Remote Terminal

Unit (RTU)

Remote Terminal Unit 4-1

 A Picture of RTU Configuration

Remote Terminal Unit 4-2

 What does an RTU do ?
 Gathers information from the field, e.g.
• analog values
• alarm
• status points
• metered amounts
 Keeps the information available in memory until the
MTU asks for it
 Process MTU control instructions, e.g.
• Opens/Closes valves
• Turns switches on and off
• Change set points

Remote Terminal Unit 4-3

 Incoming Signals into RTU

From MTU From Field Devices

4-20 mA signals
Discrete control order

0 or 24V switch signals

Analog setting commands R
0 or 24V status signals
Stepping motor pulses T
Pulse train signals

Orders to respond U RS-232 messages

Remote Terminal Unit 4-4

 Outgoing Signals from RTU

To MTU To Field Devices

Field analog signals 4-20 mA signals

Alarms 0 or 24V switch signals

R
Equipment status 0 or 24V status signals
T
Totalized meter signals Pulse train signals

Equipment messages
U RS-232 messages

Remote Terminal Unit 4-5

 RTU as “BLACKBOX”

TO FIELD
OUTPUT
CPU CONDITIONER
TO/FROM
COMMUNICATION

MTU

INTERFACE
MODULE

FIELD
FROM FIELD
PROGRAM CONFIGURATION FIELD DATA INPUT
MEMORY MEMORY MEMORY CONDITIONER

Remote Terminal Unit 4-6

 Discrete Input

0000h

0001h

0002h

0003h
B it 0 0 1 1 1 IN .2 4 = O N

B it 1 1 0 1 1 IN .2 5 = O N
Memory Area

B it 2 1 1 0 1 IN .2 6 = O N

Discrete Input
Discrete

Connection
B it 3 1 1 0 0 IN .2 7 = O F F

B it 4 0 0 0 1 IN .2 8 = O N

B it 5 1 1 0 0 IN .2 9 = O F F

B it 6 1 1 1 1 IN .3 0 = O N

B it 7 0 1 1 1 IN .3 1 = O N

Remote Terminal Unit 4-7

 Discrete Output

0100h

0102h
0101h

0103h
B it 0 0 1 1 1 O U T .2 4 = O N

B it 1 1 0 1 1 O U T .2 5 = O N
Memory Area

Discrete Output
B it 2 1 1 0 1 O U T .2 6 = O N
Discrete

Connection
B it 3 1 1 0 0 O U T .2 7 = O F F

B it 4 0 0 0 1 O U T .2 8 = O N

B it 5 1 1 0 0 O U T .2 9 = O F F

B it 6 1 1 1 1 O U T .3 0 = O N

B it 7 0 1 1 1 O U T .3 1 = O N

Remote Terminal Unit 4-8

 Analog to Digital Conversion

 8 bit analog to digital conversion :

• 4 mA or 1 V (0%)  00 hex
• 20 mA or 5 V (100%) FF hex

Remote Terminal Unit 4-9

 Analog Input

0203h
0200h

0201h

0202h
B it 0 0 1 1 1

B it 1 1 0 1 1
Register Area

B it 2 1 1 0 1

Analog Input
Analog

A IN .0 3

(1-5 V)
B it 3 1 1 0 0 A n a lo g t o
D ig ita l V
B it 4 0 0 0 1 C o n v e rte r
CO M
B it 5 1 1 0 0

B it 6 1 1 1 1

B it 7 0 1 1 0

æ 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0ö
V =1 + ç + + + + + + + ÷´ (5 - 1) V
è 256 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 ø
A IN .0 0 A IN .0 1 A IN .0 2 =2.36 V

Remote Terminal Unit 4-10

 Digital to Analog Conversion

 8 bit digital to analog conversion :

• 0  4 mA or 1 V (0%)
• 255  20 mA or 5 V (100%)

Remote Terminal Unit 4-11

 Analog Output

0300h

0301h

0302h

0303h
B it 0 0 1 1 1

B it 1 1 0 1 1
Register Area

1 1 0 1

Analog Output
B it 2
Analog

A O U T .0 3

(1-5 V)
B it 3 1 1 0 0 D ig it a l t o
A n a lo g V
B it 4 0 0 0 1 C o n v e rte r
CO M
B it 5 1 1 0 0

B it 6 1 1 1 1

B it 7 0 1 1 1
æ 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1ö
V =1 + ç + + + + + + + ÷´ (5 - 1) v
è 256 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 ø
=4.36 V
A O U T .0 0 A O U T .0 1 A O U T .0 2

Remote Terminal Unit 4-12

 Communication Port
 RS232
• Point-to-point communication
(single master-slave configuration)
• RTU  modem connection
 RS485/RS422
• Point-to-multipoint communication
(single master-multiple slave configuration)

Remote Terminal Unit 4-13

 MTURTU Communications

Remote Terminal Unit 4-14

 RTU Addressing
 Each RTU has a unique address
 Data is received by the modem as a binary signal
modulated onto a carrier frequency
 The modem strips off the carrier and makes a series
of ones and zeros available
 Protocol driver extracts the MTU’s message from this
series of ones and zeros
 PLC software examines the MTU’s message, acts as
instructed with proper control action, or send a
response message to MTU

Remote Terminal Unit 4-15

 Communications Signal Processing

Unique
Electromagnetic
Instruction Address = 01
signal
Processing
(protocol
driver)

Binary
signal (RS232)
0010010011
Modulated
signal

Remote Terminal Unit 4-16

 Instruction Processing
MTU’s message :
00010001 00000010 00000000 11000100 00000000 00010110

Slave No. of Points

Address=11h Starting Coil (Low Byte)=16h
Address
(High Byte)=00h No. of Points
Function (High Byte)=00h
Code=02h Starting Coil
“Read Input Coil” Address
(Low Byte)=C4h

MTU’s instruction for RTU with address 11h :

“READ 22 DIGITAL INPUTS STARTING FROM ADDRESS 00C4h”
Remote Terminal Unit 4-17
 Instruction Processing
MTU’s instruction for RTU with address 11h :
“READ 22 DIGITAL INPUTS STARTING FROM ADDRESS 00C4h”

Slave Byte Count = 03h

Address = 11h
Coil Data
Function (address 00C4h-00DAh)
Code = 02h
“Read Input Coil”

RTU’s response :
00010001 00000010 00000011 10101100 11011011 00110101
Remote Terminal Unit 4-18
 Example : ESP Operation Monitoring

RTU for ESP Monitoring & Control

LCD and
RS-232
Programming
Modbus RTU Panel
Serial Com. Link,
Modbus RTU

Advanced Motor
Controller
Three Phase
AC Motor
Programing
Terminal

Pressure
Potential Switch
Transformer Backspin
Shunts

Current
Transformer

Ground Fault
Detection

Remote Terminal Unit 4-19

 Summary
 RTU is a microprocessor based programmable
controller which can :
• examine the status of various types inputs and outputs
• perform sequential/logic and analog programmable control
plan
• perform data processing and communications algorithm
 Equipped with proper communication interface and
devices, PLC can perform as a Remote Terminal Unit
(RTU) in SCADA system

Remote Terminal Unit 4-20