Himax ensures burner control system flexibility

Evonik Degussa is using the Himax safety system from Hima at a factory in Kalscheuren to automate control and monitoring systems.

The Evonik Degussa factory in Kalscheuren produces carbon black.

During the production of carbon black, the residual gas is used for steam and electricity generation in the thermal afterburning plant.

If a boiler stops functioning, a gas flare system starts operation to burn the residual gas.

As part of renovation work, the boiler control and monitoring system for the gas flare was automated using the Himax safety system from Hima Paul Hildebrandt.

The Hima solution included two Himax-CPUs, two system bus modules, two digital output and three input modules, one analogue output module and one communications module for Profibus-DP.

The function of these components is to maintain overall correct operation, particularly in regard to the pre-ventilation period, flare monitoring and correct operating parameters.

Lutz Dross, PLT planning and process engineer for the IM business division Evonik Degussa, said: 'The high level of flexibility guarantees low costs during the entire lifecycle of Himax.

'The safety system can be expanded without interrupting operations.

'It also guarantees the highest possible level of availability,' he added.

Whether during a hardware or software upgrade or routine maintenance work, Himax does not have to be turned off - the plant continues to operate.

Himax is based on Hima's non-stop XMR technology that combines diagnostic-based SIL 3 safety integrity with a scalable fault-tolerant architecture.

This eliminates false trips and provides for unlimited changes, modifications, expansions, upgrades and regulatory proof testing without taking the plant off-line.

The Himax system is integrated into the Foxboro processing control system (DCS) via Profibus-DP.

It can be integrated with all leading DCS, allowing controls to be combined with the best-suited DCS.

The Silworx software tool provides a fully integrated configuration, programme and diagnosis environment for Himax.

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