Software-Defined Process Control Module Association for Fault-Tolerant Plants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process control systems are inflexible and hardware-centric, leading to increased costs for initial engineering and change management, as well as susceptibility to cost overruns and supply-chain delays due to dependence on purpose-built hardware.
Innovation Solution
A software-defined process control system (SDCS) that decouples software and hardware, implementing business logic as logical abstractions on top of computer resources and managing resources in a hyper-converged infrastructure. The SDCS includes a software-defined networking layer, application layer, and storage layer, dynamically managing resources to support dynamic demands of process control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If purpose-built hardware is used in traditional process control systems, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates control logic into independent modular components (control modules, I/O modules) that can be individually managed and deployed. Each module is encapsulated with its dependencies, allowing granular updates without affecting the entire system, thus reducing complexity while maintaining reliability through modular fault isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal hardware platform that can run multiple different control modules and I/O modules through standardized interfaces. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for dedicated purpose-built hardware for each function, reducing device complexity while maintaining system reliability through consistent platform behavior.
2Ease of manufacture
If purpose-built hardware is used in traditional process control systems, then initial engineering costs are reduced, but adaptability to changing conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic module registration and discovery mechanisms that allow new control and I/O modules to be added at runtime without system reconfiguration. Modules can be dynamically loaded, unloaded, and updated, enabling the system to adapt to changing process requirements while maintaining cost efficiency through a standardized deployment framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements configurable module parameters and interface specifications that can be modified to accommodate different field devices and control algorithms. This parameter-based configuration allows the same hardware platform to adapt to various process conditions and requirements without requiring custom hardware design, thus improving adaptability while controlling engineering costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standardized I/O devices are used to support multiple field device protocols, then device complexity increases, but adaptability improves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces protocol adapter modules as intermediary components that translate between different field device protocols and the standardized internal interface. These adapter modules act as mediators, allowing the core I/O device to maintain a simple standardized interface while gaining the ability to communicate with multiple protocol types through plug-in adapter layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of protocol-specific functionality through software-based protocol implementations rather than requiring separate physical I/O devices for each protocol. This virtualization approach allows multiple protocol handlers to coexist in software, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining comprehensive protocol support through copied and adapted protocol stacks.
Data Source
AI summary
A process control system includes a plurality of field devices operating to control a process in a process plant. A communication infrastructure couples the plurality of field devices to a software-defined control system (SDCS) that receives data from the field devices and transmits instructions to the field devices. A data cluster, executing the SDCS, includes a plurality of compute nodes, each of which includes a processor executing an operating system, a memory, and a communication resource coupled to one or more other compute nodes in the data cluster. A plurality of instantiated containers, each of which is an isolated execution environment within the operating system of the compute node on which the container is instantiated, cooperate to facilitate execution of a control strategy in the SDCS. At least one of the containers in the SDCS is pinned to a component in the SDCS.