What are scada systems able to do

As it is known, the SCADA systems are able to measure and monitor different
parameters and variables, such as: the level of liquids, the volume of the gases, the
volumetric flow rate, the mass of liquids and gases, the pressure, the temperature, the
humidity, the viscosity, the position and the moving, etc.

The Basics of Hardware and Software for SCADA Systems You Should Know About
For this, some signals must be acquired based on the appropriate sensors and
transducers from different electrical and electronic devices, before to be processed and
analyzed by SCADA system. These data can be used for supervision of remote
processes.

For this, the data are processed and analyzed to generate reports which will be
transmitted to control the processes parameters within certain limits.

The SCADA applications have two basic levels:

1. The customer level, which will be performed the human-machine
interaction;
2. The data server level which will control the entire process.
Thus, the data server sends these data to the customer level via remote equipment such
as PLCs (connected to the database server either directly or via a communications
network, using various communication protocols).

The developed protocols can be property of a company (e.g. Siemens H1) or of open
type (Modbus, Profibus etc.). Database servers can be fully connected to each other and
also to the customer stations through Local Area Network (LAN) networks based on
Ethernet technology.
The SCADA systems may be relatively simple or very complex, depending of the
dimension and complexity of the process monitored. These systems operate in real-time
using a database system named Real Time Data Base (RTDB), which can be found on
one of servers.

Hardware Architectures
The servers are responsible for the acquisition and management of data for a set of
parameters. Is it possible to have dedicated servers for certain tasks (for example, if the
objective is to develop the process servers), servers dealing with the handling of alarms,
or file servers.

A SCADA server will be connected directly to the PLC via an Open Platform
Communications (OPC) or a RTU, which both collects and consolidates data from
and from PLC-uri (Figure 1). The SCADA takes on request the data from indicator
reading appliances and equipment condition.
The OPC and RTU work as a data concentrator. The data is structured using a man-
machine interface (HMI) in a convenient format for the operator in order to be able to
take any decisions that would optimize the communication between the equipment.
Figure 1 – SCADA hardware

RTU performs the following:

1. The connection with supervised equipment;
2. Reading of equipment status (such as open/closed position of the valve or
relay);
3. Acquisition of measured signals, such as the pressure, flow, voltage or
current;
4. The control of equipment by sending command signals , such as the closing
of a valve or relay or setting the speed of a pump;
5. Reading the digital or analog signals, and sending the commands using both
digital or analog signals.
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The PLC contains a microprocessor used for the automatization of processes. A PLC is
provided with input/output sensors and relays. PLC is less expensive alter to old
systems which used tens or hundreds of relays and timers. The PLC is programmed
using the structured programming languages and elementary logic operations.

The term “Supervisory Station” refers to the servers and software responsible

for the communication with the equipment (RTUs, PLCs, etc.) and HMI

software which run on master-station in the control room or elsewhere.

The master station may be composed of one PC in small SCADA system. In large
SCADA systems, the master station may include multiple servers, distributed software
applications, and disaster recovery strategies.

To increase the integrity of the system, the multiple servers will be often

configured in a dual-redundant or hot-standby topology, providing control

and monitoring even in the event of a server failure.

Software Architectures
The SCADA applications are implemented based on the software architecture (Figure
2 below). SCADA software architecture has at least two components:
1. The SCADA server application;
2. The SCADA client application;
Figure 2 – SCADA software architecture

Fi
gure 3 – SCADA systems
SCADA server and SCADA client
The SCADA server application is multi-tasking being responsible for storing the
SCADA client applications in a database. The SCADA client application receives
data via serial port using RS232 and MODBUS RTU protocols.
In many cases the SCADA applications shall be addressed to and remove the users who
have not an Internet connection. In this case it is necessary a new software component
on a Web server. A Web server is used for generating dynamic Web pages, which are
supplied to customers decrease.

The Web SCADA clients can benefit to real-time access (in a manner similar to regular
SCADA clients) to the lists of parameters, the lists of events and the list of alarms via a
simple browser.
But, the Web SCADA clients do not receive the same level of graphical user interfaces
and have the same HMI features as the regular SCADA clients. The regular SCADA
clients are accustomed to running specific applications as opposed to The Web SCADA
clients who view the Web pages provided by Web SCADA server.

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In order to reduce as much difference between the regular SCADA clients and Web
SCADA clients some drives, services and virtual instruments are implemented in HMI.
Visualization software used for monitoring and control of industrial process is
called “software” HMI or “SCADA software” .
HMI as it is called generically, means any switch, interface through which you can
control a device. The term “automation” refers to the graphical interfaces implemented
through interaction with the mouse and/or the keyboard or by touch.
HMI/SCADA appeared as a terminal dedicated for users from the system implemented
with PLC units. A PLC is programmed to automatically control a process. Because the
PLC units are distributed in a large system, the data from PLC are stored and then
transmitted. HMI/SCADA has the role to gather and combine the data from the PLC
using a specific protocol.

HMI software can be connected to a database in order:to fulfill the charts and
diagrams in real time:
 To analyze the PLC data;
 To treat the planned maintenance;
 To drill the schemes for a particular sensor or machine;
 To apply the troubleshooting methods of the system.
Figure 4 – SCADA energy management system

The basic SCADA protocol is MODBUS, which is designed to send data to the master
station even when the master interrogates the RTU station. MODBUS is based on a
master-slave architecture known also as client-server architecture.

The protocol is designed to be used by Modicon in own PLCs. Now, it became a

standard of communication for the industry and is currently the most widely used to
connect all the industrial devices. The protocols contain extensions to operate over
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP/IP).

In practice, it is suggested to avoid the security of Internet connection in

order to reduce risks of cyber-attacks.

This protocol has the following features:
1. It is an open protocol with available documentation;
2. It can be quickly implemented (in few days, not months);
3. It works with bits and bytes, so no particular requirements on
implementation.
MODBUS allows the management of the network devices, which gives new features to
the SCADA system related to flexibility, reliability and safety in operation at high
performance.

Reference // SCADA Applications for Electric Power System by Naser Mahdavi

Tabatabaei, Ali Jafari Aghbolaghi
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Modbus RS485 cabling rules

The cabling of the industrial communication systems (Modbus RS485) is different in
some ways from the cabling used for power cabling and the electrician may experience
some difficulties if he is not an expert in Modbus communication networks.

9 rules for correct cabling of the Modbus RS485 industrial communication systems
(photo credit: Jose Rivas via Flickr)
A Modbus RS485 connects a Master device to one or more Slave devices. Henceforth,
we shall consider Slave devices to be measuring instruments with serial
communication, even if the cabling is similar for all Modbus devices.
The main rules are set out below that must be followed for the cabling of this type
of network:
1. Connection port
2. Connection between the devices
3. Maximum distance and maximum number of devices
4. Use of repeaters
5. Type of cable to use
6. Connecting to the terminals
 7. Earth connection of the shield
8. Termination resistance
9. Connection to personal computer

1. Connection port
Each device has a communication port with two terminals, which are indicated for
the sake of convenience as A and B. In these two terminals the communication cable
is connected so that all the devices that take part in the communication are connected in
parallel.
All the ‘A’ terminals must be connected together and all the ‘B’ terminals must be
connected together respectively.

Inverting the ‘A’ and ‘B’ connections of a device does not only prevent it from
communicating but may also stop the entire communication system from
working owing to incorrect direct (polarisation) voltage found on the terminals of the
incorrectly connected device.
In order to avoid errors when many devices are connected, cables of the same colour
should be used for all the connections to the terminals A and cables of the same
colour should be used for all the connections to the terminals B of the various devices
(e.g. white for A and blue for B).
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This makes it easier to identify cabling errors. The communication port on

the Master device, whatever it is, has two terminals that correspond to A and B.

2. Connection between the devices

Unlike what happens in many energy distribution systems, the manner in which
the devices are connected in parallel is important. The RS485 system used for
Modbus communication provides a main cable (Bus or backbone), to which all the
devices have to be connected with branches (also known as stubs) that are as short as
possible.

The branches must be no longer than 1200 m! Longer branches could

cause signal reflections and generate disturbances and consequent errors in

the reception of data.

Figure 1 shows an example of a correct Bus connection.
 Net
work with Bus structure

Fig
ure 2 – Examples of incorrect Bus connections

3. Maximum distance and maximum

number of devices
The main cable must be no longer than 700 m! This distance does not include
the branches (which must nevertheless be short). The maximum number of devices
that can be connected to a main cable is 32, including the Master.

4. Use of repeaters
In order to increase the extent of the Modbus network, repeaters can be used;
and signal amplifying and regenerating devices provided with two communication
ports that transfer to each what they receive from the other.
If the distance segment exceeds 1200 m or the number of drivers in the segment more
than 32 pieces, you should use a repeater (repeater), to create the next segment.
Moreover, each segment of the network must be connected to the terminator. (scheme
credit: softelectro.ru)

Using a repeater, the main cable is divided into different segments, each of which can
be up to 700 m in length and connect 32 devices (this number includes the repeaters).
The maximum number of repeaters that should be serially connected is 3. A higher
number introduces excessive delays in the communication system.

5. Type of cable to use

The cable to be used is a shielded twisted pair (telephone type). For example, Belden
3105A cable can be specified, but different types of cable with equivalent
characteristics can be used. The twin consists of two conductors that are twisted
together.
This arrangement improves immunity to electromagnetic disturbances because the cable
forms a series of successive coils, each of which faces in the opposite direction to the
next one: in this manner any magnetic field in the environment traverses each pair of
coils in opposite directions and its effect is thus very reduced (theoretically, the effect
on each coil is exactly the opposite of the effect on the next one and thus the effect
is cancelled).
The shielding may be braided (be formed by a mesh of thin conducting wires) or be a
foil (consisting of a sheet of metal wound around the conductors): the two types are
equivalent.
Figure 3 – Detail of a shielded twisted pair

6. Connecting to the terminals

In some countries, inserting two cables into the same screw terminal is permitted.
In this case it is possible to connect the main inlet and outlet terminal directly to the
terminals of an instrument without creating a branch.
If on the other hand each terminal can accept only a single cable, a proper branch must
be created using three auxiliary terminals for each instrument to be connected.

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7. Earth connection of the shield

The cable shield must be earthed only in one point. Normally, this connection is
made at one end of the main cable.
2-wire RS485 connection

8. Termination resistance
In order to avoid signal reflections, a 120 Ohm termination resistance must be
fitted on each end of the main cable. The end resistance must be used only at the ends
of the main cable. If the total length of the main cable is less than 50 m termination
resistances can be avoided at the ends of the main cable.

Figure 4 – 120 ohm resistance connection

9. Connection to personal computer
If the master used is a personal computer, in general an RS232/RS485 serial
converter provides the connection to the bus. https://youtu.be/OcH0aNHvPis

Reference // Practical guide to electrical measurements in low voltage switchboards

by ABB
https://electrical-engineering-portal.com/correct-cabling-modbus-rs485

Routines of profibus cables

PROFIBUS – Cabling and Assembly (photo by NPS – Next Generation Plant Services;
nps-tech.com)

Routing of PROFIBUS Cables

Copper cable
General plant or factory cabling can carry high voltages and currents. Running
PROFIBUS cables parallel to such cables can lead to interference pickup and
thus to data transmission errors.

Interference can be reduced by separating the PROFIBUS cable from

the interference source and also by minimizing the length of any parallel runs
of cable.

Telecommunication cable
Special rules apply to public telecommunication cables (telephone cables, etc.).
In this case, the country-specific regulations must be observed (in many
countries, telecommunication cables must not be routed together with other
cables).
Boundary conditions
Classifying the cables according to voltage classes is based on the assumption
that the interference voltages carried along are lower the lower the carried
voltages and currents are. For this reason, data transmission cables are
generally without risk. Particularly critical are interference voltages in the kHz
to MHz range.
High-frequency interference can also arise on power supply cables with direct
voltage or 50/60-Hz alternating voltage when the supply is switched, e.g.
through a frequently switching relay or an inverter.
Cable spacing
Table 1: Minimum spacing for cables (according to EN 50174) shows the
distances according to EN 50174-2 that must be maintained between PROFIBUS
cables (shielded data cable) and other cables. The table also lists two variants
with a metal isolating segment.
Here, it is assumed that a metal partition has the same effect as a cable shield.

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