Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
=
where U
d
= Device Voltage
U
s
= Source Voltage
R
1
= Source Resistance
R
2
= Spur Resistance
R
c
= Cable Resistance
I
d
= Nominal Device Current
Figure 4.3.2.1: IIB/IIC Split Architecture
Page 74 Copyright by the Fieldbus Foundation 1996-2004.
All rights reserved
4.4 Earthing and Shielding
The earthing or grounding and shielding
of a fieldbus installation has to take
account of safety, explosion protection,
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and
functional requirements.
The IEC 61158-2 Standard requires that
the fieldbus is operated in a balanced
mode with respect to earth or ground. The
manufacturer of the fieldbus devices
should ensure that this balance is within
the limits defined in the standard. Neither
conductor of the fieldbus cable should be
connected to earth or ground.
There are three methods of shielding in
principle. Most common is to earth or
ground the shield at one end of the cable
only, usually inside the control room. This
approach is derived from conventional
point to point wiring practice as used for 4
to 20 mA signals.
Figure 4.4.1: Fieldbus System with shields, shield connected to earth or ground on one side in the control room
NOTE: In addition to grounding of the fieldbus cable shield, installation regulations normally require that metal
housings are connected to local earth or ground.
Page 75 Copyright by the Fieldbus Foundation 1996-2004.
All rights reserved
In situations where higher levels of
interference could affect the operation of
the fieldbus system, alternative shielding
arrangements may be considered.
Fieldbus systems in accordance with
IEC 61158-2 operate with AC signal
transmission, which can be influenced
mostly by electromagnetic fields. Ideally a
Faraday cage should be built up by
proper grounding of the whole system
including cables, junction boxes and field
devices etc. This could result in the need
for a closed shielding arrangement with
the cable shields connected to ground at
both ends. Because of the demands of
the explosion protection, in this case the
potential of the ground has to be the
same on both ends of the shield. For
example DC or low frequency AC leakage
currents of electrical machines could raise
the earth or ground potential in the field
by driving a current through the cable
shield. As this current would be limited
only by the shield resistance, the
explosion protection could be violated. To
avoid this, a safe and reliable potential
equalisation according to the
requirements of intrinsic safety must be
installed.
Figure 4.4.2: Fieldbus System with shields, shield connected to earth or ground on both ends
Page 76 Copyright by the Fieldbus Foundation 1996-2004.
All rights reserved
The third method is to connect the shield
directly to earth or ground only one end
(for example in the field) and introduce a
capacitive earthing or grounding at the
other end (for example in the safe area).
The shields of cables and the devices in
the hazardous area are connected onto
the local potential equalisation of the plant
according to the requirements of intrinsic
safety. High level circular currents are
prevented, because the capacitance
blocks DC and low frequency AC
currents. Higher frequency currents are
led to earth or ground through the
capacitor providing a closed shield for
EMC. The capacitor must not be
permitted to fail to short circuit, because
in this case the requirements of intrinsic
safety would be violated.
The specification of the shield capacitor
should be
solid dielectric
capacitance max. 10 nF
test voltage min. 1.500 V
the connection of the capacitor to the
shield and earth or ground should
have a low impedance for
frequencies higher than 32,15 kHz.
Figure 4.4.3: Fieldbus System with shields, shield connected to earth or ground in the field
and capacitive earthing or grounding in the safe area
Page 77 Copyright by the Fieldbus Foundation 1996-2004.
All rights reserved
Figure 4.4.4: Distributed Fieldbus System with shields. Shield connected to earth or ground in the
field, partially capacitive earthing or grounding in the field connected to one local potential equalization and
capacitive earthing or grounding in the safe area.
Figure 4.4.5: Distributed Fieldbus System with Shields. Partially capacitive earthing or grounding in the field
connected to different local potential equalisations and hard earthing or grounding in the safe area.
All three principal concepts for shielding are in accordance with intrinsic safety
following the entity concept as well as FISCO.