KARIBA SOUTH POWER STATION

CONTROL AND
INSTRUMENTATION
TRAINING REPORT

BY NYASHA CHARIVANDA
(PGT MECHANICAL ENGINEERING)

14 DECEMBER 2009 -15 JANUARY 2010 ( 4 WEEKS)

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Definitions............................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Types of control systems ..................................................................................................... 1
1.2.1 Open loop control system ............................................................................................. 1
1.2.2 Closed loop control system ........................................................................................... 2
2.0 Objectives of C & I .............................................................................................................. 3
3.0 Typical work activities ......................................................................................................... 3
3.1 The PID controller ............................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Purpose of turbine governing system ................................................................................. 5
3.2.1 Main requirements ........................................................................................................ 6
3.2.2 Components of the ABB Governor panel ..................................................................... 6
3.2.3 Operating Modes ........................................................................................................... 7
3.2.4 Stop/Start sequence ....................................................................................................... 8
4.0 Information technology........................................................................................................ 9
4.1.1 Network administration ................................................................................................ 9
4.1.2 User support .................................................................................................................. 9
5.0 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 10

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1.0 Introduction
Control and Instrumentation (C & I) is a maintenance section under the Electrical
Maintenance Department headed by the Principal Engineer Electrical and C & I (PEE). The
author spend four weeks in this section. In this section the trainee specialized in
troubleshooting and repairing and maintenance of instruments and instrumentation systems.
The work is so intertwined with that of electricians resulting in tremendously diverse
working situations. In a space of one month the trainee managed to grasp a lot of information
and acquired experience and expertise.

1.1 Definitions
An instrument is a device that measures and/or regulates physical quantity/process variables
such as flow, temperature, level, or pressure. Instruments include many varied contrivances
that can be as simple as valves and transmitters, and as complex as analysers.
Output instrumentation includes devices such as solenoids, valves, regulators, circuit
breakers, and relays. These devices control a desired output variable, and provide either
remote or automated control capabilities.
Transmitters are devices that produce an output signal, often in the form of a 4–20 mA
electrical current signal.

1.2 Types of control systems

There are two types of control systems namely open loop control systems (non-feedback control
systems) and closed loop control systems (feedback control systems).

1.2.1 Open loop control system

If in a physical system there is no automatic correction of the variation in its output, it is called
an open loop control system. That is, in this type of system, sensing of the actual output and
comparing of this output (through feedback) with the desired input does not take place. The
system on its own is not in a position to give the desired output and it cannot take into account
the disturbances. In these systems, the changes in output can be corrected only by changing the
input manually

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Figure 1: Open loop system

These systems are simple in construction, stable and cost cheap. But these systems are
inaccurate and unreliable. Moreover these systems do not take account of external disturbances
that affect the output and they do not initiate corrective actions automatically.

1.2.2 Closed loop control system

A closed loop control system is a system where the output has an effect upon the input quantity
in such a manner as to maintain the desired output value.

Figure 2: Closed loop system

An open loop control system becomes a closed loop control system by including a feedback.
This feedback will automatically correct the change in output due to disturbances. This is why a
closed loop control system is called as an automatic control system. The block diagram of a
closed loop control system is shown in Figure 2 above. In a closed loop control system, the
controlled variable (output) of the system is sensed at every instant of time, feedback and

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compared with the desired input resulting in an error signal. This error signal directs the control
elements in the system to do the necessary corrective action such that the output of the system is
obtained as desired. The feedback control system takes into account the disturbances also and
makes the corrective action. These control systems are accurate, stable and less affected by
noise.

2.0 Objectives of C & I

The C & I section is essentially responsible for installing, managing and maintaining
equipment which is used to monitor and control engineering systems and machinery with the
main objective of the of ensuring that these systems and processes operate effectively,
efficiently and safely.

3.0 Typical work activities

The work carried in this department helped the trainee in developing skills in specific control
disciplines such programmable logic controllers (PLC), and supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA). The trainee carried out work on the Exciter and governing system
during one of the brush gear maintenance. The diagram below shows the turbine governing
system. Other activities include:

 Creating test procedures;

 Testing, and calibrating instruments;
 Writing reports and documentation;
 Analysing and interpreting data;
 Collaborating the engineers;
 Providing technical support.

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Figure: Block diagram for the turbine governor 4
3.1 The PID controller
To optimize the performance of closed loop systems the error signal is passed through a PID
controller as illustrated below.

Feed Back

D
- Output
Process
Set Point + I

+
P
+

P= Proportional multiplies the error signal by the proportional gain setting

High Proportional gain will result in
 Reduced Steady State Error
 Tends to Introduce oscillation and instability
I= Integral- Integrates the error signal i.e. cumulates the error signal
The integral action will:
 Eliminate steady state errors
 Has potential to Introduce instability
D= Differential – Measures the rate of change of the output signal
The differential function will
 Mainly improve the system damping
Controllers can be programmed for all P, I and D functions or any combination of say PI, PD
etc. For each of the Operating modes there is a different set of PID parameters to be used by
the Governors in order to maintain stability.

3.2 Purpose of turbine governing system

The turbine governor system has the following functions
 Frequency control
 Power Regulation
 Both frequency and Power regulation

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3.2.1 Main requirements
 Fast response & Accurate control
 Stability – Transient and steady state
The turbine governing system at Kariba comprises the following:-

a) Governor Hydraulic HP oil supply system

b) ABB 640 controller (AC110) Driving an Alstom TR10 Actuator
c) The Alstom TR10 Actuator in turn operates the main servomotor valve to control
Guide Vane opening and closing.
d) The Guide Vane opening and closing will Control the frequency/power Output of the
turbine.
The control system consists of three major control loops; the Guide vane position controller
being the inner loop followed by the frequency control loop and then the power/frequency
control loops.

Other Auxiliary /Secondary Functions include:

 Grid mode detection

 Alarms indication & protection
 Synchronising
 Stop start logic/sequencing
 Limits monitoring
 Operator interface etc

3.2.2 Components of the ABB Governor panel

 An AC110 (Advant Controller 110) comprising of CPU, input/output cards (I/O)
power supply and communication card to communicate with the AF100 bus to control
room
 Power transducer –0-130MW/4-20mA
 Frequency transducer
 Amplifier to drive the TR10 (needs +-500mA)
 DC/DC converters 220VDC/24VDC (48V achieved by connecting the two power
supplies in series)
 Panel mate- Local control Panel

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3.2.3 Operating Modes
The governor system has three main operating modes with characteristics summarized below.
The modes are selectable from the local control panel PanelMate.
Table 1: Governor Operating Modes

Function Local Manual Local Auto Remote Auto

Start from Panel mate Yes Yes NO

Start from Sequencer NO Yes NO

Grid frequency following (maintaining the NO Yes Yes

Synchronising beat frequency)

Load /frequency control from panel mate NO (GV opening Yes NO

control)

Load /Frequency control from CR(pulses) NO NO Yes

Load /frequency control from CR(AF100 NO NO Yes

BUS)

Automatic speed control NO Yes Yes

Run Up into Over speed YES NO NO

Stop from panel mate (Float MW) Yes Yes Yes

Stop from sequencer (Float MW) Yes Yes Yes

Stop from panel mate (Stop turbine) Yes Yes Yes

Stop from sequencer (Stop turbine) Yes Yes Yes

Stop from sequencer Yes Yes Yes

Trip on actuator loop NO Yes Yes

Trip on Yes Yes Yes

Trip On Yes Yes Yes

Trip from Emergency stop Yes Yes Yes

Trip from 86 Yes Yes Yes

Panel mate alarm reset Yes Yes NO

Change GV opening (Load)limiter Yes Yes NO

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3.2.4 Stop/Start sequence
 Ready to start mode

The turbine can only start if the following pre-start conditions are in place:-

 All power supplies available

 All transducers healthy (Main Valve opening (MV), Guide vane Opening (GV),
Power, Gen freq.)
 All trip latches in the governor software reset on PanelMate
A pulse from the sequencer (Q3)/RL3 initiates turbine start up.

Q3 will only be activated by the sequencer when the GV lock is released.

Start up can also be initiated from the PanelMate when in Local Control.

a) The GV will open to Start Position1 until the machine has accelerated to~90% speed.
b) GV Opening will reduce to start position 2 to ensure no Over-shoot.
c) The governor will maintain the generator frequency @ .05 HZ above the grid
frequency to ensure smooth synchronising.
d) The frequency can however be adjusted from the PanelMate or from the C/R in which
case the Grid Frequency Following Mode will be disabled.

 Shut down

Turbine stop is in two stages:-

1. Floating MW is initiated by a pulse from the sequencer (Q4) or from set point on
PanelMate or the AF100 bus.
When the machine Load is below 5MW the Out DO… is activated this being
connected to the sequencer will result in the sequencer opening the ACB.

2. A pulse from the sequencer (Q5) initiates turbine Shut Down.

The Guide vanes will close and as speed reduces, the following outputs (connected to
the sequencer) will be activated.

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4.0 Information technology
The C & I section does the IT duties which the trainee was also involved in doing. The duties
done in this department can be mainly classified under for main categories.
i. Network administration

ii. User Support

iii. IPMS support

iv. MMS support

4.1.1 Network administration

During the attachment period the trainee learnt how to add a new computer and configure it
into the network, as well as checking the network connectivity, of a given computer, on the
network.

The trainee learnt how to configure outlook which is the primary package used internally for
emails, allowing for documents to be passed around the company.

The trainee also learnt how to terminate fibre optic, just before connecting it to the Ethernet,
as well as to clamp twisted pair coaxial network cables and terminate them on data points.

4.1.2 User support

The organization employees a large number of people with varying skill and most have
access to computers, which they use to do their various jobs. In this regard, the computers are
exposed to a lot of removable devices, which may be carrying malicious software’s, which
have a tendance of affecting the processing capabilities of the computers as well as the
network. Also due to a large number of computer users of varying skills there are bound to be
operating problems faced by some.
The trainee had to attend to printer problems and do regular anti-virus updates and antivirus
scans to make sure the computers were still running properly.

For the antivirus the organization has a server which runs the master antivirus program and
the other computers connect to it as clients and update from it automatically, fairly of an
automatic update would require going to manually update the computer. From this the trainee
learnt how to use a centralized antivirus system, from which you could monitor activities of
various clients connected to it.

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4.1.3 IPMS support
IPMS (Inventory Procurement Management System) is an in-house system used by Kariba
power station to handle the movement of goods or services within and into the organization.
4.1.4 MMS support
MMS (Materials Management System) is an in-house computerized package which acts as an
asset register, for the equipment and materials in the organization.
It was the trainee’s duties to provided user support in MMS that is when users encountered
problems when using MMS, they would have to approach the IT department and we would
have to go and assist them.

5.0 Conclusion
During this one month training the trainee was involved in the installation of a VSAT at the
station. The VSAT was installed as part of the System Application and Products (SAP)
project to be implemented next year. The trainee managed to acquire enough understanding
of the control systems in use at the power station.

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