• During communication between master stations it must be ensured that each of

these masters gets sufficient time to execute its communication tasks within a
precisely defined time interval.

• Cyclic, real time data transmission is to be implemented as fast and as simple as

possible for communication between a master and its slaves. [11]

The multi-master system manages communication by having a token that is sent

between the masters. When a master has the token, it can communicate with its slaves,
see figure 1.6. [12]
Token

MASTER 1 MASTER 2
Token

SLAVE 1 SLAVE 2 SLAVE 3 SLAVE 4

Figure 1.6. The multi-master communication of Profibus. The multi-master system manages
communication by having a token that is sent between the masters. When a master has the token, it can
communicate with the slaves.

The User Layer is defined as a standard user layer. [13]

1.2.2 Description of the Software tools in DeltaV

The automation system has many different software applications. For this process the
applications that have been used are: A tool for organizing the database, a tool for
creating control modules and an animation tool for creating operator interfaces.

The Database
A database contains controllers, I/O and fieldbus cards in the system and control
modules.

The Control Modules

In DeltaV the control of the system can be organized in control modules. A control
module can be very simple and contain only one or two input parameters. It can also be
more complex with for instance PID-control.

There are several types of control modules. Which one is used depends on its purpose.

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The most important control modules are;

• Function Block Diagrams (FBD)

An FBD is always necessary to be able to send signals from the computer to the
process or get signals from the process to the computer. An FBD consists of, as
the name tells us, function blocks. A function block can be an input block, for
instance it can contain a signal from a temperature transmitter. If this signal value
should be shown on the operator interface, there must be a reference from the
module containing this block to the operator interface. For each signal, only one
input/output block can be used. It is possible to get the signal at another place, for
instance in a different control module, by referring to it. Other function blocks are,
for instance, multipliers and PID blocks.

• Sequential Function Charts (SFC)

An SFC is a control module for determining the sequence of execution. A SFC
consists of a bipartite graph (two states are always separated by a transition). In a
State, actions can be permormed. This means that parameter values can be set,
for instance a light connected to a relay that gets a signal from the automation
system can be switched on. Transitions contains the conditions that need to be
fulfilled for the process to change states. In an SFC references are made to the
FBDs. For instance, if it is desired to have a transition when the pressure is above
1200 mbar, there must be a reference to the input block in the specific FBD that
gets an input from the pressure transmitter.

The Operator Interface

The tool for creating an operator interface is object based. It contains images of valves,
engines, fire etc. The objects can be animated which makes it possible to create an
operator environment in which the operator can easily get an impression of the state of
the process.

1.3 Report Outline

This report is arranged as follows:

Chapter 2 - The platform and the course material presents how the hardware as well as
the software for the test platform have been developed.

Chapter 3 - Results presents the result, i.e. the finished test platform.

Chapter 4 - Conclusions presents the conclusions of this project. The chapter also
presents a few suggestions on how the test platform can be improved.

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Chapter 2
The platform and the course material

The following chapter will present the platform and the system design; firstly the devices
that are present and how the physical process works and secondly the course material.

2.1 The system design

When choosing the system design the requirements presented in Section 1.2.4 were
first
and foremost taken into account. When considering the purpose of the test platform an
addition was made to the requirements:

• To make a process that is easy to understand, but that is adequately advanced

for using advanced control tools in DeltaV.

With these requirements a system design was developed. The principle of the process is
briefly described below. Figure 2.1 illustrates of the principle of the process.

A pressure tank with a needle valve is filled half way up with water. When the control
system starts, air flows into a tank through a mass flow controller and the pressure in the
tank is controlled to stabilize around ~1500 mbar.

When the pressure has been held around 1500 mbar for a specified time a pneumatic
valve will open and tap out water into an open tank that is placed below the pressure
tank. The valve will stay open until a level sensor indicates that the tank is full.

When the open tank is full a heating plate will start to heat up the water. The
temperature is controlled with on/off controlling to ~35 ºC.

To continue the process the open tank has to be removed, emptied and put back in
place. This will restart the process. This can be repeated until the pressure tank is
empty.

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