Integrated I/O Control Logic for Compact Instrumentation Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional instrumentation control systems in nuclear and industrial plants require significant installation space due to separate board housings for input/output modules and calculation processing devices, with extensive cable connections between field devices, input/output modules, and calculation processing units, limiting compactification efforts.
Innovation Solution
The system integrates control logic units within input/output modules, eliminating the need for separate calculation processing devices and reducing cable lengths by using adjacent input/output modules and a communication network for signal processing and actuation control, potentially utilizing wireless communication or power-over-Ethernet for further space and cable reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate board housings are provided for input/output modules and calculation processing devices, then each module can perform its dedicated function, but the installation space increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the calculation processing device and input/output modules into a single integrated control unit. The calculation processing unit includes a CPU that performs control calculations and an I/O interface that handles field device communications, merging previously separate functions into one compact housing, thereby reducing installation space while maintaining dedicated function performance
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated control unit performs multiple functions within a single device: it processes control calculations, manages I/O operations, communicates with field devices, and executes control logic. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated housings for each function, directly addressing the space reduction requirement
2Reliability
If calculation processing devices are connected to multiple input/output modules by digital lines, then control calculations can be performed, but the cable amount increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the calculation processing function directly into the control unit that also handles I/O operations, the patent eliminates the need for separate digital connection cables between the calculation device and I/O modules. The integrated architecture uses internal communication buses instead of external cables, reducing cable quantity while preserving control calculation capabilities
3Device complexity
If input/output modules are located away from field devices, then centralized control is achieved, but the analog line length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into distributed control units, each independently handling control calculations and I/O operations for nearby field devices. This segmentation allows each control unit to be positioned close to its associated field devices, reducing analog line lengths while maintaining control functionality through modular, independent units
Data Source
AI summary
This instrumentation control system includes: input/output modules provided correspondingly and adjacently to respective field devices; control logic units implemented inside the input/output modules and performing various control calculation processes for the field devices; and a communication network connecting the input/output modules to each other by a communication line.