14 July 2009

Real power plants via virtual reality

Photovoltaic and wind energy plants, hydroelectric power stations, and biogas plants supply energy without polluting the environment. However, how do you go about designing and maintaining the plants?

Virtual reality to the rescue.

In putting together a concept for a hydroelectric power station, a designer will need to know what the pressures, temperatures, and fluid flows will be in the facility. You can simulate them with simulation software. But this only delivers vast columns of numbers or a one-dimensional representation, which will take quite a long time to analyze.

There is now a new method under development that visualizes the processes inside energy conversion plants, such as photovoltaic, wind, biogas, and hydroelectric power stations, said researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF in Magdeburg, Germany. To do so, they have coupled 3-D plant engineering and simulation results with a virtual reality (VR) program developed at the IFF.

“A special software tool has enabled us to visualize all the motion sequences for the first time ever—at just the push of a button,” said Dr. Matthias Gohla, manager of the Process and Plant Engineering Business Unit.

Arrows that move through the VR model show engineers the direction in which and speed at which fluids and gases flow through a plant. Colored markings indicate potential weak points such as areas where critical temperatures, deposits, or erosions could occur. Is there a potential for collisions when the plant components are moving? The virtual insights facilitate engineering and should therefore ensure that plants become more efficient and have lower emissions.

“Our VR model also helps plant operators in day-to-day operation,” said project manager Dr. Martin Endig.

For instance, extensive documentation may be in the system. Instead of hunting through thick instruction manuals for desired information, a technician merely needs to click on the appropriate representation to obtain data on a certain plant component. Moreover, personnel can learn to handle a plant before it is operational. Even critical situations work into a scenario without endangering employees. Currently, the developers are working on another tool that notifies operators when a component is due for maintenance.

For related information, go to www.isa.org/manufacturing_automation.