Honeywell Process Solutions has announced that its DynAMo alarm management technology is improving safety and productivity at more than 100 process plants and pipelines around the world by helping operators better and more quickly evaluate alarm situations in control rooms.
Plants and pipelines are increasingly relying on numerous automation systems, which can produce more than 1000 system alarms in a given day. The number of alarms can often overwhelm operators, a problem that leads to lower production and increased safety incidents that cost the process industry billions of dollars every year, according to the Abnormal Situation Management (ASM) Consortium, an industry group dedicated to advancing process technology.
“The DynAMo solution, which was launched in November 2013, allows plant operators to tune out noise and focus on critical situations by efficiently managing and evaluating alarms,” said Ali Raza, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Process Solutions. “This allows operators to detect and prevent problems, and to develop and implement effective alarm management strategies aligned with industry-recognised guidelines and standards.”
DynAMo is based on Honeywell’s 20-plus years of alarm management experience in the process industries. It reduces control room alarms up to 80% by allowing operators to create customisable dashboards on computers or mobile devices that allow them to view the alarm system health at a glance. This allows operators to diagnosis alarms and their causes and consequence on one console.
Honeywell has licensed DynAMo technology at plants in Australia, Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, among others, as companies work to increase the efficiencies of their control rooms.
Richard Wawrzon, process engineering and control team leader for Qenos, Australia’s leading supplier of polyethylene and polymers, said, “High quality tools to manage and maintain process alarm systems are critical to running petrochemical plants. Honeywell’s DynAMo alarm suite has sensibly integrated analysis, documentation and notification tools to provide support engineers with an efficient way to stay in control of process alarm systems. Once process safety is being looked after, key resources can focus on production efficiency.”
As a global alarm management solution provider, Honeywell recognised the severity of alarm problems at industrial sites and delivered an effective tool for assisting in optimising alarm management programmes, which are intended to prevent alarm floods and reduce operator loading. With DynAMo, personnel can monitor alarm issues based on their specific roles and take action before abnormal situations escalate. A new, customisable, role-based dashboard enables operators, engineers and managers to view the health of their alarm system at a glance. The software has added mobile device compatibility for viewing alarm metrics at any time, from almost any location.
Chris Lucas, gas control team leader for Alliance Pipeline in Canada, said, “We chose Honeywell to provide our alarm management solution because its DynAMo suite will help us meet our alarm philosophy and control room management plan objectives. Honeywell’s involvement with the ASM Consortium and the American Petroleum Institute also weighed into our decision, as did integration with the control system of our choice.”
DynAMo works with any control solution as well as complementing Honeywell’s Experion PKS system. The alarm software provides a single window into alarm system performance and regulatory compliance, helping companies adhere to industry standards such as ISA 18.2, EEMUA 191, API 1167, and PHMSA.
Honeywell also provides a variety of services to help customers get the most out of their alarm management strategy. This includes alarm rationalisation, alarm philosophy and strategy, workshops, best practices training and other services to enable customers to focus on alarm management priorities.
For more information contact Boni Magudulela, Honeywell Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 695 8000, boni.magudulela@honeywell.com, www.honeywell.com
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