Woodward MicroNet Plus: High reliability redundant control system for prime mover control

Woodward MicroNet Plus: High reliability redundant control system for prime mover control

Introduction

In the fields of industrial automation and power generation control, the requirements for system reliability, real-time performance, and flexibility are extremely strict. MicroNet launched by Woodward Corporation ™  The Plus control system is an advanced digital control system based on the VME architecture, designed specifically for the control applications of prime movers such as gas turbines, steam turbines, water turbines, and diesel/gas engines. It provides an ideal solution for key markets such as power production, process industry, oil and gas exploration, and ship transportation through redundant or single-mode CPU configuration, modular I/O, high-precision time synchronization, and powerful software environment. This article will comprehensively analyze the technical architecture, core features, application scenarios, and system advantages of MicroNet Plus.

Product Overview and Market Positioning

MicroNet Plus is a flexible, modular, and scalable digital control system designed to meet the extreme requirements for performance, reliability, and long-term support in prime mover control.

The target applications include:

Gas turbine control: including complex dry low emission combustion control algorithms.

Steam turbine and water turbine control: achieving precise speed and load regulation.

Diesel and gas engine control: suitable for ship propulsion and backup power generation.

System sequence and auxiliary equipment control: Manage the entire power pack and related auxiliary systems.

Anti surge and temperature process control: Ensure the safe and stable operation of rotating equipment such as compressors.

The target market covers:

Power generation industry: used for combined cycle power plants, simple cycle power plants, and islanded power grids.

Process industry: fields that require continuous and stable power, such as petrochemicals, papermaking, metallurgy, etc.

Oil and gas exploration: providing reliable power control for offshore platforms, compression stations, etc.

Ship transportation: Meet the long-term and high reliability requirements of naval and commercial vessels for propulsion and power generation systems.

The flexibility of MicroNet Plus enables it to adapt from simple applications with only a small amount of I/O to the most complex processes and systems with a large number of I/O points.

Detailed explanation of core technical characteristics

1. High reliability hardware architecture

VME based bus system: Provides robust industrial grade backplane and high-speed data exchange capabilities.

Redundant or single-mode configuration:

CPU: Single CPU or redundant (primary/backup) CPU configuration can be selected according to customer needs. A single system can be easily upgraded to a redundant system by adding a second CPU and making simple software changes.

Power supply: Supports single power supply or redundant power supply configuration, with flexible input voltage selection (18-36 Vdc, 100-150 Vdc, 88-264 Vac).

I/O module: Can be configured as single, double, or triple redundant, supports online hot plugging, and can replace modules without cutting off control power, greatly improving system availability.

Two types of chassis sizes:

Full size chassis: Provides 14 VME slots, suitable for I/O-intensive large systems.

Narrow size chassis: Provides 8 VME slots, suitable for space limited or small-scale applications.

Powerful CPU options:

CPU 5200: Based on 400 MHz Motorola ™  MPC5200 microprocessor, supporting up to 8 expansion cases, with redundant Ethernet and CAN communication capabilities, suitable for compute intensive and I/O-intensive applications.

CPU 5200L: Supports single chassis, provides single Ethernet and CAN communication, moderate processing capacity, suitable for simplified applications with limited critical I/O points.

2. Deterministic real-time operating systems and software environments

Real time multitasking operating system: using Wind River Systems' VxWorks ®， Ensure a high degree of certainty and reliability in system response.

Unique rate group structure: implemented through Woodward's graphical application programming tool. Control engineers can define different execution rate groups (up to 5 milliseconds), assigning critical control loops (such as speed control) to high rate groups and non critical tasks (such as sequential logic) to low rate groups. This structure ensures that the dynamic performance of the system is deterministic and predictable in all situations, unaffected by program load or code modifications.

Powerful programming tools:

Graphic Application Programmer: Provides multiple programming languages such as functional block diagrams, sequential functional diagrams, ladder diagrams, etc., allowing control engineers to focus on control logic rather than programming details.

NetSim ™ Simulation environment: allows comprehensive process model testing of GAP applications before leaving the factory, significantly reducing system debugging time and facilitating future on-site upgrades.

Comprehensive services and diagnostic tools:

Software tools such as Control Assistant and Monitor GAP provide service personnel with powerful monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities, including data graphic display, data recording, trend analysis, event logs, and X-Y plotting.

3. High precision synchronization and event recording

Sub millisecond time synchronization: Integrated with SNTP v4 standard time servers, it can achieve synchronization with external time sources in less than 1 millisecond.

High resolution event sequence recording:

The timestamp resolution of digital I/O events can reach 1 millisecond.

The event timestamp resolution for analog I/O and software process variables can reach 5 milliseconds.

This is crucial for analyzing power grid faults, equipment trip sequences, and complex dynamic processes.

4. Modularization and Intelligent I/O

I/O module designed specifically for prime mover control: Compared with ordinary industrial I/O modules, it has** exceptional accuracy, fast-synchronized updates, high channel-to-channel isolation**。

Intelligent modules: Many modules have built-in microcontrollers that can manage internal operations and continuously perform self diagnosis. They have self calibration capabilities and provide periodic online calibration monitoring to ensure the integrity of I/O measurement and control.

Powerful scalability:

The main control chassis can connect up to 7 expansion chassis through real-time network to build a large-scale control system.

Real time network supports CAT-5 cable or fiber optic configuration, with a fiber optic communication distance of up to 2 kilometers, suitable for equipment dispersed in factory areas.

Seamless integration with LinkNet ® Distributed I/O provides an economical and efficient solution for sequential control and monitoring functions.

Support connecting other commercial distributed I/O through CANopen, Ethernet, serial and other networks.

5. Rich communication protocol support

MicroNet Plus supports communication protocols widely used in modern prime movers and factory automation, ensuring good system integration:

Ethernet TCP/IP & UDP/IP

OPC DA 3.0 and AE 1.0

Ethernet Global Data

Modbus ®  (via Ethernet or serial RTU/ASCII)

CANopen

Customized proprietary drivers for specific devices

System specifications and compliance

operating environment

Working temperature: 0 to 55 ° C (32 to 131 ° F)

Impact resistance: Complies with the US military standard MIL-STD-810C, 15G, 11ms half sine pulse.

Anti vibration: Complies with Lloyd's Register ENV2 Test # 1 standard.

Regulations and certifications (reflecting their applicability to harsh and hazardous environments)

North America: UL certification, applicable to Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D, T3A hazardous areas.

Europe:

CE Mark: Compliant with EMC Directive and Low Voltage Directive.

ATEX Explosion proof Certification: Compliant with EN60079-15, suitable for Zone 2, Category 3, Group II G, Ex nA [nL] IIC T3 X environments.

Compliant with mechanical instructions (as a component).

Classification Society Certification: Recognized by American Bureau of Shipping, Det Norske Veritas, and Lloyd's Register of Shipping, suitable for ship applications.

physical dimensions

8-slot chassis: 320 mm (width) x 363 mm (height) x 307 mm (depth), weighing approximately 16 kg.

14 slot chassis: 478 mm (width) x 363 mm (height) x 307 mm (depth), weighing approximately 24 kg.

Both types of chassis support installation behind the board or adaptation to 19 inch cabinets.

Typical System Architecture and Redundant Operations

The system architecture diagram in the document demonstrates how MicroNet Plus builds a layered and redundant control network:

Control core: One or more MicroNet Plus main control chassis, including redundant CPUs and power supplies.

Real time expansion: Connect multiple expansion enclosures through redundant real-time fiber optic networks to expand I/O capacity.

Upper layer network: Connect HMI, service computer, and factory DCS server through redundant Ethernet.

On site network: Connect on-site devices (such as speed controllers and sensors) and distributed I/O through redundant CAN networks.

Redundancy switching mechanism: Under the redundant configuration of the primary/backup CPU, if the primary CPU fails, control can switch to the backup CPU without disturbance within less than 1 millisecond, ensuring the continuous operation of the prime mover. After the fault is repaired, control can be switched back.

Summary of Core Advantages

Unparalleled reliability and availability: With comprehensive redundancy options from CPU, power supply to I/O, combined with online hot swapping and sub millisecond level fault switching, the system ensures near zero downtime.

Excellent real-time performance and determinacy: Based on VxWorks' rate group architecture, it provides predictable control cycles as fast as 5ms, meeting the most demanding dynamic performance requirements (such as load shedding).

Ultimate flexibility and scalability: Modular design supports smooth expansion from small single machine applications to large multi chassis systems, and I/O types and redundancy methods can be freely combined.

Powerful engineering and support toolchain: from GAP programming, NetSim simulation to a complete set of service diagnostic tools, greatly reducing the difficulty and cycle of engineering development, debugging, and maintenance.

Extensive industry certification and applicability: With UL, ATEX, and multiple classification society certifications, it can be safely and reliably applied to various extreme environments such as land power plants, hazardous industrial areas, and ocean going vessels.

Long term product support lifecycle: Based on a validated hardware platform and stable software architecture, Woodward provides long-term technical support and spare parts supply, particularly suitable for decades long naval projects and other long-term infrastructure.