Tokyo, Japan - June 20, 2013
The VGB R170 C guideline was developed by VGB PowerTech e.V., an independent, non-profit voluntary technical association that represents the interests of power plant operators as well as manufacturers and institutions that are involved with the power industry. The association currently has 466 members from 33 countries. In May, the CENTUM® VP R5.02 system was checked by TUV NORD Systems and certified for compliance with the VGB R170 C guideline's rules and requirements. The compliance certificate was presented to Yokogawa at the POWER-GEN Europe trade fair, which was held in Vienna, Austria from June 4 to 6.
Herman van den Berg, President of Yokogawa Europe (left) receiving the certificate from Dr. Gerhard Dreier of TUV NORD Systems
Through its VGB R 170 C guideline, VGB PowerTech encourages the industry to consistently follow key technology standards that can help to prevent malfunctions in plant control systems and instrumentation. In line with operating requirements, it defines a systematic, function-based approach to documentation of power-plant control and instrumentation. The VGB R170 C-compliant features in the CENTUM VP R5.02 include segregation of process technology sections, implementation of the Kraftwerk Kennzeichen System (KKS, meaning "identification system for power stations") and the VGB control function hierarchy, symbolic representation of functions, and document interlinking.
Systematic documentation requires the process installation to be divided into various sections based on their functions. The process sections are divided hierarchically into process control, group control, and individual control sections in line with their functions in the operation of the plant. A hierarchical identification system is necessary to represent a functionally segregated structure. Such a functionally segregated representation system also needs to have a hierarchical identification system to enable clear process and document designations. This was achieved in CENTUM VP R5.02 by using the KKS identification system.
It is expected that the latest version of CENTUM VP, R5.03, will receive certification of compliance with the VGB R170 C guideline in September. The aim is for all subsequent versions of CENTUM VP to be VGB R170 C compliant at the time of their release.