When the system gets old
Many customers contacted us due to difficulties getting spare parts and support for old Alspa P320 systems (mainly on Unix Series 4 systems running Solaris, but as well on Series 5 DCS running on Windows XP).
Depending on the budget, several possibilities exists:
- Complete replacement of Alspa P320 system by another control system, with call for bids and competition between suppliers.
- Replace only top-level (HMI), keeping PLC, with gateways.
- Keep the current system, and maintain it on good condition, with new stations
Full replacement
Full replacement of Alspa DCS has been done on many plants, for instance Tallawara CCPP (Australia): Alstom Alspa P320 Series 5 to Siemens T3000.
Such replacement involves:
- Serious preliminary studies based on the logic implemented in the Alspa P320 system, to reproduce the same functionalities with the new system (and avoid big delays during commissioning on site).
- Outage to replace PLC, network, supervisions stations, perform I/O wiring…
- Some re-commissioning of the logic.
- Training courses for operators and maintenance personal.
It allows – with a non-negligible cost – competition between several suppliers (Siemens, ABB, GE, Yokogawa, and so on) and put the final user in a good position to negotiate a global contract.
For such full retrofits, ICSS is able to support the two parties:
The end user
Thanks to our knowledge of the existing system, we can support the preparation of the call for tenders, follow the work performed by the manufacturer chosen (and even assist him if required), check the good operation of the new system (which should be able to perform all the functionalities of the old system, even the « hidden » ones).
The supplier of the new system
We can support the supplier of the new system answering the call for tenders: extraction of general project data do establish quotations, critical items (checking that the new system can cover the full scope of Alspa functionalities previously implemented).
Later on, we support him during the design office stage: extraction of all project data from the old system or from backups (I/O lists, PLCs programs, mimics, and so on), explanation on particularities of the logic implemented on Alspa, of the communication protocols (specifics Modbus blocks with hard-coded parameters for instance), and so on.
Finally, we can support during commissioning thanks to our Alspa & process knowledge.
Top-level retrofit
Quite often, especially for simple plants (small gas units, hydraulic plants) there are few or no modification to the system over time. It just runs « as it is » for long years.
The need for a retrofit of the Alspa P320 system comes then most of the time from the operator stations (Sun Ultra 5 using Solaris or PC running Windows XP).
Several possibilities exists:
Virtualization of all or part of the existing Alspa P320 system, to avoid hardware issues. This solution has been used for Unix P320 Series 4 (virtualization of P4 Tx – microETE station) and on Windows P320 Series 5 (virtualization of Controcad engineering station, of operator stations…). ICSS can perform studies and implement such virtualization.
Gateway to third-party system. ICSS has been able to implement various possibilities on various projects: gateways from E900 or E920 (S8000) unit bus to an OPC server ; use of the existing CIS station to exchange with an OPC server. Don’t hesitate to contact us to know more.
Maintenance of the existing system
Experience shown that, even in case of really old systems, good maintenance can allow 10 to 15 years of operation after difficulties with the original manufacturer starts to appears.
Due to customer requirements, ICSS is then working with several suppliers, in order to be able to provide spare parts for Alspa P320 supervision station on Series 4 (Unix) and later (all Windows XP systems).
ICSS is then able to perform stations replacement on site as well a planned maintenance and modifications.
Don’t hesitate to contact us to know more.