Re: [foxboro] Unique Alarm Sounds

Dennis,
        I couldn't agree more with Kevin on this one.  Alarm sounds, no
matter how different in tone or volume, are not easily distinguishable
and don't allow users the ability to focus on the alarm source.  In our
Central Control Room, where there are 10 different operating seats, we
chose to have one horn, but a separate light pole at each seat.  Two
different lights on each pole distinguish between Safety/SIS
alarms,(Red=3DPriority 1), and normal process control alarms,
(Blue=3DPriority 2-5). We have a 0-20ma horn that we can adjust volume =
on
via an AOUT block connected to an FBM.  It didn't take us too long to
arrive at a volume that everyone could hear.  When the horn sounds, the
techs check to see if the light is flashing at their workstation.  The
advantage is that, from near or far, they are able to positively
identify if the alarm is their responsibility.  When they respond, the
horn is silenced.  I strongly recommend this solution.
        BTW, we ganged the alarm horns together as one, by configuring
the individual workstations /usr/fox/horn.cfg to send to unique IFL's of
the same PLB block. Priority 1 alarms to one IFL and Priority 2-5 to
another for each workstation.  We then used the Discrete FBM running
ladder logic to drive all the lights and the common horn.
        In addition, we made it possible for each workstation to enable
a horn inhibit that will not sound the horn if the tech has already
silenced it 3 times in one minute or less.  The light pole will still
flash as new alarms are received but the tech and all other control room
residents get a 5 minute reprieve from the noise since the 3 silencing
events mean the technician is already at the workstation attending to
the upset.

Cheers,
Tom VandeWater
Control Systems Developer/Analyst
Dow Corning Corporation
Carrollton, KY   USA

-----Original Message-----
From: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Kevin FitzGerrell
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 4:49 PM
To: foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [foxboro] Unique Alarm Sounds

Dennis,

External horns work well and are used in many of the control rooms I've
worked=20
with. =20

Consider also using the output to drive some type of light or other
indication=20
in addition to the horn.  I've worked with operators in several control
rooms=20
where in spite of the horn sounds being the same for several years,
operators=20
just didn't easily associate the horn sound with a particular unit (just
look=20
what happens in a room when a cell phone rings -- everyone checks their
phone=20
even if it's not their ring-tone).  This was particularly true when
operators=20
might be responsible for different units from one day to the next.  They
found=20
it much easier to hear the horn and then look to their console(s) to see
if=20
the alarm light was on over their area.  Associating alarm priorities
with=20
different lights on a stack in each area works well too.


Regards,

Kevin FitzGerrell
Sr Control Systems Engineer
Kinleith Pulp & Paper
Carter Holt Harvey Ltd.
+64 27 460 9994
Quoting "Lowell, Tim:" <Tim.C.Lowell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

> Dennis,
>=20
> The usual answer is to configure your horn.cfg file to output priority
> 1
> and 2 alarms, or whatever priority you wish, to a COUT block driving
an
> FBM10 (or the 200 series equivalent) 120V AC output which then drives
a
> standard annunciator horn. You can send different priorities to
> different horns, and have separate horns for each plant unit or area.
> We do that here, and it's very successful. If you want more info,
> contact me off-line.
>=20
> Tim Lowell
> Control Systems Engineer
> ConocoPhillips Trainer Refinery
> (610) 364-8362
> tim.c.lowell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>=20
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Dennis Stone
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 3:58 PM
> To: foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [foxboro] Unique Alarm Sounds=3D20
>=20
> Our facility will have an integrated control room, 3 separate units
> being operated by three separate operators from the same control room
> with six screens per operating unit. My problem is with alarming,
> currently only one operator is operating from this control room now
but
> will be joined by another in a couple of months. How can I
> differentiate alarms based on sound so that each operating area has a
> unique sound? I tinkered with the built-in alarm sounds and these are
> unacceptable due to lack of volume or tone. Does anyone have any ideas
> short of outputting the existing horn output to a distortion device
and
> then to an amp connected to a set of external speakers?
> =3D20
>=20
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.=3D20
>=20
> =3D20
>=20
> Dennis Stone
>=20
> Process Control Engineer
>=20
> Hunt Refining Company
>=20
> dstone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:dstone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>=3D20
>=20
> (205) 391-3345
>=20
> (205) 391-3564 FAX
>=20
> =3D20
>=20
>=20
> =3D20
> =3D20
> ______________________________________________
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> Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here
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=20
=20
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