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A10
C OMMENT
Of safety, protection, and crisis management
I
f you think about it, safety is implied through- Industrial enclosures are essential for hous-
out this entire issue of AppliedAutomation ing and protecting wiring and cables, electrical
safety for processes, equipment, and from equipment, and machinery controls. Theyre
disasters. also effective protection against radio and elec-
In the cover story, the author addresses safe- tromagnetic interference and other uncontrol-
ty issues by advocating diagnostics. He writes: lable environmental elements such as direct
Among the best practices and technologies sunlight, the author writes.
available today are diagnostic functions built The third article presents a topic that isnt
Jack Smith into smart field instruments that are capable often discussed, but should be: crisis man-
Editor of identifying covert failures as they happen. agement. And it begs the question: What role
Using diagnostic functions to improve system should humans play in avoiding disasters? The
safety, the author explains how to make temper- author advocates a standards-based approach.
ature sensors smarter and safer, and spot tricky He writes: Arguably, the most advanced deci-
thermocouple failures and leaking rupture disks. sion support systems may be found in the
In addition, he discusses adding diagnostics to aircraft industry. But even these can go wrong
the physical protection layer. sometimes, and it comes back to the skills and
In manufacturing, so much emphasis is training of humans to avoid potential disasters,
placed on sophisticated equipment that its aided by a standards-based approach.
easy to overlook the enclosures in which this And as the author concludes: So, maybe
equipment is mounted. The second article asks there is a balance between humans and
10 questions that should be considered before machines that can ultimately make all of us
specifying or modifying industrial enclosures. safer. Lets try to find it.
ON THE COVER Online, non-intrusive corrosion/erosion monitors provide a continuous measurement of wall thickness. Watching the rate of metal loss
over time can help predict time to failure. Courtesy: Emerson Automation Solutions
E
fer from electrical noise, spiking, and signal dropouts.
Noise can come from radios, motors, and lightning.
ffective process automation systems depend Other problems can be caused by wiring problems,
on many types of field devices, controllers, mechanical shock, or vibration. Temperature measure-
and networks to provide basic control func- ments are more susceptible than most other field instru-
tions along with safety-instrumented functions. ments because the sensorsresistance temperature
Unfortunately, all these systems can fail in a detectors (RTDs) and thermocouples (TCs)provide
variety of ways, allowing problems to develop very low-amplitude signals that must then be processed
or escalate if not countered quickly and effectively. and amplified by the transmitter before being sent to the
Users cannot assume failures simply dont happen, so logic solver. For example, the signal strength of a TC is
they must make appropriate plans for how to deal with about 1/400th the strength of the 4-20 mA signal pro-
these possibilities. vided by the transmitter. For this reason, best practices
Among the best practices and technologies avail- suggest locating the transmitter as close to the sensor
able today are diagnostic functions built into smart as possible, minimizing the length of the lead wire
field instruments that are capable of identifying covert (see Figure 1).
failures as they happen. This improves safety, and also Even with close coupling between sensor and trans-
can predict failures before they happen, improving avail- mitter, noise or dropouts still can be problematic in
ability. In other cases, a plant may design its own diag- some installations, so most users apply damping to
nostic, adding devices such as pressure relief valves, suppress spikes and dropouts. While damping improves
rupture disks, and corrosion/erosion monitors in critical stability, it slows down the response of the transmit-
places to watch for larger things going wrong. Lets con- ter to rapid changes in process temperature. Because
sider all three approaches. redundant sensors typically are exposed to the same
Figure 1: Temperature transmitters provide critical signal processing functions for temperature sensors along with diagnostics, and come
in many shapes and sizes to satisfy any application. As shown here, the Rosemount 248 temperature transmitter is available in a variety
of form factors, both wired and wireless. All graphics courtesy: Emerson Automation Solutions
as pressure relief valves (PRVs) and Users in hydrocarbon New instruments combining acous-
rupture discs. tic and temperature sensors capable
The PRV is set to open when the of capturing telltale sounds from mal-
process pressure approaches the and chemical plants often functioning valves can identify direct
safe limits of the process equip- releases as well as ongoing leaks
ment or piping, with the excess from incomplete valve seating. Such
pressure typically vented to the
install a rupture disc just devices can be wired, or can com-
flare. It has the highest pressure municate via WirelessHART, in either
setting and should only work if all upstream of the PRV. case, sending data to the BPCS.
the other safety instrumented func- PRVs often simmer, releasing small
tions fail. Excess flaring causes amounts of product, before pressure
environmental impacts, usually resulting in penalties. reaches the full release point. An acoustic instrument can
Although the PRV will close itself after the pressure detect simmering, providing operators with another indica-
returns to a safe condition, it is common for dirt in the tion of a possible developing incident, and giving them
process fluid to prevent it from fully re-seating, leading time to call for maintenance, or to make a process adjust-
to small, ongoing leaks. These leaks are often difficult to ment and avoid the release entirely.
detect, yet over time can cause significant process loss
and environmental impact. Because PRVs are mechani- Spotting leaking rupture disks
cal devices, there are no electronic elements capable of Users in hydrocarbon and chemical plants often install
providing diagnostic functions. But as smart transmitters a rupture disc just upstream of the PRV. In the case of a
can improve performance of temperature sensors, new toxic or hazardous fluid, the rupture disc provides a more
devices can add diagnostic capabilities to these simple positive barrier and layer of protection to minimize the risk
but critical physical protection devices. of PRV leakage. Where the process contains a corrosive
fluid, only the rupture disc is normally wetted. This means
the plant often can avoid having to install an expensive
PRV made from a corrosion-resistant material. Only the
rupture disc has to be made from an exotic alloy.
Unfortunately, this approach creates another risk (see
Figure 2). If a small pinhole leak appears in the rupture
disc, any leaked fluid will be trapped between the rupture
disc and the PRV. This creates a backpressure on the
outside of the disk, so instead of bursting at the design
pressure, the disc will not burst until the rising process
pressure can overcome the disk and the pressure between
the disk and valve.
Under these conditions, the burst pressure may
exceed the safe design limit of the process, risking an
uncontrolled and potentially catastrophic release into
the environment. To prevent this, the American Society
of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recommends install-
ing a pressure gauge or instrument between the rupture
disc and the PRV to monitor the pressure in the space
between the devices. This can be a wired device, but
given that these are typically located in physically inac-
cessible, hazardous, or toxic environments, such loca-
tions are particularly well suited to wireless devices.
T
he control and monitoring systems in many control system (DCS). The hardwired link is usually
plants only use the 4-20 mA analog signal from Modbus or Ethernet.
their HART devices, missing out on the value The wireless adapter shown in Figure 4 has been
provided by the HART information. This is particularly evaluated by Exida as a component and has an
true for smart instruments and valve actuators used FMEDA report available online. It does not affect the
with safety systems, which send analog loop, and therefore has
their analog signal to a dedi- a minimal effect on SIS loop cal-
cated logic solver, meaning valu- culations.
able process variables and con- A limitation for using wireless
dition diagnostics never make it adapters in SIS loops has been
back to the control system. the availability of different types
But there is a solution, as of certifications for the device,
many users can access the which in the past was only
HART information in their safety Figure 4: Wireless adapters, such as the intrinsically safe (IS). The wire-
THUM from Emerson, can send HART data
devices by outfitting their exist- less adapter in Figure 4 now
via a wireless network, and the options
ing sensors and actuators with is rated for use in hazardous
for users to deploy them in hazardous
wireless adapters. These adapt- areas in North America where
locations grow as the availability of haz-
ers connect to HART devices the explosion-proof method of
ardous ratings increases.
and communicate variables and protection is used. The adapter
diagnostics via a WirelessHART connects directly onto HART
network. The adapter converts a wired HART input devices via a threaded conduit, creating a rated
to a WirelessHART output, and this wireless signal is assembly. This new explosion-proof certification is
sent to a gateway through a WirelessHART network. especially useful in SIS applications where it can be
The gateway is hardwired to the target system, such used to access stranded variables and diagnostic
as an asset management system or a distributed data from safety systems.
given asset is not easy to predict and can vary widely Extends time between shutdown intervals
day-to-day due to changes in flowrate, fluid composition, Reduces use of corrosion-inhibiting chemicals
temperature, pressure, use of corrosion inhibitors, and Increases capability to use opportunity crudes, lower-
other conditions. The risk to a user is that a faster-than- cost but more highly corrosive/erosive feedstocks.
expected rate of metal loss can lead to a catastrophic
loss of containment over a relatively short period of Diagnostic functions, whether they are built into a
time, even days or weeks. smart device, or something designed within a given
A better approach than periodic manual inspection is plant, help detect problems early while they are still
continuous online monitoring. Available in either wired easy to manage. Discovering that a TC is quietly cor-
or wireless versions, online sensors attached to the out- roding before there is a loss of operation, a PRV is
side of the pipe or vessel use ultrasonic technology to headed toward failure before a more catastrophic inci-
measure metal thickness continuously. Historical data dent, or a pipe is about to start leaking, can prevent
determines the rate of metal loss and expected time to downtime, avoid environmental damage, and prevent
failure. While a small number of corrosion/erosion sen- fatalities. There are many ways to put these measures
sors provide immediate safety and labor benefits from into place, provided a plant is willing to make the criti-
reduced need for manual inspection of hot spots, the cal first steps.
real payback comes when a user combines a network
of wall thickness sensors with other sensors to measure Mark Menezes manages the Emerson Automation
and predict fluid corrosion/erosion, including intrusive Solutions measurement business in Canada, including
coupon-based sensors, temperature (intrusive or clamp- pressure, temperature, level, flow, and corrosion. He has
on), pH, flow, pressure, and others (see Figure 3). a chemical engineering degree from the University of
Comprehensive, plant-wide visibility and corrosion/ero- Toronto, with an MBA from York-Schulich. Menezes has
sion prediction allows users to operate more aggressively 20 years of experience with Emerson, and 27 years of
without increased risk: experience in process automation.
to replace
a battery. 40
YEAR
OPERATING
LIFE *
M
ers in oil and gas, material handling and packaging, and
food and beverage industries rely on the controlled envi-
achinery and equipment are the life-blood ronment of enclosures to protect their equipment from the
of any industrial or manufacturing opera- elements and keep their operations running smoothly.
tion. But these assets run because of the
industrial enclosures deployed throughout 10 things to know before specifying
the facility to house and protect the opera- or modifying enclosures
tional controls that make them function. Because of the critical role that industrial enclosures
Industrial enclosures are essential for housing and pro- play across so many industries and in so many environ-
tecting wiring and cables, electrical equipment, machin- ments, its important to specify and modify enclosures
ery controls, and more. Theyre also effective protection for specific environments and controls. A one-size-fits-all
against radio and electromagnetic interference and other approach will not work and could jeopardize important
equipment.
Sometimes, knowing what questions to ask before spec-
ifying and/or modifying industrial enclosures will save time
and money, but more importantly, will improve protection
and ensure uptime. Following are 10 critical questions for
your specifying team to consider, as well as your suppliers
for industrial enclosures or enclosure systems.
EPSI
TRO
N
O
in an emergency. But when
configured correctly, these
perator error alarms and displays can
during peri- help rather than confuse.
ods of abnor- Unfortunately, we often
mal opera- dont use this system intel-
tions has ligence to benefit the pro-
been put for- cess operator.
ward as one of the causes On March 23, 2005,
of many major recent inci- there was an explosion in
dents. But before we give the isomerization unit of
humans a bad rap, incident the BP Texas City Refinery,
reports suggest the prob- which at the time was BPs
lem often stems from poor largest facility. The explo-
procedures, inadequate sion killed 15 people and
training, and the lack of injured 170. The incident
sufficient resources. In centered around the raf-
many cases, with the right finate splitter.
skills and tools, a good BPs incident investiga-
operator can help avoid tion, led by J. Mogford,
these situations. issued a report showing
Arguably, the most several basic procedure-
advanced decision support related errors, such as a
systems may be found in level alarm acknowledged
the aircraft industry. But but not acted upon, a heat-
even these can go wrong up ramp-rate that was too
sometimes, and it comes fast, and operators trying
back to the skills and train- Figure 1: The Boeing B-17 procedure checklist became a proto- start up the unit in manual
ing of humans to avoid type for many more to come in aviation. All graphics courtesy: when procedures indicated
potential disasters, aided Yokogawa Electric Corporation it should be in automatic.
by a standards-based Moreover, operators turned
approach. on the burners before veri-
fying liquid was circulating. Later, we will examine how a
Putting humans under stress standards-based approach may have averted this incident.
Process control systems have evolved over the years Another clear example of operator overload happened
to the point where we can measure, display, and alarm on Sunday, July 24, 1994, when a lightning strike started
almost anything in almost any color. We can provide many a fire on the crude distillation unit at the Texaco Milford
different alarms on the same measurement, including vari- Haven refinery, which eventually led to an explosion on
ous high and low values, as well as rate of change. We the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU). Although the
cess, under all conditions. However, some of the better had followed all the advice from the flight systems, the
operators often tweak procedures to improve them. As plane would have crashed. The most senior pilot told the
experienced operators are retiring with often less expe- others to read the messages but feel the plane. They
rienced operators replacing them, plants try to capture managed to land safely with one working engine.
these tweaks to develop best-practice procedures There are many times when the quick thinking of an
(see Figure 2). operator has probably saved a process, but of course,
These procedures can be run semi-automatically, these successes dont get the same publicity as aircraft
where the control system runs the steps to a point where incidents.
the operator must confirm it is safe to continue, or the
control system runs the procedure completely automati- A standards-based approach
cally. The machine runs the process, but there is always As stated earlier, modern control systems can have the
a need for human oversight. versatility and intelligence to help an operator, but without
guidance, these features can confuse as much as aid the
Experience counts operator, hence the need for standards (see Figure 3).
Under normal conditions, humans operate very well, With an effective HMI display, an operator can easily
but as stress builds, people react in different ways. Some see what state the process is in, and if an alarm is acti-
become heroes in wartime situations by giving leadership vated, it can be seen easily and acted upon quickly. But
under fire, but in manufacturing we dont expect heroism. process alarms also can be used to trigger an automated
Having several very skilled operators probably saved action if configured correctly. The action can be a combi-
Qantas flight 32 on Nov. 4, 2010. The flight, using an A380 nation of informing the operator, taking corrective action,
Airbusthe worlds largest and most technically-advanced or even halting the process if needed.
passenger aircraft at the timehad left Singapore for The International Society for Automation (ISA), a glob-
Sydney. Over Indonesia, one of the engines blew apart, ally-recognized standards development organization, has
rendering almost the entire wing controls inoperable and two standards and one in development addressing opera-
leaving only one engine to power the plane. tor decision support:
The pilots were inundated with messages: 54 came in
to alert them of system failures or impending failures, but n ANSI/ISA-18.2-2009: Management of Alarm Systems
only 10 could fit onto the screen. The pilots watched as for the Process Industries
screens full of messages came in. Luckily, there were five
experienced pilots onboard, including three captains who n ANSI/ISA-101.01-2015: Human Machine Interfaces
were on check flights. Even with that much experience for Process Automation Systems
available, it took 50 minutes to work through and priori- n ISA106: Procedure Automation for Continuous
tize the messages. Process Operations.
The incident report concluded that without those pilots,
the flight would probably not have made it. In fact, the ANSI/ISA-18.2 provides requirements and recommen-
airmanship of the pilots saved the plane. If the pilots dations for the alarm management lifecycle. The lifecycle
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