SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 21, 2004--Acclaimed by national media as "the best view in baseball," Franklin Covey Field, home to minor league baseball's Salt Lake Stingers, plays like a major. To ensure healthy grass that can stand up to both the players and the sun, an automated drainage system located beneath the stadium removes excess rainwater from the field. Monitored and controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) from GE Fanuc Automation, a unit of GE Infrastructure, this drainage system helps keep the natural turf in peak condition, ensuring safer footing for the players and a more enjoyable field of green for the fans, all season long.
Fielding a Better Drainage System
During construction of the stadium, engineers realized that a drainage system was essential, since the stadium is located in a valley and getting water to flow off the field of its own accord is nearly impossible. The system they designed features a series of pipes buried underground that move excess rainwater on the field to sumps located below the stadium seating. While the concept is sound, Stadium Manager Tony Riney was able to significantly boost the system's performance, with improvements that included automated monitoring and control.
A GE Fanuc Series 90(TM)-30 PLC monitors and controls sump water level and pumps water to the city municipal wastewater system for treatment. Based on field conditions, the controller either turns on one pump, turns on a second pump, turns on both pumps at once, or sends an alarm to Riney, alerting him of any issues. The system is currently being networked to the stadium's HVAC control system so that both can be viewed from a computer in Riney's office. This capability will improve efficiency tremendously. "Soon, I will be able to tell with a glance at my computer screen whether there's a problem," Riney said. "Time is money, and this system saves me a lot of time."
Additionally, the controller, which is located in an exposed pond area, has performed flawlessly in all weather, from the extreme cold of a Utah winter to the intense summer heat.
"We specified the Series 90-30 PLC because, in looking at the many options available, we felt that this one best suited our needs from a performance standpoint, and it hasn't let us down," Riney said.
With the automation system in place to keep the field green, Riney has hit a home run for the Stingers and fans.
-- GE Fanuc Web Site: www.gefanuc.com -- GE Infrastructure Business Overview: www.geinfrastructure.com -- Salt Lake Stingers Web Site: www.StingersBaseball.com
Photos:
"Franklin Covey Field" image - Credit Steve Greenwood, Stock Photography: www.gefanuc.com/images/emailimages/20040721_FranklinCoveyField.jpg
"Stingers Baseball" image - Credit Brent Asay, Salt Lake Stingers Baseball: www.gefanuc.com/images/emailimages/20040721_StingersBaseball.gif
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CONTACT: GE Fanuc Automation
Alicia Bowers, Leader, Marketing Communications
410-242-0300