Devices for redundant control systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for a redundant control system, which has a first component carrier and a second component carrier, the first component carrier is designed with multiple slots for accommodating individual components, and these components are modularly assembled to form a first automation system, and the second component carrier is designed with another multiple slots for accommodating another individual components, and these components are modularly assembled to form a second automation system, the slot of the first component carrier is designed as a first power supply module accommodating part with a first contact component, and the slot of the second component carrier is designed as a second power supply module accommodating part with a second contact component, and the first power supply module accommodating part and the second power supply module accommodating part are constructed so that they are structurally and electrically supplemented to form a power supply basic module between the first component carrier and the second component carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for a redundant control system. To this end, the device comprises a first component carrier having a plurality of slots for accommodating individual components, which are assembled modularly to form a first automation system, and a second component carrier having another plurality of slots for accommodating another plurality of individual components, which are also assembled modularly to form a second automation system.

[0002] The present invention relates to high-availability automation systems, wherein two automation systems generally operate in parallel and control a process. If one automation system stops functioning, the other automation system generally takes over control smoothly. Background Art

[0003] EP 0 497 174 A1 discloses a method and a device for operating an automation system which is redundantly configured from two subsystems.

[0004] To provide current or voltage, the two subsystems require a power supply assembly. To also increase the availability of the power supply, two redundantly operating power supply assemblies can or usually are used in each subsystem.

[0005] Two power supply assemblies can be used to create a redundant power supply for one component carrier. To also create a redundant power supply for the second component carrier, it must also be equipped with two redundant power supply assemblies. This type of power supply redundancy is always recommended when the availability of the controller needs to be further improved, especially when the controller is to be operated on an unreliable network.

[0006] According to the prior art, two component carriers are typically installed in redundant automation systems, either in a single switch cabinet or in separate switch cabinets. Redundancy in the power supply of the component carrier is particularly important in redundant automation systems. A failure in a power supply component should not cause the component carrier to cease operation. In this context, redundant power supply is usually achieved by inserting additional, redundant power supply components into the component carrier. For example, four power supply components are inserted directly adjacent to each other in a redundant automation system installed in a switch cabinet. This results in the required slots being unavailable for other components in the component carrier.

[0007] A disadvantage of the known automation systems or their repetitively designed component carriers is that the available space, for example in a switch cabinet, for additional components is reduced, since at least two slots for the redundant power supply must be sacrificed for each automation system or for each of the component carriers. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of a component carrier that enables redundant power supply and requires fewer slots for redundant power supply components.

[0009] For the device described at the beginning, the object is achieved in that the slot of the first component carrier is designed as a first power supply module receptacle having a first contact member, and the slot of the second component carrier is designed as a second power supply module receptacle having a second contact member, wherein the first power supply module receptacle and the second power supply module receptacle are constructed so that they structurally and electrically complement each other to form a power supply basic module between the first component carrier and the second component carrier, wherein the first contact member is designed to provide a power supply voltage to the first component carrier and the second component carrier, and the second contact member is designed to provide a power supply voltage to the second component carrier and the first component carrier, and the power supply basic module formed by the power supply module receptacle is designed to accommodate a first power supply voltage module, a second power supply voltage module and a third power supply voltage module.

[0010] According to the present invention, the aforementioned object is now achieved by modularizing a previously monolithic power supply assembly. The modularization of the power supply assembly now allows for a more efficient design of the assembly carrier and thus for better space utilization in the switch cabinet. According to the present invention, the power supply assembly is now modularized, wherein, on the one hand, the power supply module receptacle, the contact elements, and the power supply base module with corresponding slots can be used as a building block system for the supply voltage modules.

[0011] If it is now also desired to provide both component carriers with a redundant power supply, the components of the component carriers are designed so that both component carriers can be contacted with respect to the supply voltage. Therefore, the slot is designed as a first power supply module receptacle. A supply voltage module can be inserted into this receptacle to supply power to the component carriers. The contact means are designed so that both the left and right component carriers can be supplied with the supply voltage.

[0012] If the component carriers are arranged so that they are directly adjacent to one another and if the power supply base module is formed by a separate power supply module receptacle, three supply voltage modules can be inserted. In this case, all three supply voltage modules generally safely provide the supply voltage for both component carriers. A particular advantage is that the supply voltage modules can be replaced individually during operation. This results in a so-called two-out-of-three redundancy (2oo3) for the power supply of the two component carriers. Each of the three supply voltage modules can now fail without endangering the power supply of both component carriers.

[0013] In the context of high-availability control of industrial processes, it is advantageous if the first automation system and the second automation system are each designed as a system for increasing the reliability in the event of a unilateral failure of an automation system by means of a switchover function between the two automation systems.

[0014] However, if a complete shutdown of the system results and both automation systems have to be restarted again, it is advantageous if the device is provided with a monitoring component which is designed to record the current system status of both automation systems respectively, wherein the monitoring component is further designed to support a preferential restart of the automation system having a more up-to-date system status after the shutdown of both automation systems.

[0015] In many applications, redundant automation systems must restart with the most recent system status after powering on. The most recent system status can differ between the automation devices of the two component carriers, for example if their power supply failed at different times.

[0016] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the power supply basic module is detachable, which enables the component carrier to be replaced during operation without the corresponding other automation systems being shut down. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present invention will be explained in more detail in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a device with a component carrier according to the prior art,

[0019] Figure 2 An improved device with an improved component carrier is shown,

[0020] Figure 3 A partial view of the component carrier on the power supply module receptacle is shown,

[0021] Figure 4 shows the interconnection of the contact members,

[0022] Figure 5 shows the interconnection of the contact members with a diagram of the receiving position, and

[0023] Figure 6 A power supply basic module with additional monitoring components is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] according to Figure 1, shows an arrangement HAS having a first component carrier 1 and a second component carrier 2. The first component carrier 1 has a plurality of slots 11, ..., 18 for accommodating individual components BG11, ..., BG18. Components BG11, ..., 18 for the first component carrier 1 can be modularly combined to form a first automation system AS1. In the second component carrier 2, which has additional slots 21, ..., 28 for accommodating further individual components BG21, ..., 28, the slots can also be used to modularly combine to form a second automation system AS2. The first automation system AS1 and the second automation system AS2 are designed redundantly to form a high-availability automation system.

[0025] A first power supply unit SV1 is plugged into a first slot 11 of the first component carrier 1 , so that a redundant power supply is implemented for the first component carrier 1 , and a further second power supply unit SV2 is plugged into a second slot 12 of the first component carrier 1 .

[0026] Since the second automation system AS2 in the second component carrier 2 should also receive a redundant power supply, the third power supply unit SV3 is inserted into the first slot 21 of the second component carrier 2 , and since the second automation system AS2 should also be implemented redundantly in terms of power supply, the fourth power supply unit SV4 is inserted into the second slot 22 of the second component carrier 2 .

[0027] In a redundant automation system installed in the switch cabinet 10 , four slots are now required to implement two automation systems AS1 , AS2 with redundant power supplies.

[0028] In the first component carrier 1 , two slots, namely the first slot 11 and the second slot 12 , are required for power supply units SV1 and SV2 , respectively. In the second component carrier 2 , power supply units SV3 and SV4 are required at the first slot 21 and the second slot 22 , respectively. This means that four slots are required, which are currently no longer available for other components in the component carrier.

[0029] according to Figure 2A solution for saving slots in an HAS (High Availability System) system having a first component carrier 1 and a second component carrier 2 is proposed. To this end, slot 18 of the first component carrier 1 is designed as a first power supply module receptacle SVG1 having a first contact member K1. Furthermore, in the second component carrier 2, first slot 21 is designed as a second power supply module receptacle SVG2 having a second contact member K2. The first and second power supply module receptacles SVG1, SVG2 are constructed so that they structurally and electrically complement each other to form a power supply base module VG between the first component carrier 1 and the second component carrier 2. The first contact member K1 is designed to provide a power supply voltage to the first and second component carriers 1, 2. The second contact member K2 is designed to provide a power supply voltage to the second component carrier and the first component carrier 2, 1. The power supply base module VG formed by the power supply module receptacles SVG1, SVG2 is also designed to accommodate a first power supply voltage module PS1, a second power supply voltage module PS2, and a third power supply voltage module PS3.

[0030] Figure 3 The power supply base module VG is shown in a more detailed view. The first power supply module receptacle SVG1 is mechanically locked to the second power supply module receptacle SVG2. The first power supply module receptacle SVG1 has a first contact member K1, which is adapted to the left side of the first component carrier in the seventh slot 17 and contacts the second contact member K2 on the right side via the second power supply module receptacle SVG2 and thus ensures the voltage supply or power supply on the right side of the second slot 22 of the second component carrier 2. The first accommodation position AP1 is integrated into the first power supply module receptacle SVG1. The second accommodation position AP2 is integrated into the second power supply module receptacle SVG2. The third accommodation position AP3 is partially integrated into the first power supply module receptacle SVG1 and partially integrated into the second power supply module receptacle SVG2.

[0031] Figure 4 The diagram shows a possible interconnection of the first, second and third supply voltage modules PS1, PS2 and PS3. To this end, the supply voltage modules PS1, PS2, PS3 are inserted into their respective receiving locations AP1, AP2, AP3.

[0032] On the left, the contacts in the first component carrier 1 ensure a connection to the first power supply line VL1. On the right, the contacts in the second component carrier 2 similarly ensure a connection to the second power supply line VL2. For example, the supply voltage modules PS1, PS2, and PS3 are connected in a star connection with their negative poles. The star connection point is then routed to the lower contact wires of the two contact members K1 and K2. The corresponding positive points of the supply voltage modules PS1, PS2, and PS3 are then routed to the upper contact wires of the contact members K1 and K2. This allows the first and second supply module receptacles SVG1 and SVG2 to be separated, with the separation point being designed with plug contacts.

[0033] Figure 5 The separation of the first power supply module receptacle SVG1 and the second power supply module receptacle SVG2 is shown again. At the separation point T, the first power supply module receptacle SVG1 can be plugged into the second power supply module receptacle SVG2 via plug contacts. The circles with their contact points represent the receptacle positions AP1, AP2, AP3 of the power supply modules PS1, PS2, PS3.

[0034] The separable design of the power supply base module VG enables replacement of defective component carriers 1, 2 during operation without shutting down the corresponding other automation systems AS1, AS2. This ensures that at least one power supply module PS1, PS2, PS3 always supplies voltage to the corresponding automation system that is not being replaced.

[0035] As a further development, an additional receiving location AP3 ′ can be integrated into the second power supply module receiving portion SVG2 .

[0036] Since only three power supply voltage modules PS1, PS2, PS3 are required, the receiving position AP3' is usually not equipped. When separating the two component carriers 1, 2, the power supply voltage modules PS1, PS2, PS3 can be removed before disassembly. Figure 5 The further receiving position AP3 ′ is moved from left to right, thereby ensuring that the remaining component carrier is always supplied with power in a redundant manner, ie with two supply voltage modules.

[0037] Figure 6A development is shown in which the system status of two automation systems is monitored using a monitoring component UM, which is designed to record the current system status of each of the two automation systems AS1 and AS2. The monitoring component UM is also designed to prioritize the startup of the automation system AS1 after both automation systems AS1 and AS2 have stopped operating, for which the updated system status S1 and S2 exist. To this end, the monitoring component UM controls either the first switching element SM1 or the second switching element SM2. The switching elements SM1 and SM2 are connected to the power supply lines VL1 and VL2, respectively, and depending on which switching element SM1 or SM2 is activated, either the automation system in the first component carrier 1 or the automation system AS2 in the second component carrier 2 is started.

Claims

1. An apparatus (HAS) having a first component carrier (1) and a second component carrier (2), wherein the first component carrier is configured with a plurality of slots (11, ..., 18) for accommodating individual components (BG11, ..., BG18), which are modularly assembled to form a first automation system (AS1), and the second component carrier is configured with a further plurality of slots (21, ..., 28), which are configured to accommodate further individual components (BG21, ..., BG28), which are modularly assembled to form a second automation system (AS2). It is characterized by: The slot (18) of the first component carrier (1) is designed as a first power supply module receiving portion (SVG1) having a first contact member (K1) and The slot (21) of the second component carrier (2) is designed as a second power supply module receiving portion (SVG2) having a second contact member (K2), wherein The first power supply module receptacle and the second power supply module receptacle are configured so that the first power supply module receptacle and the second power supply module receptacle are structurally and electrically supplemented to form a power supply base module (VG) between the first component carrier (1) and the second component carrier (2), wherein: The first contact member (K1) is designed to provide a supply voltage to the first component carrier and the second component carrier, and The second contact member (K2) is designed to provide a supply voltage to the second component carrier and the first component carrier, and The power supply base module (VG) formed by the first power supply module receptacle and the second power supply module receptacle is designed to accommodate a first power supply voltage module (PS1), a second power supply voltage module (PS2) and a third power supply voltage module (PS3).

2. The apparatus (HAS) according to claim 1, wherein The first automation system (AS1) and the second automation system (AS2) are each designed as a system for increasing the reliability in the event of a unilateral failure of one automation system by means of a switchover function between the two automation systems (AS1, AS2).

3. The device (HAS) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a monitoring component (UM) which is designed to record the current system status of each of the two automation systems (AS1, AS2), wherein: The monitoring component (UM) is further designed to support, after a shutdown of both automation systems (AS1, AS2), a preferential startup of an automation system for which a temporally updated system status exists.

4. The device (HAS) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The power supply base module (VG) is designed to be separable, which allows a defective component carrier to be replaced during operation without shutting down the corresponding other automation systems.

Images