Distributed Control

System
(DCS)
Objectives:
• To gain understanding about the basic concepts of a DCS.
• To know the important features of DCS.
• To differentiate DCS and SCADA.
What is Distributed Control System

Distributed Control System is a specially designed control

system used to control complex, large and geographically
distributed applications in industrial processes. In this,
controllers
are distributed throughout the entire plant area.

These distributed controllers are connected to both field

devices and operating PCs through high speed communication
networks as shown in figure.
 Discrete Field devices such as sensors and actuators

are directly connected to input and output controller

modules through communication bus. These field

devices or smart instruments are capable of

communicating with PLC’s or other controllers while

interacting with real world parameters like temperature,

pressure, etc.
 Controllers are distributed geographically in various section of
control area and are connected to operating and engineering
stations which are used for data monitoring, data logging,
alarming and controlling purpose via another high speed
communication bus.

These communication protocols are of different types such as

foundation field bus, HART, Profibus, Modbus, etc. DCS
provides information to multiple displays for user interface
 Distributed Control System is specially designed with
redundancy and diagnostic capabilities to improve control
reliability and performance. It gives greater flexibility to control
distributed discrete field devices and its operating stations.

To increase reliability, productivity and quality while

minimizing the production cost, process control industries must
be driven by integrated controllers with high distributed control
capability.
4 Basic Elements of Distributed Control System

Distributed Control System continuously interacts with the

processes in process control applications ones it gets
instruction from the operator. It also facilitates to variable set
points and opening and closing of valves for manual control
by the operator. Its human machine interface (HMI), face
plates and trend display gives the effective monitoring of
industrial processes.
Engineering PC or Controller

This controller is the supervisory controller over all the

distributed processing controllers. Control algorithms and

configuration of various devices are executed in this

controller. Network communication between processing

and engineering PC can be implemented by simplex or

redundant configurations.
Distributed Controller or Local Control Unit

It can be placed near to field devices (sensors and

actuators) or certain location where these field devices

are connected via communication link. It receives the

instructions from the engineering station like set point

and other parameters and directly controls field devices

 It can sense and control both analog and digital inputs /
outputs by analog and digital I/O modules. These modules are
extendable according to the number of inputs and outputs. It
collects the information from discrete field devices and sends
this information to operating and engineering stations.

In the figure below, AC 700F and AC 800Fcontrollers acts as

communication interface between field devices and engineering
station. Most of the cases these act as local control for field
instruments.
Operating Station or HMI

It is used to monitor entire plant parameters graphically and to log

the data in plant database systems. Trend display of various process

parameters provides the effective display and easy monitoring.

These operating stations are of different types such as some

operating stations (PC’s) used to monitor only parameters, some for

only trend display, some for data logging and alarming requirements.

These can also be configured to have control capabilities.

Communication Media and Protocol

Communication media consists of transmission cables to transmit

the data such as coaxial cables, copper wires, fiber optic cables and

sometimes it might be wireless. Communication protocols selected

depends on the number of devices to be connected to this network.

For example, RS232 supports only for 2 devices and Profibus for 126

devices or nodes. Some of these protocols include Ethernet,

DeviceNet, foundation filed bus, modbus, CAN, etc.

 In DCS, two or more communication protocols are

used in between two or more areas such as between

field control devices and distributed controllers and

other one between distributed controllers and

supervisory control stations such as operating and

engineering stations.
7 Important features of DCS

1. To handle complex processes:

In factory automation structure, PLC-Programming

Logic Controller is used to control and monitor the
process parameters at high speed requirements.
However due to limitation of number of I/O devices,
PLC’s cannot handle complex structure.
 Hence DCS is preferred for complex control
applications with more number of I/O’s with dedicated

controllers. These are used in manufacturing processes

where designing of multiple products are in multiple

procedures such as batch process control.

2. System redundancy

DCS facilitates system availability when needed by redundant

feature at every level. Resuming of the steady state operation
after any outages, whether planned or unplanned is somewhat
better compared to other automation control devices.

Redundancy raises the system reliability by maintaining

system operation continuously even in some abnormalities while
system is in operation.
3. Lot of Predefined function blocks

DCS offers many algorithms, more standard application

libraries, pre-tested and predefined functions to deal with

large complex systems. This makes programming to control

various applications being easy and consuming less time to

program and control.

4. Powerful programming languages

It provides more number of programming languages like

ladder, function block, sequential, etc for creating the

custom programming based on user interest.

5. More sophisticated HMI

Similar to the SCADA system, DCS can also monitor

and control through HMI’s (Human Machine Interface)

which provides sufficient data to the operator to charge

over various processes and it acts as heart of the system.

But this type of industrial control system covers large

geographical areas whereas DCS covers confined area.

 DCS completely takes the entire process plant to
control room as a PC window. Trending, logging and

graphical representation of the HMI’s give effective user

interface. Powerful alarming system of DCS helps

operators to respond more quickly to the plant

conditions
6. Scalable platform:

Structure of DCS can be scalable based on the

number I/O’s from small to large server system by adding

more number of clients and servers in communication

system and also by adding more I/O modules in

distributed controllers.
7. System security

Access to control various processes leads to plant safety.

DCS design offers perfect secured system to handle system

functions for better factory automation control.

Security is also provided at different levels such as

engineer level, entrepreneur level, operator level, etc.

Application of Distributed Control System

DCS system can be implemented in a simple application

like load management using network of microcontrollers. Here the
input is given from a keypad to a microcontroller, which
communicates with the other two microcontrollers. One of the
microcontrollers is used to display the status of the process as well
as the loads, while the other microcontroller controls the relay
driver. The relay driver in turn drives the relay to operate the load.
Difference between SCADA and DCS (DCS vs SCADA):

Although both DCS and SCADA are monitoring and

control mechanisms in industrial installations, they have
different goals. There exist some commonality between DCS
and SCADA in terms of hardware and its components,
however, there are certain requirements by the end
applications that separates a robust and cost-effective DCS
from the viable SCADA system.
 1. DCS is process oriented, whereas SCADA is data-
gathering oriented. DCS emphasizes more on control of

the process and it also consists of supervisory control

level. And as a part of doing so, it presents the

information to the operator. On the other hand, SCADA

concentrates more on acquisition process data and

presenting it to the operators and control center.

 2. In DCS, data acquisition and control modules or
controllers are usually located within a more confined

area and the communication between various

distributed control units carried via a local area network.

SCADA generally covers larger geographical areas that

use different communication systems which are

generally less reliable than a local area network.

 3. DCS employs a closed loop control at process control
station and at remote terminal units. But in case of SCADA there

is no such closed loop control.

4. DCS is process state driven where it scans the process in

regular basis and displays the results to the operator, even on

demand. On the other hand, SCADA is event driven where it

does not scan the process sequentially, but it waits for an event

that cause process parameter to trigger certain actions.

 Hence, DCS does not keep a database of process
parameter values as it always in connection with its data
source, whereas SCADA maintains a database to log the
parameter values which can be further retrieved for
operator display and this makes the SCADA to present
the last recorded values if the base station unable to get
the new values from a remote location.
 5. In terms of applications, DCS is used for installations within a
confined area, like a single plant or factory and for a complex
control processes. Some of the application areas of DCS include
chemical plants, power generating stations, pharmaceutical
manufacturing, oil and gas industries, etc. On the other hand
SCADA is used for much larger geographical locations such as
water management systems, power transmission and distribution
control, transport applications and small manufacturing and
process industries.
 In spite of these major differences, the modern DCS and
SCADA systems come with common standard facilities while
dealing process plant automation. However, the choice
between DCS and SCADA depends on its client and end
application requirement. But if the client choice between
these two, by gaining equal requirement from the process,
DCS is the economical choice as it help to reduce the cost
and offer better control.
DCS Systems from Different Vendors

Some of the available DCS systems include:

• ABB- Freelance 800F and 800 xA

• Yokogawa- Centum CS 3000 and 1000
• Honeywell-TDC 3000
• Emerson- Delta V Digital Automation

• Siemens- Simatic PCS 7

• Allen- Bradley- NetLinx
“Small steps in the right direction can turn out to be the biggest step
in your life.”
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