Automation System Based On SIMATIC S7 300

PLC, for a Hydro Power Plant

R. Butuza, I. Nascu, O.Giurgioiu, R.Crisan
Department of Automation
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

G. Bariiu 26-28, 400027, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

alexbutuza@gmail.com, ioan.nascu@aut.utcluj.ro, octavian.giurgioiu@gmail.com, ruben.crisan@aut.utcluj.ro

Abstract Based on SIMATIC S7-313C programmable logic

controller (PLC) and SIMATIC TP 177B operating touch panel
(HMI), this work presents an automation solution for monitoring
and controlling a micro hydro power plant (MHC). Using the
specified PLC and HMI, there was implemented a reliable
automated system, which produces about 120 KWH of green
energy, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.
The system was developed, tested and commissioned at
ZANOAGA Drinking Water Treatment Plant and the owner is
APASERV VALEA JIULUI.
Keywords SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition), PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), HMI (Human
Machine Interface), Local Control, Remote Control, Micro Hydro
Power Plant.

I.

INTRODUCTION

In the past, people used rivers for agricultural activities and

wheat grinding. Nowadays, the power of rivers is used not
only for these types of activities, but for green energy
production although [1].
The electrical power generated in hydro power plants is one
of the most available and renewable energy sources in the
world [2].
Two of the most important benefits of hydropower are its
provision of clean and renewable energy [3].
SARFRAZ Ahmad Khan of Pakistan developed a new
technology for hydro power energy production. His idea
doesnt require a basin to be built and the impact on the
environment is minimal. The system based on his technology
requires less financial resources for operating and
maintenance. [4]
The automation systems consisting of PLC and HMI, or
PLC and SCADA systems can be reliable and economical
solutions for monitoring and controlling different types of
hydro stations [5].
Next chapters of this paper will describe the automation
system, based on SIMATIC S7-300 programmable logic
controller and SIMATIC TP 177B operating touch panel, for
controlling and monitoring a small hydro power plant.
The old automation system for this plant was based on third
party electronic hardware and software components,

978-1-4799-3732-5/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

developed for this type of process. The most significant

disadvantage of the old system was a very hard maintenance,
after many years of functionality.
So, the decision of developing and implementing a new
automation system was the best solution for the customer, in
order to keep alive this plant.
Starting from an asynchrony generator and a Francis turbine,
the project mission was to develop a reliable automation
system for monitoring and controlling the hydro power plant.
The system architecture chosen for this plant, allows
interconnection between the PLC and a central control room,
using different industrial communication protocols, such as:
PROFIBUS DP, MPI or Industrial Ethernet.
If PROFIBUS DP and MPI protocols are available
immediately using CPUs integrated interfaces, the Industrial
Ethernet interface can be used, by adding a new SIMATIC
Ethernet Processor in controller central rack.
The main requirements for the new automation systems are:
safety in exploitation, reliability, low cost maintenance,
service time as short as possible, easy way of detecting and
solving alarms, by implementing a new and modern alarm
logging management system.
II. MHC MAIN FUNCTIONS
The micro hydro power plant is equipped with a
horizontally Francis turbine and one asynchrony generator
with nominal speed rate of 1500 rpm. Two new valves were
installed and commissioned on the main inlet pipe of drinking
water and bypass pipe. New electromechanical equipment was
installed for turbine control, called AKD. Different types of
sensors were installed, for pressure and temperatures
monitoring. The actual values read from these sensors are used
as interlocks in PLC software application.
The main steps on project implementation are shown in
figure1.
One electrical cabinet was built, for integrating all the
electrical circuits, necessary for controlling the following
equipment: inlet valve, bypass valve, lubrication pumps, AKD
and main switch. Although, the electrical cabinet integrate

circuits for monitoring all the sensors in this system such as:
inlet pipe water pressure, generator bearings temperatures,
valves positioners and generator speed rate.
The brain of the automatic system is the AKD. This is
actually an electro-mechanic screw, driven by an inverter,
which drives the turbine for opening and closing, depending
on the logic implemented. The PLC uses an analogue output
channel, configured for 0-10V, for AKD opening and closing.

PAC 3200 is a power meter and it is used for electrical

parameters monitoring, in low voltage power distribution.
Main electrical parameters that can be monitored using this
device are: phase to neutral voltage, phase to phase voltage,
current, apparent power per phase, active power per phase,
reactive power per phase, total apparent power, total active
power, total reactive power, power factor, total power factor,
line frequency, active energy, reactive energy, apparent
energy.[7]
Main functions developed for the PLC software are:
automatic opening and closing of inlet and bypass valves, inlet
water pressure monitoring, automatic bearings lubrication
during starting and stopping the aggregate, bearings
temperature monitoring, generator speed rate monitoring,
automatic AKD opening and closing.
Main protections implemented in control algorithm are: low
and high voltage protection, inlet water pressure protection
and over speed protection.
Automation system consisting of programmable logic
controller, operating touch panel and electrical measurement
unit, PAC 3200, uses industrial PROFIBUS protocol, for data
exchange.
Regarding the operating mode of micro hydro aggregate,
there were defined and implemented two operating modes:
Local Mode and Remote Mode.
In Local Mode, all the commands to electrical equipment,
such as open / close inlet / bypass valve, start / stop lubrication
pumps are sent from main control cabinet, using hard wired
push buttons and selection keys, without PLC.
In Remote Mode, the commands are sent from PLC, using
Automatic Mode or Manual Mode, depending on the selection
made on operating touch panel.
III.

Figure 1 Automation System Developing Steps

The AKD is used both in normal operation, for increasing
or decreasing the pressure on the turbine but in emergency
shutdown cases although, for decreasing to zero the pressure
on turbine and stop the MHC, that is way an uninterruptible
power supply (UPS) was installed, for a permanently power
supply on the electrical circuits. Actually, there were installed
two uninterruptible power supplies, one for PLC supply and
one for AKD, inlet valve and bypass valve power circuits. In
case of main power fault, this two power supplies guarantees
safety closing of AKD and inlet valve and bypass opening.
The electrical cabinet contains a central automation rack,
equipped with a central processor unit, electronic modules for
digital input and output signals, electronic modules for
analogue input and output signals, one PAC 3200 for electrical
parameters monitoring and one operating touch panel, type TP
177B 6.

MHC SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

In the figure 2 it is displayed the automation system

architecture. Main components of system architecture are:
automation central rack, consisting of S7-300 CPU and
ELECTRONIC MODULES for digital and analogue signals,
electronic equipment for electrical parameters measurements,
SENTRON PAC 3200 and the operating touch panel.
Local Operating Mode was implemented for maintenance
issues. This operating mode supposes that all commands to
electrical equipment are sent by operator, using local selection
keys and buttons, directly to electrical switch equipment,
without using the PLC. In other words, this is a pure electrical
regime.
Remote Operating Mode is divided in two different
branches: Manual Mode and Auto Mode.
Manual Mode supposes that the operator will use the
commands available on the operating panel, for manipulating
all the equipment involved in this process.
Most important commands, which the operator can sent to
electrical equipment are: starting and stopping motors of
lubrication pumps, opening and closing valves, coupling and
decoupling main switch. Manual Operating Mode is
conceptually identically with Local Operating Mode, but the

major difference is that in Local Mode, the PLC and HMI

functionalities are not used.
Auto Mode is actually the brain of the MHC. During this

activates automatic start, the system goes from stopped state to

starting state, only if all the equipment involved is in a ready
to operation state. During starting mode, the system will open

Figure 2 MHC Model

operating mode, all the protections are active, and the
algorithm is the one that controls the entire plant.
The functional diagram of the MHC is displayed in figure 3.
There were defined 4 steps for automatic AKD opening and
closing, because it is important for maintaining inlet pressure,
over the minimum accepted value. The operator will set the
maximum value for the opening rate, and the PLC calculates
the opening rate for each step. When the preset value is
reached, the PLC will set the new set point. Every step, before
the new set point is activated, the algorithm will check the
inlet pressure value and it will define the new set point, only if
the current value of the pressure is over the minimum value.
Otherwise the PLC will start closing the AKD, until the inlet
pressure is over the minimum value.
Auto Mode was developed using three possible states for
the system: Starting, Started and Stopping. When the operator

the inlet valve in the same time with closing the bypass valve
and the AKD will be opened. After the generator speed is over
the minimum set value, the AKD opening rate is over a
predefined value or the inlet valve position is over a minimum
value, the PLC will link the system to the electrical network
by coupling the main switch.
The AKD will continue opening until the maximum
allowed position is reached. This is the point, where the PLC
reads the inlet pressure and acts by opening or closing the
AKD, for maintaining the pressure over the accepted
minimum value.
IV.

IMPLEMENTATION

MHC model described above was implemented using a

SIMATIC S7 313C-2DP CPU with MPI and PROFIBUS
interfaces built in.

Operating interface was developed using SIMATIC

WINCC Flexible platform and it is running on a SIMATIC TP
177B operating touch panel. Data exchange between the PLC
and HMI is realized using PROFIBUS DP industrial protocol
over RS 485 serial interface.
PROFIBUS network integrates although, the electronic
module SENTRON PAC 3200. A MAINSPRO decoupling
relay was used for protecting the generator. All the protections
like overvoltage, low voltage and overcurrent are implemented
inside of this relay. The PLC monitors the signals coming
from the protection relay and if a protection became active, the
MHC will be stop.
Electrical parameters read using SENTRON module, are
displayed in figure 4.
Process parameters, like: inlet water pressure, generator speed
rate, bearings temperatures, temperatures of motor windings,
valves opening rates are displayed in the main screen shown in
figure 5.
Opening rates for inlet and bypass valves are monitored
using two analogs input channels which read the electrical

using an analog input channel configured for 4-20 mA unified

signal.
The inlet (admission) valve installed in this location is
produced by AUMA Company. Commands circuits for it were
designed using RDOL (Reversible Direct Online) scheme,
using two contactors for direct and reverse movements.
The following protections signals are available for AUMA
motor: thermal overload, opening torque and closing torque.
All three signals are integrated as protective interlocks inside
the PLC.
The bypass valve is although produced by AUMA company
and all the electrical protections used for admission valve,
were activated in this case too.
Using command buttons displayed in figure 6, the operator
is able to activate the following commands: Start MHC group,
Stop MHC group, Fast Stop the MHC group, Restart the
group, Auto Mode activation, Manual Mode activation.
The operator has the possibility to monitor the status of the
automatic group using the information displayed in figure 6.
A special screen, displayed in figure 7, was developed for
process parameters settings.

Figure 3 MHC Algorithm

signals coming from the integrated positioners of the AUMA

valves, using 4-20 mA unified signal.
Inlet water pressure value is monitored using an IFM analog
sensor for pressure monitoring and it is integrated in the PLC

There were defined two different levels for the inlet pressure
as follows: Minimum Inlet Water Pressure at Starting and
Minimum Inlet Water Pressure in Running.

Figure 4 Electricals parameters monitoring

Figure 6 MHC Commands

Using first parameter, the operator defines minimum value

of the inlet pressure necessary for MHC starting. If the current
value of the pressure is lower than this parameter, the MHC
cannot be started.

If the pressure decreasing does not stop, AKD opening rate

will be decreased with another preset value.
If, during this sequence, the real value of the inlet water
decreases under the minimum value, the MHC will be
stopped.

Figure 5 Main Screen of HMI

Second parameter is a protection condition, while MHC is
started. If actual pressure of the inlet valve decreasing under
this parameter, in running mode, more than a predefined time,
the PLC will stop the MHC.
This is a protecting condition for avoiding depressurization
of the inlet pipe.
In normal operation, when the pressure sensor
indicates a pressure decreasing, the PLC will start closing the
AKD, as follows: the AKD opening value will be decreased
with a preset value (3%). After the new value was set, a
monitoring timer is started.

Figure 7 Process parameters setting

Next part of this work, will describe two of the most
important components, implemented in the SCADA
application: alarms system and protection levels.
There were defined three methods for stopping the MHC:
stopping caused by sensors information or fault conditions,
stopping caused by protections and emergency stop.
Emergency stop will be activated, is one of the next
conditions becomes true: general protection coming from
protection relay or UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
protection is activated.

MHC stopping is caused although if one of the next sensors

activates the command: AKD analog position sensor indicates
a fault value, like channel fault or wire break, inlet pressure is
under minimum accepted value, generator over speed,
generator speed monitoring sensor indicates a fault value, like
channel fault or wire break and one of the temperature
measuring sensors indicate a fault value.
Another way to stop the MHC is using the protection
signals. If one of the protection signals, defined, is activated,
than the PLC will stop the micro hydro aggregate.
The differences between the three ways of MHC stopping
are the sequence that the PLC starts.
Emergency stop of the process will switch off the generator
from the network first, even during this sequence, an over
speed of the generator occurs.
During normal stop, the AKD and inlet valve will start closing
and only after a period of time, the main switch will be
unlinked. During this sequence, the speed of the generator
remains constant, about 1500 rpm, but the force generated by
the water is decreased. As a result of force decreasing, when
the generator is unlinked, an over speed of the generator is
avoided.
In case of any malfunction during normal operation, there
were defined suggestive alarms, not only for generator
protection but for maintenance issues although.
All the alarms are stored in the main memory of the operating
panel and they are not erased, until the maintenance or
operating personnel acknowledge them. Alarms are displayed
on a screen, similar with the screen in the next image.

acknowledge it, the operating panel will storage the event and
it wont erase it form the list only after acknowledge
command.
V.

CONCLUSIONS

The automation system described in this work is physically

implemented in ZANOAGA MHC and belongs to APA SERV
VALEA JIULUI.
During the commissioning phase, there were tested different
scenarios, like starting, stopping in emergency cases, stopping
in normal mode, inlet pressure variation during normal
operation. The production energy level is about 2.4 MW/day.
All the requirements that the customer asked in his tender
were satisfied, thats way the project was successfully closed.
Rivers in mountain areas of Romania can provide low cost
electricity with reduced impact on the environment.
Besides the production of renewable and clean energy,
small hydropower plants (MHC) have the following
advantages:
- flooding prevention by courses regulation;
- providing water for people in the area;
- economical increase by creation of new jobs
- source of energy for isolated settlements;
- opportunities for fishing [6].
VI.

REFERENCES

[1] http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydro/
[2] D. Mircescu, A. Astilean, O. Ghiran, Complex Automation System of a
Low Power Hydro plant, 2010 IEEE International Conference on
Automation,Quality and Testing, Robotics, CLUJNAPOCA, RO, May 2012.
[3] http://www.hydrofoundation.org/hydropower-education.html
[4] http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydro/
[5] D. Montnorency, C. Montmorency, Applying Standardized Industrial
Automation to the Small Hydro Plant., Innovative Small and Medium Hydro
Technologies Workshop, Portland, Oregon, 2007
[6] http://www.renespo-bucharest.com/hydropower-conference.html
[7] SENTRON PAC3200 Manual, 10/2007, A5E01168664B-03
[8] S7-300 Programmable Controller CPU Specifications, CPUs 312C to
314C-2DP/PtP, A5E00105475-01

Figure 8 Process alarms and warnings

There were defined two levels of alarms: warnings and
faults.
The difference between the two types is that any fault in the
system will stop the automatic sequence, while the warning
messages were defined only for operating personnel alert.
Both the alarms and the warnings have date and time stamp.
Even if a warning occurs and disappears before the operator