Projecto de um sistema de controlo remoto para as comportas a jusante da barragem da Central Hidroeléctrica da Chicamba (CHC)

Abstract

In industrial environments, remote monitoring and control systems play an essential role, enabling the remote supervision and management of processes, equipment, and systems. This capability contributes to increased operational efficiency by minimizing the need for human intervention, speeding up response times, and promoting greater operational optimization. In this context, we propose the development of a remote-control system for the gates downstream of the Chicamba Hydroelectric Power Plant (CHC) dam, aiming to modernize and improve the efficiency of these devices. The gates, currently operated manually on site, play a fundamental role in plant safety and maintenance, allowing water to be discharged after turbine operation and sealing the suction pipe for possible inspections or repairs. The lack of a remote-control system compromises operational flexibility and worker safety. The proposed system uses incremental encoder position sensors and limit switches to precisely monitor the electric winch movement, and frequency inverters to control the gate actuation speed. The Human-Machine Interface (HMI) developed will allow real-time monitoring of the gate position, increasing reliability, reducing response time to failures, and avoiding unnecessary displacements. The implementation will be based on the Siemens S7-1200 PLC, programmed in the TIA Portal environment, ensuring robustness and integration with modern automation systems. The proposal contributes to the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of dam operations.