Phase 2 system PLC panel

Finally completed the assembly, wiring, and power up testing of the phase 2 SIRIMS control panel. Next step is the hardware mounting on the aluminum panels, instrument wiring, testing, and software for brewing system control. Here is a picture of the completed panel http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/Phase2BrewingPanel/photo#5134053722278984738

I can't zoom in enough to see exactly what you have there, but it looks like you've got pulse counters and conversion amplifiers there. What is this for?

The control hardware shown is for the automation of the steam rims system that is currently manually controlled. The board on the left side has 5 VDC outputs for fuel flow to burners, 10 VDC for wort and water flow control valves, and 4-20 MA inputs from level, flow, and pressure transmitters. The middle board has 100 ohm RTD input and type J thermocouple input modules for temperature inputs. Right hand board has the digital input and outputs for burner ignition, wort diversion and water tank fill valve control, wort pump, water pump, O2 injection, Mill, mixer, conveyor, and exhaust fan relays. The design goal for this system was to reduce the effort to loading the conveyor hopper with the grain, adding the boil hops, and clean up, all other functions are computer controlled and recorded. Here is a partial schematic http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/ControlHardware/photo#5059297310787472450

Yowza. That's some serious business! You get some props for a setup like that...there's only a few of us on this board who could pull that off without spending a week or 2 in the library.

Just checked your gallery Kladue.
Thats some cool setup

Cheers
BeerCanuck

That's pretty hardcore. Taking EE classes is boring, but being able to build neat things like this will make it worth it .

I am not going to lie, I do not have the foggiest idea what you have going on there. Looks cool and complicated.

The panel shown appears to be all I/O. What are you using for a processor? PC based or PLC? It looks very nicely done.

i've been throwing ideas around on how i could wire up some extra spots on my slc500 that i've got running my house automation and my 1500 gallon saltwater fish tank but i'm WAY to much of a noob to homebrewing to get that far into it yet...someday tho!!!

looks great btw! cant wait to see more

All I do is heat water, pour over grains, wait, then drain and boil. This is a lot cooler. Do you have a picture of the whole setup? What advantages do you see in this setup?

That's great! I do that sort of PLC work for a living. We use Modicon PLCs mostly for telemetry and annunciation stuff and we do control systems on our larger RTUs. I don't think I'd set up something like that for brewing because I like to do things manually, but I'd like to use an old PC as a PLC to monitor and control pumps and such (I'm a country boy) and sound the alarm. I have a geothermal heat pump, water pump, sump pump, and sewage pump so I'd like to monitor run times to indicate service calls and imminent failures.

Like Fingers i work with most of the popular PLC hardware and systems, with panels and systems built by our company and other panel shops. Along with the PLC hardware is the purchase, calibration, and installation of control valves, sensors and transmitters for various industrial and high tech customers. After 30+ years in the electronic and pneumatic controls fields there not many device and system mysteries left.
The system that is under construction will automate the manually controlled steam injection RIMS system that has been used to test a couple of new ideas. first was building a flash boiler like an instant water heater to make hot water and steam on a continuous basis that would be blow up resistant, and second is a steam/wort mixing device for raising mash temperatures. PLC hardware is generation one OPTO 22 hardware with a PC running a C++ application to command the hardware that interfaces with industry standard 4-20 MA transmitters and temperature sensors. The only advantage of the opto hardware is the plug in interface modules that save time building interfaces for the ardunio boards that are available. The pumping and control valve panels are under construction during the limited time available with current work schedule, and hope to have them completed in December in time for installation in a new 8' X 16' brew shop constructed by a local company.

Here is progress photos of most of the control hardware mounted on 1/4" aluminum plate, wiring is in progress. Will temporarily connect hardware to PLC panel for checkout and programming then relocate panels to new brewing setup and finish tubing connections. http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/Phase2BrewingPanel/photo#5144799551688874370 http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/Phase2BrewingPanel/photo#5144799706307697042

that is awesome. way over my head, but beautiful.

So let me get this. With the addition of a couple of those adjustable electrical timers strategically placed you can make beer without ever being home right?
How cool would that be? Making beer while on vacation or better yet, at work.
All joking asside, very nice. Completely over my head, but nice. If this was not on a brewing forum or make any reference to beer or beermaking, I'd think it was to make meth or a nuclear bomb.