Visualization and control of the remote reading of heat meters at CEZ
November 6, 2017 | Reliance SCADA
In 2016, the Czech company MARTIA implemented a system for the visualization and control of the remote reading of heat meters at CEZ.
The objective of the project was to replace the existing software for the remote reading of CEZ Group's heat meters while minimizing the costs of exchanging and modifying the heat meters' communication modules.
It had to be decided how to receive and send text messages, how to decode their binary data, and, first and foremost, how to connect the new software to the SAP billing system.
A network diagram
Another request from the customer was to divide the system into five localities.
In total, there are about 3,100 heat meters communicating via a SMS-based binary protocol and about 200 meters read directly by M-Bus Communication Driver.
Four localities are equipped with stand-alone servers, each of which has a GSM modem for receiving and sending text messages. It was requested for the fifth locality that the new software have no physical server, the existing corporate data center be utilized instead, and the entire system run on a virtual server. Due to the existence of the virtual server, the customer requested a solution to avoid using the GSM modem, utilize the existing O2 SMS Connector, and carry out the transfer of text messages through SOAP communication directly to the operator. Using Reliance's Web service, this server is connected to the CEZ ICT Services monitoring center.
The advantage of using the Reliance SCADA system is that every user can access the meter reading system via Reliance Web Client. Both the HTTP and HTTPS communication protocols are used.
Communication with the SAP billing system is provided through the existing SAP transactions – a meter reading sheet is generated and then imported into the meter reading software. Based on the criteria specified, this software searches for billing data in an SQL database and prepares the completed meter reading sheet for import into the SAP system.
From the point of view of SMS reception, the meter reading system is built as completely passive. Users do not have to enter and configure individual meters into the system at the consumption sites. All incoming text messages are processed by Reliance scripts and decoded data is stored the SQL server's tables. In a heat meter, only the telephone number of the meter reading server to which text messages are sent is stored. Then, pairing data to the SAP system is performed according to the serial number of the heat meter (this number is part of the SMS data). Individual SMS readings can thus be added and removed without changing the Reliance visualization project and with no need for administrator intervention at the software side. The visualization project must only be changed when modifying or extending a reading by the M-Bus driver.
Examples of visualization windows
Text messages
Data export for the SAP system
M-Bus reading
O2 SMS Connector
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Country
Czechia
Title
Visualization and control of the remote reading of heat meters at CEZ
Implemented by
MARTIA
Year
2016
Control system
CODEA communication modules
SCADA software
2 x Reliance 4 Combi Package Enterprise with 3,000 data points
1 x Reliance 4 Combi Package Enterprise with 500 data points
2 x Reliance 4 Control Server with 50 data points
5 x SMS Driver
3 x M-Bus Communication Driver
10 x Reliance 4 Web Client
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