What is Distributed Control System or DCS?
| Working
and Characteristics of DCS System (With PDF)
whatispiping.com/distributed-control-system-dcs/
Anup Kumar Dey
What is Distributed Control System, DCS?
Distributed Control System (DCS) is a sophisticated computerized control system for a
process or plant used to control complex, large, and geographically distributed
applications. In this system, autonomous controllers are distributed throughout the entire
plant area, but there is no central operator supervisory control. A high-speed
communication network connects these distributed controllers to field devices and
operating PCs. By localizing control functions near the process plant with remote
monitoring and supervision, the distributed control system (DCS) concept improves
reliability and reduces installation costs. In recent times, the DCS concept is widely used
in continuous process plants requiring high reliability and security. Distributed control
system is also widely used in many other industrial fields like chemical plants,
metallurgical process plants, food processing units, water management systems, nuclear
power plants, automobile industries, petrochemical plants, etc.
The DCS is the control system that continuously monitors and controls the process during
normal plant operation and may provide three different types of safety functions:
Continuous control action, keeping the process at set point values within the normal
operating envelope. It helps in preventing the progression of an abnormal scenario
following an initiating event.
Identify process excursions beyond normal boundaries and provide this information
(typically, as alarm messages) to the operator, who is expected to take a specific
corrective action (control the process or shut down).
State controllers (logic solver or control relays), to take automatic action to trip the
process, rather than attempt to return the process to within the normal operating
envelope.
Architecture of Distributed Control System
Distributed Control System has three important attributes. The first quality is that it
distributes various control functions into relatively small subset systems. These sub
system sets are semiautonomous, and a high speed communication bus interconnects
them. Functions like process control, process supervision, data acquisition, data
presentation, reporting information, storing, information retrieval, etc are performed by
this sets.
Automation of manufacturing process by integrating advanced control strategies is the
important second quality of DCS. The third attributes is proper arrangement of the things
as a system.
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Fig. 1: Typical Distributed Control Systems or DCS Architecture
Distributed control system, by organizing the entire control structure as a single
automation system, are unified through a proper command structure and information flow.
The basic elements of a DCS consists of engineering workstation, process control unit or
local control unit, operating station or HMI, smart devices, and communication system.
Working Principle of DCS System
Sensors in a DCS control system senses the process information and then send it to the
local I/O modules. The actuators connected with these modules control the process
parameters. The collected information is used to the process control unit via field bus.
This information is processed further and analyzed to produce the output results. The
control logic implemented in the controller are used in this process. The control actions as
per the output results are then carried to the actuator devices via field bus. At the
engineering station, the DCS configuring, commissioning and control logic
implementation are carried out.
Basic Distributed Control System Elements
Upon receipt of information from the operator, the DCS interacts with the processes
continuously. Distributed control system also facilitates the opening and closing of valves
using operator manual control. To achieve all these functions DCS consists of various
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elements like
Engineering PC or controller or Engineering Workstation
Distributed controller or Local control unit
Operating station or HMI
Communication system media and protocol
Smart or Intelligent Devices
DCS component failures
The DCS consists of many hardware and software components and relies heavily of
communication equipment to access and display process information. The Control
functions are composed of many components that can fail. Examples of control function
failure are:
Field sensor fails
Inadequate control loop tuning
Input/outputs (I/O) fail to change states
Main processor ceases processing information
Inadequate or slow data acquisition (e.g., sluggish response under upset
conditions)
Positioner fails
Final control element fails
Loss of the operator HMI information
Disrupted communication with field devices.
The DCS control loop is a relatively weak barrier, as there is usually
little redundancy in the components,
limited built-in testing capability, and
limited security against unauthorized changes to the internal program logic.
The limited security arrangements are particularly important when considering the
effectiveness of the DCS. Human error (in modifying logic, bypassing alarms and
interlocks, etc.) can significantly degrade the anticipated performance of DCS systems if
security is not adequate.
Characteristics of Distributed Control System
There are various important features of DCS as listed below:
DCS can handle complex processes using dedicated controllers.
It provides system redundancy feature that increases system reliability.
To deal with large and complicated systems DCS offers many algorithms, pre-tested
and pre-defined functions, more standard application libraries, etc.
Distributed control system provides highly sophisticated HMI to control and monitor
processes.
Depending on the number of I/O’s the CDS structure is scalable.
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Also, a DCS design system offers highly secured system at different levels of
operation.
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