Novel Design of Heterogeneous Automation Controller Based on Real-Time Data Distribution Service Middleware to Avoid Obsolescence Challenges

Oil and gas processing facilities utilize various process automation systems with proprietary controllers. As the systems age; older technologies become obsolete resulting in frequent premature capital investments to sustain their operation. This paper presents a new design of automation controller to provide inherent mechanisms for upgrades and/or partial replacement of any obsolete components without obligation for a complete system replacement throughout the expected life cycle of the processing facilities. The input/output racks are physically and logically decoupled from the controller by converting them into distributed autonomous process interface systems. The proprietary input/output communication between the conventional controller CPU and the associated input/output racks is replaced with standard real-time data distribution service middleware for providing seamless cross-vendor interoperable communication between the controller and the distributed autonomous process interface systems. The objective of this change is to allow flexibility of supply for all controller's subcomponents from multiple vendors to safeguard against premature automation obsolescence challenges. Detailed performance analysis was conducted to evaluate the viability of using the standard real-time data distribution service middleware technology in the design of automation controller to replace the proprietary input/output communication. The key simulation measurements to demonstrate its performance sustainability while growing in controller's size based on the number of input/output signals are communication latency, variation in packets delays, and communication throughput. The overall performance results confirm the viability of the new proposal as the basis for designing cost effective evergreen process automation solutions that would result in optimum total cost of ownership capital investment throughout the systems' life span. The only limiting factor is the selected network infrastructure.