Honeywell Experion PKS (Process Knowledge System) is one of the leading DCS platforms in the refining, petrochemical, and power industries. Control Builder is its primary configuration tool for creating control strategies. This guide walks through the essentials for new engineers.

Experion PKS Architecture

The Experion architecture consists of:

  • Experion Server: Central server hosting the process database, historian, and alarm management
  • C300 Controller: The primary process controller. Redundant pairs for critical loops.
  • CHARM I/O: Universal I/O modules that can be configured as any signal type via software
  • HMIWeb: Web-based operator display served from the Experion server
  • Control Builder: Engineering workstation software for configuration

Control Builder Workflow

  1. Create a Project: Define the server, controllers, and I/O modules
  2. Configure CHARM I/O: Assign signal types (4-20mA AI, DI, DO, RTD) to CHARM slots
  3. Create Control Modules: Build control logic using Function Block Diagram (FBD) or Structured Text
  4. Configure Data Points: Define tags for historian collection, alarm limits, and engineering units
  5. Assign to Controllers: Deploy control modules to the appropriate C300 controller
  6. Download and Test: Download configuration and verify in simulation or online

Key Function Blocks in Control Builder

  • AINM: Analog Input with signal conditioning, filtering, and alarm limit checking
  • PID: Full-featured PID controller with auto-manual, tracking, and bumpless transfer
  • DACA: Digital-to-Analog Conversion for valve output with fault handling
  • SEQ: Sequential Function Chart for batch or sequential operations
  • CALCA: Calculation block for custom engineering expressions

PID Tuning in Experion

Experion’s PID block supports both ISA (parallel) and ideal (series/interacting) forms. The Auto-Tune function can generate initial tuning parameters – but for critical loops, always validate with open-loop step tests and verify performance under normal operating conditions.

Alarm Configuration

Every analog point can have up to eight alarm levels: HIHI, HI, LO, LOLO, Rate-of-Change High, Rate-of-Change Low, Deviation High, and Deviation Low. Apply ASM alarm philosophy guidelines: only configure alarms that require operator action and have a defined response.