Research and development for automation design
Research and development activities in HYDRO automation are targeted at optimizing the process-related information flow within a hydropower plant.
In addition to the flow of hydraulic and electrical energy, there is a continuous flow of information in order to control the energy conversion process in a power plant.
It is aimed at controlling, regulating, optimizing, and protecting the primary equipment. Automation products and methods provide the technical basis of the information flow. Our present era is characterized by the highly dynamic development of both electronic devices and information technologies.
While the primary equipment of a hydropower plant is built for long-term use, technical base components such as micro processors or consumer-oriented hardware computer products for control systems have investment cycles of only five up to a maximum of ten years. Automation counters these challenges with a long-term oriented platform strategy for automation, control, und regulating of hydropower plants.
State-of-the-art user interfaces coming from office applications have already modernized the technology for operation and maintenance with the help of control center systems.
The main focus of our research and development activities lies on the combination of both technologies, taking optimal account of the functional-organizational requirements in a hydropower plant.