Group Member’s Name

M.ADNAN 2K21-CHE-03
M. ALI ZAFAR 2K21-CHE-01
What Is DCS System?
A distributed control system (DCS) is a digital automated industrial control system (ICS) that uses

geographically distributed control loops throughout a factory, machine or control area. The goal of a DCS is

to control industrial processes to increase their safety, cost-effectiveness and reliability.

A control system is a set of mechanical or electronic devices that regulate other devices or systems through

the use of control loops. Control loops are systems composed of all the hardware and software control

functions needed for measurements and adjustments in an individual process. Control systems are a central

part of industrial and process automation systems.

How DCS System Works?
DCS’s are made up of control elements
distributed throughout a plant or factory. These control
elements include computers, sensors and controllers. Each
element serves a specific purpose, such as data collection,
data storage or process control.
Unlike a centralized control system that operates all machines,
a DCS enables each part of a machine to have its own
dedicated controller that runs the operation.
A DCS has several local controllers throughout the factory. A
high-speed communication network connects the local
controllers. While each controller works autonomously, there is
central supervisory control run by an operator.
Having the control system architecture distributed around the factory or
plant provides an effective control, efficiency and process quality strategy.
Additionally, if a piece of the DCS architecture fails, a plant can continue to
operate. For these reasons, DSC’s are commonly found in industrial fields
and processing or manufacturing plants. The market for DSC’s
continues to grow; it's expected to reach $23.2 billion by 2026 from $17.5
billion in 2021, according to Market sand Markets Research.
A DCS is functionally similar to supervisory control and data acquisition (
SCADA) industrial control applications. SCADA systems are used in power
plants, oil and gas refining, telecommunications, transportation, and water
and waste control. They tend to be used in situations where the control
center has a more remote location.
Where is a DCS commonly used?
A DCS is commonly used in industrial process industries, including the following:

•agriculture

•chemical plants

•petrochemical and refineries

•nuclear power plants

•water and sewage treatment plants

•food processing

•automobile manufacturing

•pharmaceutical manufacturing
How a DCS is structured?
A distributed control system includes both software and hardware elements. The installation
of most controllers locally keeps costs low. On-site automated control improves the reliability
of these systems, and human oversight is enabled for central control functions and remote
control options. Individual processes have their own controllers with separate central
processing units (CPUs) so other processes can continue if an individual system fails.
The architectural design of a DCS includes the following:
•An engineering workstation. This is a supervisory controller for the DCS as a whole. The
station typically includes configuration tools that let the user complete functions such as
creating new loops and input and output (I/O) points, as well as configuring distributed
devices.
•An operating station. This station is used for control, operation and monitoring.
•A process control unit. This microprocessor-based controller is designed for automatic and
compound loop control.
•A communication system. This system brings data from station to station and is
important in distributed control systems. Typical network protocols used include Ethernet,
Profibus and Device Net.
•Smart devices. These are any smart devices or bus technologies that are used to
replace older I/O
In a DCS architecture, sensors gather and process information, which is sent to a nearby
I/O module. The data is moved to a process control unit. Smart devices, if used, can also
send the data to a process control unit. The data is then further processed and analyzed
to produce an output result.
The processed output is based on the control logic used, which is the part of a program
that controls program operations. This data is sent to a moving actuator device using
another bus. And then the commissioning process occurs. This is where instruments and
control systems are verified and documented and where the control logic and
implementations are transferred to an engineering station for the operator to view.
The operator sends control actions to operation stations.

The devices in this process can be divided into the following five levels:

1.Level zero consists of field devices, like sensors and other control elements.

2.Level one is the I/O modules and processors.

3.Level two is the supervisory computers that collect data from processor nodes.

4.Level three focuses on the production control level that monitors production.

5.Level four includes production scheduling.

What are the advantages and challenges of a DCS?
Distributed control systems provide the following benefits:
•Complex structures. Unlike comparable programmable logic controllers (PLCs),
a DCS can access large amounts of information in a complex environment.
•System redundancy. If a processor fails, the redundancy provided in the DCS
ensures that only one section of the plant's processes is interrupted.
•Scalability. More control or process units can be added whenever needed.
Adding more I/O modules to a controller also extends I/O’s.
•Security. Security and cybersecurity capabilities are enabled at the engineer and
operator levels.
Some downsides of the technology include situations where failure of one
controller affects more than one loop. DCS’s can also increase software
development costs, and diagnosing problems can be a complex process.