCS
that “smart” devices were the way to go in the future.
• Event recording on functional unit level for use However Intelligent Motor controls have not yet fully
within Sequence of Event Recording (requires time delivered on their promise.
synchronisation) Areas for improvement are:
• Wireless communications? Security is a big issue! • Emergency stop signals are still hard wired
Reliability is a big issue in high EMC environments. meaning not all cost savings are realized,
• Thermal overload should reset automatically. Trip • Setting up the devices requires significantly
history should be available. more effort than for conventional devices and
• How to deal with emergency stops and safety the number of settings creates issues in storing
switches (interlocks). the data,
• In substations with both MV and LV MCC’s or • Differences in the version of the firmware used in
switchboards different standards exist for the devices creates problems for users where
communication protocols for MV and LV they have nominally identical devices bought at
equipment. different times,
Is IEC 61850 the way to go for communication • Lifetime of the units is often “short” compared to
between MCC starter devices and the outside users expectations and upgrade paths are not
world so that there is a single protocol used? clearly thought through
Even where it is accepted that different protocols
• Bespoke communication solutions are used
are needed due to differing requirements between
rather than true standards so interoperability is
of IMCS and MV Intelligent Electrical Devices
only achieved with considerable effort
should a common highway such as Industrial
Ethernet be adopted?
• Is the profile “LowVoltageSwitchGear” as defined
by “Profibus User Organisation” the best standard
for motor starter communication, with regard to the
data organisation and content?
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VIII. REFERENCES
IX. VITA
Authors:
Hans Meulenbroek
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