Process Solutions

Product Information Note

ControlEdge RTU Process Controller

ControlEdge™ RTUs are powerful, modular and scalable controllers capable of all
remote automation and control applications. They provide improved management of
field assets through simplified and efficient remote monitoring, diagnostics, and
management. Reduce equipment monitoring and diagnostics from hours to minutes.
Experion® SCADA configuration time is reduced by 80%.

With Honeywell’s  An onboard wireless I/O solution to integrate ISA100

ControlEdge RTU process instruments
controller, users have an  Asset management of connected HART and ISA 100 devices
edge into realizing the best via Honeywell’s Field Device Manager
utilization of their distributed  A powerful IEC 61131-3 programming environment
assets through efficient  Liquids and Gas flow calculations in the same controller
remote monitoring,  Gas custody transfer Meter Runs to API 21.1
diagnostic and asset  Flexible communication options, local and remote
management capabilities,
 Industry standard protocols of Modbus and DNP3
while ensuring low total cost
 Datalogging to on board memory or optionally on local SD card
of ownership.
 Hazardous area certified to FM/CSA Class I Division 2, IECEx
Zone 2 and ATEX Zone 2
The Lowest Power Consumption & High Reliability
Solar power is a common requirement in remote applications.
Figure 1. The more power consumed, the bigger the batteries, solar panels
Controller with Onboard I/O Module
and infrastructure to hold them need to be, all adding up to an
expensive exercise.
Key Features
 Lowest power consumption in its category at a typical 1.9W
(Non redundant controller with onboard I/O)
 Native controller redundancy. No special programming
 Temperature range -40 to 75°C (-40 to 167°F)
 High reliability with designed thermal paths
 HART enabled onboard and expansion I/O modules. No extra
hardware required for Digital HART data and diagnostic ControlEdge RTU has one of the lowest power consumptions on
access. For use in RTU program and remotely via HART IP
the market at a typical 1.9 Watts, even when using HART. When
 Efficient wiring and configuration saving installation and HART is required, other RTUs require additional hardware,
maintenance time
consuming even more power, whereas ControlEdge RTU has
 Transient Suppression on every I/O channel and every HART onboard.
communication port
ControlEdge RTU Process Controllers 2

The follow-on effect of consuming less power is that there is less Inputs / Outputs
heat produced. This, coupled with an aluminium body and HART Enabled I/O Modules
designed thermal paths, means ControlEdge RTU has less ControlEdge RTU supports onboard and expansion I/O modules.
component stress which equates to higher reliability. Even in
tropical and desert environments, either minimal or no cooling is 28 Channel Mixed I/O Module:
required. Channel type Qty
Endures Tough Environments Analog Inputs: 8
ControlEdge RTU has been designed to withstand the toughest Analog Outputs: 2
environments, with an operating temperature range of -40 to
Digital Inputs: 10
75°C in humidity of 5% to 95%. Most other RTUs only go up to
Digital Outputs: 6
70°C. ControlEdge RTU has conformal coating to G3 and is
hazardous area certified to FM/CSA Class I Division 2, IECEx Pulse Inputs: 2

Zone 2 and ATEX Zone 2. By having built-in HART, ControlEdge RTU has no requirement
for separate expensive and power consuming HART I/O modules

75°C
or third party components.

70 Wireless I/O
By connecting a Field Device Access Point (FDAP), ControlEdge
RTU provides an onboard Wireless I/O solution for ISA100
devices. These wireless devices appear as native I/O. They are
RTUs are typically placed next to metal infrastructure such as
programmed and managed with the same configuration tool,
pipelines, so to reduce risk of transient surges, every I/O channel
ControlEdge Builder. You benefit from the same smart device
and every communication port on ControlEdge RTU has transient
capabilities as wired smart devices. Wireless I/O is effective
suppression.
when traditional wiring is expensive, difficult or at risk of damage.
High Performance Controller
The Value of Smart Data: HART & Wireless Devices
With modern processors, ControlEdge RTU has the power for Distributed operations can require crews of field operators that
today’s applications and spare reserve to meet tomorrow’s travel each day over long distances and dangerous terrain.
needs. ControlEdge RTU comes in two forms: Non-redundant ControlEdge RTU can help bring that requirement to an end. It is
controller with onboard I/O module and redundant controller. not only a large operating expense, but is also unsafe —and that
Both support expansion I/O modules. is just the trip to site. The traditional RTU strengths of data
logging and good sub-system communications with local devices,
Native Controller Redundancy
alongside smart device integration with HART or Wireless I/O, is
Honeywell’s redundancy is ready to go. There is no need to
enabling better fault modeling, both direct on the RTUs and at
program any differently from a non-redundant controller.
central locations. This means that each Field Operator is much
ControlEdge RTU takes away the complexity. No additional
more productive and can manage more remote sites than without
infrastructure is required to synchronize the data between CPMs
the implementation of ControlEdge RTU.
and to connect with I/O modules.

Figure 2, Redundant controller with two expansion I/O modules

Figure 3. HART data accessed by RTU, Experion & FDM

ControlEdge RTU Process Controllers 3

In Figure 3, we show ControlEdge RTU accessing both the Flexible Communications

HART device’s digitally accurate secondary variable and its Standard Protocols
diagnostic data. After receiving a common alarm from the RTU, Two features that really differentiate RTUs from PLCs are their
the operator might go to a dynamically scanned detail page to communications capability and with that, data logging and history
diagnose the fault further or optionally use Honeywell’s Field backfill. RTUs need to efficiently manage unreliable, low
Device Manager to connect through to the HART device using bandwidth networks. They need to communicate as a slave
HART IP. Wireless devices provide a similar experience and can device to a remote SCADA system, sometimes over a redundant
also be managed by Field Device Manager. link on two different mediums; but also as a master to local
For more information on smart device management, refer to the subsystems like gas chromatographs and smart drives. In a
Field Device Manager (FDM) Product Information Note. “store and forward” type strategy, if communications to SCADA
are interrupted, then the RTU needs to buffer data. Once
Efficient Wiring and Assembly
communications is restored, then history is backfilled to SCADA.
Wiring built-in terminals can be a frustrating and error prone
exercise for an installer. To combat this, ControlEdge RTU ControlEdge RTU covers all the scenarios by supporting SCADA
comes with removable field terminals allowing the installer to hold protocols such as Modbus and DNP3 over:
the terminals in their hand for wiring even with gloves on. In
 Two Ethernet ports
addition, the terminals are printed with the I/O type and number
 Two RS-232 serial ports
giving the installer positive identification of the terminal against
 Two RS-485 serial ports
the ferrule label. Combined, this saves upfront installation cost
and reduces wiring errors. With DNP3, history recovery back to Experion is natively
supported. To allow this backfill to be ‘tuned’ to the available
network bandwidth, analog input deadbands can be adjusted
remotely from Experion.

On-board Applications
Robust Data Logging Ensures Data Availability
ControlEdge RTU has data logging capabilities to record values
to data files in flash memory or the onboard SD card, (optional),
supporting up to 32GB of data. This ensures important data is
never lost and is available for future analysis. The data files can
be retrieved remotely through ControlEdge Builder or a utility and
Figure 4. Positive identification on removable terminals
then displayed or imported by many Windows applications.
ControlEdge RTU can log data continuously at a pre-defined
interval, or data logging can be event-triggered.
Meter Runs turn your RTU into a Flow Computer / EFM
ControlEdge RTU Meter Run option provides an API21.1
compliant gas custody transfer solution. Meter Runs work
alongside the rest of the RTU control program and are easily
configured with a 5 step wizard. Data logs and audit trails can be
imported by Experion for use in gas management systems. They
are also available through Enron Modbus protocol.

Figure 5. RTU Processor ease of removal from IOTA

ControlEdge RTU Process Controllers 4

Remote Diagnosis
Just as important as being able to remotely program and upgrade
ControlEdge RTU is being able to remotely diagnose the health
of the RTU. ControlEdge Builder provides a high definition
analysis of the health scenario, leading to fewer site visits.

Experion and ControlEdge RTU

Through use of open protocols, ControlEdge RTU is designed to
work with any SCADA system. When combined with Experion
SCADA, it is the perfect solution. With support for up to 5,000
RTUs per server and further server based expansion through the
patented Distributed System Architecture (DSA™), Experion is a
Figure 6. RTU Builder, an IEC 61131-3 Environment highly scalable system with the highest level of reliability, safety
and security.
ControlEdge Builder ―
An Integrated Configuration Environment Faster, Less Error Prone SCADA Configuration &
Maintenance
ControlEdge Builder is the configuration tool to design, configure, ControlEdge RTU integration in Experion SCADA reduces the
program and maintain your ControlEdge RTU or ControlEdge time to configure and maintain the combined solution by 80%.
PLC. ControlEdge Builder is fully compliant to IEC 61131-3  Automatic SCADA point configuration and maintenance based
supporting all five programming languages. on RTU program

 Ladder Diagram (LD)  Standard System Status Displays & Alarms for ControlEdge
RTU hardware
 Function Block Diagram (FBD)
 Meter templates aligned to ControlEdge RTU Meter Runs
 Structured Text (ST)
 Instruction List (IL)
 Sequential Function Chart (SFC)
In addition to the basic function blocks that come with an IEC
61131-3 environment, ControlEdge Builder includes Honeywell
designed function blocks derived from our extensive industry
experience and family of market leading automation controllers.
Function blocks include PID, Device Control, Auto Manual, Fan
Out, Ratio Control, Position Proportional, Totalizer and
AGA/API/IEC gas and liquids calculations, just to name just a
few. There are also ControlEdge RTU specific function blocks
such as HART Command 3, ‘read dynamic variables’ and HART
Command 48, ‘read diagnostics status’.

ControlEdge Builder is designed to connect locally or remotely to

the RTUs using TCP/IP. Personnel can program on site or from
Figure 7. Experion Equipment Templates
a remote central location to save time and mitigate the need for
site works. Exception Based Monitoring & Control
Remote Firmware Upgrades Experion provides radically simplified SCADA configuration and
Being able to remotely upgrade RTU and wireless device superior operator and pipeline controller experience through the
firmware is very important when there are hundreds of RTUs template based Equipment concept. Experion can be configured
geographically distributed. To account for low bandwidth, and operated by ‘equipment’ like a gas wellhead or a pumping
unreliable networks, remote firmware upgrading from station rather than merely points. When you match an Experion
ControlEdge Builder is a two-step process ensuring uptime of the Equipment template with a ControlEdge RTU, the cost of
RTU and reliability of the result. configuring the full solution is simplified ever further.
ControlEdge RTU Process Controllers 5

Experion and ControlEdge RTU have been designed to solve

remote automation requirements in the oil and gas, mining, water
and other industries.

Figure 8. Experion Equipment Display

For more information, refer to the Experion SCADA Product

Information Note.

For More Information

Learn more about ControlEdge RTU Process
Controllers at our website
www.honeywellprocess.com or contact your
Honeywell account manager.
Honeywell Process Solutions
Honeywell
1250 West Sam Houston Parkway South
Houston, TX 77042
Honeywell House, Skimped Hill Lane
Bracknell, Berkshire, England RG12 1EB UK
Experion ® is a registered trademark of Honeywell International Inc.

Building #1, 555 Huanke Road, ControlEdge™ and DSA™ are trademarks of Honeywell

Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, International Inc.

Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201203

PN-13-53-ENG
www.honeywellprocess.com May 2017
© 2017 Honeywell International Inc.