Compact Product Suite controllers help control drought in Fuxian

Known as a "pearl of the Yunnan plateau," Fuxian Lake is home to several species of fish found only in its pristine blue waters. Also, some 155 meters beneath its surface, archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient kingdom that may have slid into the lake during an earthquake 1,750 years ago.

More recently, the region surrounding one of China’s deepest freshwater lakes has been hit by drought, in the process threatening Fuxian Lake’s water quality and putting economic development of the surrounding area, including Yuxi City, increasingly at the mercy of the weather.

While Fuxian Lake has suffered from drought, nearby, Dalongtan Lake, which has been traditionally used for urban water supply and local industry and agriculture, enjoys significant water flows that haven’t been impacted by the shortages. The flows average some 167 million cubic meters annually.

To tackle the challenge, officials enlisted ABB to provide sophisticated automated control equipment that will form the backbone of an ambitious emergency water project. This system will redirect ample water supplies from Dalongtan Lake, to the east, through more than 70 kilometers of pipeline connected to the drought-hit region.

For this project control devices from Compact Product Suite will optimize the network of pump stations that control the diversion system’s flow. This will help underpin China’s economic growth and contribute to environmental protection in the face of adverse weather patterns.

The diversion project will clear the way for some 2.5 million residents of Yuxi City and other urban areas in Yunnan province to develop their economy, including tourism centered on Fuxian Lake, while alleviating pressure on underground water resources that have been tapped to excess in recent years as drought lingered.

Besides engineering and operator stations, ABB will provide redundant sets of AC 800M controllers, with more than 5000 input and output signals. From energy installations to water projects, AC 800M controllers are ideal for controlling industrial processing applications that demand flexibility, redundancy and reliability.

This project contract was signed by ABB’s channel partner (Authorized Value Provider), reflecting how ABB’s control products and technical support in China are partnering with local companies that bring knowhow and engineering capability.