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BASICS OF TRIPS, INTERLOCKS, PERMISSIVES &
SEQUENCES
ControlSystems,Basics March18,2015
This post provides information about basics of Trip, Interlock, Permissive and Sequences which
areregularlyusedininstrumentationcontrolsystemslikeESD,DCS,PLCetc.
Trip:
Theterm Trip referstoanactionthatisinitiatedbythecontrol
system and which forces a device or devices to a pre
determinedstate.
ExampleofTripSignals:CloseValve,OpenValve,Stopmotor,
etc.
The Safety Instrument System (SIS) or a Hardwired systems
normally initiate trips, however the PLCs or DCS may also
initiate trips provided the necessary independence and SIL
ratingsaremet.Onceadeviceordeviceshavebeenforcedto
apredeterminedstatebytheactionofaTriptheywillremain
inthatstateuntiltheTripismanuallyresetbyaconsciousoperatoraction.
Forexample:
High level in a vessel initiates a trip system which stops the pump feeding that vessel, the pump will
remainstoppedevenifthelevelinthevesselfallstoasafelevel.
TheTripmustberesetbytheoperatorbeforethepumpcanberestarted.
TheTripcanonlyberesetifthelevelinthetankhasfallentoasafelevel.
ResettingtheTripwillnotcausethepumptoautomaticallyrestart,howeveritmayberestartedbyan
operatoractionoracontrolsystemcommande.g.partofasequence.
TheresettingofTripsisacontrolledprocedurewhichwillonlybepossibleiftheoperatorisloggedinand
has the necessary access rights.Under normal circumstances it shall not be possible to override or
`defeatTrips.
Interlock:
AnInterlockisinessenceaselfresettingTrip.Interlocksarenotdeemedsafetyrelatedandcanbeused
foron/offcontrol.InterlocksarenormallyinitiatedbytheDCSorPLCs,howeverifanInterlockisdeemedto
besafetyrelateditmay,dependinguponSILrating,beimplementedintheSISoraHardwiredsystem.
Aninterlockwillforceadeviceordevicestoapredeterminedstatee.g.Closevalve,stopmotor,etc.Once
a device or devices have been forced to a predetermined state by the action of an Interlock they will
remain in that state until the initiating cause returns to a healthy condition, the Interlock will then be
automaticallyremoved.
UndernormalcircumstancesitshallbepossibletooverrideInterlocksforoperationalreasonsordefeat
themformaintenanceorotherreasons.
Permissive:
APermissiveisapatriculartypeofInterlockusedtopreventactionstakingplaceuntilpredefinedcriteria
havebeensatisfied,forexamplepreventsapumpstartinguntilthesuctionvalveisopen.
Permissives are normally initiated by the DCS or PLCs, however if a Permissive is deemed to be safety
relateditmay,dependinguponSILrating,beimplementedintheSISoraHardwiredsystem.
Once a Permissive has been satisfied and the resulting action implemented it becomes inactive, for
exampleoncethesuctionvalvehasbeenopenedandthepumpstartedthePermissivetakesnofurther
action,evenifthesuctionvalveisclosedwhilethepumpisrunning.
Under normal circumstances it shall be possible to override Permissives for operational reasons or
defeatthemformaintenanceorotherreasons.
Sequence:
ASequenceisdefinedasaprearrangedactionornumberofactionswhicharecarriedoutbythecontrol
system.Sequencesmaybeinitiatedbyaneventoroperatoractions.
Sequencesmaybesinglepassorcyclic.
Thefollowingisanexampleofasinglepasssequence:
Anagitatedvesselreachesapredeterminedlevel.Theoperatorinitiatesasequencethatcarriesoutthe
followingactions:
Stopthefeedpump
Closethefillingvalve
Stoptheagitator.
Wait30seconds.
Openthedischargevalve.
Thefollowingisanexampleofacyclicsequence:
Lowlevelinavesselopensthefillingvalve.
Thevalveremainsopenuntilhighlevelisdetected.
Onhighlevelthevalvecloses.
Thevalveremainscloseduntillowlevelisdetected.
Onlowlevelthevalveopensandthesequenceitrepeated.
CombinedFunctions:
It is common for Trip, Interlock, Permissive and Sequences to fulfill combined functions, for example the
followingpumpprotectionsystemillustrateshowthesamesystemcanperformvariousfunctions.
Permissive
Preventpumpstartinguntilsuctionvalveisopen.
Interlock
Pumprunningsuctionvalveclosedpumpstops.
Sequence
HighlevelinvesselPumpstops
LowlevelinvesselPumpstarts.
Pumprunningsuctionvalveclosedpumpstops,
Suctionvalvereopenedpumpremainsstopped.
Operatorresetstrip.
Pumpavailableforrestart.
Tags:BasicsofTrips,CombinedFunctions,Controlsystembasics,DCSSystem,ESDsystem,Exampleof
InterlockSignals,ExampleofPermissiveSignals,ExampleofSequenceSignals,ExampleofTrip
Signals,InstrumentationBasics,Interlocks,Permissives&Sequences,SIS
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POSTED BY S BHARADWAJ REDDY
