20EEE653

Advanced Industrial Automation and

Building Automation
Credits: 3:0:0

Date: 26.03.2021

Lecture 12
Block diagram of SCADA

Module : 1 : Introduction to Advanced PLC and SCADA

Course Instructor

Dr. Vinoth Kumar. K M.Tech., Ph.D., SMIEEE

Associate Professor
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering

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9944808092 / [email protected]
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Master Terminal Unit (MTU)
 It is the heart of the SCADA system, which can be a dedicated computer, a Programmable Logic
Controller (PLC), or a network server that communicates with remote field side RTUs. It initiates all
communication, collects the data, stores the data in database, provides interfaces to operators and sends
the information to other systems.
 It allows the users to perform controlling functions on field devices such as breakers, switches and other
actuators depending on the gathered data. It continuously communicates with other devices in master
station so as to facilitate data logging, alarm processing, trending and reporting, graphical interface and
security system.

Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)

 RTUs gathers the information from various field sites in which they are employed. Each RTU is
connected with various sensors and actuators that manage local process or field equipments.
 It collects the information from various sensors and sends the information to the MTU. Also, it receives
the control commands from MTU and correspondingly controls the various actuators.
 Many RTUs store the data in their database and waits for a request from the MTU to send or transmit
the data. In sophisticated systems, PLCs are used as RTUs which directly transfers the field data and
controls the parameters without a request from the MTU. It uses a local area network to communication
with various field intelligent devices.

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Communication Equipment/Network
 It provides the link between RTUs (in the field) to MTU (in the control center). The communication can be wired or
wireless or through internet which provides bidirectional and uninterrupted communication between RTU and MTU.
 SCADA systems can be connected using various communication mediums including twisted pair cables, coaxial metal
cables, fiber optic cables, satellites, high frequency radio, telephone lines, and microwave radio.
 The topology of the SCADA system network depends on the type of system or application it is intended for. Mostly
redundant topology is recommended for critical control applications.

SCADA Software

 It is an important aspect of every SCADA system which presents the information to the user and also allows the user
to intervene in the process control. Many SCADA systems use commercial proprietary software upon which SCADA
system is developed.
 This software comprises a computer operating system which controls the central host computer hardware,
communication network management, graphical generation tool for HMI, database management and report
generation tools.
 Other components or auxiliary equipment in central station includes HMI station, which gives graphical
representation of field parameters, alarm generators to inform normal and abnormal conditions of process and
recorders to produce a permanent record of analog and discrete variables on the charts.

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 Functions of SCADA
1. Data Acquisition
 In SCADA systems, MTU performs the periodic acquisition of data from RTUs. As discussed above that the RTU can
respond in either a request form the MTU or continuously transferring the data when changes of state of a parameter
takes place or when limits of the parameter exceeded, even without a request from the MTU.
 The data acquisition process includes internal scanning of RTU internal database, periodic RTU polling by MTU,
transmission of data by RTU to MTU, scaling of data into engineering units and updating a previous value or state in
the database.

2. Human Machine Interface (HMI)

 SCADA products display the information on multiple screens, which
combines both text and synoptic diagrams. It provides the provision for
human operators to continuously monitor the operations and to intervene
when necessary.
 SCADA HMI software consists of library of graphical symbols to which
tag names are associated for a particular device or parameter such as
ON/OFF status of switch, level information on tank, etc.).
 Display selection on HMI is organized mostly in a tree structure, where
index pages allow human operator to select various displays using a
cursor, keyboard, trackball, or touch-screen positioning techniques.

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3. Supervisory Control
 It is the process of controlling the equipment operations
from remote locations. In SCADA systems, the MTU in
the master station sends the control instructions such as set
points and discrete control commands to the RTU at
remote station. At the remote stations, RTU receives the
commands and accordingly controls the appropriate
actuator.
 The supervisory control includes selection of the remote
station, choosing the device to be controlled and executing
the desired command such as close or trip. Most of the
systems employ check-before-operate method for correct
selection and operation of the equipment in the remote
place.
4. Trending
 All SCADA products provide trending facilities which
display the gathered (real-time) or saved (historian) data
on various charts. The parameters to be trended on a
specific chart can be defined online or it can be
predefined.
 These charts are able to display one or more parameter
using one or more plots. It provides the automatic
scrolling of data with enhanced zoom features. Historian
trending is possible with archived databases. 7
5. Alarm Processing
 It involves in alerting the operator to unscheduled events by informing place of occurrence, time of occurrence, device ID
and nature of the event.
 Alarms are logically programmed on the master control station by comparing the received data with appropriate limits. It
is possible to handle alarms on multiple priority level. Alarms can be suppressed either by individual or as a complete
group.

6. Information Storage and Reports

 SCADA stores the gathered data on either disks or permanent storage devices. The logging of data is performed on a
cyclic basis, which means the time span of a rotating historical file is limited (which can be 40 days or 12 months).
 Once the period is completed or the log is full, it archives the data to permanent storage device and then the information
older than the file time span is discarded. This allows the user to retrieve and analyze the data whenever it is needed.
 SCADA provides the report generation using SQL type queries. The historical file provides the source of information for
generating various reports. SCADA also facilitates to print and archive reports.

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