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COOLING TOWER AUTOMATION

Conference Paper · April 2014

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International Conference on Convergence of Technology - 2014
COOLING TOWER AUTOMATION
Eknath D. Kharat
Department of E & TC Engineering,
Rajarambapu Institute of Technology,
Rajaramnagar, Islampur, Maharashtra, India.
Kharat.ek@gmail.com
Abstract
In the field of automation technology,
research and development for industrial
applications has increased rapidly in recent
years. In today’s world of automation, there are
many cost effective solutions which allow
advance computer control. If an automobile
industry is considered, there are many systems
which can be atomized to have better process
control. One of the systems present in
automobile industry is cooling tower. It does the
function of cooling down the spot welding guns
in fabrication shop. There are some parameters
of cooling tower which should be monitored
continuously. As system is present at the remote
place, it is very difficult to monitor it from the
shop. Monitoring this plant manually is not
efficient as it is very important plant. Failure of
this plant leads in loss of production. This paper
is to monitor the parameters of cooling tower
system by using PLC and SCADA. SCADA
refers to the combination of control systems and
data acquisition. This system will monitor the
cooling tower parameters such as temperature
and pressure of water, level of water in the tank
and status of the pumps. It will display all the
parameters on the SCADA so that anyone can
access that and take precautionary action if any
abnormality happens at the plant.
Keywords- PLC, SCADA, Cooling Tower
978-1-4799-3759-2/14/$31.00©2014 IEEE
Amit B. Gavali
Department of E & TC Engineering,
Rajarambapu Institute of Technology,
Rajaramnagar, Islampur, Maharashtra, India.
amitgavali9011@gmail.com
I. INTRODUCTION
This paper is based on the system for
monitoring the parameters related with this
cooling tower. The cooling tower used over
here does the function of cooling down the
water coming from the weld shop of the
company. There is need of monitoring of the
parameters like temperature of the inlet and
outlet water, pressure of the inlet and outlet
water, pumping motor status (ON/OFF),
timing for which motors running throughout
the day etc. This data is going to acquire by
using the PLC. This information is to be
transmitted to the head office by using
Ethernet. At the receiver side, display of these
parameters is done by using webpage to
monitor the parameters continuously. Since it
is going to be the webpage, the data acquired
can be displayed at any location in the
company by using the URL of the webpage. A
cooling tower extracts heat from water by
evaporation. In an evaporative cooling tower, a
small portion of the water being cooled is
allowed to evaporate into a moving air stream
to provide significant cooling to the rest of that
water stream. Evaporative Cooling towers are
relatively inexpensive and very dependable
means of removing low grade heat from your
process. Cooling Towers are commonly used
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 International Conference on Convergence of Technology - 2014
to provide lower than ambient water
temperatures and are more cost effective and
energy efficient than most other alternatives.
The smallest cooling towers are structured for
only a few gallons of water per minute while
the largest cooling towers may handle upwards
of thousands of gallons per minute. The pipes
are obviously much larger to accommodate this
much water in the larger towers and can range
up to 12 inches in diameter. When water is
reused in the process, it is pumped to the top of
the cooling tower and will then flow down
through plastic or wood shells, much like a
honeycomb found in a bees nest. The water
will emit heat as it is downward owing which
mixes with the above air flow, which in turn
cools the water. Part of this water will also
evaporate, causing it to lose even more heat [1]
Figure.1. Cooling Tower Flow
II. PROPOSED SYSTEM
1. Pump Monitoring
There are total 11 pumps situated at the
cooling tower plant. The status of these pumps
i.e. whether they are ON or OFF should be
displayed on the SCADA system. According to
the status of the pumps, there should be change
in background colour of the motor symbol on
SCADA screen.
978-1-4799-3759-2/14/$31.00©2014 IEEE
2. Pressure Measurement
Pressure is measured through pressure switch.
When the pressure crosses the limit of 3 bar or
below 3 bar, the indication should be displayed
on the SCADA system. The precautionary
action taken is switching ON/OFF the cold
well pumps to increase/decrease the pressure.
3. Level Measurement
Level of both Hot and Cold well tank is to be
measured through reed switch. That reed
switch contains 5 levels i.e. empty, low,
normal, high and full. This all levels should be
displayed on SCADA. According to that
operator can take the precautionary action. If
level of cold well falls below the prescribed
level, the solenoid valve at the industrial water
inlet will get open automatically to add the
water. When the level of cold water becomes
high then this inlet solenoid valve should get
closed automatically.
4. Temperature Measurement
There is need of monitoring temperature of the
hot as well as cold water continuously. The
difference between temperature of the hot
water and cold water should not exceed more
than 3 to 4 degree Celsius. This temperature
value of both; hot water and cold water should
be displayed on the SCADA screen
continuously. When there is any abnormality
in the temperature of the water it should be
indicated on the SCADA screen.
5. TDS Measurement
TDS meter is used for measuring hardness of
water and that reading of TDS will be
displayed on SCADA. The hardness of water
is maintained below 50ppm.
6. Flow consummation measurement
Industrial water addition should be done
automatically through solenoid valve. In that
daily consumption of water will be checked by
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International Conference on Convergence of Technology - 2014
using flow meter. And that reading will
displayed on SCADA.
7. Filter Blockage Detection
In the Softener plant, differential pressure
switch is to be connected for filter chock-up
monitoring. This switch is connected in
between inlet water pipe and outlet water pipe
of the softener plant. If inlet and outlet
pressure difference is above set value then that
gives indication on SCADA that there is
chock-up in filter.
Figure.2. Block diagram of proposed system
Figure.3. Hardware Design
978-1-4799-3759-2/14/$31.00©2014 IEEE
III. ALGORITHM
Pump Monitoring:
There are 11 pumps. Here pump monitoring
means monitoring the status of each motor
individually that is motor is either ON or OFF
or it is tripped.
Algorithm for pump monitoring:
1. Check the NO contacts of each motor
ON/OFF signals individually.
2. Set the motor ON bits of particular motors
which are ON.
3. Check the NO contacts of each motor TRIP
signals individually.
4. Set the trip bits of particular motors which
are tripped.
5. If any of the motor is tripped, set motor trip
bit.
6. If motor trip bit is set, fire the alarm.
Pressure Monitoring:
There are total 4 number of pressure switches
connected to the delivery and return line of 3W
and 4W shops. The pressure of water in these
lines should be monitored and kept around 3
bar. If it falls below, the indication should be
given.
Algorithm for pressure monitoring:
1. Check the status of signal of pressure switch
for delivery line.
2. If it is set, set the pressure low bit.
3. Check the status of signal of pressure switch
for return line.
4. If it is set, set the pressure low bit.
5. If any of the pressure bit gets low, fire the
alarm.
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 International Conference on Convergence of Technology - 2014

Level Monitoring:
There are two tanks i.e. Hot water tank and Flowchart for trip signal
cold water tank whose level should be
continuously monitored. There should be
indication for low level and high level of water
in these tanks.
Algorithm for level monitoring:
1. Check the signals coming out from level
sensor (5 levels).
2. If there is Tank Full signal, fire the alarm.
3. If there is Tank Empty signal, fire the alarm.

IV. FLOWCHARTS
Flowchart for pump on signal

Figure.5. flowchart for pump trip

Flow chart for pressure

Figure.6. flowchart for pressure

Figure.4. flowchart for pump

978-1-4799-3759-2/14/$31.00©2014 IEEE 4
 International Conference on Convergence of Technology - 2014

Flow chart for temperature

3. When the trip bit is ON, start the buzzer

Figure.7. flow chart for temperature

Figure.11. result when Pump 11 is Tripped and
buzzer in ON
V. PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS SCADA screen result
Software testing result
1. When pump is ON

Figure.9. result when pump1 is ON

Figure.12. SCADA screen result

2. When pump 11 is tripped

VI. CONCLUSION
The SCADA system implemented by this
method can be executed anywhere in the LAN
and operator can take immediate precautionary
action. This system helps in reducing the
breakdown time. After implementing the
system they observed that 98% reduction in
breakdown due to cooling tower, 95%
Figure.10. result when pump 11 is tripped

978-1-4799-3759-2/14/$31.00©2014 IEEE 5
 International Conference on Convergence of Technology - 2014

reduction in overflow of tank also100%

reduction in tank empty condition. In case of
pressure drop, it generates alarm so immediate
action for pump on/off maintain the 3 bar
(required) pressure.

VII. FUTURE SCOPE

In future system can be expand the features
like auto industrial water addition based on
level of tank, use TDS sensor for continuously
sensing and monitoring the TDS of water.GSM
module can be use to get message on mobile
for any abnormalities in the system

VIII. REFRENCES
[1] Haider Ali, Ahmed Ali, Riaz Ul Hassnain Syed,
Ajmal Khan, Ihsanullah Khan," SCADA
Implementation of Industrial Temperature
Automation" IJCSNS, Vol.11 No.8, August 2011.
[2] Afarulrazi Abu Bakar, Hairulazwan Hashim, Md
Zara_ Ahmad," Implementation of SCADA System
for DC Motor Control" (ICCCE-2010), 11-13 May
2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
[3] Zafer Aydogmus , Omur Aydomus, "A Web Based
Remote Access Labrotory Using SCADA", IEEE
TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VLO-52,
NO.1, FEBURUARY 2009
[4] K Gowri Shankar, "Control of Boiler Operation
using PLC-SCADA", IMECS 2008, 19-21 March,
2008, Hong Kong.
[5] B. Qiu and H. B. Gooir, "Web-Based SCADA
Display System (WSD) for Access via Internet ",
IEEE TRANSACTION ON POWER SYTEMS,
VOL-15, NO 2, MAY 2000

978-1-4799-3759-2/14/$31.00©2014 IEEE 6
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