Bristol-Myers Squibb constructed a green field state of the art multi-product cell culture biologics drug substance manufacturing facility based in Dublin. This new facility represented the largest ever capital investment for the company of approximately $1 Billion.
As the first Bristol Myers Squibb biologics drug substance facility outside of the United States, the Cruiserath facility has the capability to deliver multiple products, produced at one location thus significantly increasing Bristol Myers Squibb global biologics manufacturing capacity.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Bristol-Meyers Squibb manufactures lifesaving drugs. For that manufacturing process to happen safely and in a clean environment, all clean rooms are built to a very high grade. The clean room environment, humidity and temperature, must be controlled very carefully. The project called for a reliable and flexible variable speed drive system facilitating the accurate control of AHU units. Furthermore, downtime was not permissible, and systems could not be offline for maintenance or other reasons.If one supply or return AHU fan was taken down for maintenance or replacement, then active standby units must ramp up to achieve the process demand. This must be a reliable “bump less” transfer. The solution at Bristol Myers Squibb was to install a Dual Fan AHU system with built in redundancy.
The project was required to contribute to the Bristol Myers Squibb 2020 sustainability goal for greenhouse gas emission reduction. The 2020 Greenhouse Gas project mandates that Bristol-Meyers Squibb globally reduces emissions by 5% from 2015 baseline figures. There was a need to partner with a variable speed drives company that would not just supply VSD units in a box, but offer a comprehensive design and commissioning solution to help Bristol-Meyers Squibb achieve this corporate goal.
ACS Drives and Control Systems, supplier of ABB drives in Ireland, was identified as the perfect partner, to optimise the control functionality of the dual fan AHU system and maximize energy savings. Other critical process systems were added to their scope of supply.
In the first instance, it was essential that ACS Drives and Control Systems, in conjunction with their global partner ABB, investigate the programming power embedded in ACS Drives and Control Systems 880 series Variable Speed Drive. The VSD on board PLC control was utilised to achieve control of AHU associated external motorized dampers and to receive feedback confirmation of all damper status and field interface devices. These critical process interlocks which would otherwise be directed to the building automation system (BAS) were connected to the variable speed drive itself, thus facilitating local diagnostics and rapid fault identification on the local VSD intelligent display. These diagnostic signals were repeated at the BAS.
Bristol-Meyers Squibb assessed the VSD against a number of criteria:
- How much could be fabricated at the VSD supplier workshop before the VSD units came to site
- Solved for any known operational or maintenance issues from other facilities, such as the propensity of variable speed drive enclosure panel filters to become clogged or blocked and enclosure fan failures.
- A design that could reduce the requirement for filters, and reduce the need for additional cooling fans by enabling natural cooling and airflow across the VSD.
- With efficiency in mind, there was an additional focus on reduce VSD enclosure internal component count, so as to manage maintenance complexity and enclosure cost.
- Reduction of the footprint of the VSD enclosure, with a compact design to fit neatly on the AHU, come ready made, tested and prepared to be installed on the side of the equipment.
From the outset Bristol-Meyers Squibb decided that the testing and commissioning of the VSD assemblies would be clearly defined in 2 separate phases of completion. These were “Construction phase 1”, and “CQV commissioning phase 2”.
Construction Phase 1
- This necessitated getting a variable speed drive unit that could be taken out of box, pre tagged, mounted on prepared supports and tested for mechanical completion at construction stage. The units came to site with base parameters pre-configured, thus enabling bump testing 24 x 7 at short notice with limited support from external sources ensuring that mechanical completion was taken over the line with minimum fuss.
CQV Commissioning Phase
- The CQV phase of the commissioning element included process validation and the involvement of Bristol-Meyers Squibb engineering and production disciplines not involved in the construction phase. Furthermore, this phase included final setting of all relevant protections, limits, power ride through, black start, digital communications and energy optimization parameters. This ensured the most reliable matchup between VSD configuration and process demand.
The Bristol-Meyers Squibb Cruiserath project was seen in the pharmaceutical world and the wider engineering world in Ireland, as a very large scale project. ACS Drives and Control Systems were privileged to tender and then win this prestigious contract. Meeting the project requirements demanded close cooperation from the start in design phase, installation phase, and commissioning phase which ensured that project milestones were met, the electrical contractors reached their hand over phase with the minimum amount of fuss and then the final CQV commissioning was done in the shortest possible time.
PARTNERSHIP
Bristol-Meyers Squibb and ACS Drives and Control Systems collaborated with a view to partnership with Jacobs Engineering.
Bristol-Meyers Squibb utilized the embedded features of the VSD, minimizing the requirement for external control devices, and thus reducing both DPU size and overall project costs. Streamlining the commissioning and startup phase ensured that the VSD and motor system was installed in accordance with the EMC directives, EN- 618003 for a Power Drive System, and ABB specific recommendations for good installation practice. As VSD supplier, ACS Drives and Control Systems took a hands-on approach, working closely with the electrical contractor to insist on compliance with best installation practice for grounding and cabling of a Variable Speed Drive system. Bristol-Meyers Squibb used the embedded SIL-rated safety features in the VSD that comply with the Functional Safety Directives in line with Machinery Directives.
With Bristol-Meyers Squibb 2020 Sustainability goals firmly in mind, the team focused heavily on energy consumption and ensuring that the final parameter settings would reduce KWhr. ACS Drives and Control Systems provided 24/7 x 365 technical support throughout all build phases, design, construction, commissioning, training and development, and is now providing a robust Service Level Agreement into the future. This is real partnership
SOLUTION DESIGN
Stephen Moore, Lead Electrical Engineer at Bristol-Meyers Squibb, has significant expertise on variable speed drives and motor installation. He involved ACS Drives and Control Systems at the detail design stage to come on board and help design the functional system with a view to efficiency, reliability, sustainability and reduced installation costs.
The design of the typical VSD enclosure was radically enhanced and the unique ACS Drives and Control Systems SlimBOX was installed. It’s compact design, aluminium glanding plates, no panel fans and filters with integrated airflow duct system, SIL rated safety functions, integrated E.Stop and local isolation, segregation of power and control wiring, external panel mounting lugs, symmetrical motor cable dedicated earth terminations, client specific cable termination sizes for power and control, IP 55 module inside, IP2x terminals and top or bottom entry are just a few of the standard enclosure upgrades. To further reduce MCC size, the VSD and associated controls were taken out of the main supply switchboard (MCC) and fitted in the SlimBOX.
When compared to a traditional, standard enclosure there are radical differences in the format of the VSD enclosure. Traditionally, the variable speed drive is “shoehorned” into the cabinet with clearances above the drive and below the drive which are usually outside of manufacturers recommendation.
- This creates the need for additional equipment adjacent to the VSD enclosure, absorbing a lot of additional space.
- The SlimBOX is designed to maximize compliance with EMC directives. ACS Drives and Control Systems achieve this by installing aluminium gland plates to ensure 360 degree grounding on all cable entry positions, both top and bottom.
- A further enhancement of ensuring that the drive was mounted close to the actual air handler meant that screened cable runs between the VSD and the motor were short, reducing the phenomenon of voltage reflection, common mode voltage levels, risk to bearings from ESD and complying with the VSD manufacturer maximum cable length requirement for EMC purpose.
- Traditionally there would be a normal air inlet louvre and outlet forced ventilation fan mounted on the enclosure. The SlimBOX removed the need for an air inlet louvre and outlet fan with associated control accessories such as control transformer, fusing and control thermostat.
- The SlimBOX VSD enclosure makes installation, maintenance and diagnostics easy, and enhances the contractor’s ability to achieve an EMC compliant installation.
EFFICIENCY AND UTILIZATION
Bristol-Meyers Squibb demanded that the system be configured for optimal efficiency.
An example of efficient energy utilisation was demonstrated:
- 11 kilowatt fan application running at 25 hertz while absorbing 56% current at the motor shaft.
- By entering the energy optimization group and triggering the flux optimization parameter, a fall in motor current without affecting the process speed or fan performance was achieved and demonstrated.
- In fact, the motor shaft power has reduced by 27%.
- This application is replicated many times across the site at various power ratings.
This simple parameter change has the potential to make a significant input to the site objectives and the contribution to Bristol-Meyers Squibb sustainability 2020 program. At Bristol-Meyers Squibb, the dual fan control method ensures that both supply and return fans operated at reduced speed and run continuously as “active standby”. This is typically 50% of motor nominal speed.
- For a centrifugal fan application this takes full advantage of the Affinity Law of physics. The power absorbed by the load is proportional to speed x power of three.
- This represents a power saving up to 80% in many applications.
- This relationship between power and speed can be applied to most quadratic torque loads.
The combined effect of this reduced speed control and VSD program optimization will have a dramatic effect on site power consumption.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT SIMULATOR
The AHU units onsite at Cruiserath will run 24/7 x 365. Therefore, utilities technicians, maintenance technicians or engineers working on the facility never have an opportunity to work live on the equipment, without disrupting the production process.
To support training and development, we developed a training simulation rig to provide hands on experience on how the unit works. All the essential system components were mounted on one single platform and made to work in both manual and auto modes of control. This will be a permanent fixture providing ongoing training and development opportunities, and critically – the facility to recreate faults. Typically, a fault may happen on a shift, overnight or weekend. The day support team may not hear of the fault until some time has elapsed, when it proves difficult to recreate or investigate the fault. The Training and Development Simulator enables us to reinstate the fault, log the cause and document the solution in a fault log. All operating systems including building automation, field controls and fire detection have been integrated into the simulator. We can therefore see which system caused the fault and what needs to be done to overcome that fault should it recur.
The Dual Fan AHU simulator contains all the control elements that are directly connected to the VSD system arranged on a display platform.
- This electrically functional system is designed to replicate all AHU key control elements and is interfaced with the main building automation system via a local DPU cabinet.
- The adjacent fire alarm demonstration unit is also connected to this fan control simulation rig. The outside air inlet damper supplies fresh air to two active parallel systems, creating a fully redundant solution.
- Either parallel section could be isolated individually from the main common air supply by means of two associated isolation dampers on the inlet and outlet side of each fan unit.
- Should one unit fail the running active standby increases speed to meet process demand.
- The large outlet air main damper is controlled by three actuator units on a common louvre.
- The supply air section has frost thermostat and overpressure switch protection and the system is interfaced with the fire alarm I/O unit.
- The supply section control philosophy is replicated on the return side with an additional BAS controlled mixing damper permitting recirculation of a controlled amount of air.
- All control devices are interfaced with the ACS Drives and Control Systems 880 Drive units via an interface cabinet.
- In conjunction with this interface cabinet, the ACS Drives and Control Systems 880 embedded adaptive programming software is used to eliminate the requirement for relay logic control of damper actuators and damper status feedback. Expensive PLC I/O points are minimized in this way. PLC hardware costs were dramatically reduced, I/O point cabling is eliminated, PLC programming time is reduced and the DPU footprint is smaller by up to 50% in some cases.
- In the event of the AHU unit losing communications over the embedded Modbus, manual control is available at the VSD units.
- A further enhancement was the installation of a jog button at the SlimBOX. The jog functionality is limited in VSD software to low speed operation at 5 hertz for a short duration of 5 seconds and is only available in hand control mode. It is designed to permit bump testing for function and direction following maintenance only. SIL rated emergency stop functionality is available to test for each VSD motor unit, a motor brake function has been installed to simulate a motor load and stall condition. This unique Training and Development Simulator can now be used to test process enhancements and verify integrity of new control methodology prior to on-line implementation into the future.
SUMMARY
The ultimate objective was to get a reliable system that will maintain air flow to a critical manufacturing operation on the Cruiserath site. What made this project special was the approach taken by Bristol-Meyers Squibb, and in particular our valued partner, Steven Moore. Stephen’s visionary approach was unprecedented in the industry. He wanted to break the mould as to how this project should be managed overall, and his radical approach to the project design, delivery, installation, commissioning and lifecycle support was highly innovative and ultimately highly productive.
Through partnership, the primary objectives were achieved.
- Reduced project costs
- Reduced energy consumption
- Reduced maintenance complexity and costs
- An active standby system
- Intelligent diagnostics
- A compliant installation in accordance with VSD manufacturer guidelines and EMC directives
Having created the platform for growth, we now must build on the strengths of this system, by extracting data from all the Drive PowerTrain components i.e. VSD , motor, fan or pump, and utilise this critical information in the ABB Ability Program to create further efficiencies and predictive maintenance algorithms and to make this essential process data available to Bristol Myers Squibb.