Sharp NEC Display Solutions – Customer Installation Energy & Utility
InfraServ Wiesbaden
The combined cycle power plant of the future
Control centre operators need a quick overview of operating data and processes; this enables them to accurately assess situations, identify potential faults in good time, and optimise processes. This also applies to energy providers who have to monitor critical processes around the clock.
One such example is InfraServ Wiesbaden (ISW), which has been operating in the Rhine-Main metropolitan region since 1997. ISW manages the supply of energy to companies based in the industrial park and the disposal of their waste water.
When the energy provider started building a control room for its new combined cycle power plant in the industrial park, it needed high-performance display solutions for its continuous operations. Sharp/NEC stood out for its impressive value for money.
The challenge: quick recording of critical operating data
The new combined cycle power plant in the Wiesbaden industrial park was a mega project worth over 90 million euros. The complex is operated from a control centre, where all relevant processes relating to energy supply are monitored. The responsible employees have to quickly record all vital operating data, around the clock, to prevent errors and ensure smooth processes.
High-performance supporting technologies are critical to the smooth running of the new control room. The equipment must be available for non-stop operations with a long service life – guaranteed. The visual displays also need a high resolution to enable accurate monitoring of critical business processes.
The solution: proven durability and quality
Conventional consumer products were out of the question for Michael Süss, Head of Purchasing at ISW: “If you use consumer products to monitor sensitive and critical processes, you can’t really complain when the results leave a lot to be desired. The same can be said for cheaper products from other providers. They don’t come close to the Sharp/NEC models in terms of their quality and durability. That’s why we chose to equip our control room exclusively and uniformly with these solutions”.
The project manager, Markus Schnitzler, agrees: “We’d already had positive experiences with Sharp/NEC during previous projects within the industrial park, so we short-listed the company right from the beginning. When it came to working out the solution provider with the best value for money, Sharp/NEC turned out to be the ideal solution for us”.
Two different display solutions are now used in the control room of the new InfraServ power plant. 37 models of the NEC MultiSync® UN552S (55 inch) have been combined to form a dynamic video wall surface that works around the clock to provide critical process data in real time, acting as a central process monitoring tool for the control centre operators.
The 37 large-format displays stand out for their impressive calibration options, excellent image quality and, above all, their slim-line 0.88 mm frame that enables large-format images to be visualised across numerous displays without noticeable interruptions.
In addition, 31 models of the NEC MultiSync® EA241F are used as desktop monitors for the entire control room. The 24-inch LCD displays are ideal for workplaces due to their full HD resolution. They can also be individually adjusted to maximise ergonomics, productivity and comfort.
The result: futuristic control room for the combined cycle power plant
Over the course of the project, Michael Süss was able to verify the high availability of the technology, its proven durability in non-stop operations, professional resolution and a high level of service from the service provider: “The direct link between us, Sharp/NEC and the installation partner Audio Video Network Solution GmbH (AVN) has proven to be a success. The whole process was optimally planned by all parties and was pulled off without any issues. Even when we were faced with a few delivery problems in the Far East, Sharp/NEC prioritised our delivery to prevent any delays in the project process”.
And this has not changed to this day, about one year after the control room went into operation. “The reporting channels have remained quick and uncomplicated. Both Sharp/NEC and AVN clearly prioritise their customer service. And the warranty handling process is just as smooth”.
“Now that our control room is equipped with Sharp/NEC products, it will meet the highest performance requirements for many years to come. We’ve made our power plant fit for the future”, concludes project manager Schnitzler.