Controlling Systems in Industries and Challenges
Controlling systems must be robust enough to handle dynamic and transient conditions. Key challenges include designing fluid networks, optimizing component size, and maximizing energy efficiency. Simulating transient scenarios such as water hammer and surge propagation is crucial but difficult. Additional hurdles involve integrating PLCs, developing control philosophies, and ensuring safety through risk analysis. Accurate sizing of components, predictive maintenance, and cost reduction are essential, along with managing data compatibility across subsystems. Tuning PID controllers to minimize mechanical movements while optimizing parameters adds further complexity.
These challenges highlight the necessity for advanced simulation and analysis tools to ensure the efficient, safe, and reliable operation of industrial systems. The Flownex Simulation Environment is an effective tool designed to address various issues related to industrial system control across different industries.
Flownex Control to Control Industrial Systems
Flownex is an engineering software designed to analyze large thermofluid systems, including power cycles, auxiliaries, and turbomachinery. It enables users to calculate essential parameters such as mass flow, pressure, and temperature within these systems. The software features a wide range of industry-standard components and fluid models, complemented by an extensive library of control elements integrated with the flow model. Moreover, Flownex can be linked with external software like Ansys Fluent and Mechanical, Matlab, SixSigma, and also to Excel, Mathcad, and Python in order to incorporate custom codes.
Flownex provides both steady-state and transient solvers, along with a library of control components for simulating the management of both analog and digital control systems. This capability allows for the simulation of the entire process, including the control system, to accurately assess the system's overall performance. Furthermore, Flownex is designed to meet NQA1 and ISO9001 standards, ensuring high-quality compliance.
The control library configuration consists of analog components (controllers, filters, inputs and outputs IO, math functions, switches), digital components (counters, IOs, logic, switchers, timers), and converters (digital to analog, analog to digital, integer to double), etc.
Table 1. Control components, analog components, and digital components in Flownex
Analog control components typically include PID controllers, which facilitate proportional, integral, and differential control, as well as filters and switches for comparing various inputs.
Table 2. Analog components: controllers, filters, switches
Digital control components commonly include counters, which track incremental values from 0 to a specified maximum count value, logic gates like AND and OR, switches, and timers. The AND logic gate determines the lowest value among all inputs and outputs 0 if any input is 0. The OR logic gate identifies the highest value among all inputs and outputs 1 if any input is 1. Timers are used to set the time for specific action times.
Table 3. Digital components: counters, switches, and timers
For a full list of each control component's functionality, including input and output data, connectable inputs and outputs, execution numbers, and configuration tables, please check the Flownex DCS Library Manual.
Flownex control components provide an advanced solution for modern industrial control systems. These components are designed to deliver precise and reliable control, which is crucial for achieving the accuracy needed in various applications. By utilizing the sophisticated features of Flownex control components, industrial facilities can enhance operational efficiency, minimize errors, and effectively manage critical processes. This leads to improved outcomes and increased overall system reliability.
Linking Flownex Control with External Software
Flownex is able to control industrial systems and processes by integrating with third-party software like Matlab Simulink and OPC servers to synchronize control parameters and enhance control simulation and custom code incorporation. It also includes a library of utilization elements for creating custom human-machine interfaces (HMI).
Flownex has recently enhanced connectivity with OPC UA servers through OPC UA Client to exchange data between Flownex and OPC UA servers for working with real-time data and processing information. The Flownex OPC client facilitates the exchange of Flownex inputs and outputs with tags on an OPC-standard server.
Flownex and Thermal Management of a Data Center
Effective thermal management is essential for IT infrastructure. Flownex control systems manage cooling, airflow, and heat to ensure that components operate within their specified limits. This system integrates with management systems for real-time monitoring, enhancing energy efficiency while reducing costs. However, if there is a loss of main power and the generator trips temporarily, major components such as chillers, fans, and pumps that are not connected to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) may reset to their initial conditions. This can hinder their ability to provide adequate cooling. To address this issue, we need to implement control systems that can prevent an increase in the temperature of the chilled water used for cooling supplied air, as well as monitor and manage other factors like server temperatures.
In this example, a Computer Room Air Handling (CRAH) network is used for cooling the data center. The Flownex control components, including PIDs, toggle switches, and rate timers, are utilized in two control logic systems:
1. The first system controls the fan speed, which in turn adjusts the air temperature returning to the CRAH.
2. The second system regulates the valve opening on the water side of the network. This valve opening, or flow set point, is used to control the chilled water temperature.
The script is used to perform the calculations and to connect the two control systems.
Ozen Engineering Expertise in Flownex
Ozen Engineering provides tailored solutions for industries, working closely with clients to develop customized Flownex solutions that address unique challenges. Their team of experts leverages extensive consulting expertise in CFD, FEA, optics, photonics, and electromagnetic simulations to tackle complex issues using Ansys software.
We offer support, mentoring, and consulting services to enhance the performance and reliability of your systems. For more information, please visit https://ozeninc.com.
Transient thermal management of a data center by Flownex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtJRqJg2G5I&list=PLnIXqZFeAwItSxi_l3xUuZ5DzuTZvX9mT&index=1
Flownex and OPC UA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_-SO63IKMU&list=PLnIXqZFeAwIsHbutZR1I4N59GUlX55S0_&index=2
Version Control with Git Client for a simple pump model: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzAexwpbS8w&list=PLnIXqZFeAwIsWl758m2Uy27Mx2MsJ4_WQ&index=4