Emerson Process Management helped a Termovalle S.C.A. E.S.P. plant return to commercial operation just months after devastating floods. Emerson’s ability to rapidly execute this controls replacement project was vital to the plant’s ability to return to full operation within an aggressive timeframe.
Emerson’s ability to rapidly execute controls replacement project was vital to the plant’s ability to return to full operation within an aggressive timeframe.
PITTSBURGH (September 19, 2012) — Emerson Process Management has helped a Termovalle S.C.A. E.S.P. plant return to commercial operation just months after devastating floods. Emerson has replaced turbine and balance-of-plant controls at the 205-MW, 1 x 1 combined-cycle power generating facility.
In December 2011, the plant, located at Zona Franca del Pacífico in Cali, Colombia, was flooded by more than 6 feet of water. The plant’s Ovation™ control system – which Emerson had installed following severe flooding at the plant just one year earlier – was damaged beyond repair. Emerson has replaced all I/O, controllers, workstations and related equipment, with the exception of cabinets, which are being reused.
The Ovation system is monitoring and controlling the plant’s W501FC DLN dual fuel (natural gas and oil) combustion turbine, Westinghouse steam turbine, Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) and balance-of-plant processes. Emerson also provided two fully integrated Ovation DGC excitation systems – one static system for the combustion turbine and one brushless system for the steam turbine. Tightly coupling the excitation systems with the Ovation plant architecture allows operators to control and monitor the excitation systems from the existing Ovation workstations. Emerson introduced predictive maintenance capabilities to the control system by adding its CSI 6500 Machinery Health Monitor for online vibration monitoring and AMS Suite software with a limited tag count.
The plant began commercial operation in July 2012, just months after the flood occurred. Bringing the plant back online quickly allowed Termovalle S.C.A. E.S.P. to avoid financial penalties that could have been levied by the Columbian regulatory organization.
There is precedent for the Termovalle plant meeting this aggressive deadline: following the first flood in December 2010, the plant came back online in 11 months. To meet this compressed timeframe, Emerson completed the plant controls project in just four months.
“We have been impressed by the caliber of Emerson’s people and technology,” said Plant Owner Billy Kappaz. “Working with them on the previous controls project, we know they have the ability to rapidly execute a project of this scope, which is critical to our ability to once again return the plant to full operation in the required timeframe.”
“We’re gratified by the confidence Termovalle S.C.A. E.S.P has shown not only in our technologies, but also our people, who worked long and hard to help ensure their aggressive schedule was met,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson Process Management’s Power & Water Solutions. “I believe this is indicative of Emerson’s dedication to our customers’ success.”
