Process Control

Process control is extensively used in industry and enables mass production of continuous processes such as oil refining, paper manufacturing, chemicals, power plants and many other industries. Process control enables automation, with which a small staff of operating personnel can operate a complex process from a central control room.

For example, heating up the temperature in a room is a process that has the specific, desired outcome to reach and maintain a defined temperature (e.g. 20C), kept constant over time. Here, the temperature is the controlled variable. At the same time, it is the input variable since it is measured by a thermometer and used to decide whether to heat or not to heat. The desired temperature (20C) is the setpoint. The state of the heater (e.g. the setting of the valve allowing hot water to flow through it) is called the manipulated variable since it is subject to control actions.

Process Control

Process Control
A commonly used control device called a programmable logic controller, or a PLC, is used to read a set of digital and analog inputs, apply a set of logic statements, and generate a set of analog and digital outputs. Using the example in the previous paragraph, the room temperature would be an input to the PLC. The logical statements would compare the setpoint to the input temperature and determine whether more or less heating was necessary to keep the temperature constant. A PLC output would then either open or close the hot water valve, an incremental amount, depending on whether more or less hot water was needed. Larger more complex systems can be controlled by a Distributed Control System (DCS) or SCADA system.

In practice, process control systems can be characterized as one or more of the following forms: Discrete Found in many manufacturing, motion and packaging applications. Robotic assembly, such as that found in automotive production, can be characterized as discrete process control. Most discrete manufacturing involves the production of discrete pieces of product, such as metal stamping. Batch Some applications require that specific quantities of raw materials be combined in specific ways for particular durations to produce an intermediate or end result. One example is the production of adhesives and glues, which normally require the mixing of raw materials in a heated vessel for a period of time to form a quantity of end product. Other important examples are the production of food, beverages and medicine. Batch processes are generally used to produce a relatively low to intermediate quantity of product per year (a few pounds to millions of pounds). Continuous Often, a physical system is represented through variables that are smooth and uninterrupted in time. The control of the water temperature in a heating jacket, for example, is an example of continuous process control. Some important continuous processes are the production of fuels, chemicals and plastics. Continuous processes in manufacturing are used to produce very large quantities of product per year (millions to billions of pounds). Applications having elements of discrete, batch and continuous process control are often called hybrid applications.

Types of control systems

SCADA system
The term SCADA usually refers to centralized systems which monitor and control entire sites, or complexes of systems spread out over large areas ( anything from an industrial plant to a nation). Most control actions are performed automatically by RTUs or by PLCs. Host control functions are usually restricted to basic overriding or supervisory level intervention. For example, a PLC may control the flow of cooling water through part of an industrial process, but the SCADA system may allow operators to change the set points for the flow, and enable alarm conditions, such as loss of flow and high temperature, to be displayed and recorded. The feedback control loop passes through the RTU or PLC, while the SCADA system monitors the overall performance of the loop.

SCADA system
A SCADA system usually consists of the following subsystems: A humanmachine interface or HMI is the apparatus or device which presents process data to a human operator, and through this, the human operator monitors and controls the process. SCADA is used as a safety tool as in lock-out tag-out A supervisory (computer) system, gathering (acquiring) data on the process and sending commands (control) to the process. Remote terminal units (RTUs) connecting to sensors in the process, converting sensor signals to digital data and sending digital data to the supervisory system. Programmable logic controller (PLCs) used as field devices because they are more economical, versatile, flexible, and configurable than special-purpose RTUs. Communication infrastructure connecting the supervisory system to the remote terminal units. Various process and analytical instrumentation

SCADA system
Data acquisition begins at the RTU or PLC level and includes meter readings and equipment status reports that are communicated to SCADA as required. Data is then compiled and formatted in such a way that a control room operator using the HMI can make supervisory decisions to adjust or override normal RTU (PLC) controls.

Data may also be often built on a commodity Database Management System, to allow trending and other analytical auditing. SCADA systems typically implement a distributed database, commonly referred to as a tag database, which contains data elements called tags or points. A point represents a single input or output value monitored or controlled by the system. Points can be either "hard" or "soft". A hard point represents an actual input or output within the system, while a soft point results from logic and math operations applied to other points. (Most implementations conceptually remove the distinction by making every property a "soft" point expression, which may, in the simplest case, equal a single hard point.) Points are normally stored as value-timestamp pairs: a value, and the timestamp when it was recorded or calculated. A series of value-timestamp pairs gives the history of that point. It is also common to store additional metadata with tags, such as the path to a field device or PLC register, design time comments, and alarm information.

SCADA system fed to an Historian,

SCADA systems are significantly important systems used in national infrastructures such as electric grids, water supplies and pipelines. However, SCADA systems have many security vulnerabilities

SCADA system

Distributed Control System (DCS)

A distributed control system (DCS) refers to a control system usually of a manufacturing system process or any kind of dynamic system, in which the controller elements are not central in location (like the brain) but are distributed throughout the system with each component sub-system controlled by one or more controllers. DCS (Distributed Control System) is a computerized control system used to control the production line in the industry The entire system of controllers is connected by networks for communication and monitoring. DCS is a very broad term used in a variety of industries, to monitor and control distributed equipment. Electrical power grids and electrical generation plants Environmental control systems Traffic signals Radio signals Water management systems Oil refining plants Metallurgical process plants Chemical plants Pharmaceutical manufacturing Sensor networks Dry cargo and bulk oil carrier ships

 In the past the strength and weakness of both the automation technologies were well understood. So it was easy for engineers to select the one that suits their application, but now due to the advent of microprocessors both the technologies are merging.The requirements which are thought to be exclusive to one technology can be found in the other one too.But still there are some things which are to be checked out before selecting the one that suits your application the best. Now a days you cannot really tell the difference between a PLC or a DCS. Since the PLC was integrated with Analog I/O it crosses the boundary of being just digital and crosses to the realm of DCS in handling Analogs, Bus Systems, Distributed I/O and etc. Also, since the DCS now handles logics of Digital I/O it also crossed the boundary to the realm of PLC.

PLC & DCSc

As you know PLC as to its name Programmable Logic Controller. Its main purpose is to replace the relay logic controls which is "On" or "Off". And DCS "Distributed Control Systems" its emphasis is Fast analog handling because of communications through Bus systems, networking and etc.

PLC & DCS

Summarizing all these, PLC = DCS......BUT still there are basic differences as below PLC is a programmable Logic controller which is used mainly for interlocking different equipments. PLC using for perticular mechine or production unit. PLC is economicaly low cost. PLC'S can handle analog and digital I/O as earliear it could handle only digital. PLC'S are automatic controllers which is a substitute to hard wired controllers. they are extensively used for automation. PLC is for stand alone sytem. PLC is used Commonly with On\Off (Digital) Control and may be expanded with Analog I\O Modules for Analog Control and used for a control task.

PLC

DCS: distributed control systems: this system does what a PLC would do, but the difference is that a DCS is used in much larger and complex application e.g: Power Generation Some Cold Rolling Mills etc. DCS is the System in which controller are distributed geographically and integrated all the control hardwares .which is connected from the various field devices .DCS having its own network, Controller and HMI etc. Honeywell, Yokogawa, Invensys, ABB, Emerson are the leading .DCS Vendors.DCS is the System in which controller are distributed geographically and integrated all the control hardwares which is connected from the various field devices.DCS having its own network, Controller and HMI etc

PLC & DCS

DCS

If taken from a narrow point of view, maybe PLC and DCS are functionally the same. Of course, for huge plants with I/O's ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 I/O points, and beyond, it is silly to even think about PLC. 1. A PLC is cost-effective up to a certain I/O count, and so is the DCS. But the difference is in their starting points: the PLC is cost-effective from 0 to a few thousand I/O points; the DCS becomes cost-effective starting from a few thousand points and beyond. 2. A PLC becomes a subsystem of the DCS in rare occasions when the situation calls for it, i.e., purchase of huge package systems with engineering schedules incompatible with the DCS schedule (I/O lists cannot be submitted on time before the DCS hardware freeze date). Note that this package system is a process system using continuous control, not discrete. Based on this, a PLC can never be larger than a DCS in terms of I/O count.

PLC & DCS

3. In large plants the DCS is king because most owners want a single source of hardware support and service, and this mentality naturally denies the PLC a foothold. Package vendors are no longer required to provide PLC for their system. Everything is connected to the DCS.

SCADA
SCADA: AS ALREADY EXPLAINED, IT NOTHING BUT A SOFTWARE USED TO GATHER DATA FROM THE FIELDS INSTRUMENTS WITH THE HELP OF YOUR DCS OR PLC DEPENDING ON THE APPLICATION VIA THE SERVER AND MAKING IT AVAILABLE IN AN ANIMATED FORM. THIS IS USUALLY FOUND IN YOUR CONTROL ROOMS AND DEVELOPMENT ROOM

SCADA

SCADA is the Software tool in which you can able to view/Monitor/Control your Process Variable data and Graphical representation of your plant etc. It's an operator front end display Example of few SCADA S/W is Wonderware, IFix, RS View, WinCC etc .

PLC:
in manufacturing processes(for production of things) for simple batch control intensive logic controls can handle a no. of I/O s at a time downtime => lost production usually, no need of redundancy fast logic scan(=reading I/Ps executing instructions and providing O/Ps) compact easily customised for smaller applications

DCS
in process control (for production of stuff) for complex batch control advanced analog loop controls downtime=>lost production+damage to process equipment+ may lead to dangerous conditions so Redundancy must large in size cant be easily customised for larger applications and plant-wide In detail