Events

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Navigation: Models ➔ Control 2 Models ➔ Events Controller

Get Tag List Set Tag List Noise Controller Slew Rate Controller Downtime Events Scheduled Events Profile Queue Profile Signal Waveform

General Description

  • The Events unit operation reads a CSV file and uses the SysCAD tags and values in the file to change parameters at set times.
  • Standalone unit - no Pipe connections.
  • Dynamic simulation only.

Similar Models

  • The Profile Controller sets SysCAD tags at regular intervals using a profile that is read in from a CSV file.
  • The Scheduled Events model will set a single SysCAD tag to a required value at regular intervals.
  • The Downtime model is used to simulate downtime of a piece of equipment due to a regular event (such as maintenance) and/or failure or other causes.

Diagram

Events.jpg

The diagram shows the default drawing of the Events control unit.

Inputs and Outputs

There are no connections to this unit.

Events Profile Format

  1. The first row in the Events Profile may contain headings. It is ignored when the file is loaded in SysCAD.
  2. The first column in the Events Profile must contain time in seconds.
    It is recommended that the user select time settings that are divisible by the planned iteration size.
  3. The second column contains the SysCAD tag that must be changed at the specified time.
  4. The third column contains the value that must be set into the SysCAD tag at the specified time.

At load time, SysCAD sorts the entries based on the first (time) column, so the file can have the events listed in any sequence.

Example Events Profile

The data below shows how to set up flow change to Paste Plant after a set period of operation. The change will occur on day 75 (to 50%) and day 112 (to 100%). Note that user need to convert the time into seconds and enter that in the first column.

Time Tag Value Date
(not used)
Time in Days
(not used)
6480000 PLANT_CONTROL.Tailings_To_PastePlant (%) 50 15/08/2011 75
9676800 PLANT_CONTROL.Tailings_To_PastePlant (%) 100 21/09/2011 112

How to use an Events Profile

The easiest way to create an events profile is by using MS Excel. The profile format and example is given above. Once the events profile is created, save it as a csv file. SysCAD ignores the first row so use this for headings.

Switch to SysCAD; use the browse button to load the file into the model. Select the various options as required, these are explained in the next heading. An example of a working events profile loaded into SysCAD based on the data provided in the previous section is given below:

Events93.png

Data Sections

The default sections and variable names are described in detail in the following tables. The default Events Controller access window consists of 2 sections:

Summary of Data Sections

  1. Events tab - Contains general information relating to the unit.
  2. Info tab - Contains general settings for the unit and allows the user to include documentation about the unit and create Hyperlinks to external documents.

Events Page

Unit Type: Events - The first tab page in the access window will have this name.

Tag (Long/Short) Input / Calc Description/Calculated Variables / Options
Tag Display This name tag may be modified with the change tag option.
Condition Display OK if no errors/warnings, otherwise lists errors/warnings.
ConditionCount Display The current number of errors/warnings. If condition is OK, returns 0.
GeneralDescription / GenDesc Display This is an automatically generated description for the unit. If the user has entered text in the 'EqpDesc' field on the Info tab (see below), this will be displayed here.
If this field is blank, then SysCAD will display the UnitType or SubClass.
Requirements
On Tick Box Enables or disables the Events Profile Blocks.
Folder Display The full path of the events profile.
File Input The file name of the events profile. Relative File Path can be used. Note: this file must be created first. File can be txt or csv format.
Status Display Shows errors if any, otherwise shows OK and displays number of rows of data and total time period.
Edit Button Allow the user to edit the file.
Browse Button Use this button to Browse for the file.
 
WrapAround Tick Box If this box is selected, then when the Event reaches the last entry in the file, it will start again from the beginning. The time value of the last row gives the wrap around duration.
If WrapAround is not enabled, the value will not change from the last value in the file once the maximum time has been reached.
StartupState Restart Will restart the Event at start up
Waiting (Completed) Only visible when WrapAround is NOT selected. If the option is selected, the Event will be in a waiting state at start up, user will have to send the Restart trigger to start the Event . (By manually pressing the Restart button or use a PGM to set Restart to 1)
ResetAction None Does nothing when the global Event Reset is triggered. (Under the Access Window Options Button, Reset Action - Events / Profiles)
Restart Restarts the Event when the global Event Reset is triggered. (Under the Access Window Options Button, Reset Action - Events / Profiles)
Waiting (Completed) Only visible when WrapAround is NOT selected. If this option is selected, then the Event will be in a waiting state when Reset is triggered. User will have to send the Restart trigger to start the Event . (By manually pressing the Restart button or use a PGM to set Restart to 1)
Actions
ReloadRestart Button Reloads and Restarts the Event file from time 0.
ReloadWait Button Only visible if WrapAround is NOT selected. Reloads the Event file and puts the Events in a waiting state. User will have to send the Restart trigger to start the Event. (By manually pressing the Restart button or use a PGM to set Restart to 1)
Restart Button This is the trigger to restart the Event file from time 0. (By manually pressing the Restart button or use a PGM to set Restart to 1)
Complete Button Only visible if WrapAround is NOT selected. This will skip to the end of the Event and put the Events in a waiting state. Use this button to terminate the Events that are still in progress.
Options
TrackEmptyFile Tick Box If this box is selected, then no condition warning will be given if the events file exists but is empty (has no rows of time, tag and value).
LogTagSets None No log of changes will be made.
Messages When tags are set, a message will be displayed in the message window.
EventLog When tags are set, an entry will be made in the event log.
Messages and EventLog When tags are set, a message will be displayed in the message window and an entry will be made in the event log.
 
Results
State Display The state of the event, possible states are: Waiting, In Progress or Completed.
EventCount Display The total number of events in the csv file. This corresponds to the total number of rows in the csv file, not including the header row.
Duration Display The total time of the event file (based on once through)
TimePassed Display Amount of time passed since model was last restarted.
Progress Display How far has the event file progressed (based on once through)
RestartCount Display The number of times the Event file has restarted during the current project run. (If the wrap around option is on, this will count the number of times the Event file has looped around, if the wrap around option is not selected, then it will count the number of times the Event file has Restarted (by pressing the Restart trigger button)
TimeToNextEvent Display The amount of time left until the next event
EventIndex Display Current event number. This corresponds to the row in the csv file, starting from the second row (i.e. row 2 = 1).
LastEvent
Time Display The time of the last event in the csv file.
Tag Display The SysCAD Tag that was changed in the last event
Output Display The value that was set in the last event.
NextEvent
Time Display The next time that an event is due to occur.
Tag Display The next tag that is due to be set.
Output Display The value that the next tag will be set to.

Adding this Model to a Project

Add to Configuration File

Sort either by DLL or Group:

  DLL:
ControlDyn.dll
Units/Links Control 2: Events
or Group:
General
Units/Links Control 2: Events

See Model Selection for more information on adding models to the configuration file.


Insert into Project Flowsheet

  Insert Unit Control 2 Events

See Insert Unit for general information on inserting units.

Example Project