3

ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21

III B.TECH II SEM EIE (R18)
INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION
UNIT – V
SCADA Basics

P.Srinivas
Assistant Professor
 CONTENTS
 Computer Process interface for Data Acquisition and

control
 Computer control loops
 Supervisory Digital Control (SCADA)
• Introduction and brief history of SCADA – SCADA
Hardware and software
• Landlines for SCADA
• use of modems in SCADA
• SCADA with LAN
Computer Process interface for Data
Acquisition and Control
 Samplers
• Flow rates, pressures, liquid levels,
provided
temperatures,continuously
etc, are by the various sensors and
transducers.
• The computer can handle information on a discrete time
basis.
• Sampler is a switch which closes at specific time intervals
within which the continuous signal is converted into
sampled values. Each sampled value is used by the computer
control algorithm to give output result within the specific
time interval of sampling.
• If during this period
(reading value,
calculating error and
making a control action)
measured value changed, Cont.
it is not recognized by the
computer.
 Hold element
• Most of the final control elements (pneumatic valves
particularly) are actuated by continuous time signals (e.g.,
compressed air).
• The discrete time signal from computer output (computed
by program) is converted into continuous signal by hold
element.
 Analog-to-digital converter
• A/D converters convert an analog voltage signal lying within
a specific range (such as ± 10 V, 0 to 5 V, etc.) to an integer
number.
• The range of the integer I is given by Irange = 2N, where N is
the number of bits.
• For a 12 bit converter, maximum integer is 212 = 4096.
• So the range is 2048 ≤I ≤+ 2047, I=0 exists between +ve and
–ve integers.
• For the positive range (2047), the resolution of the converter
is the voltage range divided by the intervals between
integers, Resolution = (10/2047) V = 0.00489 V.
• This gives an expected error of ± 1/2 of the resolution, or±
0.00244 V, Relative error = 0·00244 V/│measured voltage│
• The throughput speed of A/D converters is routinely 50,000
-
100,000 conversions/s.
Cont.
Ex: As an illustration of A/D conversion, suppose the 12-bit
converter measure voltages and reports the integer 1261
and 21 as a result of the conversion. Determine the actual
measured voltage for I=1261 and 21. Assume expected error
is ± 1/2 of the resolution.
Ans: For I=1261, Vmeasured = (10 ×1261/2047) = 6.16023 V
Relative error = ± 0·00244/6.16023 = ± 0.000397 =± 0.0397%
 Digital-to-analog converter
• D/A converters are the reverse of A/D conversion. An integer
with range 2N is converted to an analog voltage output.
• Ex: For output of 3.5 V determine the input integer for a D/A
converter.
• Iinput =2047× Voutput/10 = (2047) (3.5) /10=716.45 ≈716
• It is rounded to Iinput = 716. The actual output voltage of V
output = 716 X 10 /2047 = 3.49780 V≈3.5 V
 Multiplexer
• Multiplexers multiplex several
similar measurements from a
remote location and sequentially
• transmit
Consider 10these thermocouple
over only ameasurements
few from a process,
lines.
each with a voltage signal of – 10 mV. First of all, one may
not wish to run 10 lines and use 10 channels of our A/D
converters just for these signals, so multiplexing is
necessary.
• This is an electronic switch with several ports, which can
serve sequentially several lines carrying analog signals.

A/D converter with

multiplexer
Computer control loops (multiple)
 Operation cycle in the PLC
• The operation cycle of a PLC is made up of two separate modes; these are
the I/O scan mode, followed by the execution mode.
• I/O scan mode is the period when the processor updates the output
control signals, based on the information received from the previous I/O
scan cycle after its evaluation of the signals. The processor then scans the
inputs in a serial mode and updates its internal memory as to the status of
the inputs.
• Execution mode follows the I/O scan mode. In this mode, the processor
evaluates the input data stored in memory against the data programmed
into the CPU. The processor then can determine the actions to be taken by
the output modules, and puts the data into memory for transfer to the
output modules during the next I/O scan mode.
• Scan time is the time required for the PLC to complete one I/O scan plus
the execution cycle. This time depends on the number of input and output
channels, the length of the ladder instruction sets, and the speed of the
processor. A typical scan time is between 5 and 20 ms.
Computer based digitally controlled process
PROCESS/INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS HANDBOOK by Gregory
K. McMillan and Douglas M. Considine.
Fig: Typical arrangement between the DCS and the Data Reconciliation,
Simulation, and Optimization procedures (from Simulation Sciences, Inc.,
1989) presented by Romagnoli & Sanchez, DATA PROCESSING AND
RECONCILIATION FOR CH EM ICAL PROCESS OPERATIONS
Presented by Romagnoli & Sanchez, DATA PROCESSING AND RECONCILIATION FOR CH
EM ICAL PROCESS OPERATIONS.
Presented by Romagnoli & Sanchez, DATA PROCESSING AND RECONCILIATION
FOR CHEMICAL PROCESS OPERATIONS.
 SCADA

supervisory control and data

acquisition
 The first ‘SCADA’ systems

Sensors to panel using 4–20 mA or voltage

The first ‘SCADA’ systems utilized data acquisition by means of panels of meters,
lights and strip chart recorders.

The operator manually operating various control knobs exercised supervisory

control.
The sensor to panel type of SCADA system has the
following advantages:

 It is simple, no CPUs, RAM, ROM or software programming needed

 The sensors are connected directly to the meters, switches and

lights on the panel
 It could be (in most circumstances) easy and cheap to add a simple
device like a switch or indicator
The disadvantages of a direct panel to sensor system are:
 The amount of wire becomes unmanageable after the installation of
hundreds of sensors
 The quantity and type of data are minimal and simple
 Installation of additional sensors becomes progressively harder as
the system grows
 Re-configuration of the system becomes extremely difficult
 Simulation using real data is not possible
 Storage of data is minimal and difficult to manage
 No off site monitoring of data or alarms
 Someone has to watch the dials and meters 24 hours a day
Fundamental principles of modern SCADA systems
 SCADA refers to the combination of telemetry and data
acquisition.
 Telemetry is used to send commands, programs and
receives monitoring information from these remote
locations.
 This can range from a few meters to thousands of
kilometers.
 With the advent of the CPU and other electronic
devices, manufacturers incorporated digital electronics
into relay logic equipment.
• The PLC or programmable logic
controller is still one of the most
widely used control systems in
industry.
• the PLCs were distributed and
the systems became more
intelligent and smaller in size.
PLCs and DCS (distributed
controlPC tosystems) are used
PLC or DCS with a fieldbus and sensor
as
shown below
 The advantages of the PLC / DCS SCADA
system are:
• The computer can record and store a very large amount
of data
• The data can be displayed in any way the user requires
• Thousands of sensors over a wide area can be
connected to the system
• The operator can incorporate real data simulations into
the system
• Many types of data can be collected from the RTUs
• The data can be viewed from anywhere, not just on site
 The disadvantages are:

• The system is more complicated than the

sensor to panel type
• Different operating skills are required, such as
system analysts and programmer
• With thousands of sensors there is still a lot of
wire to deal with
• The operator can see only as far as the PLC
 SCADA hardware

On a more complex SCADA system there are

essentially five levels or hierarchies:
• Field level instrumentation and control devices
• Organized terminals and RTUs
• Communications system
• The master station(s)
• The commercial data processing department
computer system
 SCADA software
• SCADA software can be divided into two types, proprietary or
open.
• Companies develop proprietary software to communicate to
their hardware.
• These systems are sold as ‘turn-key’ solutions.
• Open software systems have gained popularity because of the
interoperability they bring to the system.
• Interoperability is the ability to mix different manufacturers’
equipment on the same system.
• Citect and WonderWare are just two of the open software
packages available in the market for SCADA systems.
Typical SCADA system
 Key features of SCADA software are:

• User interface
• Graphics displays
• Alarms
• Trends
• RTU (and PLC) interface
• Scalability
• Access to data
• Database
• Networking
• Fault tolerance and redundancy
• Client/server distributed processing
 Computer-process interface for
data acquisition and control
• In direct computer control individual
controllers are replaced by digital computer.
• The feedback, P, PI, PID control functions will
be performed by an executable program in
BASIC, FORTRAN, assembly language, etc.
• The control programs receive the input data
from measured output and estimate the
output result as manipulated variables to
control the process.
• For a digital computer both input data and
Computer control loops (multiple)
 Modes of Computer Control

• Computer control is usually carried out in

one of two modes:
• supervisory control or direct digital control
(DDC).

• It involves resetting the set-point of the

local controller according to some computer
algorithm.
 Landlines for SCADA

• Usually, there is lot of wire in the typical

SCADA system.
• This wire brings its own problems, with the
main problem being electrical noise and
interference.
• Because SCADA systems typically use small
voltage, they are inherently susceptible to
noise.
• Fiber optic cable is gaining popularity because
of its noise immunity.
Landlines for SCADA

Glass fiber optic cables

 SCADA and local area networks

• Local area networks (LAN) are all about

sharing information and resources.

• A LAN is a communication path between

computers, file-servers, terminals,
workstations, and various other intelligent
peripheral equipment's, which are generally
referred to as devices or hosts.
SCADA and local area networks

Ethernet used to transfer data on a SCADA system

 Modem use in SCADA systems
• Often in SCADA systems the RTU (remote terminal unit (PLC, DCS or
IED)) is located at a remote location.
• This distance can vary from tens of meters to thousands of kilometers.
• One of the most cost-effective ways of communicating with the RTU
over long distances can be Line modems.

• Line modems are used to communicate to RTUs when RS-232 or RS-485

communication systems are not practical. The bit rates used in this type
of system are usually slow, 1200 to 9600 bps.
• The bandwidth of landline communication systems is typically 300 Hz
to 3400 Hz for telephone cable.

• A conversion device, called a modem (modulator/demodulator)

• A modulator is thus required to convert the digital signals into an
analog form suitable for transmission over a telephone network.
• The demodulation portion of the modem receives this analog
information and converts it back into the original digital information
generated by the transmitting computer.