Integrated Control and Safety System

What do you want to know?

well, i knw for sure that an ICSS system integrates a process sysytem and a safety system together. I knw the safety sysytem is basically the fire and gas and am sure the ESD. i jusst want more detailed literature on the subject matter so as to enable me do very well in the test. For instance what is the philosophy of operation of ICSS?

is it actually a PLC? how does thie integration take place? please anything that you think is vital to excelling in a test. Thank you for your prompt response and have a great evening.

Several PLC manufacturers have special versions of input and output devices as well as a dedicated processor for the safety concerns. The safety system runs independently of the rest of the process controls sort of like a parallel processor that takes extra steps to interrupt. Generally the components fit together in much the same way the standard PLC components fit. You can usually slip them into any local or remote rack of I/O where ever they are needed.

I'm not sure how standardized these systems have become but many safety systems have features of redundancy or isolation to insure a resilient circuit. By redundancy, I am referring to a second "parallel" circuit. By isolation, I mean that each safety circuit is independent and can not share a ground or return path with any other circuit. Loads are monitored to make sure they have not burnt out. Cross talk is detected if other circuits share conductors.

As far as "integrated" is concerned, about all you can really say is that it is included with the control system. Fancy words used to make it sound more sophisticated than it really is!

The purpose of the safety system is to prevent injury by sticking your appendages where they shouldn't be. Now, if we could only incorporate that idea into underware we would really have an awesome product and no need for birth control!!!

Before getting into integrated systems, I suggest you get a bit of background on safety (you seem to be a bit hazy in that area).

Try reading Safebook 4, before looking any further. A good working knowledge of what is involved in a Safety system will get you a long way in the right direction.

_{(Usual disclaimers).}

First you must define the CONTEXT; there is a big difference between a PROCESS safety system, as is usually implemented along with a DCS or PCS, and a machine safety system, which is ususally associated with a PLC.

ICSS is a term that is associated with the PROCESS control aspect, integrating DCS (Distributed Control System) or PCS (Process Control System) and the SIS (Safety Instrumented System) together. This is primarilly associated with the oil / gas / petrochem industries. It has nothing to do with Machine Safety systems as referenced in the above posts. Different animals.

If you do an information seach on the above terms, DCS, PCS, SIS etc. as they relate to each other you will get a better feel for what you are diving into. Good luck, you'll need it.

Thank you very very very much for your contribution.I want to thank everyone for thier numerous outstanding contribution.

@ JRaef: Can you please elaborate on how DCS and PCS differ from PLCs? Presently, i am trying to research on the subject matter but i would not mind to tap from your illustrious experience.Thank you very much and have a great morning.

DCS and POCS are functionally the same, the difference lies only in the hardware platform. I'll use DCS because that's the most common term used.

Short answer, a DCS makes "stuff", a PLC makes "things". In other words a DCS is going to control a very large process that involves recipies, instrumentation, data collection / storage, and multiple HMIs all looking at vaste amounts of data coming from analog based instrumentation and controlling analog processes simultaneously and yet independantly. A PLC would be looking at larger amounts of discrete I/O, some analog, some data collection / storage and maybe a few HMIs, but in general it is going to sequentially execute a program, then start over again. Over the years the lines have blurred between the two; PLCs are capable of more complex systems now, DCS systems have become more cost effective. but the big difference is still the parallel processing issue. DCS systems are optimized to do multiple complex tasks simultaneously, interdependant but autonomous of one another.