The first real application for Dart (Dynamic Arc Recognition and Termination) is Dart Fieldbus. It is part of the FieldConnex series of fieldbus infrastructure components by Pepperl+Fuchs. Dart technology, which is also known as Power-I and driven by a consortium of 13 companies, enables high power levels while maintaining ignition protection intrinsic safety (I.S.) – the safest way to protect plants in hazardous areas from unintended ignitions and explosions.
The author: Andreas Hennecke Product Marketing Manager FieldConnex Process Automation Division, Pepperl + Fuchs
Dart Fieldbus is made for hazardous area Zone 1 and gas group IIC. It is certified “by the book” through PTB, the German Metrology Institute, according to a standard that is well-known to all hazardous area specialists: IEC 60079-11. This means the highest degree of protection in hazardous area Zone 1 through intrinsic safety.
Real simplicity is built into Dart Fieldbus: it offers all the benefits of Fisco (Fieldbus Intrinsically Safe Concept) regarding engineering, application and maintenance. Only Dart Fieldbus enables more than five times the power of current intrinsically safe fieldbus installations – enough to drive long cable lengths and many devices. Ten years ago when Fisco was first introduced, the acceptance of intrinsically safe fieldbus technology began with rules to simplify the application and validation of explosion protection. Today, Dart Fieldbus breaks through even more barriers – lifting the power limits and enabling the greatest possible freedom of choice.
Existing intrinsically safe fieldbus instrumentation can continue to be used or remain in place in case of upgrades. “Our first idea for Dart Fieldbus was to come up with a full I.S. fieldbus segment with the same attributes and power as in the safe area”, says Michael Kessler, Technical Director Components and Technology at Pepperl+Fuchs. “This is why Dart only protects the trunk. The spurs are intrinsically safe in the classic way. Dart Fieldbus can be used for existing I.S. instrumentation.” The differences between Dart Fieldbus and fieldbus in safe areas are negligible.
Other attributes include physical layer diagnostics and load-sharing redundancy of the power supply. Load sharing means that power supplies are controlled to carry exactly half the load current each. This translates into optimal operating conditions, a longer service life for the supply and higher system availability. Dart Fieldbus may well become the best-in-class solution for intrinsically safe fieldbus installations.
Dart has been recognised as a major innovation for the process industry and was one of the top five nominees for the prestigious Hermes Award at the Hannover Messe in Germany. Only two years after the nomination, Pepperl+Fuchs is now putting this technology into practice and products. Michael Kessler: “It fills us with pride to have been recognised in this way. We are looking to create a solution that is practical and easy to apply.”
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Risk reduction included
Facts & Figures
- Safest fieldbus installation with power – all intrinsically safe
- Working without hot work permit
- Same equipment for all gas groups: certified for gas group IIC
- Reduced planning risks without special considerations for the hazardous area
- Protection of investment: for intrinsically safe fieldbus instrumentation
- Higher plant availability through built-in supply redundancy
- Intrinsic safety with more power
- Long cable runs: up to 1000 m trunk / up to 120 m spur
- Optional advanced diagnostics for the physical layer
- Up to 32 instruments per segment
- Designed and conforming to standards for explosion protection IEC 60079-11
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