Modern, low-emission coal-fired power stations of the

800 and 1,100 MW class will still form the backbone of the

electricity supply in Europe in the foreseeable future. A

good example is block 4 of the E.ON-Kraftwerk Datteln,

which achieves an efficiency of 45.5 percent. Such plants

fulfill various expectations: on the one hand, the security

of supply and power that is available at all times. This al-

lows the performance characteristics of intermittent, re-

newable energy sources to be compensated. On the oth-

er hand, the expectations regarding energy efficiency are

fulfilled. The CO2 emissions of these plants are almost 30

percent lower than those of plants built up to now.

■ 1,650 MW Staythorpe CCPP equipped with system 800xA For the CCPP Staythorpe power station in the south of England, ABB will supply four System 800xA control systems for the four KA26-1 Alstom plants. In addition, the order includes four EGATROL and four TURBOTROL control systems for the gas and steam turbines as well as the equipment for the control room, which is equipped with large displays. The owner and operator of the power station is RWE Npower plc (UK).

■ Solar-thermal combined cycle power station Ain Beni Mathar, MoroccoABB will supply two gas turbine control sys-tems EGATROL GT13E2, including the PGIM information management system, and the remote control equipment for the 473 MW Ain Beni Mathar solar power station. Owner and operator of the plant is Abener Energia S.A, Morocco.

■ Upgrade of the 3,600 MW Matla power station, South AfricaABB will upgrade the control system and in-strumentation of the 6 x 600 MW blocks of the Matla coal-fired power station of ESKOM. The scope of supply includes the System 800xA with a uniform user dialog, integrated diagnosis and maintenance functions, documentation and asset optimization. In addition, ABB will sup-ply the instrumentation, actuators, transmitters, boiler protection, cabling and control room equipment. The training will be conducted with the block and common plant simulation for block 1. This will train the personnel for commissioning with high-fidelity simulation.

■ Retrofit of the waste incineration power station Nord of MVV, GermanyABB has received an order for the retrofit of the waste incineration power station Nord of the Mannheim Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesell-schaft (MVV) in Mannheim. The retrofit will enable the power station to be supervised and controlled from the central control room. As the complete plant can be operated from every workplace with the uniform operating concept of System 800xA, this also increases reliability.

ABB process control technology for a new power plant generation

Continuation page 2

Power Generation News 10 I May 2008

H I G H L I G H T S

2

Such efficient plants, however, place higher demands on the automa-

tion and optimization technolo-gy. This results from the fact that their design and operation uti-lize modern materials almost up

to their limits. At the same time, the demands on the tran-sient behavior with respect to the maneuverability and con-trol capabilities in a changed network have increased. This network is characterized by power trading and by greater dynamics due to the increasing share of renewable energy.

Future oriented System 800xAWith the integrated System 800xA process control tech-nology, which is used through-out, ABB offers its customers a solution that optimally fulfills the requirements of this new plant generation. This future-oriented control system for the energy supply industry is a platform that goes much fur-ther than the traditional operat-ing and monitoring systems for plant control. The systematic evolution strategy makes the System 800xA the ideal integration platform for clas-sical and current control sys-tems that are directed towards the maximum lifetime of the systems installed and therefore the greatest possible protec-tion of the investment.

With the System 800xA, all the process control and switch-gear control technology areas merge to form a comprehen-sive system. The System 800xA uses the latest technology and standards. With Profibus, both decentralized actuators in the field and also intelligent motor control devices in theswitchgear can be easily integrated. In the latest Profibus DP/V2 version, the field devices are time synchronized via the Profibus. This allows DP/V2 devices on the Profibus to transmit signals with a time-stamp resolution of 1 millisec-ond, which results in a plant-wide recording of the signals in the correct time sequence, greatly simplifying the analy-sis of faults.

Flexible system allows use of uniform technologyThe flexibility of the System 800xA allows a uniform technol-ogy to be used for all important automation areas. These comprise the complete block controls, the turbine controls including protection, the boiler protection and the controls for the auxiliaries. The consequences of a uniform technolo-

gy are lower system operating costs: the same modules can be used for all applications, and the engineering and docu-mentation can be made with one engineering tool. The sys-tems for the electrical auxiliaries, the generator and block protection as well as the connection to the network are inte-grated in the System 800xA via the new, Ethernet based IEC 61850 communication standard. With this technology, com-plicated protocol converters, parallel cabling and the distribu-tion of signals between the electrical systems and the pow-er station controls are not necessary. The vertical integration of the System 800xA allows access to every system compo-nent from a central diagnosis workstation.

In these plants, modern optimization concepts are used that have solutions based on modeling such as BoilerMax, Ten-so-Max and PrediMax. The start-up and shut-down proce-dures as well as fast load changes in a coal-fired power sta-tion and its main components, the boiler and turbine are opti-mally controlled for timing and efficiency by these concepts.

More efficient maintenanceThe fully integrated maintenance management system can be used for the continuous monitoring of the condition of the plant components. This supports the customer in the changeover from regular, time-based maintenance to condi-tion-oriented maintenance. Exact knowledge of the current condition of a component allows maintenance measures to be carried out only when required, which reduces down-time and costs. Continuous monitoring of the process status and intelligent support for the plant operators facilitates the early detection of inefficient operating conditions and their causes and therefore helps to save operating costs.

WLAN

WLAN

M MMM

System 800xA—consistent, integrated technology

UnitTurbineBoiler protectionAuxiliaries

Remote I/O

Local I/O

Controller Generator- / Unit protectionElectrical auxiliaries

IEC 61850Profibus DPHART

System Server

Control Network

Plant Network

Workplaces

ABBinstallied Systems

3rd PartySystem / Black boxes

Office WorkplaceNetwork Control Center Remote AccessCMMSSAP

Enterprise LAN

WLAN

Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED)

Industrial Ethernet

DiagnosisAsset ManagementEngineering

OperationMonitoring�Optimization�Trending�Reporting

Continuation from page 1: ABB PROCESS CONTROL TECHNOLOGy FOR A NEW POWER PLANT GENERATION

3

The new gas and steam power station Nuon Magnum with a power output of 1,300 MW will be con-structed in Emshaven in Groningen province on the North Sea coast for the Dutch electricity supplierNuon. It will supply electricity to the existing Dutch high-voltage net-work and can supply about two million people with electricity.

This is the first plant in modular construction for Mit-subishi Heavy Industries, in which the electrical and control technology is mounted in prefabricated and

pretested electrical modules the size of standard containers. These can be quickly installed on site with high quality.

ABB technology assures the reliable, efficient supply of power for millions of people.

Coal and biomass become syngasAt first, the power plant will use natural gas as fuel. Lat-er Nuon will convert the power station to a combined cycle power plant with integrated coal gasification using the CO2 separation process. The gasifier converts coal and biomass to syngas, a mixture of CO, CO2, and hydrogen, which is then used as fuel for the gas and steam power plant.

3 power station blocksThe new power station will comprise three blocks, each of which will generate about 430 MW of electrical power. It is planned to start production at the beginning of 2011. The ABB scope of supply comprises the electrical components for the station power supply, a 380 kV high-voltage substa-tion and the switchgear house. In addition, ABB will supply the 380 kV cables, transformers, generator switchgear, mid and high voltage switchgear, standby electricity diesel gen-erators, batteries and communication systems, and will be responsible for the engineering, installation, commissioning and training.

4

ABB will equip the new Grain power plant

with the integrated System 800xA for

the gas and steam turbines, exhaust gas

boilers, steam cycle and the electrical and

mechanical auxiliary systems. The cus-

tomer and operator is E.ON UK, a part of

E.ON, the world’s second-largest power

generator with headquarters in Germany.

The Grain power plant, which is located on the island of the same name in south-east England, was con-structed in 1970. Its 1,350 MW capacity covers three

percent of the electrical power requirements of the country. In 2010, when the new combined cycle gas power plant at the same location will be commissioned, the power output will increase to 2,550 MW. The power plant comprises three Alstom KA26-1 single-shaft units.

Deregulated electricity marketThe electricity market in the United Kingdom has been deregulated since the 1990s. In order to satisfy the changed demands of this kind of market, the high availability of the power plant and low production costs are especially impor-tant to E.ON UK. A decisive feature to adapt the control sys-tem to the special requirements of the customer is an open system and flexibility. Since the start of the project, there has been a very intensive cooperation between the custom-er and ABB with the objective of fulfilling the high expecta-tions of E.ON. To optimally utilize the potential on both sides, in a common workshop the know-how of the customer was combined with the capabilities of the System 800xA. This workshop was not only the basis for further innovation, but also for the optimum implementation of the project.

ABB scope of supplyThe ABB scope of supply comprises the control system with the work and monitoring stations in the control room, the process stations, the connections to the field devices, the information management system and the gas and steam tur-bine control systems EGATROL and TURBOTROL. A nearby station for the liquefaction of gas will also be equipped with the System 800xA and field bus technology. The System 800xA operating stations quickly generate complete infor-mation on the entire process with the Aspect-Object-System developed by ABB. The operator can securely initiate any specific measures that are necessary.

Field devices connected via ProfibusIntelligent field devices such as drives and measurement acquisition are connected via Profibus. Extended diagnosis and monitoring functions and online parameterization simpli-fy both operation and maintenance. Altogether they result in significant savings during operation and—on the bottom line —in the lowest total absolute investment costs for the plant.

The automation software for the processing of the measured values, for control and regulation as well as for uniform display, operation and alarm notification is based on the Utility Library. This comprises standardized automation mod-ules that can be used flexibly, and which were especially developed for the power generation area. These fulfill the high requirements for consistent and reliable operation and

Uniform solution for the new 1,200 MW combined cycle gas power plant Grain

5

simplified software maintenance over the entire lifetime of the plant.

Both the gas and steam turbines are controlled by the same type of controller, namely the AC 800M. With the chosen concept, the turbine controls are completely integrated in the higher-level supervisory system.

Information managementThe information management functions of the System 800xA are continuously logging the operational data and are archiving it on redundant servers for long-term storage. Uniform reports on all the parts of the plant with the summa-ries and statistics that are required for operation and mainte-nance can be generated at any time. In addition, these allow

the economic extension of the comprehensive OPTIMAX®

software modules such as performance im-provements, energy management etc. These further contribute to the minimization of the costs.

No special interfaces or couplers are necessary for the exchange of data. The delivery of the uniform control systems from one supplier simplifies the engineering and commissioning and supports the systematic life cycle management over the entire lifetime of the power plant. In addition, the customer will benefit from the further develop-ment of the ABB system: technical innovations for the optimization of the operation can be introduced in easy steps, without making the existing system obsolete.

6

Up to 50 percent higher energy efficiency in the auxiliary power systems of WTE plants

Studies show that more than 80 percent of the energy can be lost between the source

of energy and the consumer. Losses arise in the production, transmission, conversion,

in the processes and in the devices. In the areas of energy efficiency and availability,

ABB has systematically updated its product palette. The products are applied on a project-

specific basis with professional system engineering which results in an immediate and

long-term reduction in the auxiliary power requirements of a process.

7

Up to 50 percent higher energy efficiency in the auxiliary power systems of WTE plants The biggest causes of energy losses are

transformers, motors for pumps and ventila-tors, drives with or without frequency convert-

ers as well as the over-sizing of electrical systems in general. Reduction in the power losses of transformers The power losses of transformers can be nota-bly expensive. The losses depend above all on the quality of the magnetic core. This core is made from low or high-grade grain oriented sheets. The losses can be reduced by 10 to 30 percent with manage-able additional costs.

Losses in pump and ventilator motors In the industrial environment, motors consume more than 60 percent of the installed auxiliary power. Similar to transformers, motors also have no-load and load losses. The no-load losses com-prise core losses and friction respectively ventilation losses. The load losses are significantly higher and comprise current heating losses in the stator (about 34 percent) and in the rotor (about 24 percent).

Therefore today, the European efficiency classifica-tion system has three efficiency classes for motors: EEF 1 for very good, EEF 2 for good and EEF 3 for minimum. The efficiency of the motor is very

important for the classification, but is not the only criterion. If the entire lifetime of the motor is considered, the best cost calculation results from the optimum mix of efficiency, availability, maintain-ability, heat dissipation, material quality, quiet running and other things.

The construction of a modern high-performance motor depends on many factors; therefore a good supplier needs a lot of experience. The difference in the efficiency of an EEF 1 and an EEF 3 motor is between 2 and 5 percent. The effects of the low-er efficiency are noticeable over the entire lifetime of a plant. The additional costs for a more energy effi-

cient motor are already compensated for after about two years.

Energy savings with frequency converters For drive systems, energy can be saved most effec-tively with a frequency converter. A small reduc-tion in the flow-rate of a pump already results in a very significant reduc-tion in the power con-sumed due to the change in speed. This can be achieved with a frequen-cy converter. The benefit with respect to the energy efficiency is immediate.

The energy saving potential is almost unlimited for the auxiliary systems of a waste incineration plant. A small improvement in the efficiency of a trans-former or motor already has considerable and last-ing financial benefits for the operator. Basically, every drive should be equipped with frequency converters. Pumps or ventilators with a frequency converter drive have by far the best energy con-sumption characteristics.

In relation to the lifetime of a waste incineration plant of 25 years, every Euro that is invested in the improvement of the efficiency pays for itself.

Usableenergy

Primaryenergy�(e.g. coal,�oil, gas,hydro, windwaste)

Primary�energy�transport

Electrical�conversionefficiency

Power line losses

Energy losses from energy source until end user

Power Electronics is the key technology for saving energy

Productionprocess

Equipmentefficiency 20–50%

8

Dupont Safety Award for the E.ON Benelux Maasvlakte Power StationThe Dupont Safety Award is awarded annually to companies that place a high value on work safety and which implement it in an appropriate way. The ABB mea-sures for work safety and health protec-tion also benefit customers. Thanks to the common efforts of all the companies involved in the retrofit of the Maasvlakte power station (Netherlands), E.ON Benelux received the Dupont Safety Award in the “Performance Improvement” category.

Despite the small time win-dow for conversion and recommissioning, we have

achieved our objective and the project has been completed with-out an accident”, emphasizes Heinz-Hermann Kuntzky, the proj-ect manager responsible for the retrofit. This was possible not least due to the E.ON Benelux safety policy and the efforts of all the companies involved.

Safety Certificate ContractsThe requirements on work safety and health protection are already taken into account during the offer phase of a project and are systematically carried out during the project implementation. In addition to the safety instructions, which are valid both for the project manager and the employ-ees on site, the employees receive additional training in accordance with the “Safety Certificate Contracts” standard of the petrochemical industry. The participants must demonstrate their new knowledge in an examination. “We have achieved a lot in this area over the previous years”, explained Rainer Brauksiepe, manager of the Energietechnik Systeme division in Germany during the final meeting. The success achieved is a solid foundation and an incentive

for further improvements.

In 2005, E.ON Benelux invested in measures to extend the useful lifetime of the Maasvlakte power station. These extended the economic lifetime of the power station from 2012 to 2022. In addi-tion, E.ON Benelux invested in new DeNOx systems for the power station, which allow the company to reduce the NOx emissions by 7,500 tonnes annually.

9

Successful recommis-sioning and upgrade after a fire at the Belawan power stationSometimes accidents cannot be avoided. In May 2006, the central electronics rooms of blocks 3 and 4 of the Belawan power station were severely damaged by fire. The fire started in the low-voltage switch-gear. In close cooperation with Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), the Indonesian state electricity supply company, ABB could recommission the power station without having to completely replace the control system, which had been in service for 20 years.

Blocks 3 and 4 of the Belawan power station, which is in north Sumatra in Indonesia, each have a nominal power of 65 MW. Both blocks are equipped with the

Procontrol P distributed control system (DCS) and were originally commissioned in 1988.

Severely damaged control cubiclesAn investigation initiated by ABB shortly after the fire, revealed that 34 Procontrol P13 control cubicles in the elec-tronics room were severely damaged by fire, heat and smoke. The blocks had to be made operational as quickly as possible, because the remaining power generation capaci-ty in north Sumatra was insufficient to cover the increasing demand for electricity.

Firstly, the least affect-ed block 3 and common control cubicles were repaired and recommis-sioned. All the commu-nication modules and the analog input and output modules were sent back to Switzerland, where they were repaired, tested, recalibrated and if necessary replaced. At the same time, all the processors were replaced by the new 70PR05 processor module. This allowed the number of processors to be reduced.

The PR05 also made loading the application programs, sim-ulation of signals and fault diagnosis easier. The further developed Progress 3 engineering and maintenance tool was installed in place of the existing diagnosis station. This measure shortened the commissioning time and in the future it will make maintenance considerably easier.

In order to bring block 4 back into service, six Procontrol cubicles, which were completely destroyed by the fire, need-ed to be replaced. One of the cubicles contained the con-trols for the synchronization and the start-up transformer. The new controls could be integrated in the new cubicle for the steam turbine controls, so that only five new cubicles with new modules were necessary.

10

IEC 61850: New standard improves the automation of power plantsToday, power plants are highly automated. For large thermal power generators, all the sub-systems can be supervised from a central control room. The electrical sys-tems are also one of these sub-systems. In the future, the new IEC 61850 standard will simplify the integration of electrical com-ponents from different manufacturers in power plant automation systems and at the same time reduce the costs for the op-eration and maintenance of these plants.

Up to now, power plant control systems were focused on the automation of the processes in the power plant. The electrical systems were connected to the

control system via conventional cabling or serial interfaces and gateways. Because of the limitations of these interfaces, often a separate control system was provided for the power plant electrical systems.

Uniform systemToday’s state-of-the-art allows the automation of both the process and elec-trical systems to be com-bined into one uniform sys-tem in power stations. A separate operating and mon-itoring system for the elec-trical equipment is there-fore not necessary anymore. For power plant operators, this results in a wide range of benefits in engineering, operation and maintenance. Plant operators and electri-cians work with the same control system and use the same graphic displays. The uniformity of the presenta-tion of information and oper-ating procedures improves the quality of the operational pro-cesses. With the appropriate authorization, the electrical sys-tems can be operated from any power plant control system workplace. This means that electrical system information is also available without limitation at any time and from any workplace.

Introduction of standardsThe introduction of the station control standard IEC 61850, which is based on Ethernet technology, is a big step forward in the simplification of the integration of the electrical sys-tems. IEC 61850 does not replace the process automation field busses, but can however eliminate the many different serial interfaces in the area of the electrical systems. In the future, with IEC 61850, power station control systems can be based on two pillars: the field bus standard for process automation and IEC 61850 for the electrical part. Today, IEC 61850 is accepted in the market for station control technol-ogy and can e.g. also be used for systems for the auxiliary power in power stations. The portfolio of the leading manufacturers of electrical systems therefore comprises the full range for switchgear and protection applications.

Extensions are comingExtensions to the standard are being prepared or have already been released, for instance for hydro power plants (IEC 61850-7-420), for the monitoring of wind energy plants (IEC 61400-25) and for distributed regenerative energy

generation systems (IEC 61850-7-240). These extensions add new functions to the IEC 61850 standard that could also be applied to large thermal power stations. An example is generator excitation. Both economic solutions for new plants and upgrade projects are equally possible with IEC 61850.

OperationMonitoringOptimizationTrend displayReports

WorkplacesWLAN

Enterprise LAN

Plant network

Control network800xA System server

IEC 61850Turbineprotection

Trend displayBlocktrans-former

Generatorswitch

Generator

Auxiliarypowertransormer

Status signalsMessages / AlarmsExpert toolDisturbance records

Transformer protection– Block transformer– Auxiliary power transormer

Generator protection

Diagnosis/Asset mangement /Engineering

OfficeNetwork control centerRemote controlCMMSSAP

11

Extension of the Hameln WTE plant with System 800xA

ABB automated the new boiler 4 with the System 800xA based on AC 870P-controllers. The automation of the

boilers 2 and 3 was already implemented with Contronic E many years ago. Despite the different controller families AC 870P, Contronic E and a third-party system, the System 800xA enables the complete plant to be operated and monitored consistently from the new central control room. Access to the real-time data and the event and fault information of the different control system families has been implemented in the current configuration with a so-called connectivity server. The existing engineering data could be kept.

The System 800xA therefore opens up fast, flexible and secure access to all the relevant indications and information. The plant operators can execute monitoring and operating activities efficiently and precisely. In the Hameln WTE plant, during all the conversion work, the waste disposal and the supply of district heating had to be continued uninterrupted.

In the Hameln waste-to-energy plant (WTE) of Enertec Hameln GmbH, ABB automated a new waste-fired boiler and replaced the operating and monitoring systems of the existing process components. The steam that is produced by incinerating waste is fed to the electricity generating steam turbines in the neighboring Afferde co- generation power station at a pressure of 40 bars and a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius. Today, the thermal output of the three waste incin-eration boilers of the plant is 104 MW; the authorized waste throughput is 240,000 tonnes annually.

Next issue: November 2008

6th Schwetzinger Energy Dialog

Electrical Power Supply and Climate Protection

The supply of electrical energy has a key role in achiev-ing the European climate protection objectives. All sys-tem areas, i.e. generation, transmission, distribution and utilization will contribute to this objective. About 100 rep-resentatives of the electricity generation industry from Germany and neighboring European countries met with ABB on March 4-5 in Schwetzinger castle to discuss the consequences. In his opening speech, Dr. Joachim Schneider, member of the ABB board of directors and responsible for energy technology, emphasized the significance of climate protec-tion and primary energy shortages for the development of electrical energy supply over the next decades. Broad sys-tem knowledge and expertise over the entire supply and uti-lization of electrical energy, as ABB can offer it in an almost unique way, is an important condition for overcoming these challenges. The Schwetzinger Energy Dialog was founded by ABB in 2003. It is directed

towards ABB customers’ upper management. Since its inception it has established

itself as a fixed event.

ABB at the Power-Gen Middle East 2008From February 4–6, ABB presented solutions for the areas of power generation, power transmission and distribution as well as for hydro plants at the Power-Gen Middle East in Bahrain. The exhibition stand offered opportunities to obtain information in personal discussions with ABB experts. One of the highlights was a visit in the ABB stand by Fahmi Bin Ali Al-Jowder, the Labor and Energy Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

E V E N T S

ABB at the Power Gen EuropeFrom June 3-5, 2008, ABB will present its complete range of power generation solutions, including instrumentation, control and electrical (ICE), at the Power-Gen Europe exhi-bition and conference in Milan, Italy. On June 5, the ABB one-day customer seminar (Power Generation Day) will take place in parallel to the exhibition. Please contact us in advance if you would like to participate in discussions with the ABB management or in the ABB customer seminar “ABB Power Generation Day”. Further information is available on the Internet under www.abb.com/powergeneration.

In Control!Power Generation News Issue 10 May 2008Languages E / D

www.abb.com/powergeneration

ABB Switzerland LtdPower SystemsBruggerstrasse 725400 BadenSWITZERLANDPhone +41 58 585 34 64Fax +41 58 585 30 80powerplant.control@ch.abb.com

ABB AGPower Technology SystemsKallstadter Straße 168309 MannheimGERMANYPhone +49 621- 381 30 00Fax +49 621- 381 26 45powertech@de.abb.com

Kurzübersicht VeranstaltungenIFAT München Messe, Germany 5.5.2008 – 9.5.2008VGB KELI Hamburg, Germany 6.5.2008 – 8.5.2008VGB Dampf- Flensburg, Germany turbinenbetrieb 27.5.2008 – 28.5.2008Power Tage 2008 Zurich, Switzerland 3.6.2008 – 5.6.2008Power-Gen Europe 2008 Milan, Italy 3.6.2008 – 5.6.2008CIGRE Paris, France 4.8.2008 – 29.8.2008VGB Congress Stuttgart, Germany “Power Plants 2008” 17.9.2008 – 19.9.2008Power-Gen Asia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 21.10.2008 – 23.10.2008Power-Gen International New Orleans, USA 11.12.2008 – 13.12.2008

Compact and economic flame scanners

ABB has now integrated the scanner sensors and the flame analyzer for signal processing in the scanner head. This reduction in the hardware makes local connection boxes superfluous and lowers the purchasing price of a new flame scanner system. ABB flame scanners are extremely robust and are suitable for use in a harsh environment such as the combustion chamber of a power plant boiler or for industri-al applications.

Professor Dieter Schmitt from the University Duisburg-Essen covered the topic “Climate protection—political demands and technical possibilities” in his panel discussion.

P R O D U C T N E W S