I'm looking for references of companies who can supply a fiber optic mux system for pipeline SCADA. I'm looking to drop Ethernet and serial PLCs along 300 Km. Some drops will be 30 Km from the next. The system should be a self healing ring. Each of the drops will require at least a telephone. At each end there will be a station with a SCADA host network, PABX, and corp LAN. The mux system would tie the two ends together. The equipment should meet similar enviro specs as PLCs.

Does anyone have experience with this type of equipment and they refer me to companies who can supply the hardware?

Thanks.

 

How about joining up and identify yourself for starters.

 

Try looking at OnTime Switches:

http://www.ontimenet.com

These are Ethernet Switches that have excellent environmental Specifcations (-40 -> +70'C). In addition they support ultra-fast redundant ring technology with a ring re-configuration time of 30mS - The fastest on the market place; even with 200 switches in a ring!

You might also be interested in the GPS Time Server. Basically, OnTime have encorporated a GPS time server in a switch that enables you to provide very high accuracy time stamps (down to 1uS) using standard IP protocols (STP / SNTP)

Fibre run of upto 85KM are possible.

There are many different configurations available.

 

I'm a project manager for Pipeline Systems Inc. (www.pipesys.com) and we have implemented several systems with similar requirements. We have lost several bids in the last year on systems we thought we had the best solution. We were unable to findout what solutions were proposed by the other bidders. We have a number of bids and project in the works and I'd like to explore what other people are doing for communication systems for pipelines to make sure we are not missing something.

 

Dear Anon, You are describing a typical Telecom application. Their solution is to use 5 micron single-mode fibers in a Sonet ring. Single mode fiber can go about 75Km between nodes and can be amplified without regeneration. Sonet is a standard that complements single mode fiber and self-healing ring architecture. See this web page: http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~nd/surprise_96/journal/vol2/dm9/article2.html You will pay a lot for this stuff that is designed for data rates much higher than SCADA usually needs, but it is off-the-shelf at Alcatel, Lucent, and Nortel. You need less than OC-12 data rates, their lowest. Maybe they can sell you used equipment. The fiber is cheap.

Dick Caro
============================================
Richard H. Caro, CEO
CMC Associates
2 Beth Circle, Acton, MA 01720
Tel: +1.978.635.9449 Mobile: +1.978.764.4728
Fax: +1.978.246.1270
E-mail: [email protected]
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Sounds like you're a prime candidate for a technology called "Meteor Burst Communications" Give these guys a call http://www.meteorcomm.com

The rest of you guys might want to look here too. I used this technology 15 years ago and it's amazing !!

Mark Hill

 

We have designed and installed systems from OC-1 to OC-48 using primarily Nortel equipment. Sometimes I think our telecom people are to narrowly focused as VoIP and VoIP become acceptable options. I've tried talking to Cisco but the application, pipeline scada/telecom, is so specialized they have a hard time conceptualizing. It's also such a limited market that it doesn't attract their attention. The Nortel (now GE) equipment still seems like the best option. I just want to make sure we are not missing something.

 

Siemens OTN is one solution you can consider for this system.

 

I beleive we have lost several jobs to Siemens. I seem to recall it is a proprietary network, not Sonet.

 

We have supplied Hirschmann Industrial Ethernet Switches in Redundant Ring topology as per "OnTime" solution already suggested on previous posting. For Serial Rs232/485 Serial Data that needs to also go along Fibres you can use something like the Westermo ED10UDP Serial to Ethernet adapter (see www.westermo.se). It allows full configuration of Packing Algorithim & uses UDP for effecient transfer of serial data from one IP address to another. Extracting Serial data at host sites will require another ED10.

Regards
MannyR. - Paqworks Industrial Data Comms

 

Manny,

I have in the past used Hirschmann equipment, particularly the hubs in the fiber redundant ring configuration. This equipment is really excellent for this application. Almost no setup make installation a breeze.

Just my 2 cents.

Jeff LeBlanc

 

Current Single mode fiber Ethernet can reach 30-40 KM if designed properly. Some industrial Ethernet vendors include Hirschmann, Moxa and Garrettcom. Other switch vendors have non industrial switches that would require a special housing. There is no loop standard except for the possibility of RPR. Contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

Try using OTN by Siemens.

- Shahid