A clean and safe water supply —and the water system that delivers it— is an everyday necessity. The water distribution system is the essential link between the water supply source and the consumer. People need water to live. Companies need water to work and make goods
The SCADA system designed and implemented by Nextra is used to manage the distribution system by controlling and monitoring parameters like :
Improving the water distribution services has lead inevitably to an increased dependence on IT infrastructure (data network, servers, etc). This is why we always work together with the client IT specialists to find the best solution. The use of SCADA means huge gains in reliability and productivity.
SCADA software
The SCADA systems implemented by NEXTRA are used to monitor and control geographically dispersed assets and to collect remote data. Centralized data acquisition and analysis allow the SCADA system to take the best decisions for optimum systems operation. Our software is used to control both the water distribution and the wastewater collection systems.
We use SCADA to manage treatment and distribution operations (like pumps, valves on/off commands) and remotely monitor and control, pressures and flows in pipelines. In addition, SCADA performs data logging, alarming, and diagnostic functions so that large, complicated process systems can be operated in a safe manner and maintained by a centrally located and relatively small staff.
HMI (Human Machine Interface)
Operators interact with the system or process through the HMI. It allows human operators to monitor the state of a process under control, modify control settings to change the control objective, and manually override automatic control operations in the event of an emergency. Control engineers use HMI to configure set points or control algorithms and parameters in the control system. The HMI also displays process status information, historical information, reports, and other information to operators, administrators, managers and other authorized users. The location, platform, and interface may vary alot. For example, an HMI could be a dedicated platform on a PC, a laptop on a wireless local area network (LAN), or a browser on a tablet connected to the Internet. More than that the sysadmins know in deep detail the system architecture because they are working on a daily basis with it. This leads to significantly smaller implementation time in case of complex architectures. For all the above reasons we always work closely with the client’s staff to provide customized data flows and screen designs tailored on the operators exact need.
Local Processors
Local processors, such as PLCs and remote terminal units (RTUs) allow for automatic control of process instruments and operating equipment. Many of PLCs and all RTUs are our own brand and we already delivered hundreds of them for the market. These devices acquire data, communicate to other devices, and perform local monitoring, processing, and control. Since we are the manufacturer of these devices along with the SCADA software, this means improved implementation time and reduced project costs compared to other competitors on the market.
Instruments and Operating Equipment
Water and wastewater systems functionality are based on measurement points that need to be monitored in real time for optimal and safe process control. Our SCADA implementations are always based on the clients indications to instruct the local processors to start or stop any devices based on their specific exact needs and on their local knowledge base. We strongly believe that only in this way the automation process and the MCC cabinets can be designed and implemented to fulfill the particular needs of the client.