GEI-100485

GE Industrial Systems

Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

These instructions do not purport to cover all details or variations in equipment, nor to
provide for every possible contingency to be met during installation, operation, and
maintenance. If further information is desired or if particular problems arise that are not
covered sufficiently for the purchasers purpose, the matter should be referred to GE
Industrial Systems.
This document contains proprietary information of General Electric Company, USA, and is
furnished to its customer solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation,
and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced in
whole or in part, nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written
approval of GE Industrial Systems.

Section

Page

Introduction..................................................................................................................2
System Configuration ..................................................................................................2
Graphics and Alarms....................................................................................................3
Standardized Graphics ..........................................................................................3
Enhanced Navigation............................................................................................4
Real-Time Trends .................................................................................................4
Pre-Configured Short Term Trend Files ...............................................................4
Quick Trends ........................................................................................................4
Alarm Viewer .......................................................................................................4
Alarm Management ..............................................................................................5
Communications ..........................................................................................................5
Optional Functions.......................................................................................................5
Historian ...............................................................................................................5
Timesync Function ...............................................................................................6
PC Timesync.........................................................................................................6
IRIG-B ..................................................................................................................6
Application-Specific Features......................................................................................6
SPEEDTRONICTM Turbine Control.....................................................................6
ICS/BOP Control ..................................................................................................8
Technical Specifications ..............................................................................................8
Options.........................................................................................................................9

ARCNET is a registered trademark of that Datapoint Corporation.

CIMPLICITY is a registered trademark of GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc.
Ethernet is a trademark of the Xerox Corporation.
HP is a registered trademark of the Hewlett-Packard Company.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Modbus is a trademark of Gould, Inc.
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
SPEEDTRONIC is a trademark of General Electric Company, USA.
Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Introduction
The Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is powerful, flexible, and user-friendly
operator interface with functions for real-time control and monitoring. The HMI can
be configured as an operator interface for a variety of equipment, such as gas
turbines, steam turbines, hydraulic turbines, generator excitation systems, static
starters, compressors, heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), and balance of plant
(BOP) auxiliaries.
Today, more power generation units and functions are becoming integrated to
achieve higher efficiencies with improved reliability and operator visualization. This
requires that HMI systems deliver process information from a broader spectrum of
controllers and computer platforms. Operators are demanding a comprehensive
solution to meet their requirements, no longer accepting multiple interface systems,
each dedicated to their respective control systems.
The HMI system is playing an increasing role in delivering information to other
members of the business management team. Users are demanding more integrated
HMI systems to measure total plant operating efficiency, regulatory values, and data
for business analysis. This means that future HMI systems must be able to access and
deliver information to the business enterprise system as well as communicate to BOP
control systems. Such enhanced functionality requires a more integrated solution
using open operating systems and hardware platforms.
Systems span from simple
retrofits involving
replacement of a single
existing <I> processor to
complete HMI or Industrial
Control Systems (ICS)
systems on new plant
installations.

The HMI system infrastructure meets these demanding requirements. Its open
system design uses standard hardware and operating system software. The HMIs
software system uses the Microsoft Windows NT client-server architecture.
Windows NT provides built-in multi-tasking, networking, and security features. The
ability to run the system on conventional PC-based platforms minimizes cost,
promotes open interfaces, permits system scalability, and ensures longevity of
investment and future performance enhancement.

System Configuration
The HMI system incorporates
GEs latest technology to
produce a superior product
for the power generation
industry.

The HMI system integrates plant operation at a single level. Plant operators and
engineers can view and control plant equipment using a common interface. The HMI
hardware platform uses conventional PC hardware running the Windows NT
operating system. Turbine specific application software is used as the core software
for system maintenance, troubleshooting, and operation. GE Fanucs
CIMPLICITY HMI software is utilized for graphical interface and some support
functions.

2 Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

GEI-100485 Product Description

The HMI system can provide plant visualization for control systems that span a wide
range of equipment, such as:

Mark IV Gas Turbine Control

Mark V Gas or Steam Turbine Control

Mark VI Gas or Steam Turbine Control

EX2000 Generator Exciter

LCI Static-Starters

Engineering Workstations for System Tools

System and Documentation Printers

Ethernet Networking Components

ARCNET Networking Components

Integrated Third Party Systems

HRSG Controllers

Balance of Plant Controllers

The HMI provides a common view for the operators and maintenance personnel into
the system equipment. Interconnections for plant control, display, and data
accumulation are made through ARCNET and/or Ethernet data highways.

Graphics and Alarms

The HMI provides the required access to control systems for operation and
maintenance of the process. The HMI uses the graphics and alarm features of the
CIMPLICITY software to provide the seamless integration of controls from a variety
of applications.
The graphic displays offer realistic, 3-D viewing in a real-time environment,
providing superior monitoring capabilities over other systems. Because the key
functions of the HMI are the display of data and processing of operator commands,
the screens show a variety of signals, including their values and units. Display items
change color based on logic signals, while certain objects are dynamic and refresh
with every data update, like bar graphs. High-speed viewing allows the displayed
data to be updated once per second, and special tools allow for collection and storage
of data at rates as fast as 10 ms.
HMI graphic displays include main unit, vibration, sensor readings, control setpoints,
alarms, permissives, logic forcing, demand display, sequence editor, dynamic rung
display, trip history display, trending, and many others depending on the application.

Standardized Graphics
The HMI screens are developed using preconfigured graphic building blocks that
brings commonality to all screens used in a turbine, HRSG, BOP, exciter, or any
application using the HMI. These building blocks also permit easy and consistent
screen development or modification.

GEI-100485 Product Description

Human-Machine Interface (HMI) 3

Enhanced Navigation

Allows access to any screen

Selected screen is indicated by a highlighted button

Real-Time Trends
HMI trending allows analysis of the HMI data on a real-time scale with:

Multiple charts per graphic screen

Default parameters for easy setup; fully configurable by the user

Unlimited number of points per screen

Configurable colors, fonts, line styles, and legend

Different plotting rates per pen

Ability to dynamically switch pens

Separate axis available for each pen

Ability to scroll forward and backward through plotted areas

Smooth and step lines

User definable labels for pen lines

Ability to dynamically change trends at runtime

Pre-Configured Short Term Trend Files

Startup

Generator resistance temperature devices (RTDs)

Exhaust thermocouples

Bearing metal and drain temperatures

Seismic vibration

Wheelspace temperatures

Quick Trend
Quick Trends allows a user to select any point on an operator screen, which displays
a dialog box pop-up menu for that point without having to preconfigure the trend.

Alarm Viewer
Alarm Viewer allows you to view alarms from any HMI on the network.
With the click of a mouse, the
static alarm view can be
updated to display current
alarms.

It supports both dynamic and static modes. Dynamic mode displays alarms as they
occur. Static mode allows the operator to freeze the scrolling as needed to address an
alarm condition. Meanwhile, the HMI software continues to monitor and record all
new alarm events.

4 Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

GEI-100485 Product Description

Alarm Management
The HMI's Alarm Management helps the operator respond appropriately to alarms. It
includes the following:

Main alarm display with all plant alarms

Alarm lockout for toggling alarm conditions. Locked alarms continue to be

represented on the unit or plant alarm displays, so that an active alarm is
displayed as either active or locked.

An alarm notepad function that allows the operator to add an explanatory note to
each active alarm drop number for each panel. These notes can be viewed from
the alarm display.

Control system equipment diagnostic alarm display. Operators can recognize

these separately from regular alarms or events.

Alarm printing to print all alarms, only process alarms, or only diagnostic
alarms.

Communications
For Ethernet TCP/IP communication to third party equipment (such as DCS
systems), the HMI provides GE standard messages (GSM) and Modbus protocol.
GSM application layer protocols support four classes of application level messages:
administration, event-driven, periodic data, and common request messages (refer to
GEI-100165 for the protocol format).
The speed of this interface
may limit the amount of data
that can be accommodated.

Alternatively, communication to remote distribution control system (DCS)

equipment is available through a Modbus interface, where the HMI acts as a slave to
the DCS master. Such a system allows an operator at a remote location to initiate any
operator command, and to monitor data from the Mark V and Mark VI controller
signal database.

Optional Functions
Historian
The HMI supports a Windows NT-based Historian computer, which collects and
stores data from the control units for later analysis. The GE Historian, using
proportional integral (PI) and PI-Process Book software from OSI Software,
provides a package designed to collect, store, and present archival plant data. Data
time-tags are retained, and data can be analyzed by Process Book or by exporting to
a variety of commercial spreadsheet or database programs.
Note The Historian gathers its data directly from the control network. Historian
data for display by the HMI and other systems is passed over the Ethernet data
highway.
The HMI can access the historical data for certain structured functions using the
historical data plot program and historical alarm and event report.
A historical data plot program plots up to six historical points versus time. The
operator can specify the start time, elapsed time, list of points and scaling. The HMI
plots can be displayed, printed, or saved to a file for further processing. Multiple
plots can be displayed simultaneously.

GEI-100485 Product Description

Human-Machine Interface (HMI) 5

The historical alarm and event report displays alarms, events and sequence of events
(SOE) for a specified time range, in a format similar to the normal alarm display.
The report can be displayed, printed, or saved to file.

Timesync Function
Time synchronization capability is provided in the HMI, in both low and high
resolution forms. Redundant time masters can be used in any combination of low or
high resolution masters. When redundant masters are available, all Turbine control
panels and operator interface units automatically select the same, highest quality
time master. Failure of the selected master results in selection of another common
master by the entities on the link.

PC Timesync
The low-resolution form of time synchronization is based on local HMI PC clocks.
This form holds slave PCs within a steady-state error of 250 ms of the master PCs
clock.

IRIG-B
The high resolution form of time synchronization uses an optional processing board
in the PC. It can track externally generated IRIG-B modulated time code signals, to
produce synchronization with a steady-state error of 1 ms. GPS receivers for the
IRIG-B signals can be provided by either GE or the customer.

Application-Specific Features
The base HMI package is expanded when turbine control application software is
added. The Mark V and Mark VI turbine controls add significant features unique to
each control system.

SPEEDTRONICTM Turbine Control

When the HMI is paired with either the Mark V or the Mark VI turbine control, the
turbine control software tools can be added to as an integral part of the HMI. The
turbine control is based on the GE Control Systems Toolbox (toolbox). The HMI
becomes an even more powerful interface by adding maintenance and
troubleshooting functions described in the following table.

6 Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

GEI-100485 Product Description

Maintenance and Troubleshooting Functions

Function

Mark V

Mark VI

Demand Display

Gives the operators and technicians a special easily configured screen

that displays multiple data to help troubleshoot system problems. Simple
commands may also be issued from this screen, eliminating the need to
jump back and forth between several screens.

Logic Forcing

Enables the user to force logic signals within the control sequencing. This
allows faster and easier forcing of critical control signals to enhance
troubleshooting of the turbine control process and the Mark V and Mark VI
control.

Dynamic Rung
Display

Is a live display of the sequencing status. This provides the user a quick
check of the control status for more precise troubleshooting of turbine and
control status.

Prevote Data Display

Control Constants

Can be viewed and changed without the need to shutdown and

reconfigure the database.

Autocalibrate

Provides a quick and easy function to calibrate the stroke of turbine

devices at the control panel without having to install costly delicate and
time-consuming precision measuring equipment at the turbine device.

Trip History

Trip History

Description

Shows the status of the three primary controllers in a TMR control system,
which allows quicker pinpointing of problems.

Collects a set of data for a trip history to enable analysis of trip events.
The data set covers a time frame that spans the actual trip. On a trip
event, the HMI collects the trip history data from the turbine controller to
avoid it being overwritten. The trip history data can be plotted, printed as
tabular data, or transmitted electronically for remote analysis. The data
set for the previous nine trip events for each turbine control is retained.

Captures critical turbine trip data captured in a capture block. The size
and specifications of the capture block is set up by the user and utilizes
the Data Historian utility that is part of the Mark VI toolbox software
product. The trip log can be viewed with the toolbox.

Shows an X-Y display of real and reactive power. The plot shows three
lines of generator capability as a function of generator coolant
temperature or hydrogen pressure.

Reactive Capability
Display

Manual Synchronizing
Display

Provides a graphical display of a synchroscope and other critical

operating parameters that allows manual synchronization of the generator
breaker from a HMI.

Hold List

Is for steam turbine systems that have Automatic Turbine Startup (ATS)
functions. The hold list is a set of conditions that must be met at certain
times, speeds, and operating modes in the turbine startup. The HMI
provides for the creation, modification, display, printing, down and
uploading, compiling, and reverse translation of a hold list of up to 64
points.

Diagnostic Counters
Display

Provides information on internal control and I/O card functions used for
troubleshooting and/or statistical data gathering.

Control Signals

Can be displayed on dedicated screens as Events (any database signal)

or as SOE (contact inputs). The SOE data is timetagged to 1 ms providing
a powerful troubleshooting tool.

Timer/Counter
Display

Shows accumulated running times for equipment. For a gas turbine, this
would be a fired-hours counter or starts counter.

Configuration Tools

GEI-100485 Product Description

For maintaining and modifying the Mark V system parameters are part of
the Mark V toolset. These parameters include such items as I/O
configuration, control constants, sequencing and trip logs.

Human-Machine Interface (HMI) 7

ICS/BOP Control
When the HMI is used in our ICS product line or as a BOP control interface then the
toolset from the ICS/BOP product becomes part of the HMI and the HMI can be
expanded to include the maintenance and troubleshooting functions contained in the
application software.

Technical Specifications
HMI Servers (minimum configuration):

450 MHz Pentium II processor

64 MB RAM (128M on HMI Server)

512 KB cache memory

Hard drive 3.2 GB

Floppy drive 1.44 MB

Video card with 2 MB DRAM

17-inch monitor

24X CD-ROM with multi-read capability

2 serial and 1 parallel port

Windows NT operating system

Keyboard

Mouse

Ethernet interface

ARCNET card

Modem (on HMI Server)

8 Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

GEI-100485 Product Description

Options
Industrial Grade HMI Server
Monitors
The HMI monitor is available in several sizes and types. Please consult the factory
for the latest available selections.
Printers
Dot Matrix Printer

Wide carriage 24 pin dot matrix

Centronics parallel interface

Tractor feed mechanism

Laser Printer

Hewlett-Packard laser printer

12 pages per minute or better

600 x 600 dpi

HP JetDirect Ethernet card

Capable of handling tabloid (11x17) or A4 media

Color Printer

Hewlett Packard color inkjet printer

Eight pages per minute black at 600 x 600 dpi

One to three pages per minute color at 300 x 300 dpi

HP JetDirect Ethernet card

Capable of handling tabloid (11x17) or A4 media

Functions

GEI-100485 Product Description

Historian

Timesync

Human-Machine Interface (HMI) 9

Notes

g
Issue date: 2000-06-23
2000 by General Electric Company, USA.
All rights reserved.
+ 1 540 387 7000
www.GEindustrial.com

GE Industrial Systems
General Electric Company
1501 Roanoke Blvd.
Salem, VA 24153-6492 USA