Increase system availability with PROFINET S2 and MRP

Danfoss Drives is always focused on technological innovation. An important improvement in the PROFINET implementation in Danfoss VLT® drives is the redundancy according to the S2 standard.

The new Danfoss VLT® PROFINET implementation allows the node to communicate with two controllers (PLCs) at the same time. One of the two connections is considered as primary and the other as a back-up. If the data exchange fails with the first connection, the back-up is automatically activated. In this situation, the second PLC becomes the new manager of the data exchange with the nodes.

The PROFINET S2 combined with Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP) solves two of the most fatal problems of the past: loss of the controller and loss of communication. MRP ensures uninterrupted control despite a fault in the communication path. And due to loss of control and with PROFINET S2, the system can continue operation despite the loss of a controller.

This kind of redundant PLC support is useful for improving valuable uptime of critical infrastructure like:

• Water supply and wastewater utilities: High availability in potable water processes is critical. For wastewater treatment plants, a failure of the control system can result in untreated water being released to the recipient, triggering significant penalties.
• Chemical and pharmaceutical industries: Loss of the control system can have fatal consequences. If seamless data from production is not available, drugs must be scrapped according to FDA requirements. In this industry, a redundant PLC grants seamless collections of production data, meeting FDA requirements.
• Material handling and luggage handling: Luggage handling systems place the greatest demands of all for fast response and high availability. Luggage must be transferred from one airplane to the next in very short timeframes. A simple failure, like controller power loss, will result in a massive amount of delayed luggage with serious cost consequences. Warehouses and parcel sorting systems have the same requirements, where delayed goods cost the operator a significant loss of money.
• Energy power generation: Loss of control of burners causes controlled system shutdown, which is time-consuming and costly.
• Marine: Loss of thruster and auxiliary systems can have fatal consequences.

The advantages of the new Danfoss VLT® PROFINET implementation:

• Control over the drive is never lost, even if there is a failure of communication with the primary controller
• PROFINET S2 is designed to react deterministically on control failure, which makes it suitable for process automation
• Clear text indication, to inform you when only one connection is active