PLC Scada Based Boiler Control Operation

PLC SCADA BASED BOILER CONTROL OPERATION

1

GOWTHAM. N, 2JAYANDHAN.V.K, 3KARTHIK.K

1,2,3

B.E., III Year Department of Mechanical Engineering Velammal Engineering College, Chennai.

Abstract- This paper outlines the various stages of operation involved in the conversion of manually operated boiler towards
a fully automated boiler. Over the years the demand for high quality, greater efficiency and automated machines has
increased in this globalised world The initial phase of the paper focuses on passing the inputs to the boiler at a required
temperature, so as to constantly maintain a particular temperature in the boiler. The Air preheater and Economizer helps in
this process. And the paper mainly focuses on level, pressure and flow control at the various stages of the boiler plant. Thus
the temperature in the boiler is constantly monitored and brought to a constant temperature as required by the power plant.
The automation is further enhanced by constant monitoring using SCADA screen which is connected to the PLC by means
of communication cable. By means of tag values set to various variable in SCADA the entire process is controlled as
required. At the automated power plant, the boiler is controlled by Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) to put in action the
required processes to be carried out at the boiler .Thus the entire cycle is carried out as a paper and at various stages each
phase is detailed out .This paper has proved to be very efficient practically as the need for automation grows day by day.
Keywords- Automation, PLC-SCADA, Boiler, VFD

I.

system that collects raw data, processes it and

presents it in values which can be verified and
compared with the standard values. In the coding
process of this implementation with micro-controller,
it requires a fast and efficient processing which on the
other part depends on the length and sub-routines of
the coding process. Thus it provides a real challenge
with systems involving.

INTRODUCTION

Over the years the demand for high quality, greater

efficiency and automated machines has increased in
the industrial sector of power plants. Power plants
require continuous monitoring and inspection at
frequent intervals. There are possibilities of errors at
measuring and various stages involved with human
workers and also the lack of few features of
microcontrollers. Thus this paper takes a sincere
attempt to explain the advantages the companies will
face by implementing automation into them. The
boiler control which is the most important part of any
power plant, and its automation is the precise effort of
this paper.

III.

All the values can be filled up by the introduction of

the automation technique into the power plants. The
automation technique involving the automatic control
of all the processes which includes the monitoring
and inspection needs provides for a very efficient
system. The automation process helps the company
having the power plant to reduce the amount of errors
that occur , reduction in the human resources,
increased efficiency, and most importantly very cost
effective.

In order to automate a power plant and minimize

human intervention, there is a need to develop a
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
system that monitors the plant and helps reduce the
errors caused by humans. While the SCADA is used
to monitor the system, PLC (Programmable Logic
Controller) is also used for the internal storage of
instruction for the implementing function such as
logic, sequencing, timing, counting and arithmetic to
control through digital or analog input/ output
modules various types of machines processes.
Systems are used to monitor and control a plant or
equipment in industries such as telecommunications,
water and waste control, energy, oil and gas refining
and transportation.
II.

METHODS

IV.

CRITICAL CONTROL PARAMETERS

IN BOILER

A. Level Control
Steam Drum level, De-aerator level and hot well level
B. Pressure Control
Force draft pressure, Induced draft pressure, Steam
drum pressure, Deaerator pressure, Turbine inlet
steam pressure, balanced draft pressure

DRAWBACK OF CONVENTIONAL
SYSTEM

C. Flow Control
Air flow, Steam flow, Water flow.

Conventional equipment systems are prone to errors

due to the involvement of humans in the data
collection and processing using complicated
mathematical expressions. Thus what we require is a

D. Temperature Control
Deaerator temperature, Steam drum temperature,
Underbed boiler temperature, Turbine inlet steam
temperature, Flue gas temperature.

Proceedings of 11th IRF International Conference, 15th February-2015, Bengaluru, India, ISBN: 978-93-84209-90-2
46

PLC Scada Based Boiler Control Operation

Control, PID control, Operator control, Signaling and

listing, Coordination and communication.

AUTOMATION
Delegation of Human Control to technical Equipment
aimed towards achieving.

B. How PLC works

Basics of a PLC function are continual scanning of a
program. The scanning process involves three basic
steps.

Advantages
Higher productivity, Superior quality of end product,
efficient usage of raw materials and energy, improved
safety in working condition.

Step 1: Testing input status

First the PLC checks each of its input with intention
to see which one has status on or off. In other words
it checks whether a switch or a sensor etc., is
activated or not. The information that the processor
thus obtains through this step is stored in memory in
order to be used in the following steps.

A. History of Control and Automation

PLC
ELECTRICAL CONTROL
WITH LOGIC GATES
WITH LOGIC GATES
MANUAL CONTROL

Step 2: Programming execution

Here a PLC executes a program instruction by
instruction based on the program and based on the
status of the input has obtained in the preceding step,
and appropriate action is taken. The action might be
activation of certain outputs and the results can be put
off and stored in memory to be retrieved later in the
following steps.

Manual Control
In this, the Control and Automation are done by
Manual Operations.
Drawbacks:
Human Errors subsequently affect quality of
end product.
Hard Wired Logic Control
In this, Contractor and relays together with
timers and counters were used in achieving
desired level of automation.
Bulky and complex wiring, Involves lot of
rework to implement changes in control
logic, the work can be started only when the
takes is fully defined and this leads to longer
project time.

Step 3: Checking and Correction of output status

Finally, a PLC checks up output signals and adjust it
has needed. Changes are performed based on the
input status that had been read during the first step
and based on the result of the program execution in
step two following execution of step three PLC
returns a beginning of the cycle and continually
repeats these steps.
Scanning time = Time for performing step 1+ Time
for performing step 2+ Time for performing step 3.

Electronics Control with Logic Gates

In this, Contactor and Relays together with timers and
counters were replaced with logic gates and
electronic timers in the control circuits.

V.

ALLEN BRADLEY PLC

Programmable Logic Controller or PLC is an

intelligent system of modules, which was introduced
in the control, & instrumentation industry for
replacing relay based logic. Over a period of time,
better I/O handling capabilities and more
programming elements have been added along with
improvement in communication.

Advantages
Reduced space requirements, energy saving,
less maintenance and hence greater
reliability.
The Major Drawbacks
Implementation of changes in the control
logic as well as reducing the project leadtime was not possible.

PLC Working
At the beginning of each cycle the CPU brings in all
the field input signals from the input signals from the
module and store into internal memory as process of
input signal. This internal memory of CPU is called
as process input image (PII).

Programmable Logic Controller

In this, instead of achieving desired control and
automation through physical wiring of control
devices, it is achieving through program say software.

User program (Application) will be available in CPU

program memory. Once PII is read, CPU pointer
moves in ladder program from left to right and from
top to bottom. CPU takes status of input from PII and
processes all the rungs in the user program. The result
of user program scan is stored in the internal memory

Advantages
Reduced
Space,
Energy
saving,
Modular
Replacement, Easy trouble shooting, Error
diagnostics programmer, Economical, Greater life
and reliability, The Compatibilities of PLCS, Logic

Proceedings of 11th IRF International Conference, 15th February-2015, Bengaluru, India, ISBN: 978-93-84209-90-2
47

PLC Scada Based Boiler Control Operation

of CPU. This internal memory is called process

output image or PIQ. At the end of the program run
i.e., at the end of scanning cycle, the CPU transfers
the signal states in the process image output to the
output module and further to the field control.

B. Interfacing

Fig. 2, Interfacing of PLC and SCADA

I/O driver (SCADA) picks up PII and PIQ and

transfers the image to database and this image is
called driver image. This driver image available in
SCADA database is used for graphical view of
process monitoring from operator station (OS) in the
central control room.

C. Connecting to the PLC

Open a SCADA application
Create a tag of type I/O discrete, select the
type as discrete
Select read only if you dont want to force
values to PLC. Selecting read and write
allows to the SCADA to read and force
values to the PLC.
Type an access name.
The access name can visualized as a
gateway for a group of resources.
Most of PLC drivers communicate with
SCADA package using DDE, DDE requires
three parameters namely name of the DDE
server, topic name and item name. In case of
reading a number of items from a particular
PLC driver application name topic name are
common, so this application name that is
name of the DDE server and Topic name
combine to form an access name. Access
name is required to be defined only once
then other items of driver can be accessed by
using the Access name and item name.
These details will be provided by the driver
vendor or developer.
Click ok, the access name will be listed
finally click done, then type the item name,
click save to save the I/O tags. Go to run
time to communicate with PLC.

A. Features of Allen Bradley PLC

Using Allen Bradley 1000PLC Micrologix 1000PLC
has 20 digital outputs. The left side of the screen
shows that eh project tree while the right side of the
screen is the programming area. Either area can be
increased in size, minimized, or closed by left
clicking the mouse on the appropriate symbol.

VI.

SCADA

SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data

Acquisition. As the name indicates, it is not a full
control system, but rather focuses on the supervisory
level.

Fig. 1, I/O Pin Configuration of AB PLC

Proceedings of 11th IRF International Conference, 15th February-2015, Bengaluru, India, ISBN: 978-93-84209-90-2
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PLC Scada Based Boiler Control Operation

What is SCADA? It is used to monitor and control

plant or equipment. The control may be automatic or
initiated by operator commands. The data acquisition
is accomplished firstly by the RTUs scanning the
field inputs connected to the RTU (it may be also
called a PLC programmable logic controller.). This
is usually at a fast rate. The central host will scan the
PTUs (usually at a slower rate). The data is
processed to detect alarm conditions, and if an alarm
is present, it will be displayed on special alarm lists.

of steam is generated. The generated steam

temperature may be greater or lesser than the desired
temperature. So depending on the situation the
generated steam is then passed through primary
heater followed by secondary heater. The secondary
temperature is monitored.
Here we consider three main cases:
1. If the secondary heated temperature is
greater than the desired temperature then by
using PID controller, approximate control
signal is sent to the control valve 3 of the
super heater tank, to reduce the temperature,
by spraying chilled water from de-aerator
tank.
2. If the output of the secondary heated
temperature is lesser than the desired, using
a PID controller approximate control signal
is sent to bunker valve to control fuel flow.
3. If the output of the secondary heated
temperature equals the desired temperature,
no control action is needed, the stem is taken
out.

A. Basics
A SCADA system consists of a number of
components.
The RTUs.Remote telemetry or
terminal units.The central SCADA master system.
Field Instrumentation
The SCADA RTU is a (hopefully) small ruggedized
computer, which provides intelligence in the field,
and allows the central SCADA master to
communicate with the field instruments. It is a standalone data acquisition and control unit. Its function is
to control process equipment at the remote site,
acquire data from the equipment, and transfer the data
back to the central SCADA system.
FIX32 software enables you to configure a system
environment that provides:
Supervisory control, batch processing, data
acquisition, continuous control, and statistical process
control for industrial applications.
VII. BOILER OPERATION
Water plays a major part in the generation of steam.
Inlet water to the steam drum should be in purified
form, for that, PH value of the water should be
maintained, and stored in de-aerator tank. Feed water
pump is switched ON by using feed water pump
switch. The water from the de-aerator tank is allowed
to pass through two parallel pipes. In one pump the
flow rate is maintained at 130% and in another it is
5%. Thus the failure of any one pipe does not affect
the boiler operation. The water is passed through
economizer, thus the heat in the outgoing gases is
recovered, by transferring its heat to the water. Then
the heated water is made to flow through steam and
water drum. In this, water should be maintained at
least at 50%. For sensing water level we use PID
controller in AB PLC. When the level is lesser than
or greater than 50%, PID controller senses the level
change and sends the appropriate control signal to the
feed water valve 1 or valve 2. Thus, in spite of any
changes in disturbance variable, the water level can
be maintained at 50% by proper turning of PID
controller.

Fig. 3, PID Controller in SCADA

A. Flowchart
The operation is summarized as flowchart as below

Water in the water drum is maintained at more than

75%. This water is circulated back to steam and water
drum, due to difference in temperature, high amount
Proceedings of 11th IRF International Conference, 15th February-2015, Bengaluru, India, ISBN: 978-93-84209-90-2
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PLC Scada Based Boiler Control Operation

CONCLUSION
The most important aspect of any power plant is the
boiler control. Several techniques can be
implemented to control the boiler in power plant. The
method that has to be used relies on varied objectives
like superior quality, increased efficiency, high profit
and other such points depending upon the purpose of
the company that implies it. With the prime objective
of catering to these necessities and the needs of the
industrial sector, significance has been given here to
automation. This paper presented here has kept in
mind, the ceaseless changes that are relentlessly
taking place in the contemporary scenario of the
industrial segment. Emphasis has been given to the
automation process that is now rapidly taking its
place in all the power plants across the globe. The
Paper has furnished itself to study the integral parts of
the entire process involved, their implementation and
the problems that may show up have also been given
their due importance. The future work deals with the
purification of water to the boiler and the air
circulation for the boiler to burn the fuel using same
automation technique.
RESULT

Fig.4, Flow chart of Boiler Operation

REFERENCES
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shankar,k.gowri,
Jan
2008
source:International
Multiconference of engineers and computer scentist
[2]. Control of Bolier operation using PLC-SCADA , H.P.Patil,
C.K.Satpute, March 2014 , International Journal for
technology reasearch in enginnering ISSN(online)- 23474718
[3]. Boyer, Stuart SCADA: Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisi-tion, Instrument Society of America, Research
Triangle, NC. 1993.
[4]. Dale E.Seborg,Thomas F.Edgar,Duncan A.Mellichamp
and
Francis
J.Doyle
Process Dynamics and
Control, Process Automation, 2011.
[5]. M.V. Radhakrishnan Modern Boiler Design, ISA Trans.,
2000
[6]. Textbook on Thermal Engineering by R.K.Rajput.
Fig.4, Flow chart of Boiler Operation
Proceedings of 11th IRF International Conference, 15th February-2015, Bengaluru, India, ISBN: 978-93-84209-90-2
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