The electric generation sector is currently faced with the need to reduce operating costs without affecting plant safety and availability. There are digital solutions that are helping with that.
Amongst those solutions, there is growing interest in the sector for computerized procedures systems that can be executed and monitored through tablets and computers and which include different features.
What benefits are there to computerized procedures?
Traditionally, operating procedures have been carried out in paper format. This brings about great difficulties, like an extensive use of time to make operational queries, a certain difficulty handling large volumes, and a greater workload – something which can bring about greater human error. In addition, in some cases, as is the case of nuclear power plants, there is a vast amount of time and paper spent on document management.
Computerized procedures systems have come from the need to eliminate said operating limitations by incorporating operational assistance to optimize and speed up the execution of plant procedures. In addition to reducing human error, clear economic returns are yielded from the investment made.
Tecnatom and computerized procedures
Taking advantage of its more than twenty years’ experience with these systems, Tecnatom has developed the TecOS PROCEED solution included in its TecOS Suite (Tecnatom Operations Suite) with the aim of optimizing the entire procedure lifecycle. TecOS PROCEED includes features that put it in the highest level according to the PPA Smart Procedures document (https://www.ppaweb.org/documents/ppa-ap-907-005-001.pdf) and which provide an improved user experience. Amongst other features, noteworthy are access to, and capture of, multimedia content, real-time data, capture of field values, access to supporting documentation, and simple navigation to other instructions.
The application of human factors engineering criteria throughout the design of TecOS PROCEED reduces the operator’s cognitive load and improves operations and maintenance equipment coordination, thus minimizing the chance of human error and increasing plant availability.
Additionally, it provides for the analysis of completed procedures so as to help with the identification of possible areas for improvement in accordance with the best industry-recognized practices.
TecOS PROCEED has control room and field interfaces and can work with and without a Wi-Fi connection.
Currently, TecOS PROCEED is installed in combined-cycle power plants and in different nuclear power plant simulators in Spain. In addition, its interface can easily be adapted to any other industry, such as the oil and gas industry.
