How to improve control system performance using FF function blocks

An important process control trend is the implementation of digital communication with field control devices. Traditional distributed control systems are being augmented with smart field instruments. Foundation Fieldbus is a digital control network that interlinks such "smart" field instruments like sensors and actuators in a process control environment. In the Foundation Fieldbus all the control algorithms and data acquisition are executed by structures called function blocks. This paper attempts to improve the performance based on these function blocks. First, an introduction to the function blocks of Foundation Fieldbus and their structure and execution process are presented. Then, an example of a fermentation process is described. The structure of the control system and the implementation of distributed control based on function blocks are discussed. Finally, the problems related to system safety with function blocks and their programming language are dealt with.