July-August 2018 NPJ

Providing a Simplified Path from Analog to Digital Control Utilities seeking to efficiently operate their plants for an additional 40 years are facing instrumentation and control (I&C) system obsolescence and the retirement of analog system experts. Westinghouse has more than 30 years of experience in I&C systems design, testing and implementation and can help plants with proactive system upgrades with a cost-effective approach to plant modernization. The Westinghouse I&C Digitalization Program is an integrated architecture-based solution that provides a blueprint for plant-wide modernization. The integrated architecture is flexible and configurable, allowing plants to expand as needed with phased system upgrades for any existing plant’s analog or pneumatic system. The program helps to provide consistent solutions for safety and non-safety systems while addressing diversity and common mode failure concerns. Our proven advanced technologies improve plant operation, reduce operator burden and increase personnel efficiency by reducing operator duties through reliable automatic controls, automated sequences and built-in rapid and comprehensive diagnostics. Per reports directly from our customers, the reduction in system surveillances and maintenance activities made possible by our digital systems resulted in a minimum 80 percent manpower cost reduction for responsible system engineers and technicians, and our advanced system diagnostics reduced mean time to repair to less than 30 minutes with parts on hand, leading to additional operational savings. With more than 30 years of success in developing, refining and deploying plant-specific engineering models to validate fully engineered I&C applications in closed-loop test environments, Westinghouse validates replacement and new systems’ performance to minimize risks and help ensure minimal to zero tuning is required during startup. Whether you are looking for individual system upgrades or major modernizations, the Westinghouse I&C Digitalization Program can assist you in strategically planning your digital upgrades. Utilizing sophisticated algorithms, Westinghouse’s Feedwater Digital Control System can help you generate more power and increase your revenue. The system removes all single points of vulnerability and remains automatic over the entire range of operation – even in the case of multiple signal input failures – reducing operator burden so they can focus on overall plant health. Advanced features such as automatic input signal validation and continuous online self-diagnostics and alarming help to create a fully redundant digital system with reliability in excess of 99.99%. Learn more: http://bit.ly/Westinghouse-Digital-IandC SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION