PLC electronic control system
When fountain is of a dynamic type, as is usually the case with dry deck and interactive fountains , it needs a control system that manages the effects of water, lighting and sound (in the case of musical fountains ), as well as the synchronization among all these aspects.
The chosen system is not only determined by the classic jets used in the dry source, but also by other factors:
⦁ The type of dynamism of the source (obtained by a previously recorded operating sequence that the device must execute cyclically)
⦁ The synchronization between the water features and lighting
⦁ The fact that the source is musical or not.
⦁ The economic valuation carried out based on the number of elements that the system will be in charge of controlling.
To manage the control of these factors in dry sources, there are two types of technology that give rise to the respective control systems. Next, we are going to see the control systems based on PLC.
PLC-based systems
The acronym PLC corresponds to the English terminology Programmable Logic Controller (Programmable Logic Controller). The PLC is an electronic device with internal memory, in which a program or sequence is stored with which a process is automated. In the case of ornamental fountains, what is stored is the cyclic control sequence of the hydraulic elements of the fountain: pumps, solenoid valves, frequency drivers, LED RGB light, etc.
These systems are tremendously stable and secure elements, which is why they are widely used in the industry. This popularization has made their prices very attractive and they have more and more features. FOUNTANA uses these control elements in sources with too high number of elements to control, or in which the synchronizations with external elements are too demanding.
a) Control panels for sources of FOUNTANA based on PLC.
The control panels manufactured by FOUNTANA with this technology leave the factory fully adapted to the customer’s particular source. To do this, FOUNTANA technicians and the engineers will have previously agreed to define how the client wants the fountain to work. When the panel arrives at the customer, all they have to do is connect the elements to the terminal block of the panel and start it up.
Hydraulic control:
⦁ In order for the system to be able to control the hydraulic aspects of the fountain, the desired operating sequence must first be recorded (which, will be executed cyclically). The modification of said sequence must be carried out by a professional specialized in PLC programming.
⦁ In this system, each electro-valve or each pump is governed by a PLC or automation output. But in mega projects the PLC would not be recommended for large or complex sources with many inputs and outputs, since in these cases there are other technologies that better optimize programming such as DMX, Microcontroller, etc.
Lighting control:
The PLC control system takes care of all aspects of lighting: switching on and off, color and intensity (where possible). We have three possibilities:
⦁ Controllable RGB lighting – For its management it is necessary to incorporate a clock to control the on and off, as well as an RGB controller.
⦁ Non-controllable RGB lighting (self-changing) – You must always have a clock for programming.
⦁ White Lighting – A clock must be incorporated placed in the same output of the PLC that activates the pump or the electro-valve or stepper motors.
b) PLC + HMI (Human Machine interface)
It should be noted that the PLC is not capable of synchronizing the water games with the lighting, nor is it capable of making two consecutive cycles of light and water coincide in time. To achieve synchronization, it is necessary to carefully adjust the programmed sequences for each field beforehand. The least user-friendly part of these devices is their programming: that is, the need to define an output sequence for the elements of the ornamental fountain. PLC manufacturers offer communication software with the device, but its programming requires the intervention of a specialist technician. In the same way, the modification of said sequence must be done by qualified personnel. To avoid this inconvenience, A technology has been developed that allows a user (who is not a specialist technician) to be able to program all the elements of the power supply, including the frequency drivers, solenoid valves, RGM LED, stepper motors, sensors. This technology is called HMI.
This name refers to a state-of-the-art development carried out by FOUNTANA, which considerably improves the performance of the PLC. This system incorporates an HMI or Human Machine Interface (an easy-to-handle touch screen) that allows the previously recorded sequence to be modified easily and quickly. In this way, the modification becomes something accessible to non-specialized users, who can do it through an intuitive touch screen. It is a very effective system, which far exceeds the performance of the PLC alone.
Features and benefits
⦁ This system offers new possibilities of operation and modification that are added to those already existing in the PLC. These possibilities move away from the complex and cumbersome binary language to become a totally graphic option, easy to understand and use.
⦁ Scheduling (installation start-up and shutdown) is integrated into the software.
⦁ It is capable of associating operating sequences to specific dates. For example, we could program a source so that on December 31th it would start the “Happy New Year” sequence.
⦁ The PLC + HMI system offers the possibility of testing each element individually while the installation is being carried out, in order to test its use and operation before the final start-up.
⦁ It integrates the collection and management of wind data: the control panel makes “decisions” according to the speed and direction of the wind.
⦁ The entire control system configuration menu is password protected.
⦁ The PLC + HMI development offers the possibility of recording the programmed sequences and sending them to other places via the Internet (email, file delivery systems…). To do this, the recorded information is stored in an external memory that allows it to be transferred to other facilities.
