Alarm Notification

Lab Guide
Introduction
During the course of this lab you will learn to perform the following:

Identify the various default methods of process alarm notification.

Use the default displays to test alarm conditions and modify settable alarm parameters.

Interpret alarm messages and utilize the various function keys on the Current Alarms display.

Interpret alarm messages and utilize the various function keys on the Most Recent Alarm display.

Interpret alarm messages and utilize the various function keys on the Alarm Summary displays.

Interpret alarm messages and utilize the various function keys on the Alarm History display.

Define the purpose and operation of the Operations display.

Describe the pull-down menu functions provided by the Alarm Manager displays.

Perform alarm searches on Alarm Manager displays.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Process Alarm Notification ............................................................................................ 3

Default Displays .............................................................................................................. 4

The FoxSelect Tool.......................................................................................................................... 4
The Compound Detail Display ........................................................................................................ 4
The Block Detail Display................................................................................................................. 5

Current Alarm Display .................................................................................................... 7

Most Recent Alarms Display .......................................................................................... 9

Other Alarm Displays.................................................................................................... 11

New Alarms Display...................................................................................................................... 11
Unacknowledged Returned Alarms Display.................................................................................. 11
Acknowledged Alarms Display ..................................................................................................... 12
Alarm History Display................................................................................................................... 12

Operations Display........................................................................................................ 13

Other Functions ............................................................................................................ 13

Saving an Alarm Display ............................................................................................................... 13
Hiding Controls.............................................................................................................................. 13

Alarm Searches ............................................................................................................. 14

Finding Alarms .............................................................................................................................. 14
Matching Alarms ........................................................................................................................... 15

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PROCESS ALARM NOTIFICATION

1. Use the block detail display of LC100 to ensure that it is in Automatic.
2. Click the ALARMS button.
3. Observe the parameters listed on the overlay.
4. Use table 1.1 below to set the alarm limits from this display
Parameters

Entry

MEASHL

8.0

MEASLL

2.0

HDALIM

2.0

LDALIM

2.0

Table 1-1

5.

LC100 Alarm Limits

Select CNTRL button.

6. Change the Level Control Setpoint to 0.

This will initiate a High Deviation and a Low Absolute alarm.
7. Wait until the Low Absolute alarm becomes active.
What indication on the PID faceplate informs you that an alarm exists? Of the two alarms,
which appears in the PID faceplate? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What has happened to the Process or Alarm key?
__________________________________________________________________

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DEFAULT DISPLAYS
The FoxSelect Tool
1. Invoke the FoxSelect:

Click FoxSelect in the display bar. Refresh and Expand the station CP2701.
What indication appears in the Station View that informs you that a priority 1 alarm exists?
__________________________________________________________________

The Compound Detail Display

1. Access the TANK2_COMP detail display and minimize the FoxSelect display.
The value of the ALMLEV parameter is _____.
Why is the ALMLEV parameter equal to this number?
__________________________________________________________________
If CINHIB = 4, which alarm priorities are inhibited?
__________________________________________________________________
No block alarms are inhibited when CINHIB is equal to _____.
CINHIB ___________ (is/is not) a settable parameter.
2. Select CINHIB.
3. Select the Slow Ramp Up key to increment CINHIB by one.
4. Set CINHIB to 4.
5. Observe the names listed under "DEVICE GROUP 1".
Explain the purpose of these devices.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Are the group device parameters settable?
__________________________________________________________________

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The Block Detail Display

1. Recall the FoxSelect display.
2. Access the LC100 Detail Display and minimize the FoxSelect display.
Explain the meaning of the alarm abbreviation appearing on the faceplate.
__________________________________________________________________
Explain the alarm abbreviations background color.
__________________________________________________________________
How can you tell from the faceplate that the alarm has not been acknowledged?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Look at the Block Alarm Summary area.
What text appears in this area?
__________________________________________________________________
4. Click the ALARM TEXT button.
What appears on the screen?
__________________________________________________________________
Are the Alarm Text parameters settable?
__________________________________________________________________
5. Click the ALARMS button.
What appears on the screen?
__________________________________________________________________
6. Observe the parameters listed on the resulting overlay.
What parameter in the overlay indicates the priority of the Deviation alarm?
__________________________________________________________________
What parameter in the overlay indicates the priority of the Absolute alarm?
__________________________________________________________________
When will a High Deviation alarm occur?
__________________________________________________________________
When will a High Absolute alarm occur?
__________________________________________________________________

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7. Select the measurement alarms Priority field and change its value to 4.
What happens to the alarm abbreviations background color in the faceplate?
__________________________________________________________________
8. Return the Priority value to 1.
9. Select MEASHL and slowly ramp down its value and then back to 8.0.
What happens to the upper triangle in the faceplate?
__________________________________________________________________
List the other settable alarm parameters.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
10. Select ACK.
How can you tell from the faceplate that the alarm has been acknowledged?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens to the Process or Alarm key after a few moments?
__________________________________________________________________
11. Return the setpoint to 5 and ensure that no alarms exist in the PID block when the level reaches 5.
What happens to the Process or Alarm key after a few moments?
__________________________________________________________________

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CURRENT ALARM DISPLAY

1. Recall the FoxSelect screen and ensure that the compound ALARMDEMO is in the station being
used. If not, see the instructor.
2. Ensure that the compound ALARMDEMO is on.
3. Call up the Tank2 group display and ensure that the pump is on.
4. Ensure that the controllers (LC100) setpoint is equal to 5.0 inches and the process is stable.
5. Select the [Process] key. The Current Alarms Display should appear. If there are any alarm
messages present, select the Clear Page button.
6. Open the File menu and select Dismiss.
What happens?
__________________________________________________________________
At least one Alarm Manager display must be displayed or iconized on the system. The
Alarm Manager must always be running and hence cannot be closed.
7. Select OK.
8. Minimize (iconize) the Current Alarms display by clicking the button above the File key and then
selecting Close in the resulting menu.
What happens?
__________________________________________________________________
9. Change the controllers (LC100) setpoint to 9.0 inches and quickly select the [Process] or
[Alarm] key.
10. After the Low Deviation alarm message appears on the display, notice that New Alarms appears
in the upper right section of the display. Select this box.
What happens?
__________________________________________________________________
Describe the function of this box.
__________________________________________________________________

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11. When the High Absolute alarm becomes active, a new alarm message appears and again, New
Alarms appears. This notifies the observer that a new alarm has occurred.
What was the level of the tank when the High Absolute alarm occurred?
__________________________________________________________________
What does the 1 mean in the box beside HIABS?
__________________________________________________________________
What does the U mean at the end of the HIABS message?
__________________________________________________________________
What does the R mean in the Low Deviation alarm message?
__________________________________________________________________
12. Select the Low Deviation alarm message. Notice the PAUSED box turns red.
What does this mean?
__________________________________________________________________
13. Click the Block Detail button. This causes the blocks detail display to be opened. However,
since the Alarm Manager is controlling the CAD and Display Manager is controlling the detail
display, the blocks detail display is actually appears in the background, behind the CAD.
14. Bring the detail display to the foreground by clicking anywhere in its title bar.
15. Recall the Current Alarms display.
16. Select the High Absolute alarm message and then click the Alarm Detail button. The Alarm
Detail dialog box appears. Notice the additional information regarding the alarm.
17. Remove the Alarm Detail dialog box by clicking the CLOSE button.
18. Select the Low Deviation alarm and then click the Ack Alarm button.
What happens to the Low Deviation alarm message and why?
__________________________________________________________________
19. Observe how the high absolute alarm message has changed. Since the High Absolute and Low
Deviation alarms were in the same block, both were acknowledged at the same time.
What does the blank box mean at the end of the message?
__________________________________________________________________
20. Minimize the CAD, return the level setpoint to 5.0 inches, and then quickly recall the CAD.
21. Select the High Deviation alarm message, and then click Clear Alarm.
22. Minimize the CAD.

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MOST RECENT ALARMS DISPLAY

1. Set the level setpoint to 9.0 inches. Wait until the Low Deviation alarm is no longer active.
When is the Low Deviation alarm no longer active?
__________________________________________________________________
2. Recall the CAD.
3. Select [Displays] and then select Most Recent Alarms. The Most Recent Alarms display
(MRA) appears.
Why isnt the Low Deviation alarm listed here, as it is in the CAD?
__________________________________________________________________
What is the tank level, as shown in the MRAs High Absolute alarm message?
__________________________________________________________________
4. Select [Displays] and return to the CAD by selecting Current Alarms in the resulting menu.
What is the tank level, as shown in the CADs High Absolute alarm message?
__________________________________________________________________
Why is it not the same as the level indicated in the MRA display?
__________________________________________________________________
5. Bring (recall) the Most Recent Alarm display to the front
6. Select the alarm message and then click Ack Alarm. You will notice that the alarm has been
acknowledged. But the MRA is only supposed to display active, unacknowledged alarms.
Therefore, this message remains only until the screen is refreshed or the MRA display is
reopened.
7. Select View in the MRA displays menu bar and then select Refresh.
What happened to the message?
__________________________________________________________________
8. Minimize the MRA display and CAD.
9. Return the level setpoint to 5.0 inches and clear all alarms after the level has stabilized.

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Multiple Block Alarm Demonstration

The compound ALARMDEMO will now be activated to generate numerous alarms, which
eventually return to normal.
1. Ensure that you are still in the Process Engineers environment.
2. Open the Disp key on the menu bar and then select d1. Select ALARM_DEMO from the
ensuing menu.
3. Start the alarm demonstration by selecting the START BUTTON. Observe that the Demo is on,
and then select the RETURN TO PREVIOUS DISPLAY BUTTON.
4. Select the Process or Alarm alarm key.
5. As the alarm messages appear on the CAD, open the MRA display and observe that the messages
are also added to the MRA display as they are generated.
6. Return to the CAD. Wait until no new alarms are generated. This will take several minutes.
How many alarms have been generated?
__________________________________________________________________
7. Use the scroll bar, located on the right edge of the CAD, to observe the additional alarms.
8. Select Clear Page and observe that the messages on the page are erased.
9. Select Ack Page. Note that the remaining alarms that had returned to normal are removed.
10. Select Ack Page again, if necessary, until all alarms have been removed.

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OTHER ALARM DISPLAYS

New Alarms Display
1. Ensure that you are still in the Process Engineers environment.
2. Open the Disp_1 menu and select ALARM_DEMO.
3. Start the alarm demonstration by selecting the START BUTTON. Observe that the Demo is on.
4. Open the CAD and wait until several alarms appear.
5. Select Displays and then New Alarm Summary. The New Alarms display is similar to the
CAD, except that new alarms are not added to the display until it is refreshed.
6. Click the flashing New Alarms button.
What happens to the New Alarms button?
__________________________________________________________________
7. Refresh the New Alarms display by opening the View menu, and selecting Refresh.
What happens?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. Exit the New Alarms display by opening the File menu and selecting Dismiss.
Unacknowledged Returned Alarms Display
1. Recall the CAD, if necessary. Wait until all the alarms are in the Unacknowledged/Return to
Normal state.
2. Open the Displays menu and select Unacknowledged Alarm Summary. The Unacknowledged
Returned Alarms display lists only those alarms that have returned to normal, but have not been
acknowledged.
3. Select an alarm message and click the Ack Alarm button.
What happens to the alarm message?
__________________________________________________________________
4. Refresh the Unacknowledged Returned Alarms display.
What happened to the message?
__________________________________________________________________
5. Exit the Unacknowledged/Return to Normal Summary display.
6. Use the CAD to clear all the alarms.
7. Minimize the CAD.

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Acknowledged Alarms Display

1. Call up the Tank2 group display by opening the Disp menu, expanding d3, and then selecting
TANK2_GRP.
2. Change the level setpoint (LC100) to 1.0 inch.
3. Recall the CAD and wait until a Low Absolute alarm appears.
4. Acknowledge the alarms.
5. Open the Displays menu and select Acknowledged Alarm Summary. This display shows only
active, acknowledged alarms.
6. Exit the Acknowledged Alarms display.
7. Return the setpoint to 5.0 inches and clear all alarms when the level has stabilized.
Alarm History Display
1. Recall the Current Alarms display, if necessary.
2. Open the Displays menu and select Alarm History.
List any differences that you observe between the Alarm History and Current Alarms
displays.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Exit the Alarm History display and minimize the Current Alarms display.

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OPERATIONS DISPLAY
1. Recall the CAD.
2. Open the Displays menu and select Operations.
3. Open the Horns menu and select Mute Horns.
What is displayed on the Operations display and the Current Alarms display?
__________________________________________________________________
4. Unmute the horns by reopening the Horns menu and selecting Unmute Horns.
5. Exit the Operations display by opening the File menu and selecting Dismiss.

OTHER FUNCTIONS
Saving an Alarm Display
Here, you will save the contents of an Alarm Manager display to a file.
1. Change the setpoint to 9.0 and wait for the High Absolute alarm to appear in the CAD.
2. Recall the Most Recent Alarms display.
3. Select File and then Save.
4. If using an AW70, select the File name box and enter histtest as the file name.
Record the displays full pathname.
__________________________________________________________________
5. Click Save
6. Dismis the Most Recent Alarms display and minimize the Current Alarms display.
7. Access the histtest file using the Window Explorer to view its contents.
8. Exit when done
9. Return the level setpoint to 5.0 inches and clear all alarms when the level has stabilized.
Hiding Controls
You may wish to make an alarm display read-only.
1. Recall the Current Alarms display.
2. Open the View menu and select Hide Controls.
Describe what happens in the Current Alarms display.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Return the CAD to normal operation by right-clicking anywhere in the CAD and selecting Show
Controls.

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ALARM SEARCHES
Alarm searches can be used with any alarm display. The impact is best illustrated on a display with
many alarms. With this in mind, the Alarm History display will be used.
Finding Alarms
Here, you will locate all flow alarms. It is assumed that any block associated with a flow control will
have the letter F in its name. The asterisk (*) can be used as a wild card character.
1. Call up the Alarm History display
How many alarm messages are present?
__________________________________________________________________
2. Open the Edit menu and select Find Alarms.
3. Move the resulting dialog box to the side, so the Alarm History display can be observed at the
same time.
4. Enter *F* in the Blocks field. This will search for alarm messages associated with blocks
containing the letter F (flow) in its name.
5. Click the Next button.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
6. Click the Next button again.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
7. Click the Find All button.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
8. Remove the dialog box by clicking the Close button.
9. Exit the Alarm History display.

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Matching Alarms
Here, you will modify the Alarm History display such that it only displays alarms that match
specified criteria (e.g., block names, alarm type, alarm priority).
1. Recall the Alarm History display.
2. Open the View menu and select Match Alarms.
3. Enter TANK2_COMP in the Match Specification Compounds field (located in the upper portion
of the dialog box) and click the Apply button.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
How many alarm messages are now present in the Alarm History display?
__________________________________________________________________
4. Click the Alarm Priority 1 button and click the Apply button.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
How many alarm messages are now present in the Alarm History display?
__________________________________________________________________
5. Select the Alarm Type LOABS and click the Apply button.
6. Make the selections that will produce a listing of all Priority 1 & 2 alarms in the TANK2_COMP
compound and click the OK button. The dialog box disappears.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
7. Recall the Match Alarms dialog box and click the Stop button.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
8. Click the Clear button in the dialog box.
Describe what happens in the dialog box.
__________________________________________________________________
9. Select the filter tab and enter TANK2_COMP in the Compounds field and click the Apply
button.
Describe what happens in the Alarm History display.
__________________________________________________________________
10. Click the Stop button and Close the dialog box.

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