Digital plat architecture system reduces costs

Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture systems now includes Zone 1 and 2 remote I/O, and an energy limiting single port fibre optic switch for use in Zone 1 areas.

Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture systems now includes Zone 1 and 2 remote I/O, and an energy limiting single port fibre optic switch for use in Zone 1 areas.

Emerson Process Management announces the release of DeltaV version 8.3, a key component of Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture.

The new release includes Zone 1 and 2 remote I/O, and an energy limiting single port fibre optic switch for use in Zone 1 areas.

The remote I/O has been designed to reduce life cycle costs, and the switch permits fibre optic cable to be used in Zone 1 areas without protective sheathing, reducing installation costs.

"The goal for our new remote I/O scanners is to drive down our customers total life cycle costs, ensuring easy installation and maintenance," said Thomas Steiner, marketing manager DeltaV and DeltaV SIS for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"Our I/O modules are 'plug and play', requiring no dip switch settings or user configuration effort.

And unlike other remote I/O solutions, the I/O can connect with different controllers on the control network." The DeltaV Zone 2 remote I/O scanner addresses up to eight discrete or analogue I/O cards which can be targeted to one of four controllers for additional flexibility.

The Zone 1 scanner works with up to four new intrinsically safe I/O cards that have inputs and outputs on each card.

A DeltaV system can have up to 60 remote I/O scanners, and any controller can have up to 16 modules associated with it.

Analogue I/O cards are all equipped with full HART communications pass-through capability.

FOUNDATION fieldbus cards are scheduled for later release.

Communications between remote I/O and controllers is via standard redundant Ethernet communications.

The new I/O modules are designed to enable replacement of separate I/O cards in the field without shutting down the module.

The Zone 1 I/O is equipped with two certified energy-limiting fibre optic communications ports.

The Zone 1 I/O also uses a patented approach to intrinsic safety that involves a combination of safety technologies for additional security.

Time stamping and control strategies are maintained in the controllers.

The Zone 2 I/O scanners are marine certified making them ideal choices for offshore oil and gas production platforms and FPSOs.

Fibre optic cables are often used to safely route Ethernet through Zone 1 or Class 1 Division 2 plant areas.

Because a broken fibre optic cable can carry enough energy to cause a spark, they are often housed in a conduit or protective sheath.

This adds significantly to installation costs.

The Fibre Optic switch limits the energy in the cable so they can be run without additional protection.

DIN rail mounted, the switch is certified by KEMA to limit the energy in the cable so that a potential cable break is safe in Zone 1 and Class 1 Division 2 environments.

24V DC powered, the new switch is equipped with a single fibre optic port, and four 10/100 MB TX Ethernet connections.

The port can be used with the new DeltaV Zone1 I/O scanner and can be used independently of the DeltaV system to route Ethernet safely through Zone 1 or C1D2 areas.

"This product was developed to reduce the cost of installing fibre optic cabling in our customers' Zone 1 areas," continued Steiner.

"This is the first of a family of similar fibre optic products that will address Zone 1 and C1D2 issues." The fibre optic switch is designed to the same G3 environmental specs as the DeltaV product so it can be mounted in Zone 2 or C1D2 environments.

Since it does not use the DeltaV backplane, pairs of these switches can be used wherever fibre optic cable needs to be routed to or through Zone 1 or C1D2 locations.

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