INTRODUCTION

TO DISTRIBUTED
CONTROL
SYSTEM
(DCS)

1
 INTRODUCTION
What is DCS?
• Distributed Control System (DCS) is one
composed of several autonomous devices
which operate in achieving an overall goal.
• The intelligent devices are capable of
supporting processes which coordinate
their activities of exchange of information
by means of a communication network .

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 INTRODUCTION
What is DCS?
• A Distributed Control System refers to a
Yokogawa - Centum
control system usually of a manufacturing Emerson - DeltaV
system, process or any kind of dynamic Honeywell - TDC3000
system, in which the controller elements are Foxboro - IA Series
not central in location but are distributed SIEMENS - PCS 7
ABB - 800XA
throughout the system with each Yamatake - Harmonas
component sub-system controlled by one
or more controllers.
• The entire system of controllers are
connected by network for communication
and monitoring.

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

In the 1940s…
• Mechanical and pneumatic controllers for controlling a few process
variables: T,P,F.
• Coordinated process unit control system was not possible.
• Conservatively for stability rather than economic performance.

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

In the 1950s…
• Electronic controllers introduced.
• Centrally located in the control room and wired into the measuring devices
and actuators in the plant
• Provide feedforward dynamic models.
• Small pneumatic instruments were also used.

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

In the 1960s…
• Process computers made their debut.
• Assembly of distributed, mutually independent and dedicated controllers.
• These dedicated controllers/computers had wider applications in:
• Decentralised (not distributed) control operation of process plant.
• Monitoring and control by local operators
• Small plant automation
• Partial plant automation
• Automation in the laboratory, etc.

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

In the 1970s…
• Introduction of analog system architecture, specialized computer interface
devices and computers with higher capacity and speed of processing.
• A centralized control structure was introduced. It contained process control
computer as its central.
• Production planning and plant management functions were added, so that
the central computer truly became a concentrator of most important
process and plant data.
• This centralized control, was called Direct Digital Control (DDC) - used
control signals to directly operate the control devices.

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

2010

1970
Computer
System
1950 Control
Electronic
Control
1920 Pneumatic
Control
Manual
Control
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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

Manual Operator Process variable (PV)

control (As Controller)
measured by local
gauges
1920
• Oil & Gas industries
• Power Generation industries
• Petro-Chemical industries
• Food Processing industries
• Palm Oil refineries industries
• Cement industry

Operator adjust the opening

of the manual valve manually
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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

Pneumatic
Control
1920 ~ 1950

• Centralized Control Panels with the

Pneumatic Controllers were Process Variable
introduced on a process control.
Several operators monitored and (i.e. Pressure, Flow
etc ) indicated by
manipulated the plant from the Pneumatic Gauge
control panels. in the centralized
• The operator use the visual feedback control room.
Pneumatic Controller manipulating the
to control the process variable. output to the control valve. The operator
Automatic Control was introduced at adjusting the Setpoint or desired value of
this age. The Pneumatic Controller the pneumatic controller
perform automatic control and the
control information is fully distributed. 12
 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

Pneumatic
Control
1920 ~ 1950

Pneumatic Indicating
Controller
Pneumatic Controller

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
Electronic
Control
>1950
• Electronic Instruments were
introduced on a process control
at this age. Instruments were
highly miniaturized and more
information available per unit
space.
• Operators have a overview
picture of the whole plant
process. The control information
is fully centralized.
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)
Electronic Annunciators were introduced to alert the
operator when plant process abnormalities occurred.
Process Variable
indicated by Electronic
Controller in the
centralized control room.
Electronic Controller
manipulating the
output to the control
valve. The operator
adjusting the Setpoint
or desired value of
the Electronic
Controller 14
 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

Electronic
Control
>1950
Process Variable Electronic Annunciators were
(i.e. Pressure, Flow introduced to alert the
etc ) indicated by operator when plant process
Electronic indicator abnormalities occurred.

Electronic
Controller
manipulating
the output to
the control
valve.

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 HISTORY OF CONTROL SYSTEM
(CONTROL EVOLUTION)

DCS Control Control

>1975 Functions
are fully
distributed

• Distributed Control System

(DCS) consists of three main
elements; Man-Machine
Interface Units,
Microprocessor-Based
Controller and Data Highway
bus.
• In the DCS, the control Control
functions are fully distributed Information is
and the control information is centralized
centralized. 16
 OBJECTIVES DCS

• Safe operation plant

• Longest equipment life
• Minimum environmental effect
• Maximum efficiency
• Energy conversation

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 ADVANTAGES &
DISADVANTAGES OF DCS

• Advantages
• High reliability – Reduce human error
• Improved response time
• Improve operator interface to plant – better production scheduling, making
maximum use of the production facilities.
• Improve accessibility of plant data to engineering & management personnel –
Faster identification of faults in both product and processing machinery
• Greater flexibility in response to changes in design, customer requirements and
competition.

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 ADVANTAGES &
DISADVANTAGES OF DCS

• Advantages
• Shorter ‘lead times’ in designing product
• Historical storage & retrieval system
• Ability to identify deterioration in equipment before actual failure.
• Reducing production ‘down time’.

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 ADVANTAGES &
DISADVANTAGES OF DCS

• Disadvantages
• Reliability – Very depended on proper functioning of the central computer.
System breakdown results in disruption of production and complete shutdown -
prove to be extremely expensive.
• Programming effort and cost – Tailored to the uniqueness of each process and its
control system.
• Cost of a centralized computer – Mainframe and large minicomputers are very
expensive.

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