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FieldServer Helps Kennedy Space Center Launch New HVAC System

Enables LonWorks DDC Seamlessly Integrate with Existing Network

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the primary NASA center for the test, checkout and launch of the Space Shuttle vehicles and their payloads. The facility consists of 218 square miles of land with approximately 7.9 million square feet of building area including office buildings, processing facilities, launch pads, clean rooms and control rooms. The existing HVAC control system designed in 1978 consists of a variety of systems including pneumatic, direct digital controls (DDC), and PLC systems, some networked and some standalone. NASA is now moving to a new Kennedy Complex Control System based on commercial off the shelf (COTS) equipment utilizing PLCs, SCADA and Ethernet networks. Modbus TCP is the primary system protocol used throughout the facility.

The Kennedy Space Center Headquarters building is the administrative center for all spaceport activities. This facility houses the offices of the Center Director, management staff, personnel, procurement and several hundred contractor and support personnel. The Headquarters building also houses the KSC Library, Travel office, Film and Photo archive, photo processing shops, print shop and KSC security offices.

As part of the KSC upgrade program the Center wanted to remove the existing HVAC mechanical equipment and pneumatic controls and replace them with a new controls system that would provide easy access to the system through LCD interfaces at each control panel plus have local operator interface with an integrated solution interfacing with the existing Wonderware site management system. Finally, all the control points have to be visible at each LCD for easy user access.This equipment will be replace by 24 Air Handling Units along with a complete DDC system.

KSC required the new system to be an open system utilizing LonWorks. With the help of Florida Controls, a local integrator, KSC selected Distech Controls Easycontrols products line. Florida Controls installed a complete new LonWorks automation system using 25 Distech EC-12B and 25 EC-8B controllers to control the new AHUs. They utilized the Distech Controls' EC-Display for the LCD interface.

A requirement by KSC was that the new HVAC system must interface to the Wonderware site management system utilizing Modbus TCP over Ethernet for controls. Florida Controls and Distech Controls came to FieldServer Technologies to meet this interoperability challenge. FieldServer Technologies has a well earned reputation with LonWorks integrators for providing the interoperability solution in such situations. The project consisted of approximately 400 points and 72 nodes. Due to the flexibility of the Distech products and the capability of FieldServer, these networks integrated seamlessly to the existing Modbus TCP system.

The Kennedy Space Center can now control and monitor effectively its new HVAC system without expensive changes and modifications to its other already installed DDC systems.