The signalling of a process error through illumination of a lamp or LED is a traditional method of visualising process failures. Nowadays this is reported through DCS, HMI or other central monitoring of critical and none critical alarms. However, this should not dilute the importance of the annunciator as still the most effective manner of displaying plant wide condition.
The HSE guidelines to EEMUA 191 suggest that alarms captured by a DCS require a separate alarm system for the critical events alongside the process control. In some instances though, re-transmission of alarms is an important factor for the end user. To this end, manufacturers offer various communication protocols to pass this data to a common infrastructure such as automated substation protocol under IEC61850. RTK offer a device that not only transmits this but can accept the same protocol to initiate the alarm from the DCS as an intelligent lamp box, fully KEMA certified.
For more information contact RTK Instruments on 01423 580500.
