Electricity and Control November 2024

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Upgrade of turbine automation systems for nuclear power plant

SAP ranks among the leading ERP systems worldwide. Especially in the food and packaging sectors, SAP plays a key role in the efficient organisation of supply chain processes. To support its customers in these sectors, in dustrial printer specialist LEIBINGER will be offering SAP users greater convenience, security and efficiency when connecting printers to SAP Shop Floor in future. Collaboration for simple printer integration In collaboration with the Freiburg-based SAP digitalisa tion experts at 4IoT GmbH, the SAP Shop Floor Connect add-on has been expanded to include a LEIBINGER printer library. This enables all LEIBINGER printers to be connected to SAP Plug & Play in a standard application. Michael Wöhrmann, Director of Business Development at LEIBINGER, commented on this successful integration. “This represents a significant advantage for our customers, as LEIBINGER printers can now be integrated into the SAP world much more quickly and efficiently. With this work as a foundation, customers’ essential printer-related business processes can be automated. All printer data and messages are directly available. This means, for instance, automated order releases or production feedback into the SAP system are conceivable.” Valmet is to deliver its DNA Turbine Automation Systems with DNA User Interface for both power plant units at Fortum’s nuclear power plant in Loviisa, Finland. It will also renew the automation interface signals of the train ing simulator at the plant. The upgrades of the steam turbines’ protection and control systems are part of the lifetime extension-related investments and continuous improvements to ensure reliable electricity production. Working from the orders received in Q2 of this year, the turbine automation deliveries are scheduled to be taken over at the Loviisa 2 reactor in October 2026 and at the Loviisa 1 reactor in October 2028. Fortum will take over the training simulator delivery in April 2026. “The existing turbine protection and control systems are reaching the end of their technical service life, and the availability of spare parts is diminishing. The auto mation upgrade project is aimed at ensuring the func tionality of the systems until the end of the power plant’s lifetime. Valmet was selected because it’s a technologi cally advanced Finnish company, and we have collabo rated well on several projects at Fortum’s power plants,” says Sasu Valkamo, Senior Vice President of the Loviisa power plant. Tom Bäckman, Sales Manager for Valmet’s Automation Systems business line, says, “This is a big step for Valmet to supply the automation upgrades for the steam turbines and the training simulator of the Loviisa nuclear ‘Plug & Print’ for SAP Shop Floor environments

power plant. Valmet’s technical and cost effective solutions and a high level of local input proved to be strong points for us in getting the order. In addition, three of Valmet’s service centres are less than an hour’s drive from Loviisa, so support is close by.” The government of Finland has extended Fortum’s op erating license for the Loviisa 1 and 2 units, allowing the plant to continue generating power until the end of 2050. The turnkey delivery from Valmet includes replacing the existing control and protection systems in four tur bines with Valmet DNA Turbine Automation. The Valmet DNA User Interfaces will be delivered for both control rooms. In the separate delivery for the training simulator, more than 16 000 interface signals will be replaced with Valmet DNA technology. The training simulator is an inde pendent system operated from a separate control room. Fortum is one of the cleanest energy producers in Europe. The company’s actions are guided by its ambitious environmental targets. Fortum generates and delivers clean energy reliably, helping industries decarbonise their processes. □

Fortum’s nuclear power plant in Loviisa, Finland.

LEIBINGER customers who use SAP also benefit from a clearly organised dashboard where they can view all status data, error messages and pro cess data, including consuma bles levels (ink and solvents). The interface fulfils all requirements for operation in the cloud via the ‘LEIBINGER

In the user-friendly SAP Shop Floor dashboard, all printer status data and messages are accessible. [Source: Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co. KG]

Connect’ portal as well as on-premises. LEIBINGER’s latest flagship product, the IQJET, provides an OPC UA interface for the on-premises connection. This is especially of interest for security-sensitive industries such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, security and defence. Availability and support package Customers interested in the SAP add-on can obtain it from LEIBINGER now. The connection of LEIBINGER printers is free of charge. If additional guidance and support is required, LEIBINGER offers a special support package in collaboration with 4IoT GmbH. However, this offer is initially only valid for Europe due to the binding support times. □

NOVEMBER 2024 Electricity + Control

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