BY:

SAYED QAISAR SHAH

BS TELECOM,CCNA,CWNA
REG# A1DE-109004
DATE: 01-08-12

DCS (Distributed Control

System)
INTRODUCTION
Digital Control Systems(DCS) also known as Distributed Control

System is the brain of the control system.

It is generally, since the 1970s, digital, and normally consists of field
instruments, connected via wiring to computer buses or electrical
buses to multiplexer/de multiplexers and A/D's or analog to digital
and finally the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) or control consoles. A
DCS is a process control system that uses a network to interconnect
sensors, controllers, operator terminals and actuators. A DCS
typically contains one or more computers for control and mostly use
both proprietary interconnections and protocols for communications.
Control Systems are collectively named as "ICSS" Integrated Control
and Safety System. Distinctly identified as "BPCS" Basic Process
Control System. "SIS" Safety Instrumentation System. "F&G" Fire and
Gas System.
DCS is employed in BPCS as well as used and prevalent control
system.

DCS (Cont..)
The DCS is a control system which collects the data

from the field and decides what to do with them.

Data from the field can either be stored for future
reference, used for simple process control, use in
conjunction with data from another part of the plant
for advanced control strategies.
A distributed control system (DCS) is part of a
manufacturing system.
Distributed control systems (DCS) are used in
industrial and civil engineering applications to
monitor and control distributed equipment with
remote human intervention.

What must be in the DCS for

it to be able to do so much?
Operator Console

These are like the monitors of our computers. They provide us with
the feedback of what they are doing in the plant as well as the
command we issue to the control system. These are also the
places where operators issue commands to the field instruments.

Engineering Station

These are stations for engineers to configure the system and also
to implement control algorithms.

History Module

This is like the hard disk of our PCs. They store the configurations
of the DCS as well as the configurations of all the points in the
plant. They also store the graphic files that are shown in the
console and in most systems these days they are able to store
some plant operating data.

Cont..
Data Historian

These are usually extra pieces of software that are dedicated to store
process variables, set points and output values. They are usually of
higher scanning rates than that available in the history module.
Control Modules
These are like the brains of the DCS. Specially customized blocks are
found here. These are customized to do control functions like PID
control, ratio control, simple arithmetic and dynamic compensation.
These days, advanced control features can also be found in them.

I/O
These manage the input and output of the DCS. Input and output can be
digital or analogues. Digital I/Os are those like on/off, start/stop signals.
Most of the process measurements and controller outputs are considered
analogue. These are the points where the field instruments are hardwired to.
All above mentioned elements are connected by using a network,
nowadays very often used is Ethernet.

How does a DCS work?

In the field you have sensors and gauges that give

and receive information. They convert this

information into a electric signal that is sent to a
control room somewhere in the field. This control
room has programmed logic that is able to converts
the signal into a pressure, flow rate, concentration,
temperature, or level. This logic also contains the
information that controls the process and takes the
signal compares it with the set point sent from the
operator may or may not be in the field and sends a
signal to the manipulated variables in the field. The
DCS covers all of the computer logic from the
operator screen to the field box that contain the logic.

Shutdown systems
Shutdown system are the emergency setting

of the logic to make sure the process can be

contained and is environmentally safe. These
setting are important for emergency response
of the system. It is the job of the DCS to
contain the logic for the shutdown system and
be able to operate when a process exceed a
certain limit.

DCS APPLICATIONS
DCS is a very broad term that describes

solutions across a large variety of industries,

including:
* Electrical power grids and electrical
generation plants
* Environmental control systems
* Traffic signals
* Water management systems
* Refining and chemical plants
* Pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Distributed Control
System

SCADA (Supervisory Control

And Data Acquisition)
INTRODUCTION
As the name indicates, it is not a full control system, but
rather focuses on the supervisory level. As such, it is a purely
software package that is positioned on top of hardware to
which it is interfaced, in general via Programmable Logic
Controllers (PLC's), or other commercial hardware modules.
In reality, the primary purpose of SCADA is to monitor, control
and alarm plant or regional operating systems from a central
location. While override control is possible, it is infrequently
utilized; however control set points are quite regularly
changed by SCADA.
SCADA systems have made substantial progress over the
recent years in terms of functionality, scalability,
performance and openness such that they are an alternative
to in house development even for very demanding and
complex control systems.

Cont..
A SCADA application has two elements:
The process/system/machinery you want to monitor
a control - this can be a power plant, a water system,
a network, a system of traffic lights, or anything else.
A network of intelligent devices that interfaces with
the first system through sensors and control outputs.
This network, which is the SCADA system, gives you
the ability to measure and control specific elements
of the first system.
You can build a SCADA system using several different
kinds of technologies and protocols. This white paper
will help you evaluate your options and decide what
kind ofSCADAsystem is best for your needs.

Where is SCADA Used?

You can use SCADA to manage any kind of equipment. Typically,

SCADA systems are used to automate complex industrial

processes where human control is impractical - systems where
there are more control factors, and more fast-moving control
factors, than human beings can comfortably manage.
Around the world,SCADAsystems control:
Electric power generation, transmission and
distribution:Electric utilities use SCADA systems to detect
current flow and line voltage, to monitor the operation of circuit
breakers, and to take sections of the power grid online or offline.
Water and sewage:State and municipal water utilities use
SCADA to monitor and regulate water flow, reservoir levels, pipe
pressure and other factors.
Buildings, facilities and environments:Facility managers
use SCADA to control HVAC, refrigeration units, lighting and
entry systems.

Cont..
Manufacturing:SCADAsystems manage parts inventories for

just-in-time manufacturing, regulate industrial automation and

robots, and monitor process and quality control.
Mass transit:Transit authorities use SCADA to regulate electricity
to subways, trams and trolley buses; to automate traffic signals for
rail systems; to track and locate trains and buses; and to control
railroad crossing gates.
Traffic signals:SCADA regulates traffic lights, controls traffic flow
and detects out-of-order signals.
As I'm sure you can imagine, this very short list barely hints at all the

potential applications for SCADA systems.SCADAis used in nearly

every industry and public infrastructure project - anywhere where
automation increases efficiency.
What's more, these examples don't show how deep and complex
SCADA data can be. In every industry, managers need to control
multiple factors and the interactions between those factors. SCADA
systems provide the sensing capabilities and the computational
power to track everything that's relevant to your operations.

Cont..
SCADA systems are used not only in industrial

processes: e.g. steel making, power generation

(conventional and nuclear) and distribution, chemistry,
but also in some experimental facilities such as
nuclear fusion. The size of such plants range from a
few 1000 to several 10 thousands input/output (I/O)
channels. However, SCADA systems evolve rapidly and
are now penetrating the market of plants with a
number of I/O channels of several 100 thousands I/O's.

SCADA systems used to run on DOS, VMS and UNIX; in

recent years all SCADA vendors have moved to NT,

Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and some also to
Linux.

Hardware Architecture

Cont
Hardware Architecture
One distinguishes two basic layers in a SCADA system:
the "client layer" which caters for the man machine
interaction and the "data server layer" which handles
most of the process data control activities. The data
servers communicate with devices in the field
through process controllers. Process controllers, e.g.
PLC's, are connected to the data servers either
directly or via networks or field buses that are
proprietary (e.g. Siemens H1), or non-proprietary
(e.g. Profibus). Data servers are connected to each
other and to client stations via an Ethernet LAN.

Software Architecture

Cont
The products are multi-tasking and are based

upon a real-time database (RTDB) located in one

or more servers. Servers are responsible for
data acquisition and handling (e.g. polling
controllers, alarm checking, calculations,
logging and archiving) on a set of parameters,
typically those they are connected to.
However, it is possible to have dedicated
servers for particular tasks, e.g. historian, data
logger, alarm handler. The figure above shows a
generic SCADA software architecture.

How SCADA Systems

Work?

A SCADA system performs four functions:

Data acquisition
Networked data communication
Data presentation
Control
These functions are performed by four kinds ofSCADA
components:
Sensors(either digital or analog) andcontrolrelays that directly
interface with the managed system.
Remote telemetry units(RTUs). These are small computerized
units deployed in the field at specific sites and locations. RTUs
(Remote Telemetry Units) serve as local collection points for
gathering reports from sensors and delivering commands to
control relays.

Cont
SCADA master units. These are larger

computer consoles that serve as the central

processor for the SCADA system. Master units
provide a human interface to the system and
automatically regulate the managed system in
response to sensor inputs.
Thecommunications networkthat
connects the SCADA master unit to the RTUs
in the field.

The World's Simplest

SCADA System

Cont
The simplest possible SCADA system would be a

single circuit that notifies you of one event.

Imagine a fabrication machine that produces
widgets. Every time the machine finishes a
widget, it activates a switch. The switch turns on
a light on a panel, which tells a human operator
that a widget has been completed.
Obviously, a real SCADA system does more than
this simple model. But the principle is the same.
A full-scaleSCADAsystem just monitors more
stuff over greater distances.

Data Acquisition
First, the systems you need to monitor are much more complex

than just one machine with one output. So a real-life SCADA system
needs to monitor hundreds or thousands of sensors. Some sensors
measure inputs into the system (for example, water flowing into a
reservoir), and some sensors measure outputs (like valve pressure
as water is released from the reservoir).
Some of those sensors measure simple events that can be detected
by a straightforward on/off switch, called a discrete input (or digital
input). For example, in our simple model of the widget fabricator,
the switch that turns on the light would be a discrete input. In real
life, discrete inputs are used to measure simple states, like whether
equipment is on or off, or tripwire alarms, like a power failure at a
critical facility.
Some sensors measure more complex situations where exact
measurement is important. These are analog sensors, which can
detect continuous changes in a voltage or current input. Analog
sensors are used to track fluid levels in tanks, voltage levels in
batteries, temperature and other factors that can be measured in a
continuous range of input..

Cont
For most analog factors, there is a normal

range defined by a bottom and top level. For

example, you may want the temperature in a
server room to stay between 60 and 85
degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature goes
above or below this range, it will trigger a
threshold alarm. In more advanced systems,
there are four threshold alarms for analog
sensors, defining Major Under, Minor Under,
Minor Over and Major Over alarms.

Data Communication
In our simple model of the widget fabricator, the

"network" is just the wire leading from the switch to the

panel light. In real life, you want to be able to monitor
multiple systems from a central location, so you need a
communications network to transport all the data
collected from your sensors.
EarlySCADAnetworks communicated over radio, modem
or dedicated serial lines. Today the trend is to put SCADA
data on Ethernet and IP over SONET. For security reasons,
SCADA data should be kept on closed LAN/WANs without
exposing sensitive data to the open Internet.
Real SCADA systems don't communicate with just simple
electrical signals, either.SCADAdata is encoded in
protocol format. Older SCADA systems depended on
closed proprietary protocols, but today the trend is to
open, standard protocols and protocol mediation.

Cont..
Sensors and control relays are very simple

electric devices that can't generate or interpret

protocol communication on their own. Therefore
the remote telemetry unit (RTU) is needed to
provide an interface between the sensors and
the SCADA network. The RTU (Remote Telemetry
Unit) encodes sensor inputs into protocol format
and forwards them to the SCADA master; in
turn, the RTU (Remote Telemetry Unit) receives
control commands in protocol format from the
master and transmits electrical signals to the
appropriate control relays.

Data Presentation
The only display element in our model SCADA system is the light that

comes on when the switch is activated. This obviously won't do on a

large scale - you can't track a light board of a thousand separate
lights, and you don't want to pay someone simply to watch a light
board, either.
A real SCADA system reports to human operators over a specialized
computer that is variously called a master station, an HMI (HumanMachine Interface) or an HCI (Human-Computer Interface).
TheSCADAmaster station has several different functions. The
master continuously monitors all sensors and alerts the operator
when there is an "alarm" - that is, when a control factor is operating
outside what is defined as its normal operation. The master presents
a comprehensive view of the entire managed system, and presents
more detail in response to user requests. The master also performs
data processing on information gathered from sensors - it maintains
report logs and summarizes historical trends.
An advanced SCADA master can add a great deal of intelligence and
automation to your systems management, making your job much
easier.

Control
Unfortunately, our miniature SCADA system monitoring the widget

fabricator doesn't include any control elements. So let's add one. Let's say
the human operator also has a button on his control panel. When he
presses the button, it activates a switch on the widget fabricator that brings
more widget parts into the fabricator.
Now let's add the full computerized control of a SCADA master unit that
controls the entire factory. You now have a control system that responds to
inputs elsewhere in the system. If the machines that make widget parts
break down, you can slow down or stop the widget fabricator. If the part
fabricators are running efficiently, you can speed up the widget fabricator.
If you have a sufficiently sophisticated master unit, these controls can run
completely automatically, without the need for human intervention. Of
course, you can still manually override the automatic controls from the
master station.
In real life,SCADAsystems automatically regulate all kinds of industrial
processes. For example, if too much pressure is building up in a gas
pipeline, the SCADA system can automatically open a release valve.
Electricity production can be adjusted to meet demands on the power grid.
Even these real-world examples are simplified; a full-scale SCADA system
can adjust the managed system in response to multiple inputs.

A Brief Note on Sensors

and
Networks
Sensors and control relays are essentially

commodity items. Yes, some sensors are better than

others, but a glance at a spec sheet will tell you
everything you need to know to choose between
them.
An IP LAN/WAN is the easiest kind of network to
work with, and if you don't yet have LAN capability
throughout all your facilities, transitioning to LAN is
probably one of your long-term goals. But you don't
have to move to LAN immediately or all at once to
get the benefits of SCADA. The right SCADA system
will support both your legacy network and LAN,
enabling you to make a graceful, gradual transition.

What to Look for in a

SCADA
RTU
(Remote
YourSCADARTUs need to communicate with all your on-site
equipment and survive under the harsh conditions of an
industrial environment. Here's
a checklist of things you should
Telemetry
Unit)?
expect from a qualityRTU:

Sufficient capacityto support the equipment at your site but

not more capacity than you actually will use. At every site, you
want an RTU (Remote Telemetry Unit) that can support your
expected growth over a reasonable period of time, but it's simply
wasteful to spend your budget on excess capacity that you won't
use.
Rugged constructionand ability to withstandextremes of
temperature and humidity. You know how punishing on
equipment your sites can be. Keep in mind that your SCADA
system needs to be the most reliable element in your facility.
Secure, redundant power supply. You need your SCADA
system up and working 24/7, no excuses. Your RTU (Remote
Telemetry Unit) should support battery power and, ideally, two
power inputs.

Cont
Redundant communication ports. Network connectivity is as

important to SCADA operations as a power supply. A secondary

serial port or internal modem will keep your RTU (Remote
Telemetry Unit) online even if the LAN fails. Plus, RTUs with
multiple communication ports easily support a LAN migration
strategy.
Nonvolatile memory (NVRAM)for storing software and/or
firmware. NVRAM retains data even when power is lost. New
firmware can be easily downloaded to NVRAM storage, often over
LAN - so you can keep your RTUs' capabilities up to date without
excessive site visits.
Intelligent control. As I noted above, sophisticatedSCADA
remotes can control local systems by themselves according to
programmed responses to sensor inputs. This isn't necessary for
every application, but it does come in handy for some users.
Real-time clockfor accurate date/time stamping of reports.
Watchdog timerto ensure that theRTU(Remote Telemetry Unit)
restarts after a power failure.

What to Look for in a

SCADA Master?

Your SCADA master should display information in the most useful ways

to human operators and intelligently regulated your managed systems.

Here's a checklist ofSCADAmaster must-haves:
Flexible, programmable response to sensor inputs.Look for a
system that provides easy tools for programming soft alarms (reports
of complex events that track combinations of sensor inputs and
date/time statements) and soft controls (programmed control
responses to sensor inputs).
24/7, automatic pager and email notification.There's no need to
pay personnel to watch a board 24 hours a day. If equipment needs
human attention, the SCADA master can automatically page or email
directly to repair technicians.
Detailed information display.You want a system that displays
reports in plain English, with a complete description of what activity is
happening and how you can manage it.
Nuisancealarm filtering.Nuisance alarms desensitize your staff to
alarm reports, and they start to believe that all alarms are nonessential
alarms. Eventually they stop responding even to critical alarms. Look
for a SCADA master that includes tools to filter outnuisancealarms.

Cont
Expansion capability.A SCADA system is a long-term

investment that will last for as long as 10 to 15 years. So

you need to make sure it will support your future growth
for up to 15 years.
Redundant, geo diverse backup.The
bestSCADAsystems support multiple backup masters, in
separate locations.. If the primary SCADA master fails, a
second master on the network automatically takes over,
with no interruption of monitoring and control functions.
Support for multiple protocols and equipment
types.Early SCADA systems were built on closed,
proprietary protocols. Single-vendor solutions aren't a
great idea - vendors sometimes drop support for their
products or even just go out of business. Support for
multiple open protocols safeguards your SCADA system
against unplanned obsolescence.

Why is SCADA so
popular?

The major attraction of SCADA to a municipality is the ability to

significantly reduce operating labor costs, while at the same time

actually improve plant or regional system performance and reliability.
Information gathering within a plant no longer requires personnel to
spend time wandering all over the site, and correspondingly the
frequency of field site inspections required in a regional system can be
minimized.
Costly after-hours alarm call-outs can often be avoided since a SCADA
system will indicate the nature and degree of a problem, while the ability
to remotely control site equipment may permit an operator at home to
postpone a site visit till working hours. SCADA based alarming is also
very reliable since it is in-house and tied directly to process control.
A significant feature of a SCADA system, often not fully appreciated, is
the trending of data and nothing comes close for speed and ease of
operation. When graphically displayed, accumulated operating data
often will indicate a developing problem, or an area for process
improvement. Reports can easily be generated from this data utilizing
other common software programs.
It should be appreciated that while a SCADA system is often complex to
configure - it is extremely easy to operate!

What is involved?
There are five phases to creating a functional SCADA

system:
Phase 1
The DESIGN of the system architecture. This includes
all important communication system, and with a
regional system utilizing radio communication often
involves a radio path survey. Also involved will be any
site instrumentation that is not presently in existence,
but will be required to monitor desired parameters.
Phase 2
The SUPPLY of RTU, communication and HMI
equipment, the latter consisting of a PC system and
the necessary powerful graphic and alarm software
programs.

Cont
Phase 3

The PROGRAMMING of the communication

equipment and the powerful HMI graphic and alarm
software programs.
Phase 4
The INSTALLATION of the communication
equipment and the PC system. The former task is
typically much more involved.
Phase 5
The COMMISSIONING of the system, during which
communication and HMI programming problems are
solved, the system is proven to the client, operator
training and system documentation is provided.

Why You Need Help With

Your
SCADA
Implementing an SCADA system can seem deceptively
easy - you just look on the Web, find a few vendors,
Implementation?
compare a few features, add some configuration and

you're done, right?

The truth is, developing a SCADA system on your own is
one of the riskiest things you can do. Here are some of
the typical problems you might face if you don't get
expert advice when you're designing your system:
1. Implementation time is drawn out:It's going to
take longer than you think. Network monitoring is a
highly technical subject, and you have a lot to learn if
you want a successful implementation. And anytime you
are trying to do something you've never done before,
you are bound to make mistakes - mistakes that extend
your time and your budget beyond their limits.

Cont
2. Resources are misused:If you're not fully

informed about your options for systems

integration, you may replace equipment that could
have been integrated into your new system.
Rushing into a system wide replacement when you
could have integrated can cost you hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
3. Opportunities are missed: If you install a
newSCADAsystem today, you're committing your
company to that system for as long as 10 to 15
years. Many companies design what they think is a
state-of-the-art SCADA system - and then find that
their technology is actually a generation behind.

DCS vs. SCADA in

Modern
Environments
There is considerable confusion today about the difference

between DCS ("Distributed Control Systems")

andSCADA("Site Control And Data Acquisition") systems.
As you can tell from expanded acronyms above, SCADA
includes "Data Acquisition" in addition to "Control". DCS, on
the other hand, contains only "Control".
Understanding why this difference exists requires a 15second history lesson. Historically, when computer networks
either did not yet exist or had very low bandwidth, a SCADA
system was the top-level controller for many lower-level
intelligent agents. It was simply impractical to have a single
system controlling every minute aspect of a system. In this
technical environment, DCS devices did most of the detail
work and simply reported to (and took high-level orders
from) the SCADA system.

Cont
Today, computer networks have become so fast

that there's no practical reason for SCADA and DCS

to be separate. That's why they have blurred
together into a single monitoring and control
system. The choice of name - SCADA vs. DCS largely depends on the region where you work.
Some areas favor SCADA, others favor DCS.
Occasionally, some people who worked with the
systems before they effectively merged or who
have moved from another region will use a term
different than their coworkers. This again leads to
confusion when new employees must learn to
manageSCADA/DCS.

SUMMARY
(SCADA vs. DCS)
DCS is process oriented, while SCADA is data

acquisition oriented.

DCS is process state driven, while SCADA is event

driven.

DCS is commonly used to handle operations on a

single locale, while SCADA is preferred for applications

that are spread over a wide geographic location.

DCS operator stations are always connected to its I/O,

while SCADA is expected to operate despite failure of

field communications.

References
www.dpstele.com
www.pacontrol.com
www.edaboard.com
www.instrumentations.blogspot.com
www.controlengeurope.com
www.differencebetween.net