Alarm management for the DeltaV Operator Keyboard is different from classic DeltaV alarm management. Understanding the Operator Keyboard's theory of operation regarding alarm management is necessary to properly configure Operator Keyboard-based consoles.
On a DeltaV system that does not use Operator Keyboard, alarms are generated by each module and automatically presented to the operator on the Alarm Banner. With an Alarm Banner, process alarms are automatically presented to the operator with no additional configuration effort other than simply configuring the module and ensuring that alarm reporting is enabled.
On a DeltaV system that uses the Operator Keyboard, alarms are still generated by the module but are presented through a unit-based Alarm button on the keyboard rather than the Alarm Banner. Presentation of the alarms in Operator Keyboard is dependent on the proper configuration of the keyboard alarm buttons. The different alarm annunciation methods between standard DeltaV software and Operator Keyboard software makes it difficult to mix standard DeltaV operator interface and Operator Keyboard on the same DeltaV system.
With Operator Keyboard, the alarm display is based on the association of process alarms with a specific alarm annunciation button on the Operator Keyboard screen. This means that each module must be associated with a specific button on the Operator Keyboard screen so that when a module (or modules) are in alarm, the button provides the alarm indication to the operator. The module is associated with the alarm button by assigning each module to a DeltaV unit in the DeltaV Explorer. This allows the alarms on multiple modules to "roll up" to a single alarm indication.
A DeltaV unit is a logical grouping of modules based on physical plant equipment or some other criteria. For example, a unit may include a tank level and the tank inlet and outlet valves; this unit will have 3 modules assigned to it: one for the tank level, and one for each valve.
After all of the units have been defined, each unit must be assigned to an alarm annunciation button as the Operator Keyboard screen display is configured. The Operator Keyboard configuration set provides a unit alarm button dynamo to aid in the configuration of the alarm indication. This button provides both alarm annunciation and, when pressed, access to the Primary Control Display for the unit.
Each unit must also have a specific operator display configured to open when the button is pressed. All of the modules in the unit must be included in this display with a visible alarm indication on the display. Using these associations, the keyboard provides an alarm system showing that there is an alarm on a specific display indicating that there is an alarm on a process unit.
Fixed location buttons to provide alarm indication makes use of familiar pattern recognition (of alarm annunciation) to help the operator determine how to react when several units go into alarm at the same time or indicate the status of a process based on the alarm indications.
If a module is not assigned to a unit, its alarms are visible only on the Alarm Summary and Alarm List displays. It is strongly suggested that you ensure that all modules with alarms are assigned to a unit and the unit's alarm button is on the keyboard. Refer to Configuring Unit Modules for information on how to configure unit modules and use Unit Alarm buttons.
The Primary Control Display plays an important role in alarm management for the Operator Keyboard. A Primary Control Display is a graphic that is associated with each module and unit in the DeltaV system. It is intended as an operator tool for responding to alarms. Typically, the Primary Control Display opens on the default screen when an operator touches an alarm button on the Operator Keyboard. The Primary Control Display can be any type of DeltaV Operate graphic that presents important information about the process and allows the operator to quickly access process information and take action on alarms. You should create a unique Primary Control Display for each unit and, to further enhance your display navigation capabilities, assign a Primary Control Display for each module. As an example, a unit's Primary Control Display might be a graphic showing all the modules in the unit and the Primary Control Displays for a module might be a more detailed graphic for a specific part of the unit.
We strongly encourage you to carefully design the alarm strategy for each unit. Here are some guidelines to consider as you design your strategy:
Create units based on a physical or logical groupings of plant equipment or processes. Be sure that each unit has a Primary Control Display assigned and that the display has visible alarm indications for all the modules assigned to the unit.
Configure modules and module alarms.
Assign modules to units. Be sure that all modules are assigned to a unit because a module's alarm visibility is handled through a unit alarm indication.
Configure a Primary Control Display for each module and unit. If for alarm management purposes, a unit requires another, more detailed display, it is recommended that you assign the more detailed display as a module's Primary Control Display. Then you can configure the Alarm button to open the unit's Primary Control Display and the module's Primary Control Display at the same time. Refer to Configuring Unit Modules for step-by-step instructions on configuring unit modules.