Industrial Petrochemical Applications: Analysis of Progrmmable Logic Controllers and Distributed Control Systems

Within industry today, advancements in process and control technologies have given way to differing control systems in the form of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and distributed control systems (DCSs). Over the past decade, PLCs have become able to bridge certain gaps within process and control systems that were previously typically found only within DCS environments. This article will provide an overview of various control system strategies and design considerations with regard to both PLC and DCS schemes within petrochemical applications.