Efficient and safe automation:
B&R APROL for AgriKomp
The B&R APROL industrial control system allows AgriKomp to automate their complex production processes efficiently and securely. The hyper macros can be used to create their own libraries. This allows the biogas plant supplier to cover all the individual industry requirements. Extensive recording functions enable targeted data evaluation. For the user, this means reduced effort and increased system availability.
Initial situation of the project
The initial situation was difficult due to the proprietary control software used: Extensive safety requirements and the request for more individualized plant configurations pushed the old control solution to its limits. The lack of migration options to more powerful control hardware and the limited number of supported communication interfaces for integrating third-party systems such as solar panels or surveillance cameras were challenging.
Reasons for the project
One of the top goals of the project was scalability: In order to keep the effort for development and service low and to simplify spare parts inventory, those responsible decided to use the same APROL control solution for all performance classes. The modular and finely graduated X20 system allows the company to precisely adapt the I/O and interface modules as well as the CPU power to the different configurations within the 75 kW electrical systems.
Challenges faced in the project
AgriKomp created a 75-page catalog with over 100 requirement criteria and solicited bids from well-known automation suppliers. By the end of the evaluation, B&R had come out on top. "It was B&R's integrated and comprehensive automation package in combination with the APROL industrial control system that convinced us. It enables us to meet all our requirements in an especially efficient manner," explains Ströhlein. "For us, it was important that the package contains an integrated safety solution and exceptional interface support. For every physical interface, B&R has a suitable counterpart. Another core criteria was for the control solution to be easily scalable."
Ambitious climate targets require major effort
Without the contribution of biomass as a sustainable energy source, the climate targets in Germany could hardly be achieved. In 2021, about 9,600 biogas plants generated approximately 5,600 megawatts of electrical output for the year. This corresponds to about 6 percent of the electricity consumption in Germany.
Higher plant availability and increased process reliability
As early as 2014, the company recognized a trend towards 75 kW electrical systems due to subsidy changes. These use a B&R APROL control solution in conjunction with B&R hardware components. Necessary adjustments and enhancements could thus be implemented particularly easily.
The modular design of the B&R APROL software also allowed AgriKomp to adapt it to new requirements and thus use the same software for the 75 kW electrical systems and the large 250 kW electrical systems. Ströhlein's team implemented this modularity using the industrial control system's hyper macro technology.
Higher system availability is also ensured by the integrated Sicherheitstechnik from B&R: The requirements for wiring were very high. "Today, we have much less wiring, the error rate has been significantly reduced and only a small amount of on-site commissioning effort is required," says AgriKomp.
B&R is the right partner when it comes to modernization (retrofitting) and increasing process reliability: After switching to the new control solution, the number of errors per year dropped from 200 to less than twelve, significantly increasing process reliability.
