Utilities — Steam and Power: Generation and Distribution

At The Fitch Company, we understand steam, and steam power distribution, with particular expertise in boilers and boiler combustion controls. We know that since boilers produce a utility and not a product, many are allowed to operate with older, unreliable controls and instrumentation, and need to be upgraded. Others need upgrades because of environmental issues.

The Fitch Company tackles boiler upgrades like any automation project - by first understanding how the process currently operates. We survey the existing control system, field instruments and motor interlocks. We develop a P & ID of the boiler and related processes and determine how the boiler is currently controlled. We then depict the strategy using standard Scientific Apparatus Manufacturers Association (SAMA) documentation.

Next, we specify any new instrumentation as well as new control hardware required for either the boiler controls or the burner management system. For BMS upgrades, The Fitch Company provides detailed design, construction coordination, and start-up services. We then develop the wiring diagrams needed for installation and a new boiler control strategy that uses the existing system as a base and incorporates input from boiler operators.

The Fitch Company has developed and programmed boiler systems using Valmet, Honeywell, and Siemens control systems. Since boiler upgrades typically necessitate a change from panel-based indicators and controls to CRT-based graphic displays, we provide operator training to assist with the transition.

We also provide around-the-clock attention from our design and programming engineers for every boiler start-up, and test the boiler operation at several loads and through several upset conditions to verify that the control strategy is tuned to handle "normal" plant operation. We then finalize the record drawings for the upgrade and file all documentation with your facility.

Major projects include

  • Recovery Boiler Controls upgrade
    MeadWestvaco
    Rumford, Maine
    C-Recovery Boiler DCS Upgrade

    • Responsible for project budgeting, hardware design, and PLC software development of new Honeywell DCS and Allen Bradley PLC based control system for replacing existing TDC2000 and hardwired controls. Project included 310 instrument loops, 160 motor loads, eight electrostatic precipitators, and hundreds of discrete devices, including solenoid valves, limit switches, proximity switches, and process switches.

  • Power Boiler DCS upgrade
    Domtar Industries
    Woodland, Maine
    No. 9 Power Boiler DCS and BMS upgrade

    • Responsible for project budgeting, burner management system specification, instrument specification, detailed design engineering, Honeywell DCS and IPC configuration, construction coordination, and commissioning for the migration of panel based controls to a Honeywell TDC 3000 system. Project included 100 instrument loops (with new field instrumentation), 60 motors, 6 oil guns, and 4 hog fuel feeders, on a 450,000 #/Hr power boiler.

  • Cascade Evaporator Controls upgrade
    Domtar Industries
    Baileyville, Maine
    Evaporator DCS Controls Migration

    • Recovery Boiler ESP System Upgrade Controls upgrade of the cascade evaporators including design, configuration, checkout, and start-up.

  • BLRBAC upgrade - Recovery Boilers
    Packaging Corporation of America
    Counce, TN

    • Upgraded boiler control logic on two 200,000 #/Hr. Kraft recovery boilers to meet BLRBAC standards. Included interface to new A-B flame safety burner controls. Auxiliary burners used No. 6 fuel oil and liquor with Natural Gas igniters. Designed needed upgrade to fuel and gas valve trains to meet most recent NFPA boiler requirements. Coordinated work between burner management supplier, boiler upgrade company, and client.

  • Combustion Air Flow
    Public Service Company of New Hampshire
    Schiller Station, Portsmouth, NH

    • Design & Implementation of No. 6 Boiler Combustion Air Measurement System. Coal Pulverizer Air Heaters Study. Design and implementation of S-3 cooling System.

  • Rapid blow down systems & drum level
    International Paper Co.
    Androscoggin Mill, Jay, ME

    • N0.s 1 & 2 Recovery Boiler Rapid Blow-down Upgrade. Power Boilers Drum Level Upgrade. Mill-wide Steam and Condensate Study.

  • Turnkey boiler controls upgrade
    Kimberly Clark Inc.
    East Ryegate, VT

    • Designed, specified, and started up new boiler controls and flame safety system for a 25,000 #/Hr. boiler burning No. 6 fuel oil with propane igniters.

  • Cogen controls
    Groveton Paper Board
    Groveton, NH

    • Plant-wide study of steam distribution system and upgrade recommendations prior to installation of cogeneration facility. Designed cogeneration controls and recommissioned and started up of two 100,000 #/Hr. power boilers.

  • Steam metering
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Cambridge, MA

    • Designed and installed steam metering systems for 12 buildings on the Cambridge campus. Short piping runs required special metering techniques.

  • Boiler Flame Safety Upgrade
    Champion Paper Co.
    Courtland, AL

Contact us for more information.

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