Understanding Distributed Processor Systems for Controls

Understanding Distributed Processor Systems for Controls explains how modern control systems manage industrial processes. It guides readers through the purpose of control systems, the hardware and software components inside controllers and how operators interact with plants using video displays and human-machine interfaces. It balances explanations of older technologies still in use with the rapidly changing innovations shaping today's systems, emphasizing that the true goal is improved plant productivity, not just impressive features. This book covers the process of planning, specifying, selecting and implementing a control system, including vendor comparison, testing and project management. It also examines human factors, such as how operators perceive information, design principles for clear screens and alarms, and methods to make interfaces intuitive and safe. Technical ideas are presented clearly so that engineers, managers, technicians, and newcomers (including non-engineers) can ask the right questions and make better decisions about control systems.

Part A. Introduction 1 Chapter 1. Purpose of This Book 3 Chapter 2. Evolution of Plantwide Process Control 11 Chapter 3. The Nuts and Bolts of Computing Devices 33 Part B. Controllers 43 Chapter 4. Controller Hardware Structures 45 Chapter 5. Controller Software Structures 51 Chapter 6. Controller Redundancy 65 Chapter 7. Connections to the Controller 73 Part C. Human Interfaces 89 Chapter 8. Humans in Control 91 Chapter 9. Video for User Interfaces 97 Chapter 10. Adjusting Technology to Fit—Use the Medium 105 Chapter 11. Video Monitor Hardware 111 Chapter 12. Exploring Displays 121 Chapter 13. Trending Data Through Video 131 Chapter 14. Communication of Information 143 Chapter 15. Video Screen Animation 149 Chapter 16. Screen Navigation 159 Chapter 17. Human Information Processing 175 Part D. Plant Upsets 197 Chapter 18. Working With Alarms 199 Chapter 19. Alarm Choices 205 Chapter 20. Alarm Structures and Hierarchies 209 Chapter 21. Overall System Display Structures 217 Part E. Networks 225 Chapter 22. More Nuts and Bolts 227 Chapter 23. Physical Structures 235 Chapter 24. Logical Structures 245 Chapter 25. Open Communications Standards 263 Chapter 26. Digital Field Communications 285 Chapter 27. Architectural Issues 299 Part F. Connecting the Enterprise 307 Chapter 28. Succeeding in the Business 309 Chapter 29. Plant Information 327 Part G. The Process 337 Chapter 30. Continuous Processing 339 Chapter 31. Discontinuous Processing 351 Chapter 32. Toward Standardizing Configuration 361 Part H. System Security 377 Chapter 33. Risk of Failure 379 Chapter 34. Measuring Deficiency 389 Chapter 35. Nature of Failures 395 Chapter 36. Finding Fault 403 Chapter 37. Operational Security 415 Chapter 38. Systems For Process Safety 419 Part I. Typical Vendor Architectures 427 Chapter 39. Older Examples 429 Chapter 40. Justification 451 Chapter 41. Preparation and Definition 455 Chapter 42. Specification 469 Chapter 43. Selection Process 479 Chapter 44. The System has been Bought! 515 Part K. Why Distribute My Control? 525 Chapter 45. Selling Change 527 Part L. Future Trends 531 Chapter 46. Distributed Ain't Dead!! 533 Chapter 47. Market Domains 537 Bibliography 543 Glossary, Acronyms, and Abbreviations: Beyond Distributed Process Control 545 Vendor-Specific Acronyms: DCS 699 Index 715