Central Plant Monitoring

How It Works

A Complement to SCADA, Not a Replacement

Your plant's assets produce hot water, steam, and chilled water for every connected building, and a SCADA platform controls that process. But SCADA's job is control, not detecting inefficiencies, spotting asset degradation, or optimizing performance. That's what WatchPost is built for.

WatchPost works alongside your existing SCADA, using time-series data to give operations staff decision support they didn't have before, and safely widening data access to other stakeholders across the university without touching the control layer itself.

What WatchPost Catches

The Issues That SCADA Alone Won't Flag

High Condenser Water Temperatures

Left unchecked, rising condenser temperatures strain chillers and can trip them offline. WatchPost flags the anomaly early and recommends a fix before it becomes an emergency.

Low Delta T Syndrome

A smaller-than-expected gap between chilled water supply and return signals inefficient heat transfer and reduced chiller efficiency.

Chiller Cycling

Frequent on/off cycling wears down equipment and drives up energy use. Intelligent dispatch strategies keep cycling to a minimum.

Flow Rate Imbalances

Uneven flow through the chilled water system hurts cooling performance and chiller efficiency alike.

Energy Demand Peaks

Predictive analytics anticipate demand spikes so you can manage energy use ahead of them, not react after the utility bill arrives.

Equipment Failures

Predictive maintenance flags likely failures early, based on real operating data instead of a fixed maintenance calendar.

Addressing these issues promptly doesn't just avoid costly repairs and downtime. It extends equipment lifespan and maximizes energy efficiency across the whole plant.

Long-Term Value

Where WatchPost Comes In

Anomaly detection catches subtle issues, like low Delta T syndrome or flow imbalances, that traditional SCADA and DCS systems typically miss
Continuous optimization adjusts plant operations based on data, not a static setpoint
Predictive maintenance recommends action before equipment fails, instead of after
Data integration pulls diverse equipment and sources into one holistic view of plant operations

Investing in a predictive, forecasting layer on top of your existing plant infrastructure tends to pay for itself many times over, through avoided downtime, extended equipment life, and lower energy use.