Adopting Profinet communications for valve actuator control
has allowed the Wehebach Dam DWTP control cabinet
to be made considerably tidier
Advantages during commissioning
The DWTP is part of the WAG Nordeifel mbH and produces approximately 9 million cubic meters of drinking water per year for the Greater Aachen region. The retrofit project was carried out by service provider Enwor. “We expect simpler commissioning and increased operational reliability from Profinet”, says Thomas Hackenbroich, Head of the Control Engineering department at Enwor.
Since summer 2017, 42 AUMA actuators with Profinet interface have been deployed in the second filtration stage at the DWTP. Six actuators are installed on each of the seven filtration basins of the second filtration stage. They respectively control inflow, outflow, purge air inflow, rinse water inflow and outflow, and filter base discharge.
More space in the control cabinet
Before the actual installation, Enwor staff took part in a training session at AUMA Service Center Cologne on installing and commissioning Profinet-controlled actuators. During installation, the six actuators of each filtration basin were linked via point-topoint spur lines with a switch that handles communication with the higher-level host system. Shielded CAT-6 network cables that could be easily tested with a common cable tester were used. “There is a lot more space within the control cabinet, as components for termination, repeaters, etc. are not required for Profinet”, reports Thomas Hackenbroich.
42 AUMA SA multi-turn actuators with intelligent AC 01.2 actuator
controls and Profinet interface provide reliable valve automation
for the second filtration stage at the Wehebach Dam (DWTP).
Efficient commissioning
Enwor staff used the standardized GSD device description provided by AUMA for actuator commissioning, as well as the DCS manufacturer’s own engineering software. Device configuration via Profinet proved to be straightforward. The first step was to assign each actuator a device name and an IP address to enable unambiguous identification within the Profinet system. The parameters and function blocks required for operation were configured in a second step. “Commissioning the actuators via Profinet was straightforward and very smooth”, says Thomas Hackenbroich. “We only had to create the configuration for the first filter, and we could then transfer it to all the other ones.”
Plug & Play when exchanging devices
Simple fault diagnostics and easy device exchange within Profinet networks have major advantages for Mr. Hackenbroich. Thanks to neighbourhood detection within the Profinet network, the system can tell which IP address and hence which actuator is assigned to which port. If an actuator is replaced by another device, the new device will be assigned the same role within the network and therefore the same device name and IP address. It thus immediately takes over the same task within the application.
“We have simulated device replacement and simply plugged the connectors into a new actuator. The system has recognized the new device and has automatically transferred the configuration”, explains Mr. Hackenbroich. “Profinet has fully me our expectations.”
