Plant Process Computer Systems

Site-optimized plant process computer systems for monitoring and control.

Within a power plant, the plant process computer system can definitely be considered to be the heart of the plant monitoring system. All of the process signals required for the operation of the plant run on this system. Signals from diverse control units can be linked to one another and evaluated so that all of the required information from diverse systems can be displayed to the plant operator. The plant process computer system primarily serves to provide visual information regarding the plant status in the form of alarm and plant displays and to evaluate measured values and notifications from the archive. When exchanging the plant process computer system, it is common to find a heterogeneous environment including multiple subsystems that have been previously working independently of each other.

This is especially the case in older power plants. By integrating these subsystems into a new plant process computer system, it is possible to realise substantial savings and to continue benefiting from investments that have previously been made. The prerequisite for this is a plant process computer system that is designed as an open system and has a variety of interfaces that are either preconfigured or simple to customise..

Monitoring and control based on proven standards

For more than 30 years, NIS has been planning and supplying manufacturer independent and site-optimised plant process computer systems for monitoring and control purposes based on standards that have been proven within the industry. The continuous utilisation of industrial standard components throughout all levels (visualisation, data processing and data acquisition levels) reduces investments costs and ensures the supply of replacement parts. The systems are designed in such a manner that they can be used in both single-channel and redundant systems for highly available solutions. In doing so, redundancy is continuously supported on all levels, including networks from signal acquisition to data processing, right through to visualisation.

The system layout in three levels also allows NIS plant process computer systems to be ideally integrated into existing plants and structures.