The topic of integrated plant controls is especially relevant today as the power generation market is adapting to some significant challenges.
The growth of renewables continues to change the operating premise of many combined cycle plants from being a base loaded plant to a load following. At the same time, the market is facing pressure to reduce operating costs and emissions while experiencing high employee turnover in an ever-changing cybersecurity regulatory environment. In the face of all these challenges, responding quickly and effectively to changes with a common control system is more important than ever. These systems are designed to manage the complex interactions and operations of power generation facilities, enabling them to respond swiftly and effectively to the changing conditions of the grid.
What are integrated plant controls?
Integrated plant controls provide a single control system across an entire plant—including the power train equipment, electrical and mechanical distribution, processes, and balance of plant (BOP). One of the key advantages of integrated plant controls is the ability to provide a single platform for monitoring and controlling all plant processes.
With a single, unified control system, power plants can achieve greater operational performance, simplify training for new employees, and effectively implement cybersecurity protocols. This technology can also help reduce operating costs, streamline plant operations, and play a significant role in reducing emissions.
In addition to its operational benefits, integrated plant controls are engineered with cybersecurity in mind. As power generation facilities become increasingly digitalized, the threat of cyberattacks grows. These systems incorporate robust security measures to protect against these threats, helping ensure the integrity and reliability of plant operations.
Mark controls systems: A long history of success
While there are many different control systems on the market, few can match the reliability and performance of the Mark series controls systems. The first Mark I and II turbine controls were released in the late 1960s and early 1970s, marking the beginning of a legacy of turbine controls. This technology has been in constant development to keep up with ever-evolving requirements in thermal and renewable power generation, oil and gas, and safety applications.
The latest model, the Mark VIe distributed control system, provides high levels of plant automation, and facilitates upgrade migration from earlier legacy systems. The design philosophy of the Mark VIe is extended life through a modular structure. This allows for incremental technology upgrades, obsolescence protection, and comprehensive system refresh and upgrades.
A proven solution for improved plant performance
GE Vernova has used this technology since 2000 for heavy duty and aeroderivative technology in both simple and combined cycle gas turbine plants to achieve operational excellence and greater integrated plant performance. Today, more than 330 gas plants worldwide have a Mark VIe plant control system.
Our extensive track record includes the successful implementation of Mark controls systems on both GE Vernova and non-GE Vernova equipment across a wide range of applications within gas power, including gas and steam turbine controls, generator controls, HRSG and BOP controls, to name a few.
As the energy transition is underway, quickly and effectively responding to changes will be critical to achieving operational excellence and producing more sustainable and reliable power. Integrated Plant Controls play an important role in power generation facilities as they provide the flexibility, efficiency, and security needed to navigate the challenges of today’s power market.
Are you interested in learning more about integrated plant controls? Take this opportunity to watch our on-demand webinar, Unlock operational excellence with Integrated Plant Controls for power generation, today. Our experts discussed these topics at length and many more, taking a deep dive into the benefits of integrated plant controls and how they can help increase your plant performance and operability. Our presenters also examined the significance of unified cybersecurity solutions in integrating operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), bridging the gaps between different OEMs, and ensuring compliance across the plant.
