Method and tool for automatic distribution of control code in a safety system

A computer-readable non-transitory medium encoded with a computer program for controlling safety devices in an industrial safety system, said program comprising computer code and/or computer software means which, when fed into a computer, will make the computer carry out a method in an industrial safety system for controlling a process or equipment, said industrial safety system comprising components with safety devices and wherein said safety system enables signals to be generated as a result of an event or alarm, the method comprising

• creating an automated link between the event or alarm and an effect or an action to be taken upon receipt of said event or alarm signal due to the event,
• configuring a representation of a safety device, and configuring a different representation of said event or alarm,
• configuring one or more links comprising a link between the event and the input, thus forming a cause and effect matrix,
• generating a control code using said cause and effect matrix for subsequent download of said control code to safety controllers whereby a control signal is subsequently generated by at least one safety controller to initiate the action or effect, characterized by
• calculating a controller load for a safety controller processing said control code based on said cause and effect matrix for said at least one safety controller such that the calculated controller load is not exceeded in any safety controller, and by
• automatically dividing the control code between two or more safety controllers by dividing up said cause and effect matrix first into smaller matrices, generating a plurality of said control code, and distributing each of the plurality of said control code from each smaller matrix to each of the two or more safety controllers.

A computer or processor having a computer program executing thereon to cause the computer or processor to carry out a method in an industrial safety system for controlling a process or equipment, said industrial safety system comprising components with safety devices and wherein said safety system enables signals to be generated as a result of an event or alarm, the method comprising

• creating an automated link between the event or alarm and an effect or an action to be taken upon receipt of said event or alarm signal due to the event,
• configuring a representation of a safety device, and configuring a different representation of said event or alarm,
• configuring one or more links comprising a link between the event and the input, thus forming a cause and effect matrix,
• generating a control code using said cause and effect matrix for subsequent download of said control code to safety controllers whereby a control signal is subsequently generated by at least one safety controller to initiate the action or effect, characterized by
• calculating a controller load for a safety controller processing said control code based on said cause and effect matrix for said at least one safety controller such that the calculated controller load is not exceeded in any safety controller, and by
• automatically dividing the control code between two or more safety controllers by dividing up said cause and effect matrix first into smaller matrices, generating a plurality of said control code, and distributing each of the plurality of said control code from each smaller matrix to each of the two or more safety controllers.

Use of a system for controlling a process or equipment in an industrial safety system for the purpose of automatically generating control code, compiling that control code and downloading the resultant executable control code to one or more controllers in a safety system of a hazardous installation with a process from the process industry group of:

• oil and gas extraction, production, refining, transport, distribution;
• chemical process, pharmaceutical process, process in an installation for production or processing of pulp and paper,
• the system comprising components with inputs and safety devices enabling signals to be generated as a result of an event or alarm, comprising a graphic user interface for creating an automated link between the event or alarm and an effect or an action to be taken upon receipt of said event or alarm signal due to the event forming a cause and effect matrix, and comprising a cause and effect editor tool for generating a control code using said cause and effect matrix, arranged for downloading said control code to at least one safety controller, the system comprising a computer, a computer program and a graphical user interface,
• characterized in that the cause and effect editor tool comprises a calculator for calculating a controller load for a safety controller based on said cause and effect matrix and subsequently distributing said control code to said at least one safety controller such that the calculated controller load is not exceeded in any safety controller, and in that
• the cause and effect editor tool automatically can divide the control code between two or more safety controllers by dividing up said cause and effect matrix first into smaller matrices, generating a plurality of said control code, and distributing each of the plurality of said control code from each smaller matrix to each of the two or more safety controllers.