incorporating pi into real-time...

Presented by Matthew Emerson, Load Dispatcher

Industry: Transmission/Distribution/Smarts

Incorporating PI into

Real-time Operations

© Copyr i gh t 2014 O SIs o f t , LLC .

Agenda

• Introduction / Background

• Storing the Data

• Getting the Data to the Operator

• Integrating SCADA & PI

• Operator Freedom

• Benefits to LADWP


Introduction

Matthew Emerson• Load Dispatcher since 2010

• 8 years in Nuclear Navy prior to

LADWP

• Currently in a specialist position

responsible for SCADA screen design

and database administration.

• Strong belief that HMI design needs to

be improved. For too long as an

industry we have ignored how design

influences operator response and can

improve operations dramatically

LADWP• Largest municipal utility in the USA

• Vertically integrated

• 7,300MW of generation capacity

• 6,177MW peak load

• 3,507 miles of transmission lines

spanning five Western States

• 10397 miles of distribution lines/cables


Background

• In 2005 LADWP started archiving SCADA data to PI

• PI Processbook was installed on operators consoles

• One or two sessions of training were given

• In 2010 I arrived to find PI collecting data but Load Dispatchers

had no idea what data was available or how to access the data

• Historical Loading and Peaks Loads were captured hourly in an

Oracle database and accessed using an Excel Spreadsheet.


Background


Storing Data

• LADWP was storing anything

it could get its hands on, over

30,000 PI Points

• Operators simply saw a list of

thousands of points

• Took time to build a display or

graph the data.


Getting Data in the Operators Hands: Requirements

• Graph Style Display– Previous view of one numeric value was insufficient for proper operational

analysis.

• Easy to use– Operators tend to resist change and have very fixed habits.

– If you don’t make it easy it will be a long uphill battle for implementation

• Flexible– Allow the operator to dictate what data they need to see

– Provide tools to augment the data being displayed.

• Fast


Getting Data in the Operators Hands: Solution

• Integrated into SCADA

environment

– Operator

• Selects a point (or multiple points) in

SCADA

• Right clicks

• Left clicks “Graph in PI” option.



• Behind the Scenes:

– SCADA system executes a custom helper program command and

appends the SCADA keys as parameters to the helper program.

• ProcLauncher.exe –EK 03516001,03516002,03516004

– The helper program takes all the parameters passed and puts them into a

text file in a specified folder and opens a pre-defined PI Processbook

– When the PI Processbook is opened a VBA script reads the keys from the

text file and adds them to the Graph.

– User can now switch times, dates, and access point history with only 3

clicks from their SCADA consoles.


Operator Freedom

• After initial deployment operators quickly became interested in PI

data and what else could be done.

• Operators were encourage to “play” with Processbook

• Several operators came up with many unique displays using both

Processbook and Excel with PI Add-In


Excel w/ PI Add-In, Updates Dynamically


Excel w/ PI Add-In, VBA Driven Alarm analysis


PI Processbook – Transmission System


LADWP needed a better way to access data than

an excel based report with single value output

“Although the HMI is seen as a key component of operational success, it

has not generally been developed with the control room console

operator’s work process or tasks in mind. Any effective HMI must

incorporate such a viewpoint”Kevyn Renner

Cheveron Global Manufacturing

Business Challenge

• Access to historical data

was limited to single values

from an excel spreadsheet

• Operators tended to be

entrenched in current

methods

• Operators resist process

changes that are not simple

to use.

Solution

• Integrate PI data access

within a mouse click of

existing SCADA

environment

• Encourage Operators who

wish to develop tools to do

so

• Encourage feedback from

operations

Results and Benefits

• Immediate use of historical

data by operators to improve

real-time operation planning

and response

• Flood of ideas, suggestions,

and tools into a previously

stagnate control room

• Improved situational

awareness

incorporating pi into real-time...

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