Despite lower prices for Power Plant Training Simulators and the increasing cost of lost plant output, many plants continue to rely on classroom and on-the-job training of plant operators.
Even where modern plant control systems are in use lack of recent operator experience can have adverse effects on start-up times, response and recovery times, unnecessary trips and plant damage. Human error remains a factor in some accidents.
Operator skills needed to manage unusual or abnormal events can only be developed through repeated practice that cannot be gained during normal operation and on-the-job training. Operators can be trained on a simulator to recognise and manage unusual procedures or abnormal events without risk of lost output or plant damage.
The avoidance of a single incident alone can, in some cases, justify the investment in an operator training simulator. Simulators are widely recognised as the most valuable and effective way of training new and experienced operators and technical personnel.
Costec Systems has extensive experience in building and delivering full or part-scope high-fidelity site-specific training simulators for plants using control systems from most major vendors using simulated, emulated or virtualised controls.
We use the Netalyser simulator development and user environment to facilitate the rapid configuration and validation of plant models, connection to third party control systems and user interfaces, and easy to use instructor functionality.
The Netalyser SMS includes an Interventions Manager which allows pre-determined user-programmable malfunction scenarios requiring operator intervention for corrective action to be invoked by the instructor during a training session. For more advanced skills training, competency testing or “what-if” analysis, tailored scenarios built up from multiple events can be created using the Scenario Editor.