EMERSON DeltaV™ M-series Traditional I/O

EMERSON DeltaV ™  M-series Traditional I/O

In the field of process industry automation, the reliability, flexibility, and usability of the I/O subsystem directly affect the performance and return on investment of the entire control system. Emerson's DeltaV ™  The M series traditional I/O modules have become the core components of many process control systems due to their modular design, on-site installation capabilities, and high availability. This article is based on DeltaV ™  A comprehensive interpretation of the technical characteristics, hardware specifications, selection, and system integration of the M-series traditional I/O product data sheet.

Product Overview and Core Advantages

DeltaV ™  The M-series traditional I/O subsystem is designed for flexible on-site installation and can be directly deployed in areas close to on-site devices, significantly reducing the length of signal cables. Its core design philosophy revolves around modularity, plug and play, and investment protection, with specific advantages reflected in the following four aspects:

Reduce capital expenditures: The fully modular architecture allows users to gradually add I/O cards, carriers, and power supplies in increments of 4, 8, 16, or 32 channels according to actual needs. This' on-demand expansion 'model avoids overinvestment in the early stages. In addition, the I/O interface carrier can be directly installed in the on-site junction box, significantly reducing the equipment footprint and freeing up valuable control room space. By eliminating the need for intermediate terminal cabinets, cabinet and wiring costs have been further saved.

Shorten installation time and cost: All traditional I/O components adopt a plug-in design and can be installed with power on. Users can pre install I/O interface carriers and insert I/O cards when needed to achieve phased deployment. The unique I/O function key mechanism ensures the correct matching of the card with the corresponding terminal block, eliminating the possibility of incorrect insertion and greatly improving installation efficiency and safety.

Improve productivity: The system supports adding new I/O interfaces online without interrupting the running process. The DeltaV browser can automatically recognize new hardware and allocate basic configurations, simplifying the system expansion process.

Improve process availability: Supports 1:1 redundant configuration, and redundant and non redundant use the same type of card without the need for additional spare parts. The system automatically recognizes redundant pairs and switches to the backup card without disturbance when the main card fails. The switching process has minimal impact on the on-site execution mechanism (when switching between analog outputs, both cards are driven simultaneously<5ms). The hardware alarm mechanism will automatically report the health status and switching events of the primary and backup cards, facilitating timely response by operation and maintenance personnel.

System composition and hardware structure

DeltaV ™  The M-series traditional I/O subsystem consists of the following core components:

I/O interface carrier: installed on a DIN rail as the basic platform for all I/O components, providing power bus and communication backplane.

I/O interface: composed of I/O cards and I/O terminal blocks. The two ensure a unique match through function keys.

I/O cards: covering various signal types such as analog and discrete signals, adopting a unified external packaging and hot swappable. The card panel clearly identifies the type and is equipped with LED indicators for power, internal errors, and channel status. All cards are made of high-quality electronic components and coated with three proof paint, meeting the ISA G3 corrosive gas standard.

I/O terminal block: Provides on-site signal wiring interface, supports multiple wiring methods (such as 2-wire, 3-wire, 4-wire) and fuse options. Some terminal blocks have built-in cold junction compensation (CJC) for thermocouple signals.

Detailed Explanation of I/O Card Technical Specifications

DeltaV ™  The M series offers a wide range of I/O cards to meet different application requirements. All cards support wide temperature operation from -40 to 70 ℃, with high precision and high isolation characteristics.

3.1 Analog input card

8-channel 4-20mA HART input card: Each channel is optically isolated and tested for a voltage resistance of 1500V DC. Accuracy of 0.1%, resolution of 16 bits, support for transparent transmission of HART protocol, convenient for AMS device management. Optional 2.0A fuse.

16 channel 4-20mA HART input card (Plus type): With higher channel density, it also has optical isolation and HART communication. Accuracy 0.2%, supports redundant configuration, maximum on-site power supply 500mA@24V  DC。

8-channel RTD input card: supports 2/3/4 wire RTD (Pt100, Pt200, Pt500, Ni120, Cu10) and resistance measurement. Excitation current of 100 μ A, 16 bit resolution. User defined RTDs can be linearized using the Callendar Van Dusen equation.

8-channel thermocouple/mV input card: supports B, E, J, K, N, R, S, T-type thermocouples and millivolt signals. Each channel is isolated with built-in or external cold end compensation. Open circuit detection current<70nA.

4-channel isolated input card: highly versatile, can be configured with multiple input types such as thermocouple, RTD, mV, V, etc. Both channel to channel and channel to system achieve high voltage isolation (up to 600V AC), suitable for situations with high common mode voltage or potential fluctuation.

3.2 Analog output card

8-channel 4-20mA HART output card: Each channel is optically isolated, with an accuracy of 0.25%, a resolution of 12 bits, and an output load capacity of 700 Ω @ 20mA. It supports HART transparent transmission.

16 channel 4-20mA HART output card (Plus type): high-density design, accuracy of 0.25%, resolution of 14 bits, also supports redundant configuration.

3.3 Discrete input card

8-channel 24V DC dry contact input card: detection level ON>2.2mA, OFF<1mA, input impedance about 5K Ω, supports pulse counting (up to 75Hz).

8-channel 24V DC isolated input card: Channel isolation between channels, detection level ON>10V, OFF<5V, input current 5mA@24V .

32 channel 24V DC dry contact input card (including Plus type): high-density design, ON>2mA，OFF<0.25mA。 The Plus model supports wire breakage detection function (requires specific terminal blocks).

8-channel 120V AC input card: provides two types of dry contacts and isolation, and the detection level meets industry standards.

4-channel pulse counting input card: supports frequency input up to 50kHz, minimum pulse width of 10 μ s, 32-bit counter, suitable for high-speed counting or flow accumulation.

16 channel sequence of events (SOE) card: with a resolution of ± 0.25ms (inside the card) or ± 1ms (inside the controller), used to accurately record the occurrence time of switch events.

3.4 Discrete output card

8-channel 24V DC output card: available in two types: isolated and high side drive. Output range 2-60V DC, rated current per channel 1A. Supports multiple output modes: discrete output, instantaneous output, continuous pulse output.

32 channel 24V DC high side output card (Plus type): 100mA per channel, total current 3.2A@24V  DC， High density output.

8-channel 120/230V AC output card: provides isolated and high side drive, with 1A per channel, suitable for AC load control.

Redundancy characteristics and system compatibility

The redundant I/O scheme of DeltaV uses the same card and is implemented by installing it on a dual width redundant terminal block. The controller automatically identifies redundant pairs and determines the main card. Switching is triggered by hardware failure, communication interruption, or on-site line failure, and the switching process is transparent to the control module without the need for special configuration. After inserting the new spare card, the system automatically completes the configuration.

In terms of system compatibility, M-series traditional I/O needs to be used in conjunction with MQ, MX, or PK series controllers and M-series horizontal or VerticalPlus carriers. Starting from v11.3.1, S-series and M-series controllers can coexist in the same DeltaV control network. The Plus series cards (such as 16 channel AI/AO, 32 channel DI/DO) require DeltaV software version v13.3.1 or higher.

Terminal block and selection guide

DeltaV Traditional I/O offers a wide range of terminal block options to meet different field wiring needs:

Standard terminal block: used for conventional signal connections.

Fuse terminal block: Built in 2.0A fuse, providing channel level overcurrent protection.

Redundant terminal block: used for installing redundant I/O card pairs.

Large scale wiring terminal block: supports various specifications such as 16 pin, 24 pin, 40 pin, 48 pin, etc., and can be combined with M-series large-scale wiring solutions or third-party products (such as Phoenix Contact, Pepperl+Fuchs) to optimize wiring layout.

When selecting, the corresponding terminal block should be selected according to the I/O card model, and the matching should be ensured through the function keys. The selection table at the end of the document provides a detailed list of recommended terminal blocks and model codes for each card.

Authentication and Security

The M series traditional I/O products have passed multiple international certifications to ensure their applicability in various industrial environments

EMC：EN61326-1

FM/CSA：Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D, T4

ATEX/IECEx: II 3G Ex ec IIC T4 Gc, etc

Classification society certification: ABS, DNV, etc

The product can be safely used in hazardous areas (Zone 2/Class I Division 2), and specific installation should follow the corresponding installation instructions (such as 12P1293, 12P2046).