Isolated Junction Box for Field Device Signal Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional field device control systems require manual marshaling in the control room, leading to increased wiring costs, reduced space, and potential communication signal disruptions due to electrical short circuits, as well as reliance on software modifications that can cause downtime during system changes.
Innovation Solution
The Isolated Junction Box (IJB) transmits communication signals independently of electric power signals, ensuring the communication signal reaches only the intended terminal port, and includes a processor that manages terminal port connections without manual intervention, using a table to associate field devices with terminal ports and isolate signals to prevent disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a marshaling board is set in the control room to manually manage field device connections, then field device management can be performed, but wiring cost increases and control room space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection equipment automatically performs marshaling functions by itself. The processor detects terminal port connections and automatically manages field device relationships without requiring manual intervention from control room operators or a physical marshaling board, thus eliminating the need for extensive wiring while maintaining full field device management capability
Solution Approach 2:
The marshaling function is extracted from the control room environment and integrated into the connection equipment located in the field. This transfers the intelligence from the control room to the field device level, eliminating the need for a physical marshaling board in the control room and reducing wiring requirements
2Quantity of substance
If communication signals and electric power signals are transmitted through the same cable to the field, then cable quantity is reduced, but electrical short circuits can disrupt communication signals
Solution Approach 1:
The connection equipment segments the transmission paths by providing isolated communication channels for each terminal port. The processor determines which terminal port the communication signal should reach and directs it through isolated paths, preventing electrical short circuits at one port from affecting communication at other ports while still using shared power cables
Solution Approach 2:
The connection equipment acts as an intermediary between the power supply unit and field devices. It receives both communication and power signals through the same cable, then distributes them through isolated internal circuits that prevent electrical interference, allowing cable quantity reduction while maintaining communication reliability
3Quantity of substance
If the control system performs software marshaling to reduce wiring, then physical marshaling board is omitted, but system changes require software modifications causing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The connection equipment performs automatic connection detection and management independently of the control system software. When field devices are connected or disconnected, the equipment automatically detects these changes through its processor and updates its internal configuration, eliminating the need for control room operators to modify software and avoiding system downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The connection equipment preliminarily detects and records field device connections before the control system needs to access this information. By having the connection status already detected and stored in the equipment's memory, the control system can immediately access updated connection information without requiring software reconfiguration or causing downtime
Data Source
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AI summary
A connection equipment (IJB 200) to be connected to a control system (205) via a cable (206) and a field device (201) via a terminal port (306), comprising: a processor (300) configured to determine the terminal port corresponding to the field device reference included in a communication signal received from the control system and to instruct a transmitter/receiver (304) to transmit the communication signal to the terminal port determined, and an isolator (305B) configured to electrically isolate the communication signal to be transmitted to the field device via the terminal port and the electric power signal to be provided to the field device via the terminal port, from the other terminal ports.