Fieldbus applications for electrical industrial systems

The authors investigate the possibility of using fieldbus communication techniques to automate electrical networks in an industrial environment. A digital connection among all the devices operating in a distribution network, such as breakers, contactors, and relays, may allow a large amount of data to be exchanged between such devices and from/to the control system. A survey of the existing techniques for interfacing the plant and the control system is presented, and the configurations that will be possible by using a fieldbus are examined. The possibility of integrating the control of the electrical system with the process control system is discussed. Specifications and functional requirements of different communication protocols are described with respect to the performances that can be achieved by the control devices of an electrical system. The benefits that could be derived from the use of fieldbus techniques to control electrical systems in the various phases (design, erection, start-up, and management) are highlighted