IS200VCMIH2BEE - VME Bus Master Communication Controller Board

SPECIFICATIONS:

Part Number: IS200VCMIH2BEE
Manufacturer: General Electric
Series: Mark VI
Product Type: VME Bus Master Communication Controller Board
Operating System: QNX
Power Requirements: +5 V dc, 6 A
Number of input channels: 24
Trip Solenoid Rating: 125 V dc
Dual-Port Memory: 32 Kbytes
Voltage Range: 18 - 32 VDC
Mounting: DIN-rail mounting
Technology: Surface mount
Operating temperature: 40 to 70°C
Size: 168 x 150 x 55 mm
Repair: 3-7 Day
Availability: In Stock
Country of Origin: United States
Manual: GEH-6421H

FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION:

IS200VCMIH2BEE is a VME Bus Master Communication Controller Board manufactured and designed by General Electric as part of the Mark VI Series used in GE Speedtronic Gas Turbine Control Systems. The VCMI board in the control and interface module communicates internally to the I/O boards in its rack, and to the other VCMI cards through the IONet. There are two versions, one with one Ethernet IONet port for simplex systems, and the other with three Ethernet ports for TMR systems. Simplex systems have one control module connected to one or more interface modules using a single cable. The VCMI with three separate IONet ports is used in TMR systems for communication with the three I/O channels Rx, Sx, and Tx, and with the two other control modules. The VCMI board in the control and interface module communicates internally to the I/O boards in its rack, and to the other VCMI cards through the IONet. There are two versions, one with one Ethernet IONet port for simplex systems, and the other with three Ethernet ports for TMR systems. Simplex systems have one control module connected to one or more interface modules using a single cable. The VCMI with three separate IONet ports is used in TMR systems for communication with the three I/O channels Rx, Sx, and Tx, and with the two other control modules.

In TMR mode, the VCMI voter in the control module is always the Master of the IONet and also provides the IONet clock. Time synch messages from the time source on the UDH are sent to the controllers and then to the VCMIs. All input data from a single rack is sent in one or more IONet packets (approximately 1500 bytes per packet maximum). The VCMI in the control module broadcasts all data for all remote racks in one packet, and each VCMI in the remote rack extracts the appropriate data from the packet.

IONET:

The IONet connection on the VCMI is a BNC for 10Base2 Ethernet. The interface circuit is high impedance allowing T tap connections with 50 Ω terminal at the first and last node. The cabling distances are restricted to 185 meters per segment with up to eight nodes, using RG-58C/U or equivalent cable. The Link Layer protocol is IEEE 802.3 standard Ethernet. The application layer protocol uses Asynchronous Device Language (ADL) messaging with special adaptations for the input/output handling and the state exchanges.

The VCMI board acts as the IONet Master and polls the remote interface module for data. The VCMI Master broadcasts a command to all slave stations on a single IONet causing them to respond with their message consecutively. To avoid collisions on the media, each station is told how long to delay before attempting to transmit. Utilizing this Master/slave mechanism, and running at 10 Mb/s, the IONet is capable of transmitting a 1000-byte packet every millisecond (8 MHz bit rate).

In a multiple module or multiple cabinet system, powering down one module of a channel does not disrupt IONet communication between other modules within that channel. If one IONet stops communicating then the I/O boards, in that channel, time out and the outputs go to a safe state. This state does not affect TMR system operation. If two IONets stop then the I/O boards in both channels go to a safe state which would result in a turbine trip, if the turbine was generating.

I/O BOARDS:

The central processing unit (CPU) is a high-speed processor designed for digital filtering and for working with data in IEEE 32-bit floating point format. The task scheduler operates at a 1 ms and 5 ms rate to support high-speed analog and discrete inputs. The I/O boards synchronize their input scan to complete a cycle before being read by the VCMI board. Contact inputs in the VCCC and VCRC are time-stamped to 1 ms to provide a sequence of events (SOE) monitor. Each I/O board contains the required sensor characteristic library, for example, thermocouple and RTD linearizations. Bad sensor data and alarm signal levels, both high and low, are detected and alarmed. The I/O configuration in the toolbox can be downloaded over the network to change the program online. This means that I/O boards can accept tune-up commands and data while running.

Certain I/O boards, such as the servo and turbine board, contain special control functions in firmware. This allows loops, such as the valve position control, to run locally instead of in the controller. Using the I/O boards in this way provides fast response for several time-critical functions. Servo loops can be performed on the servo board at 200 times per second.

Each I/O board sends an identification message (ID packet) to the VCMI when requested. The packet contains the hardware catalog number of the I/O board, the hardware revision, the board barcode serial number, the firmware catalog number, and the firmware version. Also, each I/O board identifies the connected terminal boards via the ID wire in the 37-pin cable.

OPERATING SYSTEMS:

All operator stations, communication servers, and engineering workstations use the Windows operating system. The HMIs and servers run CIMPLICITY software, and the engineer's workstation runs toolbox software for system configuration. The I/O system, because of its TMR requirements, uses a proprietary executive system designed for this special application. This executive is the basis for the operating system in the VCMI and all of the I/O boards. The controller uses the QNX operating system from QNX Software Systems Ltd. This is a real-time POSIX-compliant operating system ideally suited to high-speed automation applications such as turbine control and protection

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is the VME Bus Master Communication Controller Board?

The VME Bus Master Communication Controller Board is a crucial component in GE's Mark VI Series, used in Speedtronic Gas Turbine Control Systems. It manages internal communication between I/O boards within its rack and external communication with other VCMI cards via the IONet. The board is available in two versions: one with a single Ethernet IONet port for simplex systems and another with three Ethernet ports for Triple Modular Redundant (TMR) systems.

How does the VME Bus Master Communication Controller Board communicate within the system?

The board utilizes the IONet for communication. In a simplex configuration, the control module connects with interface modules through a single Ethernet IONet port. In a TMR setup, three Ethernet ports enable communication among control modules and the associated I/O channels. The VCMI in the control module acts as the IONet Master, broadcasting data for remote racks in a single packet.

What operating systems are used in the Mark VI control system?

The Mark VI control system integrates multiple operating systems to manage its various components. Operator stations, communication servers, and engineering workstations operate on Windows, utilizing CIMPLICITY software for Human-Machine Interface (HMI) functions. The engineering workstation is equipped with Toolbox software for system configuration and diagnostics.