At Bontag, in the Indonesian East Kalimantan province of Borneo Island, PT Kaltim Nitrate Indonesia (KNI) has completed the construction of a Nitric Acid Plant, plus an Ammonium Nitrate Plant to produce prill (pellets) that are used as explosives for the burgeoning Indonesian resources sector. KNI is an Orica joint venture company.
Design life of the facility is 20 years, and the joint capacity of the production plants is 300,000 metric tonnes per annum. Due to the nature of the products manufactured at this site, precision and safety in processing the chemicals are high priorities. Exacting requirements, including human, environmental and equipment protection, are vital at all stages of the process.
Siemens Australia provided a control and safety solution that comprised automation control, visualisation, and reporting on all aspects of the plant, particularly in relation to production of the ammonium nitrate prill. The company managed the project locally, working closely with the Orica team based in Melbourne.
Central to the control systems for the complex is the Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 high performance process control system and its integrated process safety solution.
Integrated automation
The company’s lead project engineer, Daniel Smalley, says the SIMATIC PCS 7 is a significant component of Totally Integrated Automation (TIA), and forms a unique basis offered by Siemens for uniform and customised automation in all sectors of production, process and hybrid industries.
Through our PCS 7 industrial control system we were able to interface with the plant’s MAN turbo machinery, which is also controlled and managed using a MAN custom PCS 7 solution," he explained.
"This system offers uniform automation technology on one single platform for all applications of process automation, starting with input logistics and covering production or primary processes as well as downstream output logistics.
"The integrated Siemens Process Safety F-System maximises process plant safety and is scalable from simple to complex processes up to SIL3, enabling human, system and environmental hazards to be minimised without compromising production.
"The safety system visualisation uses Siemens propriety cause and effect visualisation package Safety Matrix which gives quick and logical graphical representation of the trip status. Safety system trips may be caused by factors such as high or low temperature, low pressure, or by human intervention via an emergency stop button.
"The viewer of the SIMATIC Safety Matrix, which can be used on the SIMATIC PCS 7 operator station, permits simple operation and monitoring of the safety operation during runtime."
SIMATIC Process Device Manager is used to configure field devices by different manufacturers and monitor selected process values, alarms, and status signals of devices on line using a single user interface. Marshalled Terminations Assemblies enable field devices, sensors and actuators to be simply connected to the I/O modules of Siemens ET 200M remote I/O stations.
Time synchronisation
Smalley says the project also features a Siclock plant-wide GPS Ethernet clock which is a programmable, modular and optimally matched system for time synchronisation of the plants.
"The use of a common GPS Ethernet clock allows plant-wide time synchronisation of all hardware and software, giving a true sequence of event alarm system that allows quick identification of the first out alarms, maximising performance," he said.
"Siemens Scalance X200 Managed Industrial Ethernet Switches are also installed to provide a reliable optimal solution for the Ethernet communications network. These switches have a host of functions, such as SNMP diagnostics, and they increase plant availability thanks to their integration into PCS 7 for simple commissioning and engineering.
"In addition, Siemens Scalance S Security Modules are provided to ensure Firewall and VPN security and meet the special requirements of an industrial environment. SIMOCODE has been connected to the automation system via PROFIBUS DP to provide a flexible and modular control system for low voltage motors. It covers all functional requirements between the motor starter and the automation system, including the fail-safe disconnection of motors.
"Further protection functions are provided via Siemens Sentron 3WL Air Circuit Breakers and Siemens 7SJ80 Siprotec Overcurrent Protection Relay. Sentron meets the increased requirements placed upon air circuit breakers, particularly in relation to electronic control systems, while Siprotec enables 20 additional protection functions to be created by the user including a rate of change frequency function."
While this entire project was managed from Australia, software and hardware were commissioned out of Indonesia to overcome any possible language and geographical issues.
Siemens Singapore Chemical Centre of Competence undertook the complex calculations such as steam tables, and experts from Siemens Germany accompanied Orica’s engineers in Germany to plan the MAN Turbo PCS 7 interface to ensure the smooth integration of hardware and software on site.
Challenges of managing control
Smalley advises that a key challenge encountered during the project was managing information and control through multiple stakeholders in different countries internally (Siemens in Singapore, Siemens in Germany, Siemens Australia, Siemens Indonesia), and externally (MAN Germany, Uhde Shedden Australia, Orica Australia, PT Kaltim Nitrate Indonesia and Rekayasa Indonesia).
"To manage this situation technically we used the flexibility of PCS 7 to import and export project data in a comma separated variable (CSV) format to allow a free flow of data no matter who the stakeholder was. PCS 7 is also based on open standards, which allows us to integrate any certified third party Profibus devices," he explained.
"To manage the situation for project execution we relied on the internal common PM@Siemens (Project Management at Siemens) project management methodology which is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Siemens uses PM@Siemens methodology to deliver projects worldwide, giving a consistent delivery model and using consistent language to avoid any miscommunication."
Orica company electrical engineer, Abdul T Ali, emphasises that integrated control and safety systems, Profibus communication, and HART communication are critical to the success of the Ammonium Nitrate manufacturing facility for a number of reasons.
"The integrated Distributed Control System (DCS) and Emergency Shutdown System provides a high level of diagnostic information from shutdown system to operator screen, such as a dynamics cause/effect matrix, trip and interlock status, and synchronised alarm time stamping from field devices," he said.
"Other critical elements of the project include electrical motor and variable speed drive control and diagnostic capability through the Profibus network, and asset management through DCS/SIS HART pass through I/Os for field transmitters and valve positioners.
"Electrical HV and LV distribution, DC and AC UPS, and emergency generator monitoring through the Profibus network are also key factors for operational effectiveness."