Building the Automation Backbone for a Biodiesel Refinery
Building the Automation Backbone for a Biodiesel Refinery
Encore DEC
Biodiesel Refinery | Jackson MS
Encore DEC needed a reliable automation system to operate and monitor its new biodiesel refinery.
The facility contained multiple process areas that needed to work together as a single, coordinated operation. From process control and equipment sequencing to operator monitoring and alarms, the facility required an automation platform capable of managing the complexity of biodiesel production while providing operators with the information they needed to safely and efficiently run the plant.
The company partnered with a systems integration firm to design and implement the facility's controls and SCADA systems from the ground up.
The objective was simple:
Build an automation system that gives operators control of the refinery and provides the visibility needed to keep the process running.
The Challenge
A modern biodiesel refinery is a complex process environment.
Dozens of pumps, valves, tanks, motors, instrumentation, and process systems must operate together according to carefully defined sequences. A problem in one area can quickly affect downstream processes.
The refinery needed more than individual machine controls. It needed an integrated control system capable of coordinating the entire process.
The primary challenges included:
Controlling a Complex Process
The refinery required automated control of process equipment and sequences throughout the facility.
The control system needed to manage equipment states, process conditions, interlocks, and sequencing while allowing operators to make adjustments when process conditions required them.
Giving Operators Plant-Wide Visibility
Operators needed a centralized view of the refinery.
Without an effective SCADA system, critical information can become distributed across individual controllers and equipment. The new system needed to bring that information together into a clear operator interface.
Managing Alarms and Abnormal Conditions
Process deviations need to be identified quickly.
The control system needed to provide operators with meaningful alarms and status information so they could identify abnormal conditions and take corrective action before a small issue became a larger operational problem.
Creating a Maintainable System
The refinery would need to operate and maintain the automation system long after the project was complete.
That meant the system had to be designed with maintainability in mind. Controls logic, SCADA screens, tags, alarms, and equipment structures needed to be organized in a way that plant personnel could understand and support.
The Approach
The systems integrator approached the project as an end-to-end automation implementation rather than simply programming individual PLCs.
The controls and SCADA systems were designed together so that the control architecture and operator interface reflected the same equipment and process structure.
Designing the Control System
The control system was developed around the refinery's process requirements.
Equipment was organized into logical control structures, allowing individual devices and process areas to be operated independently while still participating in larger automated sequences.
Control logic addressed the operation of equipment such as:
Pumps
Motors
Valves
Tanks
Process instrumentation
Process skids
Transfer systems
Supporting utilities
Interlocks and permissives were incorporated into the control strategy to help prevent equipment from operating under inappropriate process conditions.
Automated sequences reduced the amount of manual intervention required from operators while providing the flexibility to transition equipment between operating states when necessary.
Developing the SCADA System
The SCADA system served as the primary operator interface to the refinery.
Instead of forcing operators to interact directly with PLC logic or individual control devices, the SCADA system presented the process through a consistent graphical interface.
Operators could monitor:
Process values
Equipment status
Tank levels
Temperatures
Pressures
Flow
Valve positions
Pump and motor states
Alarms
Process sequences
The interface was organized around the physical and functional structure of the refinery, allowing operators to navigate from an overall plant view into individual process areas and equipment.
Creating a Consistent Operator Experience
Consistency was an important part of the SCADA design.
Equipment was represented using common visual conventions, making it easier for operators to recognize the state of pumps, valves, tanks, and other process equipment.
Common alarm and status conventions also helped operators understand what required attention.
The result was a control environment designed around how operators actually interact with the process rather than simply displaying every available piece of PLC data.
Technology
The project brought together multiple layers of the industrial automation stack.
PLC Control
PLCs provided the real-time control layer for the refinery using Allen Bradley ControlLogix PLCs.
The PLC programs managed equipment operation, process logic, interlocks, permissives, sequencing, and automated control strategies.
SCADA
The SCADA platform provided the operator interface and centralized visibility into the facility, using the FactoryTalkView SE SCADA platform.
It connected operators to the underlying control system while providing visualization, alarms, trends, and operational status.
Industrial Instrumentation
Process instrumentation supplied the control system with the information required to monitor and control refinery conditions.
Measurements such as temperature, pressure, level, and flow could be incorporated into automated control strategies and presented to operators through SCADA.
Alarming and Notification
The system incorporated alarms to identify process conditions requiring operator attention.
Rather than treating alarms as simply another data point, the SCADA system provided operators with a centralized view of abnormal conditions.
Historical Data and Trends
Process information could be visualized over time, allowing operators and engineers to investigate process behavior and better understand what happened before and during an operational event.
From Field Device to Operator
One of the most important aspects of the project was connecting the different layers of the automation system.
A temperature transmitter in the field isn't particularly useful to an operator unless that information can travel through the automation architecture and become actionable information.
The system created a path from the physical process to the operator:
Field Instrument → PLC → Control Logic → SCADA → Operator
This architecture allowed information generated in the refinery to be used for both automatic control and operator decision-making.
For example, a process temperature could be measured in the field, brought into the PLC, evaluated against control limits or sequencing requirements, and then displayed to an operator through SCADA.
The same information could also be historized for later analysis.
That connectivity is what turns a collection of industrial devices into an integrated control system.
Results
The completed automation system provided the biodiesel refinery with an integrated platform for operating and monitoring the facility.
Centralized Plant Control
Operators gained a centralized interface for monitoring and controlling refinery processes.
Automated Process Sequences
Automated control sequences reduced manual intervention and provided repeatable methods for operating process equipment.
Improved Process Visibility
SCADA brought critical process information together in a single operational interface.
Better Alarm Awareness
Operators could quickly identify abnormal process conditions and equipment states requiring attention.
Maintainable Automation Architecture
The controls and SCADA systems were structured to provide a consistent foundation for ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting, and future modifications.
Foundation for Future Expansion
Because the control and visualization systems were designed as an integrated platform, the refinery has a foundation upon which additional equipment, process improvements, reporting, and data capabilities can be built.
More Than a SCADA Screen
A successful refinery automation project isn't about creating attractive graphics.
It's about creating a system that helps people operate a complicated industrial process.
The PLC controls need to respond predictably.
The interlocks need to protect the process.
The sequences need to execute consistently.
The alarms need to tell operators when something requires attention.
And the SCADA system needs to make all of that information understandable.
When those pieces are designed together, automation becomes more than a collection of controllers and screens.
It becomes the operational backbone of the facility.
Building Automation That Works for the Operation
Every industrial facility is different.
The right automation strategy starts with understanding the process, the equipment, and the people who operate it.
For this biodiesel refinery, the systems integration team brought those pieces together to create a controls and SCADA platform capable of operating the facility while giving operators the visibility they need to manage the process.
The result was a modern automation foundation designed not only for today's refinery operations, but for future improvements as the facility grows.
Need a Controls or SCADA System for Your Facility?
Building a new industrial facility—or replacing an aging controls system—is a major investment.
The automation system shouldn't be an afterthought.
Corso Systems helps industrial companies design, build, and modernize controls and SCADA systems that operators can actually use.
Whether you're building a new process facility, expanding an existing plant, or replacing outdated controls, we can help you develop an automation architecture that fits your process and your operation.
Reach out and let’s discuss your need today!
