Projects
Smart Booster Pressure Control Programme
Scotts Automation developed and deployed an intelligent Siemens PLC and HMI pressure-control solution across more than 20 NI Water pumping stations.
Modernising Pressure Control Across Northern Ireland
Scotts Automation has delivered the Smart Booster Pressure Control solution across more than 20 NI Water treated-water pumping stations, modernising legacy pressure-control systems with intelligent PLC and HMI technology.
The programme was developed to improve pressure management across NI Water’s clean-water distribution network, helping to reduce leakage, strengthen operational visibility and enhance network resilience.
By replacing legacy PID controllers with a standardised Siemens automation platform, the programme provides NI Water with a more reliable, maintainable and scalable control solution.
The Challenge
NI Water’s existing variable-pressure systems successfully adjusted pumping-station discharge pressure according to network demand. However, the legacy equipment presented several operational challenges:
- Intermittent communication failures between telemetry and PID controllers
- Manual power cycling following communication loss
- Limited visibility of local system operation
- Difficult fault diagnosis during maintenance visits
- A need for a scalable and standardised solution across multiple sites
These limitations became the key drivers behind the Smart Booster upgrade programme.
Intelligent Automated Pressure Control
NI Water’s existing variable-pressure systems successfully adjusted pumping-station discharge pressure according to network demand. However, the legacy equipment presented several operational challenges:
- Intermittent communication failures between telemetry and PID controllers
- Manual power cycling following communication loss
- Limited visibility of local system operation
- Difficult fault diagnosis during maintenance visits
- A need for a scalable and standardised solution across multiple sites
These limitations were the key drivers for the Smart Booster upgrade programme.
NI Water Pumping Stations Upgraded
Selectable Pressure-Control Modes
Standardised Automation Platform
Improved Reliability, Visibility and Control
The Smart Booster programme has delivered a proven and scalable pressure-control solution across NI Water’s clean-water network.
Key benefits include:
- Improved pressure management
- Support for leakage reduction through intelligent variable-pressure control
- Increased system reliability and resilience
- Enhanced local and remote operator visibility
- Faster fault diagnosis
- Reduced maintenance intervention
- Consistent PLC and HMI architecture across multiple sites
- Improved telemetry integration
- Automatic failsafe operation during communication or instrumentation faults
- Simplified commissioning and ongoing maintenance
Through the deployment of more than 20 installations, Scotts Automation has demonstrated its ability to deliver complex water-industry automation projects from design and manufacture through to software development, commissioning and ongoing support.
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT
Modernise Your Control Systems
Looking to improve the reliability, visibility or efficiency of your automation systems? Scotts delivers intelligent, scalable control solutions from panel design and manufacture through to software development, telemetry integration and commissioning. Speak to our team about your next automation project.