Control News from Europe March 2008

Control News from Europe March 2008

Brazilian process automation vendor SMAR reports rapid uptake of digital networks, especially of Profibus DP and PA, in the burgeoning Brazilian ethanol from sugar cane market which is predicted to be worth more than $15bn by 2012. Particular drivers are the need for low-cost technology for implementation, data protection, ease of operation and maintenance, and complete integration between field instrumentation and control system. According to SMAR, more than 50% of new sugar and ethanol plants in Brazil are currently being designed with Profibus technology.

Typical of the new projects is that for Tropical Bioenergia which includes some 1000 Profibus nodes supervised by 15 SMAR DFI302 DF73 controllers and overseen by SMAR’s SYSTEM302-7 decentralized architecture hybrid control system. SMAR has also recently signed a contract with Santa Elisa Distillery, a subsidiary of major sugar ethanol producer Santelisa-Vale Group (SVG), for the complete automation of four new plants. In each case, SMAR will supply its SYSTEM302-7 control system together with complete Profibus- enabled field instrumentation, controllers and control panels. The project also involves provision of a Center of Integrated Operations (COI) based on a successful SMAR system previously implemented for Santa Elisa. SMAR will be supplying more than 3200 Profibus PA field instruments and four supervisory control systems. In addition AS-I technology will be used for the control of the on-off valves and sensors. Two of the four units are due to begin operation in July 2008 with the other two starting up in May 2009. A further joint venture project of similar scope between SVG and Maeda Group is due to start up in early 2008.

All of these projects are integrated with SMAR’s Studio application, which is a SYSTEM302-7 component that allows complete management of a project’s software requirements.

Extracted from Process Automation Technology website, click here to read the original article.