The Problem: Most alarm system configurations are optimized for a single process state (run), leaving critical modes of operation (shutdown and startup) compromised. The fact, however, is that process state changes are the most critical areas of plant operation, and most process incidents occur on startup. As a result of current configurations, alarms are often presented to the operator outside the context of the current process operating state. Alarm floods are generated on a change of state, burying secondary events beneath a flood of alarms and monopolizing the operator’s time during the most critical situations.
The ProSys Solution: Alarm Dynamics provides operators a consistent and reliable action event notification interface that supports their efforts to safely and efficiently operate the process. Alarm Dynamics reduces the risk of escalating events by focusing the operator’s attention on the required areas, giving him the ability to quickly diagnose events and take corrective action, avoiding unnecessary shutdowns and incidents.
Two principles that are the driving force behind the development of this revolutionary software:
- Every alarm presented to an operator should be meaningful (clear) and relevant to the operator; and
- Every alarm should have a defined response.
An optimal configuration is one wherein the performance characteristics of the process controls, alarms, and messages meet the required process operation objectives. Such a configuration should:
- Aid the operator in meeting the objectives
- Not inhibit him from taking necessary actions
- Not hide necessary information or conditions
- Not show unnecessary information or conditions.
ProSys Alarm Dynamics software is a two-part solution to achieving optimal configuration through process control alarm management — Dynamic Alarm Management and Alarm Shelving.
Return to Process Dynamics Suite
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Old Method of Alarm Shelving
With Our Alarm Shelving Tool
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