Simulation in the

Water Industry
Doug Johnson
Emerson Process Management
Power & Water Solutions

2012 Annual Ovation

Users Group Conference

Emerson Proprietary

Key Messages

A time of unprecedented challenges

Worker force asked to do more with less
Number of expected retirements is
staggering
Loss of experience and expertise

New, less experienced workers risk

mistakes as they learn
Simulators can help accelerate learning
Superb training tool, but have been too costly and
complex

New automation technologies bring scalable

simulation within reach

2012
2 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

From Maintenance Technician to Mayor

Todays Water Professionals Face Unprecedented
Challenges
ENERGY
ENERGY &
&
GREEN
GREEN
PROGRAMS
PROGRAMS

SECURITY
SECURITY
CONCERNS
CONCERNS

WEATHER
WEATHER
EMERGENCIES
EMERGENCIES
WORKFORCE
WORKFORCE
ISSUES
ISSUES
SUPPLY
SUPPLY
CHAIN
CHAIN
PROBLEMS
PROBLEMS

ESCALATING
COSTS
COSTS

MEDIA
MEDIA &
&
PUBLIC
SCRUTINY
SCRUTINY

VIOLATION
VIOLATION
AVOIDANCE
AVOIDANCE

LIMITED
LIMITED
OPERATIONAL
VISIBILITY
VISIBILITY

CHANGING
CHANGING
REGULATIONS
REGULATIONS

CAPITAL
CAPITAL
EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
PROTECTION
PROTECTION

2012
3 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Water &
Wastewater
Authorities

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

RAPID
RAPID
TECHNOLOGY
OBSOLESENCE
OBSOLESENCE

Workforce Issues A Growing Concern

Utility Expected Retirements over Next 5 Years

Source: AWWA State of the Industry Report (Mann & Runge)

2012
4 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Retirements Bring Challenges

Aging Workforce
How will you capture the wealth of existing
process knowledge to share with new
generations?

Regulations

Will new workers be able to avoid learning curve

mistakes that can result in violations, safety issues
and equipment damage?
Abnormal Situations
Is your staff equipped to deal with abnormal events?
How can you help them to prepare?

2012
5 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Growing
Growing Trend:

Retirees Are Sometimes Not Replaced

Some authorities plan, as a strategy, to

reduce staff through attrition
Politically less controversial than layoffs
Can result in critical positions being
compromised as positions are combined
Result: Inexperience combined with
reduced focus
Help needed to handle both jobs

2012
6 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

n
o
i
t
i
s
o
P
d
e
l
e
c
n
Ca

Simulation Can Help Accelerate

Learning

Operator training and qualification

programs
Procedure development and
validation
Abnormal situation
Awareness and response
Post-event analysis and prevention

Control logic development, testing,

and verification
Plant engineering test bed for process
improvements

2012
7 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Who Benefits from Simulation?

Operators

Understand process
fundamentals

Reinforcing cause &

effect relationships

Identify and diagnose

fault conditions

Prepare to handle
emergencies and
abnormal conditions

Improved operational
techniques

Emergency
management
procedures training

2012
8 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Engineers & Technicians

Dynamic design
verification

Pre-evaluate process
equipment changes

Test control change before

implementation

Develop &
test advanced
control schemes

Control tuning

Process optimization

Process troubleshooting

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Management

Reduces costs

Reduces risk of
environmental violation

Improves safety

Strengthens ability to
handle emergency
situations

Why Havent Simulators Been More

Popular?

Expensive often 10s of $M

Typical previous uses in high-risk
environments
Aircraft training and design
Nuclear power operations

Complex model software development

Separate equipment required for the
simulator
Duplicate control room plus simulator
computers

2012
9 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

New Technologies Make Simulation

More Affordable

Automation-based simulation is simpler and costeffective

Leverages plant control system

Provides scalable, engineered simulation solutions

Helps transition personnel and technology during
times of change
Aids in understanding of complex operations and
unique plant characteristics
Transfers knowledge from current operations
experts to the next generation
What is the cost of a mistake?
Injury

2012
10 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Regulatory Violations

Equipment Damage

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Flexible Simulation Solutions for

Accurate Decision Making

Scalable simulators can be tailored to meet the

unique operational challenges of your facility
Provides a wide range of engineered simulation
solutions to fit needs and budget
From tie-back simulation to high-fidelity simulation

Tie-back
Logic

2012
11 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Scalable
Functionality

High-fidelity
Models

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Scalable Solutions Bring Simulation

Within Reach

Functionality

Simulation can be
expanded as needs
change

What-If
Abnormal conditions
training
Steady state operations
training

Budget

Startup/Shutdown training
Procedure development &
validation
Ovation navigation
System verification (FAT)

Model Sophistication
2012
12 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Flexible Simulation Using Virtual

Technology

Replicates control system controllers in a

few desktop workstations
Executes control logic, algorithms, and
control timing directly within the workstations
Incorporates full functionality of acutal DCS
controllers
Model constructed from algorithm library
identical to control system

BENEFITS
Minimizes hardware costs
Provides smaller system footprint
Offers a portable configuration
Uses well-known desktop systems

2012
13 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Actual Plant vs. Simulation:

Key System Components
Plant Process

Controllers & I/O

Operator Interface

Actual
Hard
Station
Control

Plant Modeling System

Simulation

20 Virtual
Controllers

LT

Optional
Emulated
Hard
Station

Instructor
Station
2012
14 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Typical Configuration for Tie-back

Simulation Functionality
Domain
Controller
OPERATOR
Stations

O
I
T
P
O

L
A
N

Network

ENGINEER Station and

VIRTUAL
Controllers

Each PC can support up to

20 virtual controllers

SM-PPT-XX-100 [2]
2012
15 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

VIRTUAL
Controllers

Database Server

Tie-Back Simulation

Most cost-effective
Valuable tool for:
Fundamental operator training
Control system navigation
Process familiarization
Widely applied for control logic checkout

prior to loading on the actual control system

Models specific processes for basic operator

training and testing
Creates models using authentic control system
algorithms
Interacts with plants control strategies through
simulated software logic
Presents standard operator and engineer
workstation functionality
Provides hands-on training for key processes
Additional complexity can be easily added

2012
16 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Typical Configuration for High-fidelity

Simulation Functionality
.........
Operator Stations

EngineerDomain Controller

Database
Server

Network
Virtual Controllers

Hard Panel
Station

Up to 20 virtual
controllers in one PC

Model
Station

Hard
HardPanel
PanelStation
Stationprovides
provides
operator
training
interface
operator training interface
for
fornon-DCS
non-DCSsubsystems
subsystems

Virtual Controllers run the

actual Ovation DCS
application

2012
17 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Instructor
Station

Instructor
InstructorStation
Stationmanipulates
manipulates
the
model
to
change
the model to changeprocess
processconditions,
conditions,
introduce
failures,
run
training
introduce failures, run trainingscenarios
scenarios
Model
ModelStation
Stationisisaaserver
serverthat:
that:
-Runs
first
principles
Runs first principleshigh
highfidelity
fidelityplant
plantmodel
model
and
stores
configuration
and stores configuration
-Manages
Manages&&maps
mapsmodel
modelI/O
I/Oto
toplant
plantcontrol
controlI/O
I/O
Station
also
includes
SimAPI
Libraries
Station also includes SimAPI Libraries

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Simulation with High-fidelity

Functionality

Primary uses include:

Training control room operators
Testing new control strategies
Evaluating plant responses when subjected
malfunctions and other abnormal events
and conditions

Simulates all plant operating modes

process and equipment startup and shutdown

normal operation, abnormal and emergency operating conditions

Trains operators on information acquisition and diagnostic skills

Recognition of equipment malfunction and appropriate responses

Isolating failures under emergency conditions

Trains operators in process effectiveness and efficiency, focusing on optimizing
operating procedures
Demonstrate existing operating procedures
Validates new procedures
Demonstrate effect of equipment malfunctions on processes

2012
18 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Simulation Project Implementation

Gather Info /
Plant Walk
Down

Model Design

Implementation

Step 1 Plant Walk Down

Working closely with plant personnel
Simulator simulator specialists perform
a plant walk down to:
Confirm the scope of supply
Verify project schedule
Interview plant staff to investigate plant
processes and operations

2012
19 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Testing

Simulation Project
Implementation
Plant Walk
Down

Model Design

Implementation

Step 2 Model Design

2012
20 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Create design document that details

modeling requirements
Review design ensure modeling
accuracy
This is done by both the customer
and the simulator team

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Testing

Simulation Project
Implementation
Plant Walk
Down

Model Design

Implementation

Step 3 Implementation

2012
21 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Load simulation models and control

logic into simulation hardware
Test integration of models and logic
to verify proper operation

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Testing

Simulation Project
Implementation
Plant Walk
Down

Model Design

Implementation

Testing

Step 4 Testing

2012
22 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Perform formal factory

acceptance test
Exercise models using a
variety of plant conditions

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Training

Integration

Configuration
Complete

Conversion to
Dynamic

Steady State
Simulation

Design Complete

Process
Modeling

Timelines for Simulation Development

12-14 months

High-Fidelity Simulation

Control System Tie-Back Simulation

Check-out

2012
23 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

2-4 weeks

Simulation Instructor Training

Instructor training is important

to simulation effectiveness
Training will help your
instructors learn how to best
utilize your simulator
Prepares your simulator
instructor to confidently apply
simulation to your training
program

2012
24 Annual Ovation
Users Group Conference

Emerson
Process Management Confidential
Emerson
Proprietary

Questions?

2012 Annual Ovation

Users Group Conference

Emerson Proprietary