Honeywell Alarm Management Technology Making Plants and Pipelines Safer, More Productive

HOUSTON, Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE:HON) Process Solutions announced today that its DynAMo™ alarm management technology is improving safety and productivity at more than 100 process plants and pipelines around the world by helping operators better and more quickly evaluate alarm situations in control rooms.

Plants and pipelines are increasingly relying on numerous automation systems, which can produce more than 1,000 system alarms in a given day. The number of alarms can often overwhelm operators, a problem that leads to lower production and increased safety incidents that cost the process industry billions of dollars every year, according to the Abnormal Situation Management^® (ASM) Consortium, an industry group dedicated to advancing process technology

"The DynAMo solution, which was launched in November 2013, allows plant operators to tune out noise and focus on critical situations by more efficiently managing and evaluating alarms," said Ali Raza, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Process Solutions. "This allows operators to more easily detect and prevent problems, and to develop and implement effective alarm management strategies aligned with industry-recognized guidelines and standards."

DynAMo is based on Honeywell's 20-plus years of alarm management experience in the process industries. DynAMo reduces control room alarms by up to 80 percent by allowing operators to create customizable dashboards on computers or mobile devices that allow them to view the alarm system health at a glance. This allows operators to better and more quickly diagnosis alarms and their causes and consequence on one console.

Honeywell has licensed DynAMo technology at plants in Australia, Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, among others, as companies work to increase the efficiencies of their control rooms.

Richard Wawrzon, process engineering and control team leader for Qenos Pty Ltd., Australia's leading supplier of polyethylene and polymers, said, "High quality tools to manage and maintain process alarm systems are critical to running petrochemical plants. Honeywell's DynAMo Alarm Suite has sensibly integrated analysis, documentation and notification tools to provide support engineers with an efficient way to stay in control of process alarm systems. Once process safety is being looked after, key resources can focus on production efficiency."

As a global alarm management solution provider, Honeywell recognized the severity of alarm problems at industrial sites and delivered an effective tool for assisting in optimizing alarm management programs, which are intended to prevent alarm floods and reduce operator loading. With the DynAMo Alarm Suite, personnel can monitor alarm issues based on their specific roles and take action before abnormal situations escalate. A new, customizable, role-based dashboard enables operators, engineers and managers to view the health of their alarm system at a glance. The software has added mobile device compatibility for viewing alarm metrics at any time, from almost any location.

Chris Lucas, gas control team leader for Alliance Pipeline in Canada, said, "We chose Honeywell to provide our alarm management solution because its DynAMo Alarm Suite will help us meet our alarm philosophy and control room management plan objectives. Honeywell's involvement with the ASM Consortium and the American Petroleum Institute also weighed into our decision, as did integration with the control system of our choice."

DynAMo Alarm Suite works with any control system as well as complementing Honeywell's Experion^® PKS system. The alarm software provides a single window into alarm system performance and regulatory compliance, helping companies adhere to industry standards such as ISA 18.2, EEMUA 191, API 1167, and PHMSA.

Honeywell also provides a variety of services to help customers get the most out of their alarm management strategy. This includes alarm rationalization, alarm philosophy and strategy, workshops, best practices training and other services to enable customers to focus on alarm management priorities.

Honeywell Process Solutions (www.honeywellprocess.com) is a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas; refining; pulp and paper; industrial power generation; chemicals and petrochemicals; biofuels; life sciences; and metals, minerals and mining industries. Process Solutions is part of Honeywell's Performance Materials and Technologies strategic business group, which also includes UOP, a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials.  For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

SOURCE Honeywell