A Danish food processor has been using PlantWeb digital plant architecture for a new vegetable oil plant in order to benefit from fieldbus technology, fast commissioning and high operator functionality. Aarhus Olie, now known as Aarhus United, uses the latest technology to produce a wide range of vegetable oils. As part of its growth programme, Aarhus decided in 1999 to build a complete new vegetable oil processing plant. Engineers from Aarhus Olie specified the use of fieldbus technology, open architecture, easy programming, fast commissioning and high functionality for operators. In addition they defined the module library, faceplates, and other automation tactics to secure a uniform structure across the plant. Aarhus Olie chose PlantWeb digital plant architecture from Emerson Process Management, with the DeltaV digital automation system, and Foundation fieldbus communications technology. Beginning operation during 2001, the new plant features a central control room for two operators, each equipped with double DeltaV system monitors. There is an additional operator desk in the hazardous area of the plant, and seven distributed DeltaV controllers. AMS Suite predictive maintenance software within the DeltaV system communicates with intelligent field devices over the Foundation fieldbus-based network, providing installation set-up and configuration plus ongoing monitoring of field device and process health. The Foundation fieldbus installation has 16 segments that connect instrumentation and valves. Typically four field devices are connected into each junction box in the extraction plant.
