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Use of Simulation for Development of Process
Control System
Victor Okol'nishnikov, Alexander Zenzin
Design Technological Institute of Digital Techniques
of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences,
Novosibirsk, Russia, okoln@kti.nsc.ru
Abstract— The use of simulation at different stages of life
cycle of process control system is described. The application
of this approach to the development of distributed process
control system of North-Muisk railway tunnel (Baikal-Amur
Railroad, East Siberia, Russia) is considered. The develop-
ment of distributed process control system was carried out
with the help of a simulator. The simulator contains the
following programs and models: an operator interface, con-
trol programs, a model of processing equipment, a model of
railway traffic, a model of the outside world, and a model of
microclimate inside the tunnel. The simulator was used for
following purposes: debugging of control programs in test
bed, optimization in test bed, training of operating person-
nel, and testing of control programs in real-world system.
The models were executed within the framework of distrib-
uted simulation system Mera. Mera is the C++ based proc-
ess-oriented discrete simulation system. There are various
implementations of the simulation system Mera. The se-
quential implementations are realized for Windows and in
Java. The distributed implementations are realized for Su-
percomputer MBC 1000/M (Russia). A new implementation
of the simulation system Mera in Java – transportation si-
mulation system also is described.
I. INTRODUCTION
One of problems of development of process control sys-
tems is the impossibility of complete debugging and test-
ing of control programs neither with the help of instru-
mental tools nor on the real-world system.
The most suitable method of this problem solution is
the simulation. A means of this problem solution is a
complex of models integrated into process control system.
By this is meant that models can use interfaces of subsys-
tems of process control system and models can be exe-
cuted as components of process control system [1].
The development of distributed process control system
of North-Muisk railway tunnel is described in this paper.
The development of distributed process control system
was carried out together with development of a complex
of models. The models were used for debugging and test-
ing of control programs for distributed process control
system of North-Muisk railway tunnel. Now the distrib-
uted process control system of North-Muisk railway tun-
nel is put in operation.
The models were executed within the framework of dis-
tributed simulation system Mera. Mera is the C++ based
process-oriented discrete simulation system. The simula-
tion system Mera provides following capabilities: interac-
tion of processes between themselves with the help of
message passing, building of hierarchical models, dy-
namical change of the structure of the model, distributed
978-1-4244-2134-3/08/$25.00 ©2008 IEEE
IEEE REGION 8 SIBIRCON 2008
simulation, visual interactive simulation, real time simula-
tion.
There are various implementations of the simulation
system Mera. The sequential implementations are realized
for Windows [2] and in Java. The distributed implementa-
tions are realized for Supercomputer MBC 1000/M (Rus-
sia) [3] and for a network of workstations.
The models in Mera can be executed at real time or
faster. A scale of acceleration is defined in model settings.
There is a capability to set different scales for the different
periods of simulation time in Mera.
The complex of models uses a part of software of the
process control system, in particular, the operator work-
station for interaction of the operator with model and
visualization of results of simulation.
II. REAL-WORLD SYSTEM
North-Mujsk railway tunnel is located in East Siberia in
Russia. It is a part of the Baikal-Amur Railroad. The
length of North-Mujsk railway tunnel is 15.3 km. It is the
longest railway tunnel in Russia. The tunnel has two por-
tals and four ventilating shafts.
The process control system should control the work of a
set of units of processing equipment (heaters, centrifugal
and axial fans, valves, gates, pumps, and switches). The
total quantity of controlled and inspected processing
equipment is more than 450 units. The process control
system handles more than 2500 input and output parame-
ters. The process control system should support a condi-
tion of a microclimate inside the tunnel within certain lim-
its and ensure safe passage of trains through the tunnel.
The process control system has two levels: the top lev-
el, and the bottom level. There are Pentium II (III) work-
stations (Operator workstation, Signaling workstation,
Engineer workstation, and Server) at the top level. The top
level works under Windows NT operating system. The
following functions are realized on workstations at the top
level: data collection, data storage, and data visualization.
There are programmable logic controllers (Octagon
Systems, Fastwel), input/output modules (Grayhill) con-
nected to sensors and actuators at the bottom level. The
bottom level works under QNX 4 operating system. Con-
trol programs are carried out on the programmable logic
controllers.
There are two modes of control in the process control
system: the operator remote control, and the automatic
control. In the case of the operator remote control the op-
erator chooses a single unit of processing equipment and
sends a control instruction to it. For example, there are
two instructions for a centrifugal fan: turn on and turn off.
VICTOR OKOL’NISHNIKOV AND ALEXANDER ZENZIN: USE OF SIMULATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
It is required to fulfill a sequence of similar operations in
order to turn on a group of fans.
In the case of the automatic control the truth of some
conditional expression initiates automatic start of the con-
trol program that performs a group operation (for exam-
ple, turning on a group of fans). Operands of the condi-
tional expression are current or average values of in-
spected parameters of the process control system (tem-
perature of outside air, contents of radon in air inside the
tunnel and so on).
III. SIMULATOR FOR PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM
A simulator was realized for process control system of
North-Muisk railway tunnel. The simulator contains the
following programs and models: an operator interface,
control programs, a model of processing equipment, a
model of railway traffic, a model of the outside world, and
a model of microclimate inside the tunnel.
Control programs are developed with the help of the
program constructor [4]. The program constructor is a
PLC programmable system. The program constructor is
intended for development of control programs not in the
programming language but in the simple specification
language with the help of the special interface.
The program constructor contains the following com-
ponents: a simple friendly window interface, an archive
for storing ready control programs and subroutines, a code
generator for automatic development control programs
and conditions of their automatic start in C++, and a report
generator for automatic generation of the text document in
Microsoft Word.
In the first version of the program constructor the pos-
sibility of generation of the control program for fulfillment
on one computer was realized. It was required to divide
control programs into off-line parts and to distribute these
parts on various controllers for saving partial capacity for
work of the process control system in case of a failure of a
local network and for decrease of loading of the local
network. This possibility is realized in the second version
of the program constructor.
The parts of a control program are executed on different
controllers. The user develops the control program as the
whole. The program constructor automatically divides a
control program into parts and arranges them on control-
lers.
The operator interface allows using the operator work-
station for interaction of the operator with the simulator
and for visualization of the run of simulation. Control
programs in the simulator are the same ones as in the
process control system, but they are fulfilled in simulation
environment.
The model of processing equipment is a set of models
of processing units of equipment (heaters, centrifugal and
axial fans, valves, gates, pumps, and switches). The model
simulates state of these units and performs control instruc-
tions from control programs to these units.
The model of railway traffic implements real-world
railway timetable through the tunnel. The model of the
outside world simulates change of surrounding tempera-
ture, pressure, and wind's speed in winter.
The model of microclimate inside the tunnel simulates
radon evolution. The model calculates values of parame-
ters inside the tunnel (temperature, pressure, direction and
249
speed of air flow) in relation to states of processing
equipment, environmental conditions, and railway traffic
The certain values of these parameters initiate auto-
matic start of control programs. Control programs change
states of processing equipment. New states lead to the
change of parameters of tunnel's microclimate. The
scheme of simulator is shown in Fig. 1.
Operator Model of
outside world
Control Model of Model of
programs tunnel railway
i li ffi
Model of processing equipment
Fig. 1. The scheme of simulator.
The simulator was used for following purposes:
Debugging of control programs in test bed. The
model of the outside world and the model of railway traf-
fic were executed with different input data for comprehen-
sive debugging of control programs.
Optimization in test bed. Control programs were mod-
ified for problem solving of optimization using a closed
circuit (Control programs, model of processing equip-
ment, and model of tunnel's microclimate).
Training of operating personnel. The operator inter-
face was used for a training of operating personnel of
process control system.
Testing of control programs in real-world system.
Testing of process control system in real-world system
was realized under conditions of partial availability of
processing equipment. A part of processing equipment
was real. Another part was replaced with the model of
processing equipment.
A use of the model of tunnel's microclimate in operat-
ing circuit of process control system is supposed later. The
model will be used for prediction values of inspected pa-
rameters depending on external events and actions (or
inaction) of operator.
IV. SIMULATION OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
This section describes a new implementation of the si-
mulation system Mera in Java – transportation simulation
system (TSS). There is a possibility of development of
models both in the input language, and with the help of
the special interface in the system. This interface is in-
tended for development and execution models of complex
transportation systems. The interface is a part of a visual
interactive transportation simulation system. An applica-
tion for logistics simulation in a warehouse distribution
center is developed with the help of transportation simula-
tion system.
The main window of applications of TSS contains from
the next components:
• Play Scene. Play Scene is a region of application
main window where model animation is shown. Sys-
tem builder can interact with Play Scene by selecting
and moving elements of model.
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• Toolbox. Toolbox contains buttons. These buttons
can be used to select any available simulation ele-
ments for further addition of correspondent elements
of model to the Play Scene.
• Details panel. Details panel is a panel that contains a
table of type “name”-“value” filled with the parame-
ters of the selected element on Play Scene or with
Play Scene settings. Sets of values are object-
specific and values can be complex, managed by the
special dialogs.
• Action panels. Action panels are: simulation watch,
disposition panel, and status string.
Usually model can contain elements of various types.
These types are defined in a library that can be loaded
separately. After library loaded: each library object type is
presented by a button in toolbox, and by one string in
“Add” menu element. Therefore any number of libraries
can be developed for this TSS framework.
Elements of model are divided into passive and active
ones. A passive element will be referred below as a block.
The block represents a part of the transport network. It can
be a part of a road net in the automobile transportation
model. It can be a railway in a junction model. It can be a
flight strip in an airport model and so on. There are the
following types of blocks in the library:
• Straight block. This is a simple straight part of the
way. Straight blocks are drawn using two points.
There is a possibility to change the angle and length
of the straight block by dragging one of the points.
• Curved block. This type defines blocks in building
the curve road that can be rounded using three
points.
• Merge block. This is a connection of two ways in
one. This type defines block that contain three
straight or curved blocks. Only one transportation
facility can be in merge block at any time. When
two transportation facilities arrive in merge blocks
simultaneously one transportation facility will re-
ceive a ticket to move and the other transportation
facility will engage stop.
• Diverge block. This type defines blocks that contain
three straight or curved blocks. Diverge block will
allow to split one road into two roads. When a trans-
portation facility arrives in diverge block its further
movement depends on current active exit block.
Current active exit block can be switched from the
disposition of model.
• Intersection block. This type defines blocks that con-
tain four straight or curved blocks. The intersection
block permits to two roads to be intersected. If one
of roads is passive then transportation facility on it
stop. The road can be done active or passive from
the disposition of model or by Switch button.
• Pickup block. This type defines blocks that simulate
appearance of a new transportation facility in a
model. Transportation facilities will be created upon
scenarios in given time intervals.
• Service block. This type defines blocks that delay a
transportation facility for a certain time or for a
queuing.
Blocks can be connected. The set of connected blocks is
a layout of the transport network. A size of each block is
IEEE REGION 8 SIBIRCON 2008
set using a scale that system builder defines. Play Scene
can scroll using two scrolls or by dragging the Play Scene.
An active element will be referred below as a subject.
Some subjects can present transportation facilities (cars,
trains, trolleys, and so on). They have graphical images
and can move in Play Scene. System builder can send
commands to the subject.
The subject can represent an object that can be sched-
uled for the execution by the simulation system. (For ex-
ample in logistics simulation subject is a transportation
facility (trolley). Also subjects in a logistics simulation
are: task sources (so called pickup elements) and task ac-
ceptors (so called deposit elements). Pickup will produce
tasks using some, configured for it, schedule. Trolley is a
facility to move these tasks to the deposit objects.)
Each subject of the model has own process and is in-
cluded in the simulation system. Subjects execute in speci-
fied model time moments. Subjects can delay, schedule or
reschedule its executions in model time. Simulation sys-
tem is responsible for the model time advance, synchroni-
zation, and subject's execution.
Originally subjects are terms of Mera. By Mera terms
subjects can be connected to other subjects or blocks by
means of ports: each subject can have a number of input
and output ports. Two subjects (a sender and a receiver)
can be connected in such a manner that output port of the
receiver is connected to input port of the sender.
The sender can send a signal (any data structure) to its
output port and the receiver will obtain this signal. Ports
are used to simulate any real-world connections and
communications between any two subjects.
Also TSS has the abstraction of the Disposition Man-
ager. The disposition manager is a special subject. The
disposition manager has a special presentation in the main
window (disposition panel) and control of the disposition
of model.
The disposition manager is connected to each subject it
needs to manage: by separate port. It examines states of
elements and handles them. There are three levels for
handling of a model disposition:
1. Distributed logic. The logic is placed in subject proc-
esses.
2. User logic. System builder interact with model with
the help of the disposition panel.
3. High-level managing logic. The logic is placed in
disposition manager process. The disposition manager
defines and resolves problems with movement of more
than one transportation facility. It implements some sce-
nario of model execution (timetable for example).
A user can construct a model using such tools as of
adding, removing or editing of the model elements.
The user can start a model. Simulation system will se-
lect subjects that are registered for the time moment equal
to the start time, and will run them.
A model run will be completed in the following three
cases: a following event is not scheduled for any subject,
time limit is exceeded, and the model is stopped. The user
can stop a model. Simulation run can be combined with
simulation build. The model can be changed only after it
is completed.
The model runs in real time or faster. A scale of accel-
eration is defined in model settings.
VICTOR OKOL’NISHNIKOV AND ALEXANDER ZENZIN: USE OF SIMULATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
The user can save or restore a model. The model can be
saved only when a model is not run. A model can be
rolled back to its latest saved state. A saved state is the
state that corresponds to last-restored model if the latest
action was to restore model, and to last-saved model if the
latest action was to save model.
TSS also allows to render current layer using 3 - dimen-
sional (3D) style. This is the additional feature needed to
improve visualization and made it more friendly. System
builder will be able not only to create the static 3D screen,
but also to see model moves. System builder can select its
own view like in action game or like the bird flying.
Java 3D technology is used. Major is still the 2 - dimen-
sional animation, since it is the only way to build and re-
build the model, and tune its parameters.
2D animation is faster, although 3D uses the capabili-
ties of the graphics accelerators (widely used today) to do
fast affine transforms. But overhead is not so much (1.5 -
2 times comparing to the 2D speed), and it still allows
using this animation in real-time speed.
An application for logistics simulation in a warehouse
distribution center is developed with the help of transpor-
tation simulation system [5].
V. CONCLUSION
With usage of the program constructor automatic con-
trol programs for the process control system of North-
Musk railway tunnel was developed. These programs pro-
vide necessary conditions for exploitation of North-Musk
railway tunnel. At present the process control system of
North-Musk railway tunnel puts into operation.
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The development of control programs was carried out
together with development of a complex of models. The
models were used for debugging and testing of control
programs. In future the development of automatic control
programs is supposed for a case of a fire or an earthquake.
TSS is a result of luck to have some more reliable way
to work with Mera than just write code in programming
language like Java or C++.
TSS allows building libraries of elements (logistics si-
mulation is an example) that allows creating models
graphically, and model will be at the same time: built by
the terms of Mera (subjects, systems, ports, subject con-
nections, message passing and receiving etc). That brings
Mera from academic research to something that can be
contributed by some manufacturing applications.
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