Automatyka-Pomiary-Sterowanie S.A (APS S.A.) has completed an investment involving the automation and commissioning of the accumulation of heat in Elektrociepłownia Białystok S.A.
The scope of work performed by APS S.A. included:
- fabrication of control cabinets, supply and installation of instrumentation systems;
- system control software including locks, process and automatic control systems and visualization process safeguards;
- start-up of the installation with the tests of controls and automatic control systems.
The purpose of the heat accumulation system in Elektrociepłownia Białystok S.A. is to store excess thermal energy associated with periodic variable heat demand. Energy produced in the process of fuel combustion in boilers is accumulated by the heating medium (water), which allows its further use in the event of temporary shortages of heat in the district heating networks, without the need to run another boilers or increase working capacity. This is connected to energy savings in both power system (associated with the need of operation of more devices in the system, in order to start the next energy generation systems), heat system (thanks to accumulation), as well as savings in the fuel combusted in power boilers. An important element is the ability to improve energetic, financial and economic efficiency of operation of power plants by increasing the amount of energy produced during the day, and the resulting "excess" of heat is stored in the accumulator and will be used at night where the heat demand is much higher. The heat accumulator system is one of the few installations of this type in Poland.
Execution of control and process visualization was made by APS S.A. using distributed control system DCS by Honeywell Experion PKS.
