Practical Distributed Control Systems

(DCS) for Engineers and technicians

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 Learning Objectives
In this chapter we will learn the following:

• Introduction to computer based measurement and control systems

• Role of computers in process control
• Basic components of computer based measurement and control system
• Architecture of computer based control
• Human Machine Interface (HMI)
• Hardware of computer based process control system
• Interfacing computer system with process
• Economics of computer based system for industrial application

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 Use of computer for measurement and control (in real-time)
application were conceived as early as 1950

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 Digital computer application in process
industry may be:

Passive or Active
• Passive application involves only acquisition
of process data (data acquisition / data
logging)

• Active application involves acquisition and

manipulation of data and uses it for (real
time) process control.

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 Digital computer used for process control; use of ADC and DAC for
computer to Input and output matching is necessary
Computer System

Set- Final
Digital -to -
Point Controller Eq. Control y(t)
Analog Process
(Digital Element
+ Converter
_ e Algorithm) u u(t) (Control u(t)
v (DAC)
Valve)

Measured Controlled
Analog -to - Variable
Variable Sensor
Digital
Converter (Measuring Element)
(ADC)

(a) Schematic Diagram

Digital Computer

Set-
Point Digital y(t)
Hold Device Process
+ e Algorithm
_ u(t) u(t)
v(t)

(b) Block Diagram

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Control of hot air blower – system interfaced with digital
computer for control purpose
COMPUTER
Digital
ADC DAC Digital Output
Input
Air Inlet Air Inlet Air Inlet
Closed Opened Position
Heater
Amplifier Control Direction On/Off
Sensor
Reversible
Motor
Air Flow Control

Fully
Variabl
Close
e Air
d Air Inlet
Inlet Fully
Position
Open

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 Centralized computer based process control system –
 Large computer system with huge space and power consuming type magnetic
core memory,

 Wired-in arithmetic and logical functions (gate logics)

 Expensive due to high cost of core memory and additional electronics used in
the system.

 Expensive communication system

 Single computer system used primarily to justify high cost; popularly known as
central or mainframe computer.

 Had high electrical noise problems

 Sudden computer stoppages led to complete stoppage of plant/process

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 Tasks of computer control system
• Monitoring large number of variables operating under a wide
range of process dynamics.

• The computer based system develop large number of complex

functions which work on a large number of widely scattered
actuators of various

• These are based on multiple inputs to the computer as process

parameters.

• In conclusion - to meet the production demands while

ensuring the quality of the products and safety of the plant’s
resources

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 Task listing of computer based control system

LELEV 4; Management Level

LEVEL 3; Plant Level

LEVEL 2; Supervisory Level

LEVEL 1; Control Level

LEVEL 0; Field Level

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 Human Machine Interface (HMI)

 Plant mimic diagram of plant/process overview

 Alarm overview presenting information on the alarm status of

large areas of the plant

 Multiple area displays presenting information on the control

system

 Loop displays giving extensive information on the details of a

particular control loop of group of control loops

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 HMI components

 Display unit (CRT)

 Keyboard

 Input unit

 Printing unit

 Control Panel/desks, mimic

board/panel

 Recorders

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 Hardware for Computer based process
control system
• A general purpose digital computer with adequate
hardware provisions can be used as an industrial process
(real-time) computer control.

• Should have additional features like ability to

communicate efficiently and effectively with plant and
operating personnel

• Should also be capable of rapid execution of tasks

(algorithms) for real time control actions.

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 Storage
Used to store data and instructions (programs).

 Main storage or immediate access of storage (IAS)

 Auxiliary or secondary memory storage
 Cache memory

Picture of High Speed Random Access

Memory (RAM) used as main Memory

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 The concept of cache memory

L1 Cache; built into

chip

L2 Cache; on SRAM
memory bank
s
l bu
c a
Lo

(RAM) Lo
ca
Main Memory lb
us

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 The input/output (I/O) interface:

 Sub-system through which the CPU communicates

with the outside world
 Devices like Human Machine Interface (HMI) for
communication between the CPU and displays and the
CPU and other peripheral devices such as printers,
external storage, keyboards, mouse
 One of the most complex areas of a computer system
because of the wide variation in the rate of data
transfer and wide variety of devices which have to be
connected

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 The I/O devices of process control
computers are divided into three types:

Operator IO

Process IO

Computer IO

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 Schematic diagram showing
interfaces of computers for process
control applications system

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Bus Interface:
an electronic pathway (media) in computer based system that provides a
communication path for data to flow between the CPU and its memory and
peripherals and amongst the CPUs connected to the computer system

Diagram showing interface (communication) through Bus Interface

 Following are the common expansion buses which were
introduced with IBM - compatible PCs
(personal computers):
 
S-100 bus

ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) bus

ISA-AT (Advanced Technology) bus

MCA (micro-channel Architecture) bus

EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus

NU-bus

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 Interfacing computer system with process:

• Wide variety of instruments and actuators (sensors/ transducers)

are connected to process or plant for measurement and control of
process parameters like temperature, flow, pressure, level, speed,
etc.

• The inputs to and output from computer may be:

 Analog Quantities

 Digital Quantities

 Pulses or pulse rates

 Telemetry

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 Interface cards which have been developed and added to
the computer system to connect to different
measurements inputs of process parameters:

 Analog interfaces

 Digital interfaces

 Pulse interfaces

 Real-time clock

 Standard (bus) interfaces

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 Analog interfaces
Analog-to-digital converter (ADC)

Digital -to- analog converter (DAC)

Multiplexing devices

MODEM

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 Analog-to-digital converter (ADC)

Binary Output Code

ADC Code

An 8-level (3-
bit) ADC
coding scheme

Fraction of Full
Scale

Normalized Analog Input Voltage

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 Digital-to-Analog converter (DAC)
D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0

LSB An 8-bit Digital to Analog Converter

(DAC) circuit using R-2R network
8-bit
8-bitDAC
DAC

MSB
Buffer
Buffer
Stage
Stage

V
V22
V11
V

Functional diagram of
an 8-bit Digital to
Analog Converter (DAC)

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 Analog ADC
AnalogSensors
Sensors ADC

Analog ADC
AnalogSensors
Sensors ADC
Process
controlled
orProcess
becontrolled

Computer
Analog ADC
AnalogSensors

Computer
Sensors ADC

Digital
Digital
Plantor

Analog DAC
AnalogActuator
Actuator DAC
tobe
Plant
to

Analog DAC
AnalogActuator
Actuator DAC

Analog DAC
AnalogActuator
Actuator DAC

Diagram shows a typical application of ADC and DAC used for

interfacing analog signals to a digital computer controlled process

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 Multiplexing (MUX)

• The process of sending multiple signals or streams of

information on a carrier at the same time in the form of a
single, complex signal

• Three different methods of multiplexing used for industrial

application:

Space Division Multiplexing

Frequency Division Multiplexing
Time Division Multiplexing

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 Space Division Multiplexing (SDM)

• Method of providing multiple fixed bandwidth channels by multiple

physical paths (i.e., pairs of wires or optical fibers).

• AS an example, an SDM may use 25-pair cable to carry the

information of 25 individual sensors from the field premises to one
the local control station of the plant

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 Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM)

The higher bandwidth channel is divided into multiple individual

smaller bandwidth channels. Signals on these channels are transmitted
at the same time but at different carrier frequencies

FDM, with three signals to three users sharing the same bandwidth

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 Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
• Method of putting multiple data streams in a single signal by separating the
signal into many segments, each having a very short duration. Each individual
data stream is reassembled at the receiving end based on the timing.

CH1
Multiplexer
Demultiplexer CH1
CH2
CH2
CH3
CH3 Multiplexer
Demultiplexer
T1 – Time Slice 1
T2 – Time Slice 2

Example of TDM showing three channels multiplexed / demultiplexed and

transmitted / received

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 MODEM
• Device that transmits data between computers, workstations and
other peripheral devices; interconnected by means of
conventional communication lines supporting analog
transmission

Schematic diagram of modems connecting two remotely placed

computers via conventional telephone network.

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