5. MOC 177552: Purge Alarm Standardization

My 4th project…

My 4th project consisted of updating DCS alarms to accurately notify the board operator.

Per the MOC…

Per the MOC, there were 251 cabinet and building purge alarms in the DCS that required standardization since the settings were outdated and incorrect.

To help complete…

To help complete the MOC, I learned how to use the DCS point configurator across 24 DCS machines and changed each required alarm setting to the correct value.

I also learned…

I also learned how to create alarm displays using the FoxDraw Display Builder and Configurator to sync alarm settings to the DCS display for accurate monitoring by board operators.

After I configured…

After I configured all the required alarms, I also updated the information required for the PI tags associated with each DCS alarm.

As of now…

As of now, the MOC has been completed, and the alarms are now operating accurately.

Having consistent and…

Having consistent and reliable alarm settings in an industrial environment is one of the most paramount aspects of managing a safe and efficient process.

Similar to protective…

Similar to protective relays for electrical infrastructure, DCS alarms indicate potential hazards and rate abnormalities.

Inconsistent and faulty…

Inconsistent and faulty relaying or alarming can increase exposure to unsafe working conditions as well as rate fluctuations, which can lead to flaring, permit violation, and rate reduction.

In addition to…

In addition to learning the DCS interface and software, this project revealed to me an entirely different side of the refining process that I have never encountered before, which was a very exciting and unique experience since I often do not get the opportunity to work in this type of field as a project engineer.

I gained an…

I gained an even greater appreciation of all the hard work it takes to run a massive and complicated process such as refining renewable feedstock.

I was also…

I was also able to gain a better understanding of the board operator's perspective, which can help me understand how to better service them as an electrical engineer.