An innovative addition to existing electronic marshalling technology could see large, expensive and maintenance-heavy marshalling cabinets done away with in favour of a reduced footprint design from Emerson.
Based on the company’s existing single channel characterisation module (CHARM) technology, a new intrinsically safe CHARM has been developed to eliminate the need for separate barriers and associate inter-cabinet wiring. The company also claims that the smaller footprint and fewer connections also improves the reliability of the installation, while also delivering cost savings.
The new system takes the existing CHARM technology, and adds intrinsically safe circuitry for field wiring into hazardous areas, including Zone 1, Zone 0 or Class1 Div1. It works with each I/O channel having a dedicated CHARM that provides bot signal characterisation and galvanic isolation for intrinsically safe applications. IS barriers are integrated inside the CHARM to provide single channel fault isolation as well as electrical isolation and energy limiting circuitry.
“Electronic marshalling allows process manufacturers to shorten project schedules, accommodate late project changes, eliminate equipment and cabinets and dramatically simplify the I/O and marshalling design process,” said Peter Zornio, Emerson Process Management’s chief strategic officer. “With the addition of IS CHARMs, we bring that flexibility and savings to some of the most challenging process environments where, arguably, flexibility and reliability are needed most.”
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