INSTRUMENTATION – SIGNAL TRANSMISSION

TRAINING SESSION
 SIGNAL TRANSMISSION

Session Objectives

 Distinguish between the various signal transmission systems

 Understand the voltage and current requirements for analogue
signals

 Calculate signal distance limitation

 Understand naming convention of instrument cables

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INTRODUCTION
Main international standard
ANSI/ISA 50.1-Compatibility of Analogue signals for
Electronic Industrial Process Instruments.
IEC 61000-5-2- Electromagnetic compatibility – Installation
and mitigation guidelines – Earthing and cabling
API RP 552- Transmission Systems
Company general specification
GS EP INS 107- Design and installation of instrumentation
links
GS EP INS 101- Instrumentation engineering, supply and
construction general requirements

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 INSTRUMENT & CONTROLLERS TYPICAL
INSTALLATION

Technical rooms ICSS Network

A
Communication
Marshalling Cabinets Equipment
0,8m

Controlle
0,8 r ICSS Network B
m IO Cards
Communication
Equipment

Incoming cables: armoured &flame resistant

JB JB

Field – Hazardous Area

Sensors Valves
INDUSTRY TREND: FIELDBUS

Technical rooms ICSS Network

A
Communication
Equipment
Controlle Network
Interface
r
ICSS Network B
Communication
Equipment

LocalField Bus
network

JBs with
Sensors
I/O Cards Valves
Field
Field –-Zone1 AreaArea
Hazardous
Sensors Valves
 TYPICAL CONFIGURATION

ELECTRONIC CONTROL LOOP

PNEUMATIC CONTROL LOOP

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 STANDARD SIGNAL FLOW

Field instrument  junction boxes marshalling cabinets system cabinets

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 STANDARD SIGNAL RANGES
Pneumatic
0.2–1.0 barg
3–15 psig

Electrical Analogue
4–20 mA,

Discrete
0/24V

Digital
HART
-Engineering units

FIELDBUS
-Engineering units
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 EXAMPLES

A temperature transmitter with a calibrated range of

00c to 1600c should have the following output

Electronic transmitter:
Temperature
(deg C) 0 40 80 120 160
Transmitter output
( ma) 4 8 12 16 20

Pneumatic Transmitter:
Temperature
(deg C) 0 40 80 120 160
Transmitter output
( barg) 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

(psi) 3 6 9 12 15
Observe that the lowest output of the transmitter is never zero in the two cases
even when the temperature is zero – This is THE LIVE ZERO concept
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 EXERCISE

PT-A and PT-B are two pressure transmitters .

Their signals are going to PY to be added together.
PI-C will indicate the sum.
Can you complete the table with the signals for pneumatic and electronic
Transmission?

PT
A

PY PI
C
C = A+B
PT
B
INPUT PNEUMATIC ELECTRONIC TRANSMITTER
PRESSURE OUTPUT OUTPUT RANGE
(BAR) (BAR) (MILLIAMPS)
A 22 ? ? 0-100 bar
B 14 ? ? 0-40 bar
C ? ? ? ?

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 SOLUTIONS
PT
A

PY PI
C
C = A+B
PT
B

INPUT PNEUMATIC ELECTRONIC TRANSMITTER

PRESSURE OUTPUT OUTPUT RANGE
(BAR) (BAR) (MILLIAMPS)
A 22 0.38 7.5 0-100 bar
B 14 0.48 9.6 0-40 bar
C 36 0.4 8.1 0-140 bar
(minimum)

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SIGNAL TRANSMISSION CONSIDERATIONS
Signal type
-4-20ma and 24Vdc as the default for TOTAL
-Fieldbus
-Wireless

Power supply
- 24Vdc is mostly used for analogue instruments
- Loop powered preferred to External powered

Distance between Field instruments & Control room

-Maximum distance a function of voltage drop

Cables
- Cable used in zone 1 or 2 of explosive areas shall be armoured.
- For low level signals including 4/20 mA signals, the cables shall
also be shielded.
- All cables shall be flame retardant as per IEC 60332 - part 3 as a
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EXERCISE – LOOP CALCULATIONS
Transmitter requires 250 milliwatts of power

Typical cable resistance is 40 ohms/km

Voltage supply is 24Vdc +/- 1.5V

Minimum voltage required at the DCS is 5V and DCS presents an input resistance
of 250 ohms

What is the maximum distance you can run this cable between the control room
and the transmitter in the field?

Transmitter
24V +/- 5V
supply

V=5V
DCS

Input resistance 250

ohms
 EXERCISE – LOOP CALCULATIONS
Maximum voltage drop allowed for cable is

Supply voltage – voltage required by transmitter – voltage required by DCS

=> 22.5 – 12.5 - 5 = 5 volt

Total allowable resistance is:

5/0.02 = 250 ohms

With a typical cable resistance of 40 ohms/km

=> Maximum distance is 250/40 = 6.25km, considering that the cable to the transmitter will
be in a pair; maximum distance to transmitter will be:

6.25/2 = 3.125km

cable resistance

25 mw, 20ma = 12.5V

V=22.5
volt

V=5 volt
DCS
cable resistance
Input resistance
250 ohms
 LOOP CALCULATIONS WITH SAFETY BARRIERS

Generally when safety barriers are used the maximum distance possible distance between transmitter and DCS will
reduce.

This is due to the extra voltage drop across the safety barrier

cable resistance

25 mw, 20ma = 12.5V

V=22.5 volt Safety
barrier

V=5 volt
DCS
cable resistance
Input resistance
250 ohms
V= 2.2 volt
@ 20ma

What is the maximum distance possible in the scheme above ?

 SEGREGATION OF SIGNALS
Segregated following signal nature and magnitude

Analogue Input & Output And On/Off Input Signals

Low Level Signals
Frequency Signals
I.S. signals
Instrument Power Supplies
On/Off Output Signals
System cable (e.g network cables)

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 SEGREGATION OF SIGNALS
Segregated according to the part of the Control System

Process Control System

Process Shutdown System
Emergency Shut-Down System
Fire and Gas System

This segregation principle shall be applied to junction boxes,

multicore cables and marshalling cabinets.

In addition, depending on the project construction & installation

and commissioning philosophy (e.g. topsides split over
different modules), segregation might be as per process section

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SEGREGATION OF TRENCHES

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 CABLE INSULATION AND PROTECTION
Instrument Cables are normally defined based on their insulation and
protections:

Some common abbreviations are defined below

 AL/HDPE = Aluminium/high density polyethylene moisture barrier

(used to be lead sheated)
 HDPE = High Density Polyethylene
 HDPES = High Density Polyethylene Sheated (inflamable)
 MS = Metal Screened
 PEI = Polyethylene Insulated
 PVCI = Polyvinyl Chloride Insulated
 PVCS = Polyvinyl Chloride Sheated
 SWA = Steel Wire Armour
 SWA = Steel Wire Braiding
 XLPE = Cross Linked Polyethylene

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 CABLE NAMING CONVENTION
Normally defined from inside to outside

Some other possible combinations

•XLPE/PVC/SWA/PVC
•PEI-MS-AL-/HDPE-SWA-PVCS
•PEI-MS-AL-/HDPE-SWA-HDPES
•PEI-MS-SWB-PVCS
•PEI-MS-PVCS

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