The document discusses the development of a simulator for DTE Energy's Belle River Power Plant Unit 2. It describes the plant's history and recent control system upgrades. A collaboration between GSE Systems, DTE Energy, and ABB created a high-fidelity simulator to train operators, test control system changes, and eliminate extensive testing during the unit's startup. Lessons learned helped improve the simulator's model, data sources, and ability to keep in sync with the actual unit. Future objectives include expanding training and validating environmental solutions.

1. Belle River Simulator:
A GSE, DTE & ABB Collaboration
info@gses.com

2. 2
Speakers
George McCullough
Vice President
GSE Systems
Baltimore, MD
Fred Ihimodu
Staff Engineer – Engineering
Support Organization
DTE Energy
Detroit, MI
Speaker:
Title:
Company:
Location:

3. 3
Belle River Power Plant:
A Brief History
 5 Diesel Peakers – 13.75 MW commissioned 1981
 2 Coal Units – 1,396 MW commissioned 1984 - 1985
 3 Natural Gas Peakers - 256 MW commissioned 1999

4. 4
Project History:
Recent Control Systems Upgrades
2002 - Unit 2 conversion to ABB Harmony
2008 - Unit 1 conversion to ABB Harmony
2012 - Unit 2 conversion from VMS OIS to 800xA 5.1
- Unit 2 simulator development
2013 - Unit 1 upgrade from 800xA 5.0 to 5.1
- Environmental solutions

5. 5
Proposed Benefits
 Training operators & others
 Platform to simulate future environmental solutions control system
for units 1 & 2
 Complete graphics review prior to unit 2 start-up in fall 2012
 Eliminate typical extensive IO checkout during unit 2 fall 2012
 Platform to test control philosophy, software configuration
and graphic changes prior to implementing on unit 1 & 2

6. 6
Partners & Teams
GSE Systems
 Lead engineer and design team
 Project management
ABB
 Lead engineer and design team
 Project management
DTE Energy
 Plant operations
 Plant engineers and I&C specialists
 Process controls engineering support
 Major enterprise project management

7. 7
Unit 2 Simulator Team:
Preparation
 Simulator conference exposure
 Same personnel on both simulator and unit DCS upgrades
 Critical to have continuity across all projects
 Experienced operators familiar with units
 Engineers & specialists with vast knowledge of control systems
 Travel commitments

8. 8
Model:
GSE Concepts
Power Generation Modeling Tools
 Thermal hydraulic systems
 Flow networks
 Electrical systems
 Logic & controls
High Fidelity
 Fully modeled
 Simplified model
 Not modeled

9. 9
Model:
GSE Concepts
Instructor Station
Initial Conditions
Malfunctions
Remote functions
& overrides
Trainee actions review, backtracking
& replay

10. 10
Data Sources & Connections
Harmony Training Simulator
(HTS)
 vICI
• Harmony connectivity
• Composer
• DBDOC
 HTS manager

11. 11
Data Sources & Connections
Harmony Training Simulator (HTS)
 vICI
• Harmony connectivity
• Composer
• DBDOC
 HTS manager

12. 12
Data Sources & Connections
Third Party PLC
OPC: No Modbus
emulator required
Matrikon OPC Scada
Modbus vs.
KEPServerEX

13. 13
Data Sources & Connections
Non DCS Emulated HMI
- Soot Blowing - Precipitator - CEMS - ZoloBOSS
Hard Panel Emulation
- Ethernet IO
- Meters

14. 14
Activities
 9 to 12 month commitment
 Simulator testing
 Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)
 Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)
 Train the trainer

15. 15
Activities
 Issue Tracking
- ABB Teamtrack
– GSE Mantis
 Management of Change
 Remote Collaboration
– ABB teamwork
– GSE VPN access
– DTE VPN access

16. 16
Decisions:
Not Always Black & White
 Immersion vs. feedback
 Immersion vs. human performance
 Redundancy needs vs. test environment completeness
 Access to information vs. role clarification

17. 17
Plant & Simulator
Unit 2
Unit 2 Simulator

18. 18
Lessons Learned
 Uncovered and resolved existing configuration, logic & graphics
 HTS limitations & compatibilities
– Unsupported function codes
 Comprehensive startup procedure
 Model – Data sources handshake

19. 19
Lessons Learned
 System health checks
 VMware vCPU allocation
 Event concentrator error
 Ensure overall system is truly ready for customer

20. 20
Current/Future Objectives
 Establish core training program
 Expand training benefits beyond operations to
technicians & engineers on engineering tools
− Composer
− Bulk data manager
− Bulk configuration manager
− Graphics builder
− Alarm analysis
− Import/export tool
− Consistency checker, etc.

21. 21
Current/Future Objectives
 Model future environmental solutions
- Validate plant design & procedures prior to start-up
 Implement management of change to keep the
simulator & unit in sync
 Enhancement request
- vICI and HTS manager services

22. 22
Contact
Fred Ihimodu
DTE Energy
ihimoduf@dteenegry.com
George McCullough
GSE Systems
gsmccullough@gses.com
For more information, please contact:
OR

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