An introduction to SCADA SYSTEM

Control and Supervision

It is impossible to keep control and supervision on all industrial activities manually. Some automated tool is required which can control, supervise, collect data, analyses data and generate reports. A unique solution is introduced to meet all this demand is SCADA system.

SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. It is an industrial control system where a computer system monitoring and controlling a process.

Another term is there, Distributed Control System (DCS). Usually there is a confusion between the concept of these two.

Components of SCADA

1. Human Machine Interface (HMI)

It is an interface which presents process data to a human operator, and through this, the human operator monitors and controls the process.

2. Supervisory (computer) system

It gathers data on the process and sending commands (or control) to the process.

3. Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)

It connect to sensors in the process, converting sensor signals to digital data and sending digital data to the supervisory system.

4. Programmable Logic Controller (PLCs)

It is used as field devices because they are more economical, versatile, flexible, and configurable than special-purpose RTUs.

5. Communication infrastructure

It provides connectivity to the supervisory system to the Remote Terminal Units.

SCADA System Concept

The term SCADA usually refers to centralized systems which monitor and control entire sites, or complexes of systems spread out over large areas (anything between an industrial plant and a country)Most control actions are performed automatically by Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) or by programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Host control functions are usually restricted to basic overriding or supervisory level intervention. For example, a PLC may control the flow of cooling water through part of an industrial process, but  the  SCADA system may allow operators to change the set points for the flow, and enable alarm conditions, such as loss of flow and high temperature, to be displayed and recorded.

source:http://electrical-engineering-portal.com/