GETEC PARK.SWISS Increases Tank Farm Reliability by 25% with Proficy Automation Software

GETEC PARK.SWISS operates an extensive tank storage network system for energy and raw material distribution in Switzerland. A wide variety of end customers obtain the raw materials they need for their local production facilities from the individual tank farms.

To modernize and improve reliability at one of the tank farms, GETEC PARK.SWISS recently turned to Velotic solution provider Selmoni Ingenieur AG (Selmoni Group) to renovate the entire control and management system with Proficy software.

GETEC PARK.SWISS requires the strict use of standard software that is proven and tested plus offers a high level of integration. iFIX HMI/SCADA and Proficy Historian from Velotic met these requirements – and have supported GETEC PARK.SWISS in automating their tank farms in Switzerland.

With the modern Proficy software solution in place thanks to Selmoni, results include:

• 30% faster system configuration
• 25% increase in right-first-time reliability of operator entries
• User-friendly automation for improved operator response and plant configuration
• Easy upgrades and modifications
• Continuous optimization and evaluation with real-time and historic data availability

"We’ve successfully implemented modern, standardized automation systems at tank farms – which significantly contributes to their smooth, reliable operations."

Head of Automation and System Technology Department, Selmoni

Selmoni Ingenieur AG automated the tank farm using iFIX HMI/SCADA and Proficy Historian from Velotic.

The GETEC PARK.SWISS tank farm includes 46 tanks as well as biofilters, heating, ventilation, and burnout systems.

Working with Velotic representative Novotek, Selmoni designed and implemented the new Proficy automation system to provide visualization and control for approximately 2,000 process data points.

"The Proficy software is simple and intuitive to use. Additionally, we received good support from Novotek."

For right information with just a glance, the main iFIX HMI/SCADA screen displays all 46 tanks. Following industry standards for HMI best practices, the screen only displays the most necessary process information. The standardized, uniform representation of all objects enables operators to manage the tank farm more efficiently. Clear display of alarms enables quick intervention and greater reliability.

From this main screen, the operator can drill into individual sub-screens for operating and configuring the storage and retrieval processes of the various raw materials.

The company’s end customers of the raw materials are networked with each other via an H1 bus in the GETEC PARK.SWISS area and exchange information about the storage or removal of raw materials with the tank farm.

The system monitors and controls the loading and unloading into tank trucks and train tank cars, which takes place via a hose station with coupling systems on fixed or flexible lines.

The flexible Proficy system allows 16 different operating modes that can be configured with 999 variations for the combination of fixed and variable lines, filling quantities, duration, etc., which are used for storage and retrieval.

Operators can manage and configure the tank farm operation through iFIX HMI/SCADA.The operating modes automatically control a variety of pumps, frequency converters, valves, and switching elements for tanks, biofilters, collecting containers, and heat tracing.

Proficy Historian captures and stores the data from the system. GETEC PARK.SWISS then uses the process data for billing end customers. Additionally, the company processes data related to flows, states, and alarms in protocols and saves the data for digital documentation.

With the iFIX visualization, operators can manage and configure the operating modes efficiently and flexibly using three touch panels throughout the tank farm and two operating stations in a central control room. Operators can change existing configurations quickly, which contributes to smooth operations.

Comprehensive interlocking strategies can provide error prevention in the operating modes and the 999 variations. Operator authorization settings also help avoid unauthorized entries.

Furthermore, Selmoni used the flexibility and ease of use of iFIX to help meet the varying needs of different system operators cost effectively and reliably.

Selmoni deployed two types of sub-images for process visualization that operators can access from the main iFIX screen:

• System screens that are selected with higher-level buttons and contain additional information related to process functions
• Operating screens that are called up directly from the user interface and show the respective system area in more detail

Selmoni used iFIX “picture-in-picture” technology to make important detailed information easily accessible. The dynamically animated operating screens immediately show the system operator the operating status of individual system components.

The system displays process signals in images in the form of graphic tags. The tank farm contains more than 2,000 external input and output data points. Animation links cover virtually every application strategy. The system stores objects and object groups, including their process links, in a library, instantiated and reused to save time.

The extensive symbol libraries from iFIX also contain real-time and historical trend diagrams as ready-made modules, which Selmoni used in addition to standardized modules and components from GETEC PARK.SWISS.

The Proficy system displays and saves historical data, and operators can print reports as required. With ready-made views, the system can display all or individual fault reports as a summary or history.

• Visualization of the control system with iFIX (server redundant / terminal server client system)
• Industrial data management with Proficy Historian
• Hardware engineering
• Software engineering
• Software creation for process controllers
• Adjustments to the existing H1 process bus system
• Manufacture and assembly of all switchgear combinations
• Conversion and commissioning

Selmoni Ingenieur AG is a company that specializes in automation technology and in this area focuses mainly on the manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Metal processing companies, public transport companies and companies in energy production are also among our customers.

Selmoni engineers are regularly trained and have many years of experience and comprehensive knowledge in software development and electrical engineering, commissioning and documentation of complex automatized systems.

With the diverse electrotechnical services of the Selmoni Group, we can offer our customers the complete range of automation and process engineering - including electrical planning, cable installation, and switch cabinet construction. We offer individual solutions for each customer.