An automated diagnostic system to streamline DSM project maintenance

Johan du Plessis

15 August 2012

Introduction

Equipment requires maintenance due to: Malfunction Changes in the operating environment Scheduled maintenance procedures

Consider DSM projects that include the implementation of an EMS

An EMS consists of: complex equipment computer hardware and software networking

An EMS requires regular maintenance

Maintaining an Energy Management System

(EMS) Physical system: Control and measurement equipment PLCs SCADA systems Networks

Control philosophy

Energy Management System

Control philosophy

Physical system

HardwareSoftware

Networking

Maintaining an Energy Management System

(EMS) A typical EMS:

ESCO responsibility: EMS implementation Performance assessment Handover to the client

  

 

 

   

 

 .

EMS server

 Equipment/machines

SCADA PLCsProductionenvironment

Maintaining an Energy Management System

(EMS) Typical maintenance requiring issues: Power interruptions Hardware failure Software failure Network failure Data corruption/loss

Changes to the controlled process causes the control philosophy to become ineffective requires maintenance of the control philosophy takes more time and technical knowledge to correct

Maintaining an Energy Management System

(EMS) Maintenance efforts of an ESCO: Monitoring performance Detecting reduced performance Identifying the cause Finding a solutions Taking corrective action

Disadvantages: Labour intensive Requires technical insight

Challenging to maintain a large number of EMSs

Remote Diagnostic and Maintenance Systems

(RDMS) RDMSs have been successfully implemented: Vehicles Mobile devices Industrial equipment

Problems are diagnosed remotely Remote maintenance is possible

Remote Diagnostic and Maintenance Systems

(RDMS) RDMS composition: Maintenance centre Remote site Secure communication channel Information exchange

Maintenance centre

Remote site

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 .

Device 1

Device 2

Device X

APN/VPN

Local processing

RDMS integration with an EMS

  

 

    

  .

EMS server

 Equipment/machines

SCADA system

PLCsProductionenvironment

RDMS integration with an EMS

    

  

  

  ..

Maintenance centre

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

Integration: Maintenance centre Diagnostics and Maintenance Agent (DMA) HSPA router Private Access Point Name (APN) Remote access software

DMADMA

RDMS integration with an EMS

    

  

  

  ..

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

DMA collects software information Version Running status Responsiveness Memory usage

Maintenance centre

RDMS integration with an EMS

    

  

  

  ..

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

DMA collects network information SCADA Router Mail server

Maintenance centre

RDMS integration with an EMS

    

  

  

  ..

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

Modifications to energy management software Parameters of the control philosophy OPC connection status Information on the controlled process

Maintenance centre

RDMS integration with an EMS

DMA collects EMS server information Operating system uptime Network interfaces and configuration User privilege Firewall policies

    

  

  

  ..

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

Maintenance centre

EMS remote diagnostics

Agent software Collects information Transmits information

Maintenance centre Processing Database storage Daily reports (email, document/visual) Notification of failures or reduced performance Repair suggestions

EMS remote diagnostics

    

  

  

  ..

Maintenance centre

EMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

SCADA

EMS remote diagnostics

    

  

  

  ..

Maintenance centre

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

EMS remote diagnostics

    

  

  

  ..

Maintenance centre

SCADAEMS server

  

  

HSPA router

    

  

  

    

DMADMA

Sof

twar

e

Remote accessRemote access

Data communicationData communication

RedundancyRedundancy

Energy managementEnergy management

EMS remote diagnostics

    

  

  

  ..

Maintenancecentre

Site GSite G

Site ASite A

Site ESite E

Site CSite C

Site XSite X

Site DSite DSite FSite F

Site BSite B

Automated diagnostic system for EMS Monitors EMS and EMS performance Notifications and suggestions Reduces fault detection time Less labour intensive More user-friendly to non-technical personnel Allows ESCO to successfully maintain larger

numbers of EMSs

Conclusion

Questions

?