Disadvantages of relay based interlock systems

Commissioning is held up while wiring changes, contact by-passing,

coil replacement and timer settings are carried out.
You have to ask for plant shut down to carry out changes in control
schemes.
Dust and humidity impair performance of electromechanical devices
over a period.
Regular maintenance schedules and indenting for variey of spares is
called for.
Change in operations or process involves extensive re-wiring /
additional panel space.

Limitations of relay logic

Large space requirements
Very little or no flexibility for carrying out field alteration of system
logic.
Frequent maintenance requirement.

Programmable logic controller

With the advent of reliable and low cost microprocessor, the answer to
the above was a microprocessor based programmable logic controller.

 Using plcs, the desired interlocking system need not be hard-wired,

but can be programmed and stored in its memory.
The proogram sequence can be altered and modified easily in order to
cater to any field changes required in the interlocking system.
The plc, based on its program stored in memory, checks the status of
each such individual input contact, performs the necessary logic and
sets each of the outputs to the desired status by energising or deenergising the contactor or solenoid valve or by giving supply to an
indicating lamp etc..
Each interlock function is cyclically scanned at a fast rate and the
outputs are set / reset depending on current status of inputs / outputs
involved.
The basic principle of operation in a stored programmable logic is that
every logic involving inputs and outputs is performed at a high speed
under the directin of program statements stored in the memory.
Statements stored in the memory are fetched one by one in a serial
order and based on the instruction in the statement, the necessary task
is carried out.
The statement execution and input scanning is carried out cyclically at
high speed.
In view of the high speed involved, as compared to reaction times of
elector-mechanical switching elements and further with the aid of
storage of output commands, the logic executin is continuous as in
hard-wired logic and faster than relay logic.

 For programming the statements of the logic to be performed, the user

is given a simple, easy to understand and implement programming
language.
The program for the interlock protectin logic is stored in the program
memory provided in the memory chips of the memory module.
Each statement is entered as one step in the programming language.
The logic processing unit fetches and executes the instructins
sequentially from the memory unit.
Thus the entire program is cyclically executed.
A perfect galvanic isolation can be maintained between field and
internal logic by use of optical isolators. Use of optical isolators
improves the noise immunity of the system and protects the internal
processing circuitry from harsh field environment.

Features of plc
Shortest time installation
Flexibility : plcs provide flexibility of changes in logic requirements
even at field by change of only the program.
Simple instruction set : the user is given a programming language
which is easy to understand and simple to implement.
No necessity of splitting a logic equation : there should not be any
need of splitting even the complicated interlock logic equation.
On-line programming capability.