Listening pays off, and LSI was reminded of this recently when we received a mid-morning phone call from a chemical manufacturer that was experiencing trouble with its boiler control system. Their Dowtherm process boiler had been down for two weeks, during which multiple experts had attempted to get the system back up and running with little success.
As the manufacturer searched for answers, decision makers learned that LSI’s experience with boilers of all ages (along with PID controllers, PLCs and Emerson DeltaV) gave them insights that others lacked. The same morning that they received the call, LSI’s Principal Engineer, Tom Shaw, and Level III Controls Engineer, Adam Raby, were on-site at the chemical plant, listening to users, studying data and assessing the problem.
Within two hours of their initial evaluation of the boiler, Shaw and Raby concluded that the system’s problem stemmed from a rare combination of two malfunctions: a problematic fail open control valve and a Moore loop controller that had completely lost its configuration capabilities. It was this unique and debilitating combination of issues that had stumped others for weeks.
In the end, LSI’s team was able to solve the facility’s boiler control system issues the same day they were contacted. Shaw and Raby’s responsiveness left a lasting impression on the client that resulted in a new relationship, a proposed DeltaV solution – and future collaborations to come.
Control system issues are rarely simple or obvious, but we can help. Contact LSI today.
- Adam Raby is a Level III Controls Engineer with extensive DeltaV experience. Knowledgable in both hardware and software, he also works with ControlLogix and Siemens technology.
- Tom Shaw is a Principal Engineer for LSI with more than 30 years of experience. He works with many of LSI’s greenfield projects, and focuses largely on the process automation modernization of legacy DCS and PLC systems. Tom has deep knowledge of both DeltaV and Rockwell Plant PAx, as well as plant electrical infrastructure and instrumentation.