SCADA

SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION (SCADA) IS

A CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE THAT USES COMPUTERS,
NETWORKED DATA COMMUNICATIONS AND GRAPHICAL USER
INTERFACES FOR HIGH-LEVEL PROCESS SUPERVISORY
MANAGEMENT, BUT USES OTHER PERIPHERAL DEVICES SUCH
AS PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS AND DISCRETE PID
CONTROLLERS TO INTERFACE TO THE PROCESS PLANT OR
MACHINERY. THE OPERATOR INTERFACES WHICH ENABLE
MONITORING AND THE ISSUING OF PROCESS COMMANDS, SUCH
AS CONTROLLER SET POINT CHANGES, ARE HANDLED THROUGH
THE SCADA SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE
REAL-TIME CONTROL LOGIC OR CONTROLLER CALCULATIONS ARE
PERFORMED BY NETWORKED MODULES WHICH CONNECT TO THE
FIELD SENSORS AND ACTUATORS.
SCADA DIAGRAM
SCADA CONTD……….
The key attribute of a SCADA system is its ability to perform a supervisory operation
over a variety of other proprietary devices.
The accompanying diagram is a general model which shows functional
manufacturing levels using computerised control.
Referring to the diagram,
Level 0 contains the field devices such as flow and temperature sensors, and final
control elements, such as control valves.
Level 1 contains the industrialised input/output (I/O) modules, and their associated
distributed electronic processors.
Level 2 contains the supervisory computers, which collate information from
processor nodes on the system, and provide the operator control screens.
Level 3 is the production control level, which does not directly control the process,
but is concerned with monitoring production and targets.
Level 4 is the production scheduling level.
SCADA CONTD…….
Level 1 contains the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or remote
terminal units (RTUs).
Level 2 contains the SCADA software and computing platform. The
SCADA software exists only at this supervisory level as control actions
are performed automatically by RTUs or PLCs. SCADA control functions
are usually restricted to basic overriding or supervisory level
intervention. For example, a PLC may control the flow of cooling water
through part of an industrial process to a set point level, but the SCADA
system software will allow operators to change the set points for the
flow. The SCADA also enables alarm conditions, such as loss of flow or
high temperature, to be displayed and recorded. A feedback
control loop is directly controlled by the RTU or PLC, but the SCADA
software monitors the overall performance of the loop.
SCADA CONTD……..
Levels 3 and 4 are not strictly process control in the traditional sense, but are
where production control and scheduling takes place.
Data acquisition begins at the RTU or PLC level and
includes instrumentation readings and equipment status reports that are
communicated to level 2 SCADA as required. Data is then compiled and
formatted in such a way that a control room operator using the HMI (Human
Machine Interface) can make supervisory decisions to adjust or override
normal RTU (PLC) controls. Data may also be fed to a historian, often built on
a commodity database management system, to allow trending and other
analytical auditing.
SCADA systems typically use a tag database, which contains data elements
called tags or points, which relate to specific instrumentation or actuators
within the process system according to such as the Piping and
instrumentation diagram. Data is accumulated against these unique process
control equipment tag references.
SCADA EXAMPLES
Both large and small systems can be built using the SCADA concept. These
systems can range from just tens to thousands of process loops, depending on
the application. Example processes include industrial, infrastructure, and
facility-based processes, as described below:
Industrial processes include manufacturing, Process control, power
generation, fabrication, and refining, and may run in continuous, batch,
repetitive, or discrete modes.
Infrastructure processes may be public or private, and include water
treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, oil and gas
pipelines, electric power transmission and distribution, and wind farms.
Facility processes, including buildings, airports, ships, and space stations. They
monitor and control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
(HVAC), access, and energy consumption.
However, SCADA systems may have security vulnerabilities, so the systems
should be evaluated to identify risks and solutions implemented to mitigate
those risks.[3]
SCADA system components
Supervisory computers

This is the core of the SCADA system, gathering data on the process and
sending control commands to the field connected devices. It refers to the
computer and software responsible for communicating with the field
connection controllers, which are RTUs and PLCs, and includes the HMI
software running on operator workstations. In smaller SCADA systems, the
supervisory computer may be composed of a single PC, in which case the HMI
is a part of this computer. In larger SCADA systems, the master station may
include several HMIs hosted on client computers, multiple servers for data
acquisition, distributed software applications, and disaster recovery sites. To
increase the integrity of the system the multiple servers will often be
configured in a dual-redundant or hot-standby formation providing continuous
control and monitoring in the event of a server malfunction or breakdown.
SCADA COMPONENTS
Remote terminal unit
Further information: Remote terminal unit
Remote terminal units, also known as (RTUs), connect to sensors and
actuators in the process, and are networked to the supervisory
computer system. RTUs are "intelligent I/O" and often have embedded
control capabilities such as ladder logic in order to
accomplish boolean logic operations.[4]
SCADA COMPNENTS
Programmable logic controllers
Further information: Programmable logic controller
Also known as PLCs, these are connected to sensors and actuators in
the process, and are networked to the supervisory system in the same
way as RTUs. PLCs have more sophisticated embedded control
capabilities than RTUs, and are programmed in one or more IEC
61131-3programming languages. PLCs are often used in place of RTUs
as field devices because they are more economical, versatile, flexible
and configurable.
SCDA COMPONENTS
Communication infrastructure:
This connects the supervisory computer system to the remote terminal
units (RTUs) and PLCs, and may use industry standard or manufacturer
proprietary protocols. Both RTUs and PLCs operate autonomously on
the near-real time control of the process, using the last command given
from the supervisory system. Failure of the communications network
does not necessarily stop the plant process controls, and on resumption
of communications, the operator can continue with monitoring and
control. Some critical systems will have dual redundant data highways,
often cabled via diverse routes.
 SCADA COMPONENTS
Human-machine interface
More complex SCADA animation showing control of four batch cookers
The human-machine interface (HMI) is the operator window of the supervisory system. It presents
plant information to the operating personnel graphically in the form of mimic diagrams, which are
a schematic representation of the plant being controlled, and alarm and event logging pages. The
HMI is linked to the SCADA supervisory computer to provide live data to drive the mimic diagrams,
alarm displays and trending graphs. In many installations the HMI is the graphical user interface
for the operator, collects all data from external devices, creates reports, performs alarming, sends
notifications, etc.
Mimic diagrams consist of line graphics and schematic symbols to represent process elements, or
may consist of digital photographs of the process equipment overlain with animated symbols.
Supervisory operation of the plant is by means of the HMI, with operators issuing commands using
mouse pointers, keyboards and touch screens. For example, a symbol of a pump can show the
operator that the pump is running, and a flow meter symbol can show how much fluid it is
pumping through the pipe. The operator can switch the pump off from the mimic by a mouse click
or screen touch. The HMI will show the flow rate of the fluid in the pipe decrease in real time.
SCADA COMPONENTS
Alarm handling
Further information: alarm management
An important part of most SCADA implementations is alarm handling.
The system monitors whether certain alarm conditions are satisfied, to
determine when an alarm event has occurred. Once an alarm event has
been detected, one or more actions are taken (such as the activation of
one or more alarm indicators, and perhaps the generation of email or
text messages so that management or remote SCADA operators are
informed). In many cases, a SCADA operator may have to acknowledge
the alarm event; this may deactivate some alarm indicators, whereas
other indicators remain active until the alarm conditions are cleared.
SCADA COMPONENT CONT…….
PLC/RTU programming
"Smart" RTUs, or standard PLCs, are capable of autonomously executing
simple logic processes without involving the supervisory computer. They
employ standardized control programming languages such as under, IEC
61131-3 (a suite of 5 programming languages including function block, ladder,
structured text, sequence function charts and instruction list), is frequently
used to create programs which run on these RTUs and PLCs. Unlike a
procedural language such as the C programming language or FORTRAN, IEC
61131-3 has minimal training requirements by virtue of resembling historic
physical control arrays. This allows SCADA system engineers to perform both
the design and implementation of a program to be executed on an RTU or PLC.
A programmable automation controller (PAC) is a compact controller that
combines the features and capabilities of a PC-based control system with that
of a typical PLC. PACs are deployed in SCADA systems to provide RTU and PLC
functions. In many electrical substation SCADA applications, "distributed
RTUs" use information processors or station computers to communicate
with digital protective relays, PACs, and other devices for I/O, and
communicate with the SCADA master in lieu of a traditional RTU.
SCADA COMPONENTS
PLC commercial integration

Since about 1998, virtually all major PLC manufacturers have offered
integrated HMI/SCADA systems, many of them using open and
non-proprietary communications protocols. Numerous specialized third-party
HMI/SCADA packages, offering built-in compatibility with most major PLCs,
have also entered the market, allowing mechanical engineers, electrical
engineers and technicians to configure HMIs themselves, without the need for
a custom-made program written by a software programmer. The Remote
Terminal Unit (RTU) connects to physical equipment. Typically, an RTU
converts the electrical signals from the equipment to digital values such as the
open/closed status from a switch or a valve, or measurements such as
pressure, flow, voltage or current. By converting and sending these electrical
signals out to equipment the RTU can control equipment, such as opening or
closing a switch or a valve, or setting the speed of a pump.
 Difference between plc
scada and dcs
SCADAA SCADA (or supervisory control and data acquisition) system. It consists of many remote
terminals units for collection of data (field),that is being connected with master station through any
communication system, having main task of collection of accurate data and controlling of process for
smooth operation.

DCS It stands for distributed Control System, controlling is performed by embedded system
(Microcontroller based or Microprocessor based controlling unit for device or instruments from which
data is to be collect. It provides very intelligent analog control capability. It is very sensitive for HMI
(Human machine Interface) for easy and smooth control of process

PLC It stands for Programmable Logic controller, having get this name from the fact that it replace the
relay logic at the initial stage then it get the capability for analog channels also for display then it get the
ability for close loop control and after some time it has the ability for redundant operation, and also its
HMI having the ability for Indicatiion,controlling,data logging ,Alarming and backup data facility. It is
also defined as below: “A digitally operating electronic apparatus which uses a programmable memory
for the internal storage of instructions for implementing specific functions, such as logic, sequencing,
timing, counting and arithmetic, to control through digital or analog input/output, various types of
machines or process.” National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), 1978