The need for dynamic configuration and other augmentation of distributed control systems for improved alarm management

The problems associated with modern distributed control system (DCS) alarm floods are well known and receiving ever more attention. The alarm interface, which is the very heart of abnormal situation prevention, mitigation and management, has become a hazard in itself. Some of the key evolutionary factors behind this problem are as follows: 1) the ratio of sensor inputs to control outputs is increasing; 2) the number of alarms configured for individual sensors and controls is increasing; 3) the number of controls assigned to an operator is increasing; and 4) the purpose and presentation of alarms has become confused. Due to these factors, the process operator´s alarm analysis and reaction responsibilities are exploding. There are many parties who share responsibility for contributing to these trends but the process operators are universally the ones who suffer. The characteristic audible and visual cues associated with alarms are viewed with terror when the flood arrives. The fear is based on the fact that the few significant and relevant alarms are all too often lost, and the operator never knows when that might happen. The topic of this work is improving the alarm interface between the process and the operator by stemming the flood