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 COMMENT
Safety and controllers
T
he cover story in this issue of
AppliedAutomation, which focuses on
gas burners and valve safety trains, is a
departure from the usual article that typi-
cally appears in the publication. You may ask,
“What do gas burners and valve safety trains
have to do with industrial automation?” That’s
a fair question, and a good one. As the author
Jack Smith states in the article, “A multitude of sensors with-
Editor in the valve safety train — pressure switches,
flame detectors, position indicators — and isola-
tion and relief valves work together in concert to
prevent accidents.” The automation comes into
play by logically linking these safety components
to the burner management system.
Throughout the article, the author describes
the types of thermal processes that use burners
and valve safety trains, describes their function-
ality, explains the dangers of how they can fail
and offers alternatives to traditional solutions. In
addition, he advocates training and preventive
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maintenance: “The onus is on the safety profes-
sional, who along with their staff, must have a
core level of knowledge regarding safe practices
of valve safety trains, even if a contractor will be
doing the preventive maintenance work. Most
accidents and explosions are due to human
error and a lack of training when an unknowing
employee, for example, attempts to bypass a
safety control.”
While the cover story is different from what
usually appears in these pages, the other
story featured in this issue is a familiar topic:
Choosing a controller for industrial applications.
The author lists and defines the most popular
controller categories for operations technology
(OT) projects and suggests criteria for selection:
“When choosing a controller for an applica-
tion, there’s often more than one right answer.
Choosing the correct controller requires evaluat-
ing several characteristics and perhaps consid-
ering multiple applications.”
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Contents
A6 Prevent burner fuel
delivery accidents
Valve safety trains require regular
inspections, maintenance and training

A9 Evaluate controller
options for industrial
applications
Choosing the best industrial controller
requires evaluation of automation,
A6
ON THE COVER: A valve safety train is a fuel distribution device that
communication and security needs maintains consistent conditions for gas delivery into furnaces, ovens, dryers
and boilers, making them crucial in assuring safe ignition, operation and
shutdown. Courtesy: Rockford Systems

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Applied Automation August 2019 • A5

 C O V E R S T O RY
Prevent burner fuel
delivery accidents
Valve safety trains require regular inspections, maintenance and training
Robert Sanderson, PE
Rockford Systems LLC
T
hermal processes alter the physical, and some-
times chemical, properties of a material or coat-
ing. Examples of thermal processing are high-
temperature operations such as heat-treating
furnaces and kilns, and lower-temperature oper-
ations such as drying or baking (see Figure 1).
Heat treating involves the use of heating materials,
usually metal, to extreme temperatures and then quickly
chilling or quenching to modify its physical properties,
making it harder or softer (see Figure 2).
Many industries use baking, drying or other lower tem-
perature heating processes to modify aspects of a material
or coating. Facilities may also have incinerators for oxi-
dizing pollutants, or air heaters for tempering climate air.
Applications for thermal processing are almost endless.
A valve safety train is at the heart of all thermal pro-
cesses. (see Figure 3). These fuel delivery devices maintain
consistent conditions of gasses into furnaces, ovens, dryers
and boilers, among others, making them crucial in assuring
Figure 1: Kilns are used in curing ceramics, drying wood, crema-
tions, drying malted barley for brewing and other fermentations
and agricultural grains. Gas-fired kilns must comply with the same
valve safety train safety requirements as other thermal processes.
Courtesy: Rockford Systems
A6 • August 2019 Applied Automation
safe ignition, operation and shutdown. They also keep gas
out of the system whenever equipment is cycled or shut off.
A valve safety train isn’t a single piece of equipment.
Instead, it has many components including regulators, inline
strainers (sediment traps), safety shutoff valves (SSOV),
manual valves (MV), pressure switches and test fittings
logically linked to a burner management system. Flame-
sensing components ensure flames are present when they
are supposed to be, and not at the wrong time. Other com-
ponents may consist of leak-test systems, gauges and pilot
gas controls.
At a minimum, there are two crucial gas pressure
switches in a valve safety train — one for low pressure
and one for high pressure. The low gas pressure switch
ensures the minimum gas pressure necessary to operate
is present. It will shut off fuel to the burner if the gas pres-
sure is below the setpoint. The high gas pressure switch
ensures an excessive pressure is not present. It will shut
off the fuel supply if the gas pressure is too high. Both
switches must be proven safe to permit operation. There
also is an air pressure switch to ensure sufficient airflow is
present to support burner operation. Some systems have
supplementary pressure switches such as a valve-proving
Figure 2: Heat treating involves the use of heating materials, usu-
ally metal, to extreme temperatures and then quickly chilling or
quenching to modify its physical properties, making it harder or
softer. Courtesy: Rockford Systems
pressure switch. These switches typically are used to
enhance safety or provide other safety aspects specific to
the application’s needs. A multitude of sensors within the
valve safety train — pressure switches, flame detectors,
position indicators — and isolation and relief valves work
together in concert to prevent accidents.
Valve safety trains must be compliant with all applicable
local and national codes, standards and insurance require-
ments. The most common of these for North America are
NFPA, NEMA, CSA, UL and FM. Annual testing and pre-
ventive maintenance are not only an NFPA requirement,
but also often required by insurance agencies, equipment
manufacturers and national standards, including ANSI,
ASME and NEC.
Set the trap
The primary function of a valve safety train is to isolate
the inlet fuel from the appliance. Safety shutoff valves are
designed to do this. To protect these valves, the initial
section of a safety train is used to condition the fuel and
remove debris that could potentially damage or hinder all
downstream safety components.
The first conditioning step is a sediment trap (a.k.a. dirt
leg, drip leg). This trap captures large debris, pipe scale and
provides a collection well for pipe condensates. The proper
orientation of a sediment trap is at the bottom of a verti-
cal feed. This downward flow arrangement promotes the
capture of debris and condensate into the trap. A horizontal
feed across a sediment trap is an improper application.
The second conditioning step is a flow strainer or filter
element. These devices are fine particulate sieves. The
removal of fine particulates from the fuel stream further
protects the downstream safety devices from particulate
erosion and abrasion. Taken together, these conditioning
steps remove particulates and condensates that might
block, hinder, erode or otherwise compromise the safety
features of the downstream devices.
The explosive force of a bomb
Owing to the presence of hazardous vapors and gases,
a poorly designed or inadequately maintained safety train
can lead to catastrophic accidents, ranging from explo-
sions and fires to employee injuries and death. When this
explosive force is unleashed, the shockwave carries equip-
ment, debris, materials, pipes and burning temperatures in
all directions with tremendous force.
The following incidents are examples of why it is impor-
tant to purchase the highest quality valve safety train, and
keep it professionally maintained, inspected and tested:
• In 2018, a furnace explosion at a Massachusetts vac-
uum systems plant killed two men and injured firefight-
ers as a result of fuel malfunction.
• In Japan, an automobile manufacturer lost tens of millions
of dollars when it was forced to shut down production for
almost a month after a gas-fueled furnace exploded due
to flammable fumes building up in the tank.
Figure 3: A valve safety train is a fuel distribution device that maintains
consistent conditions for gas delivery into furnaces, ovens, dryers and
boilers, making them crucial in assuring safe ignition, operation and
shutdown. Courtesy: Rockford Systems
Final thoughts
Valve safety trains are critical to the operation of com-
bustion systems. Despite being used in thousands of
industrial facilities, awareness of their purpose and func-
tion may be absent because onsite training is minimal or
informal. To many employees on the plant floor, this series
of valves, piping, wires and switches is too complex to
take the time to understand. What is known can be dan-
gerously misunderstood.
Understanding fuel-fired equipment, especially the valve
safety train, is necessary to prevent potential explosions,
injuries and property damage. The truth is, although valve
safety trains are required to be checked regularly, they are
rarely inspected, especially when maintenance budgets
are cut. While codes require training, they offer very little
in terms of specific directions.
The onus is on the safety professional, who along with
their staff, must have a core level of knowledge regarding
safe practices of valve safety trains, even if a contractor
will be doing the preventive maintenance work. Most acci-
dents and explosions are due to human error and a lack
of training when an unknowing employee, for example,
attempts to bypass a safety control.
Preventive maintenance is essential to counter equip-
ment deterioration, as is the documentation of annual
inspection, recording switch set points, maintaining panel
drawings and verifying purge times. Accidents happen
when this type of documentation is not available. Don’t
wait for a near-miss or accident to upgrade your valve
safety train.
Robert Sanderson is the director of business develop-
ment for Combustion Safety at Rockford Systems LLC,
Rockford, Illinois.
Applied Automation August 2019 • A7
 CHOOSING A CONTROLLER
Evaluate controller options
for industrial applications
Choosing the best industrial controller requires evaluation of automation,
communication and security needs
By Benson Hougland
Opto 22
D
elivering reliable real-time control functionality
has traditionally been a goal for those tasked
with automating machinery, equipment and
processes. If designers and engineers could
pick a digital control platform, integrate it with
field devices, program it to run as expected
and deliver reliable system operation for years or decades,
it was a job well done.
Today’s situation is better, but more involved. It’s better
because many new control technology options are avail-
able; it’s more involved because users want optimized
operational performance, improved visibility and superior
connectivity to supervisory systems. Basic isn’t always
enough anymore as end users demand more advanced
features. In response, designers and original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) must evaluate the field of controller
options to provide the right mix of characteristics for each
automation application.
Figure 1: Industrial controllers such as this traditional PLC/PAC, are
typically installed in control panels local to the equipment or pro-
cesses they monitor and automate. Courtesy: Opto 22
A8 • August 2019 Applied Automation
This effort begins with making fundamental decisions
regarding whether controllers will physically and
electrically work where they need to operate. Added to
these requirements are more advanced criteria: program-
ming options, networking connections, security, commu-
nications protocols, flexibility and scalability. This article
compares several popular controller technologies based
on these factors, helping designers focus on what is
important to their applications.
Who are the players?
When it comes to automating machines and processes,
industry has benefited from continual progress in digital
control platforms. This technical field is often referred to
as operations technology (OT). Any OT control platform
encompasses controllers and associated products like
input/output (I/O) modules, operator interface terminals
(OITs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), instrumentation
and other devices (see Figure 1).
For all automation systems, the controller is the brain
and therefore a central component that must be selected
early, since it sets the detailed design path. While the
product spectrum presents overlapping capabilities, here
are the most popular controller categories for OT projects:
• Programmable logic controllers (PLCs): A rugged and
basic but capable control option, especially for discrete con-
trol applications
• Programmable automation controllers (PACs): Similar to PLCs,
but generally more advanced in the areas of communications, data
handling and process control applications
• Industrial personal computers (IPCs): Ruggedized
full-fledged computers, requiring significant user effort to
integrate hardware, software and remote input/output (I/O)
for control
• Edge programmable industrial controllers (edge con-
trollers): Built in a PLC/PAC form factor, yet incorporat-
ing advanced programming and security options, native
visualization and extensive communication abilities, much
like a PC.
When choosing a controller for an application, there’s
often more than one right answer. Choosing the correct
controller requires evaluating several characteristics and
perhaps considering multiple applications.

Strengths and weaknesses
Controllers play a central role within any automation
project (see Figure 2). They may:
• Monitor and command I/O points
• Interact with other peer controllers
• Connect with intelligent field devices
• Interface with OIT and HMI visualization systems
• Communicate with supervisory and enterprise
level systems.
Every application is unique, so it is helpful to review
a list of potentially important criteria to see which are
relevant and what controller type best fits them. Table 1
presents a list of controller selection criteria, organized by
topics such as form factor, programmability, security, etc.
The suggested weightings are broad assessments and can
vary for specific use cases.
PLCs and PACs, the classic choice
Both PLCs and PACs are built and optimized for the OT
role and represent the classic choice. Certainly, PLCs and
the more full-featured PACs have served as the principal
control products for most machines and many processes.
They are fast, reliable and affordable – and an exact fit for
tough environments. Other complementary products like
OITs and HMIs are developed in parallel to add visualiza-
tion and other features to these platforms.
However, many PLCs and PACs were burdened with
proprietary connectivity, specialized software and licensing
costs. From a field device and I/O networking standpoint,
this situation has improved greatly due to Ethernet and
standardized industrial protocols. Also, software is becom-
Figure 2: Industrial automation controllers must
survive in field locations, directly control equipment,
interact with other smart devices and communicate
well with supervisory systems. Courtesy: Opto 22
Figure 3: Edge programmable
industrial controllers include traditional
OT-centric controller functionality, while
natively incorporating IT-centric networking
and mobile technologies. Courtesy: Opto 22
ing more open as PLCs/PACs are adopting IEC 61131-3
programming languages and cross-platform programming
environments like CODESYS.
However, the legacy aspect of PLCs/PACs can act as a
kind of inertia, resisting adoption of the latest technologies.
This inertia is most apparent in generally weak support for
advanced networking and security features. PLCs/PACs
offer good connectivity at the OT level, but they tend to
lack support for IT-centric programming languages and
protocols such as HTTPS and messaging queuing telem-
etry transport (MQTT). For applications requiring built-in
connectivity up to IT-centric enterprise applications and
historians, users typically need to integrate extra hardware
and software to bridge the gap.
Applied Automation August 2019 • A9
 CHOOSING A CONTROLLER

Security is a similar story. Most modern aspects of
cybersecurity did not exist when the first PLCs/PACs
where conceived. Features commonly included with PCs
and edge controllers, such as secure user accounts,
encrypted communications and virtual private networks
(VPNs), must be bolted onto PLCs/PACs, requiring signifi-
cant end user expense, effort and risk. A better alternative
is to make sure any required security features are native
to the control platform.
IPCs for power users
As PC technology became readily available and afford-
able, many users looked to PCs for industrial control. The
commercial roots and economies of scale for PCs ensured
the hardware and operating system platforms were well
understood, and a PC solution had plenty of computing
power and display options.
However, users soon found out commercial PCs were not
robust enough for many industrial controller applications.

Table 1: Controller selection criteria

Criteria PLC PAC IPC Edge controller
Form factor and approvals
Physically suitable for industrial installation High High Medium High
Wide operating temperature range High High Low High
ATEX approvals and Class 1 Div. 2 certification Low Medium Low High
Local I/O options High High Low High
Remote I/O options High High Medium High
Scalability Low Medium Medium High
Programmability
Control programming options (flowchart, IEC 61131-3) Medium Medium High High
Higher-level programming options (C/C++, Java, Python) Low Low High High
Discrete control capabilities High High Low High
Analog control capabilities Medium High Medium High
Data acquisition and processing Low Low Medium High
Process control capabilities Low High High High
Complex computing capabilities Med Med High High
Visibility
Embedded HMI/OIT options Low Low Medium High
HMI/OIT compatibility High High High High
Networkability
OT industrial communication protocols Medium High Medium High
Interface with other peer controllers High High Low High
Interface with IoT devices Low Low High High
IT communication protocols Low Medium High High
Interface with cloud services and APIs Low Low High High
Gateway functions (network segmentation, firewall) Low Low Medium High
Built-in VPN support Low Low Medium High
Publish-subscribe protocol support Low Low Medium High
Mobile ready Low Low Medium High
Security
Segmented, non-routable network interfaces Low Medium Medium High
TLS encrypted communications Low Low Medium High
User accounts and authentication Low Low Medium High
Device-originated data communications Low Low Medium High
Built-in device firewall Low Low Medium High
Engineering and commercial
Cost effectiveness to performance ratio Medium Low Low High
Ease of engineering effort for anything beyond basic automation Low Low Medium Medium
Local file storage for user files (P&IDs, drawings, documentation) Low Low High High
Field upgradability via software updates Medium Medium High High
Long-life availability and components High High Medium High
Ease of maintenance High High Low High
On-board diagnostics, commissioning and troubleshooting Low Low Medium High

Selecting the right controller for any application requires weighing many criteria. Courtesy: Opto 22

A10 • August 2019 Applied Automation

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 CHOOSING A CONTROLLER
That was remedied when vendors offered ruggedized PCs,
or IPCs, so they could operate reliably in machine environ-
ments. Therefore, some users could turn to IPCs as an
all-in-one control platform for automation, visualization and
communication.
IPCs also offer users a way to perform more advanced
programming or data manipulation options, and they are
better positioned than PLCs/PACs for IT-centric communi-
cations and many IoT interfaces.
However, IPC-based control is very much a do-it-your-
self endeavor. The end user must select a bare-bones
IPC and assemble a suite of other hardware and software
products for control, visualization, communications pro-
tocols and remote input/output (I/O) solutions, hopefully
resulting in a cohesive package. The result could be an
ideal fit, but it also could become a custom system pre-
senting support challenges, which can be difficult to man-
age over time.
Although the IPC’s flexibility makes it attractive for the
role of an industrial controller, there are many hurdles to
creating and maintaining a complete system.
Edge controllers hit the sweet spot
Edge controller devices are a recent development on
the industrial automation front. This newer generation of
controllers was designed to take advantage of the latest IT
communication and IoT developments, while maintaining
the OT heritage that has made PLCs/PACs so popular. For
many applications, this hybrid combination of technologies
for meeting multiple requirements make an edge controller
an excellent fit.
Edge controllers provide all the benefits of OT solutions
like PLCs and PACs because they are robust, rated for
extreme temperatures and offer a wide range of integrated
I/O. Some edge controllers can be programmed with a
choice of flowcharts or IEC 61131 languages (see Figure
3). An edge controller can act as a direct replacement in
an existing PLC/PAC application or become the foundation
for a new project.
An edge controller’s focus on OT-friendliness extends to
other possible benefits. For example, one available edge
controller houses an on-board touchscreen display that can
act as a local HMI. It can also be used for system configura-
A12 • August 2019 Applied Automation
Figure 4: Native IT and OT communica-
tion capabilities enable edge control-
lers to flatten automation architec-
tures, avoiding complex interposing
layers of hardware and software.
Courtesy: Opto 22
tion and diagnostics, freeing support personnel from the need
to rely on other devices. Built-in networking, USB and HDMI
ports make it easy for users to interface with an edge con-
troller. Under the hood, it runs embedded Linux, and other
edge controllers use this or a similar embedded operating
system. Although users can interact with it like they would a
PLC/PAC, more advanced capabilities are possible. The PC
pedigree of an edge controller enables it to use extended
programming languages like C++, Java and Python – all con-
currently – giving users programming flexibility.
Edge controllers can run locally in a standalone mode
for any control application. Added value is realized when
they connect to edge-located sensors and devices, filter
and process Internet of Things (IoT) data and communi-
cate with enterprise systems located on-premises or in the
cloud. This is especially the case if they include protocols
for device-originated communications, and for configuring
drag-and-drop data connectivity. An edge controller with
these capabilities removes the need for interposing layers
of hardware or software (see Figure 4).
Unlike PLCs/PACs, security is built into edge controllers,
especially those offering a pair of segmented, non-routable
Ethernet ports – one for a trusted network, like the OT field
side, and one for an untrusted network, like those with direct
internet connections. User security accounts are handled
right at the controller level, data communications are encrypt-
ed and a built-in VPN is included. All these provisions help
make control systems mobile-ready and cyber secure.
An edge controller can provide a flexible OT control plat-
form like a PLC/PAC for industrial automation applications,
but with the added IT advantages of an IPC. As a compre-
hensive all-in-one solution with on-board visualization and
secure connectivity, an edge controller is often the most
cost-effective controller choice.
Control for today and the future
More choices are better for end users. For automation
and control platforms, end users and OEMs have enjoyed
reliable options over the years in the form of PLCs, PACs
and IPCs. However, modern edge controllers present an
attractive option because they combine the best aspects of
the other three leading platforms.
Benson Hougland has 30 years of experience in IT and
industrial automation. He drives strategy for Opto 22 prod-
ucts connecting the real world to computer networks. He
speaks at trade shows and conferences, including IBM
Think, ARC Forum and ISA. His 2014 TEDx Talk introduc-
es non-technical people to the IoT.
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Maximizing Gearmotor Speed Range shows you
how to operate VFDs above 60Hz to widen speed
range, improve stability and reduce cost.
In this white paper, you’ll learn why it can be a
good idea to operate gearmotors above 60Hz.
Through a common example, we will show you
how to select the proper gearmotor that will
significantly enhance performance in the
following ways:
• Increase stability by reducing inertia mismatch
• Widen the available speed range
• Eliminate a costly ventilator fan at low speed
• Eliminate motor overheating at low speed
• Enable the use of a smaller motor
Visit www.sewwhitepapers.com/vfd to
download the PDF.
mktg@seweurodrive.com
864-439-7537
www.seweurodrive.com
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