Remote Monitoring and Control of Landfill Systems SWANA 2005 Winter Conference Presented by: Curtis

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Remote Monitoring and Control of Landfill
SystemsSWANA 2005 Winter ConferencePresented
by Curtis D. Madsen, P.E. David L. Boudry,
Master Electrician
Integrated Environmental Solutions
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Background

• Landfill (LF) leachate management in the past
  Isolated control panels at each device
• Typical devices
• Leachate sump pumps
• Transfer pump recirculation areas
• Actuator valves
• Leachate tank load-out facilities
• Wet wells/Lift stations pumping to treatment
  plants

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Background (cont.)

• Site visit required to
• Assess operational status (is it running?)
• Troubleshoot problems
• Make adjustments to control settings
• Sensitive to lightning strikes and downtime
• Recently, use of programmable logic controller
  (PLC)?based control systems

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Background (cont.)

• PLC-based systems
• Are Cost effective
• Typically require less downtime compared to
  previous controls
• Are less labor intensive
• Can be networked together
• Enable real-time monitoring, troubleshooting,
  and adjustments to set points

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Basic Controller Logic
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Historical Applications

• Typical control technology historically used at
  landfills has included
• Side slope riser sump pumps
• Typical controllers
• Printed circuit boards with transducers
• Load-sensing controllers
• Site visit required to make adjustments/record
  data/troubleshoot
• Data availability limited
• Sensitivity to lightning strikes

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Historical Applications (cont.)

• Leachate load-out tanks/force-main facilities
• Typical controls
• Same as SSR pumps
• Float switches
• Site visit required to make adjustments/record
  data/troubleshoot

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Historical Applications (cont.)

• Other components
• Data availability limited
• Leachate distribution/recirculation pumps
• Fail-safe valves
• Leachate head wells
• All require site visit to make adjustments/record
  data/troubleshoot

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PLC Applications

• What is a PLC?
• Microprocessor, similar to that found in a PC,
  calculator, or your automobile
• Extensively used to control manufacturing and
  treatment processes
• Programmable, accepts directions, calculates,
  stores data, gives commands to other equipment
• Can also accept directions
• Notification of alarm levels
• Types of events to record

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PLC Applications (cont.)

• PLC can be programmed to
• Track selected data and functions (reducing the
  effort required to complete an annual
  environmental monitoring report)
• Notify selected personnel of an alarm condition
• PLC-based control systems allow the efficient and
  flexible use of a Supervisory Control and Data
  Acquisition (SCADA) system

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PLC Applications (cont.)

• What is SCADA?
• SCADA enables a site operator to monitor and
  control processes from a remote location
• Used to monitor and control any type of
  mechanical and electrical equipment at LF
  facilities

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PLC Applications (cont.)

• A properly designed SCADA system reduces labor
  costs by minimizing site visits for
• Inspection
• Data collection/logging
• Making adjustments
• PLC/SCADA systems allow
• Real-time monitoring from your PC system
  settings and modifications
• Troubleshooting from your PC
• Increased equipment life better preventive
  maintenance
• Automatic report generating feature

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PLC Applications (cont.)

• Applications of PLCs are the same as the other
  control devices presented earlier

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Controller Comparison

• Four general types of controllers used at
  landfills
• Relay logic
• Load sensing
• Printed circuit boards
• Programmable logic controller

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Controller Comparison (cont.)

• Network operation expands system flexibility to
  include
• Pump run time
• Motor cycles
• Motor amperage
• Condition of motor starter
• Position of H-O-A switch

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Controller Comparison (cont.)

• Ability to assess many fault conditions from an
  Internet connection (office PC) controls
  response/repair costs
• Recording of fault history log
• Daily data log (head levels)
• Flare run/shutdown log
• Remote determination on condition of the device,
  the H-O-A Switch (if manual or off or auto
  setting)

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Controller Comparison
PLC
Printed Circuit Board

• Relay
• Logic

Load Sensing
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Controller Comparison
PLC
Printed Circuit Board

• Relay Logic
• - Stand-alone device
• - Float controlled
• - Only does one thing
• - No communication ability

Load Sensing
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Controller Comparison
Load Sensing - Control based on amp draw of
motor - Stand-alone device - Only does one
thing - No communication ability - Can be
confused by voltage fluctuations - Time based
feature does not account for heavy rains or
seasonal changes
PLC
Printed Circuit Board

• Relay
• Logic

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Controller Comparison
Printed Circuit Boards - Controlled by pressure
transducer - Stand-alone device - Controller may
provide "indication" of liquid level - May have
limited communication ability
PLC

• Relay
• Logic

Load Sensing
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Controller Comparison

• Programmable Logic Controller
• - Uses one or several, various sensors (e.g.,
  transducer) to operate a device (e.g., pump)
• - Operate as stand-alone or as part of a
  network
• - Stand-alone operation provides run time, pump
  cycles, and fault codes via in-field operator
  interface
• - Can operate as a network from an Internet
  connection (office PC)

Printed Circuit Board

• Relay
• Logic

Load Sensing
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Summary Points of Comparison

• Basic operations logic
• Minimal at best, for non-PLC controller
• Controller adjustability
• Minimal at best, for non-PLC controller
• System troubleshooting
• PLCs have a fault code system other devices do
  not

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Summary Points of Comparison (cont.)

• Remote location requirements
• NonPLC-based systems require site visit to
  assess operation status, troubleshoot, or gather
  data
• With PLCs and SCADA, information can be accessed
  from your office PC (or any Internet connection
  with Web-based SCADA)
• Advanced database/reporting/monitoring
  capabilities
• Only available with PLCs and SCADA

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Cost

• Cost of PLC System is based on
• How many devices require control
• Areal size of a facility
• Networking capability of PLC devices can control
  labor costs
• Fiber optic or Ethernet radio options (lightning
  strike protection) are available
• Types of data required for daily operations
• Run time of pumps recirculating leachate

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Costs (cont.)

• Types of environmental monitoring reports
  required
• Competition among manufacturers
• Several marketplace manufacturers help to control
  costs of PLCs

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Screen Demonstration
Closing Comments
Questions/Applications
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Screen Demonstration
Closing Comments
Questions/Applications
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Screen Demonstration
Closing Comments
Questions/Applications
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Screen Demonstration
Closing Comments
Questions/Applications