Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology

PLC Projects

Air compressor control + HMI

PSH_331 PSL_330
Zone 1 OFF OFF
Zone 2 ON OFF
Zone 3 ON ON
ERROR OFF ON

Background
Air compressors are used in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, energy sector, heating,
ventilation, HVAC and …
Although there are several types of air compressors available, but the three basic types of air
compressors are:
 Reciprocating
 Rotary screw
 Rotary centrifugal

The compressor is driven by an electric motor to increase the air pressure in the air receiver. The
compressor is lubricated by an oil pump that is attached to the same driven shaft as the
compressor and the electric motor. Lubrication is necessary to reduce the wearing of the
compressor surfaces. High temperature is one the best indication of some malfunctioning in
different equipment included compressor.

Tasks
A control and interlock system is required for a reciprocating compressor. The control is initiated
by a hand switch (HS_320, HMI-based) in RUN position. The HS_320 can be OFF or RUN. The
compressor is driven by an electric motor and there is a built in oil pump for the compressor
lubrication. Compressor will turns ON and OFF periodically. The goal is to maintain safely the air
receiver pressure in zone 2. The compressor can be ON if the pressure in the air receiver tank is
lower than PSL_330, then the compressor must be OFF if the pressure in the receiver is greater
than PSH_331 as describe below.

Normal Operation

1. With the switch is in the RUN position, the compressor is ready to operate.
2. The compressor will be ON operate (%Qx0.0 but monitored and animated in HMI)
whenever the receiver pressure is low, zone 3 exclusively. (PSL_330, HMI-based, no air
 Closed).
3. The compressor will continue to operate until the receiver pressure reaches the high limit
(PSH_331, HMI-based, no air  closed)
4. The hand switch, HS_320, will place the compressor in OFF position immediately.
5. When the HS_320 switch changes to RUN position the compressor can be ON only if the
pressure is in zone 3 exclusively.
6. The low pressure sensor, PSL_330 and the receiver pressure high, PSH_331, can not be
triggered simultaneously, this combination is wrong and makes a trip. ( ERROR case in the
table)
7. The main goal is to keep the pressure in zone 2.

Compressor Trips

The compressor must be OFF and stays OFF till it is acknowledged by the HS_320 if any of the
following trips occurs

1. Compressor temperature high (TSH_321, HMI-based) at any time for 2 sec. The 2 sec is the
default PT, preset time, but operators must be ale to set this PT through HMI. The ET, elapsed
time, must be monitored in HMI
2. Compressor oil pressure low (PSL_322, %Ix0.4). Six seconds, 6 sec, are required for the oil
pressure to be built when the compressor becomes ON. The 6 sec is the default PT, preset
time, but operators must be ale to set this PT through HMI. The ET, elapsed time, must be
monitored in HMI. Attention, this is different than the PSL_322 is OFF for 6 sec.
Keep in mind that the compressor is periodically ON/OFF.
3. Add three indicators in HMI to demonstrate the three trip,
• Wrong switch combinations
• The temperature high
 • The oil pressure low
If either of the interlocks trips the compressor the compressor must shut down, the associated
indicator must be ON and stays ON till it is reset or being acknowledged, they must be reset or
acknowledged by switching the compressor from RUN 
OFF  RUN in HMI. After system resetting the compressor stays OFF till:
• The receiver pressure low (PSL_330) is open
• The pressure switch high, PSH_331, is closed
• The temperature is normal.