Intelligent field converged IP network for semi-real time hydrocarbon process automation applications (HPAA) case study

Process Control Systems (PCS) are embarking on a new wave of opportunities driven by Information Technology (IT) developments in infrastructure and system integration. Currently, most hydrocarbon process control systems consist of multiple, separate networks with limited interconnectivity. Due to the rapid developments in IT, desktop computer system, Internet and Ethernet technologies are becoming increasingly suitable for use in the manufacturing and process control sectors. This paper addresses the ring network topology in supporting real-time applications in a converged IP network environments utilizing standard Ethernet IEEE 802.3 protocol packet format. The ring self-healing capabilities will be examined. Empirical data, for an implemented hydrocarbon process automation system, will be used to illustrate the interdependency of the following: application performance, traffic mix, network configuration, and potential areas of improvements. The outcomes of this effort demonstrate that a converged IP network — for a semi-real-time process control system — is feasible, given special consideration (i.e., embedded network recovery optimization time, bandwidth allocation, traffic mix, traffic classification, Quality of Service, network availability, etc.).