Automation and Dispatching of Utility Systems (Building Management System, Automated Dispatch Management System, Automatic Control)

Buildings use 41% of all the consumed world electrical power. Out of this power 85% is spent on heating and cooling of premises, 15% is spent as electrical power (for example, lighting). In the coming years a considerable rise in power cost is expected.

Building Automation and dispatching system (Building Management System) is a brain of the building and the most important element of efficient control of electrical power consumption, current operational costs, as well as operability of equipment. Building management system is an item where mechanical and electrical systems connect with controllers, which interact one with another to optimize the facility operation.

A modern building is a “Machine for living” with numerous utilities such as:

• general and smoke protection ventilation
• air conditioning and cold supply
• heating and heat supply
• gas supply
• water treatment, water supply and sewage
• anti-freeze and snow melting
• electrical power supply, indoor and outdoor lighting
• communication and security systems
• fire extinguishing and fire alarm
• lifts and hoists
• other process systems

It is necessary to enable coordinated operation of the above systems during designing and implementation of building utilities automation.

Current Building Automation and Control System Structure

The main principle is an open, distributed multi-level control system:

• level 1 (field devices), these are initial sensors and actuators, as well as devices for reconciling initial sensor signals with inputs of controllers;
• level 2 (automation), these are controllers with hard logic, programmable logic controllers, remote input/output modules
• level 3 (control) is a server, automated work stations.

Standard data transmission protocols, such as Modbus, BacNet, LonWorks, СANBus, ASI, Harting, KNX, Profibus, Profinet, DeviseNet, Etherrnet, OPC-servers etc. are used for informational exchange between levels.
 
Building Automation System Functions

• optimization of utility equipment operating modes, reconciling of interconnected utilities operation
• collection, reprocessing and displaying information about the utility equipment condition in the form of active mnemonics, tables, graphs and other visualization schemes in real time
• implementation of the equipment item operation routine
• setting of operating modes by hand
• automation of diagnostics and monitoring maintenance intervals of utility system equipment;
• alarm in case of parameter deviation from the set ones and in case of utility equipment failure
• registration, storage of information on emergency situations and personnel actions
• automation of accumulation and storage of information regarding system functioning, process parameter trend database management, accounting of cycle time, switching of equipment items operation and displaying information in the form of report reviews, tables and diagrams
• automated technical accounting arrangement of consumed power resources
• delineation of engineering personnel power and responsibilities

ST Solution has an experience in implementation of complex building automation and dispatching systems. Our specialists work with controllers of such manufacturers as Siemens, Schneider Danfoss, ABB, Carel, Beckhoff, B&R, Phoenix Contact, Wago, Rockwell, Mitsubishi and others.