BACKGROUND

[0001] In the process control industry, process transmitters are often placed in or near corrosive/hazardous environments. Accordingly, in some process transmitter architectures, transmitter electronics are contained in a hermetically sealed package with flying lead wires as a customer interface to simplify approval requirements. To achieve a hermetic package, a limited number of electrical signals are passed through a sealed header interface.

[0002] Industrial process transmitters are typically offered with standard or transient protection options. The transient protection option provides increased protection to lightning and other unintended surges, but also requires additional transient-suppression electronic components that are to be protected from environmental conditions.

SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the disclosure provide a process variable transmitter architecture in which signals from a sealed header can be configured to output connectors at final assembly to allow one common hermetic module to provide both standard and transient protection options. This overcomes some hazardous location approvals hurdles and provides the ability for late customization, which reduces module inventory.

[0004] In one embodiment, a process variable transmitter is provided. The process variable transmitter includes a process variable sensor, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection circuit coupled to the process variable sensor. The process variable transmitter also includes a hermetic module enclosing the EMI protection circuit, and electrical connectors coupled to the EMI protection circuit within the hermetic module. The electrical connectors are configurable from outside the hermetic module to connect electronic components of the EMI protection circuit in a configuration that provides transient protection.

[0005] In another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes enclosing an EMI protection circuit, coupled to a process variable sensor, in a hermetic module with electrical connectors extending outside the hermetic module. The method also includes, from outside the hermetic module, connecting, via the electrical connectors, electronic components of the EMI protection circuit in a configuration that provides transient protection.

[0006] In yet another embodiment, a process variable transmitter is provided. The process variable transmitter includes a process variable sensor, and an EMI protection circuit coupled to the process variable sensor. The process variable transmitter also includes a hermetic module enclosing the EMI protection circuit. The hermetic module has a first end comprising a feedthrough body and a plurality of feedthrough pins passing through the feedthrough body and hermetically sealed to the feedthrough body. The feedthrough pins are coupled to the EMI protection circuit within the hermetic module and are configurable from outside the hermetic module to connect electronic components of the EMI protection circuit in a configuration that provides transient protection.

[0007] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the Background.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a process control system that includes a pressure transmitter in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the pressure transmitter of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 3 is schematic diagram that illustrates an electrical architecture in which components for transient protection or electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection are outside a hermetic module of a process transmitter.

[0011] FIG. 4 shows a hermetically sealed module that includes EMI protection circuitry and an output assembly without any EMI protection components.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram that illustrates a hermetic module-output assembly configuration in which additional feedthroughs are routed to electrical ground to enable transient protection in accordance with one embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram that illustrates a hermetic module-output assembly configuration in which additional feedthroughs are routed back to their respective lines for units without transient protection. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Elements that are identified using the same or similar reference characters refer to the same or similar elements. Some elements may not be shown in each of the figures in order to simplify the illustrations. The various embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0001] Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to customization of process variable transmitters with hermetically sealed electronics. More particularly, embodiments of the disclosure provide a common hermetic module that can be reconfigured after assembly to provide standard or transient protection options while meeting hazardous location approval requirements. Prior to providing details regarding the different embodiments, a description of an example process control system including a process transmitter is provided below.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows an example process control system in which certain specific embodiments disclosed herein may be incorporated. The process control system shown in FIG. 1 is for illustration purposes only. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to any particular process control system such as the process control system shown in FIG. 1. Embodiments of the present disclosure are illustratively practiced within any number of different types of process control systems.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic and partial cross-sectional view of an example of a process control system 100 that includes a process variable transmitter (e.g., a pressure transmitter) 102 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized. FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the transmitter 102 of FIG. 1. The system 100 may be used in the processing of a material (e.g., process medium) to transform the material from a less valuable state into more valuable and useful products, such as petroleum, chemicals, paper, food, etc. For example, the system 100 may be used in facilities that perform hygienic or other types of industrial processes.

[0017] The pressure transmitter 102 may include a housing 104 that may be coupled to an industrial process 106 through a process coupling 108. The housing 104 and the process coupling 108 may be formed of stainless steel or another suitable material. The transmitter 102 includes a pressure sensor assembly 110, which includes a pressure sensor 112, and measurement circuitry 114 within housing 104. Measurement circuitry 114 may include processing/computation circuitry, communication circuitry and electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection circuitry. In transmitter 102, a first end 116 of housing 104 surrounds and contacts an exterior surface of a feedthrough body 118 for electrical connections described further below and is hermetically sealed to feedthrough body 118 through brazing or welding or any other suitable technique. Similarly, a second end 120 of housing 104 is hermetically sealed using any suitable technique to create a hermetically sealed chamber in which the pressure senor assembly 110 and the measurement circuitry 114 are housed.

[0018] The process coupling 108 may be connected to a pipe 121 that is connected to the process 106 and contains a process material (e.g., a fluid) at a pressure P that is to be measured by the pressure sensor 112. The pressure P is communicated to the pressure sensor 112 through a fluid pathway 122. The pressure sensor 112 includes a sensor element having an electrical parameter that is indicative of the applied pressure P. Measurement circuitry 114 may detect and process the electrical parameter of the sensor element through a suitable electrical connection 124 to establish a value for the sensed pressure P. The measured pressure value and any other information form measurement circuitry 114 is communicated to an external computerized control unit 126 in a remotely located control room 127 via a suitable output electrical connection 128 and through a process control loop 130, as indicated in FIG. 1.

[0019] As best seen in FIG. 2, the output electrical connection 128 has three electrical connectors (e.g., wires), which include a first active connector 132, a second active connector 134, and an electrical ground connector 136. A greater or lesser number of connectors may also be used. First ends of connectors 132, 134 and 136 are coupled to feedthrough pins 138, 140 and 142, respectively, which pass through the feedthrough body 118 and are sealed to feedthrough body 118 by a sealing material, such as glass or ceramic. For example, pin 142 passes through opening 144 in feedthrough body 118 and is sealed to feedthrough body 118 by glass cylindrical sealing layer 156. Second ends of wires 132, 134 and 136 may be connected to, for example, bond pads on a printed circuit board of transmitter measurement circuitry 114. Feedthrough body 118 together with feedthrough pins 138, 140 and 142 is sometimes referred to herein as a header. [0020] As can be seen in FIGS. 1-2, transmitter 102 includes an output assembly 158 that is detachably couplable to housing 104. Output assembly 158 includes a housing 160, an output interface 162 and flying lead wires 164, 166 and 168 coupled to output interface 162. The output interface 162 and the portion of flying lead wires 164, 166 and 168 within housing 160 are encapsulated with any suitable material 170. When output assembly 158 is coupled to housing 104 as shown in FIG. 1, flying lead wires 164, 166 and 168 are electrically connected to connectors 132, 134 and 136, respectively, via output interface 162 and respective feedthrough pins 138, 140 and 142. Flying lead wire 168 is connected to electrical ground, and flying lead wires 164 and 166 are connected to process control loop 130.

[0021] Communication between the control unit 126, or another external computing device, and the pressure transmitter 102 may be performed over the control loop 130 in accordance with conventional analog and/or digital communication protocols. In some embodiments, the two-wire control loop 130 includes a 4-20 milliamp control loop, in which the measured pressure value may be represented by a level of a loop current flowing through the two-wire control loop 130. Exemplary digital communication protocols include the modulation of digital signals onto the analog current level of the two-wire control loop 130, such as in accordance with the HART® communication standard. Other purely digital techniques may also be employed including FieldBus and Profibus communication protocols.

[0022] In some embodiments, wireless communication between transmitter 102 and control unit 130 may also be provided. Exemplary wireless versions of the process control loop 130 include, for example, a wireless mesh network protocol, such as WirelessHART® (IEC 62591) or ISA 100.11a (IEC 62734), or another wireless communication protocol, such as WiFi, LoRa, Sigfox, BLE, or any other suitable protocol.

[0023] Power may be supplied to the pressure transmitter 102 from any suitable power source. For example, the pressure transmitter 102 may be wholly powered by the current flowing through the control loop 130. One or more power supplies may also be utilized to power the pressure transmitter 102, such as an internal or an external battery. An electrical power generator (e.g., solar panel, a wind power generator, etc.) may also be used to power the pressure transmitter, or charge a power supply used by the pressure transmitter 102. [0024] It is desirable to manufacture hermetically sealed modules (e.g., housing 104 with internal components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for industrial process variable transmitters (e.g., pressure transmitter 102 of FIGS. 1 and 2) at a single site, and then allow late customization for standard or transient protection options at different final assembly locations. One technique for accomplishing this is to locate components that offer transient protection on a printed circuit assembly (PCA) outside of the hermetically sealed module. If this approach is utilized for process transmitter 102 of FIGS. 1 and 2, then output interface 162 would include the PCA. Here, the PCA would provide the connection between the hermetically sealed module 104 and the flying lead wires 164, 166 and 168 for the customer interface. The PCA and the flying wire 164, 166, 168 assemblies would be immersed in encapsulation material 170 to meet hazardous location approval requirements.

[0025] FIG. 3 is schematic diagram that illustrates an electrical architecture 180 in which components for transient protection are outside a hermetic module 104 A of a process transmitter. Hermetic module 104A includes a first active electrical connector 132A, a second active electrical connector 134A, and an electrical ground connector 136A. Other circuitry and components (such as sensor assembly 110 of FIG. 1) within hermetic module 104A are not shown in the interest of simplification. An output assembly 158A that is detachably couplable to the hermetic module 104A includes an EMI protection circuit 182 that electrically connects to connectors 132A, 134A and 136A via electrical connectors 132B, 134B and 136B, respectively. EMI protection circuitry 182 includes capacitors Cl and C2, transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes DI and D2, a gas discharge tube GT1 and resistors R1 and R2. As can be seen in FIG. 3, first capacitor Cl is connected between active electrical connector 132B and electrical ground connector 136B, second capacitor C2 is connected between active electrical connector 134B and electrical ground connector 136B. Each capacitor Cl, C2 has a capacitance value of 1500 picofarads (pF) or any other suitable capacitance value. Capacitors Cl and C2 slow any change in voltage or current in the circuit 182 due to an induced transient. TVS diodes DI and D2 are in one embodiment bidirectional TVS diodes represented by two mutually opposing avalanche diodes in series with one another. First TVS diode DI is connected between active electrical connector 132B and electrical ground connector 136B, and second TVS diode D2 is connected between active electrical connector 134B and electrical ground connector 136B. Each TVS diode DI, D2 may have a stand- off voltage or breakdown voltage of 70 volts (V) or any other suitable breakdown voltage value. TVS diodes DI and D2 operate by shutting down excess current when the induced voltage exceeds the breakdown voltage. TVS diodes DI and D2 automatically reset when the overvoltage goes away. Gas discharge tube GT1 is a three-electrode gas discharge tube with a first electrode 1 connected to active electrical connector 132B, a second electrode 2 connected to electrical ground connector 136B and a third electrode 3 connected to active electrical connector 134B. The three electrodes 1, 2 and 3 enable the use of single gas discharge tube GT1 for protecting the circuit 182. When a voltage appears across gas discharge tube GT1 that is greater than its rated breakdown voltage, the gas in gas discharge tube GT1 begins to ionize and conduct until it reaches its impulse sparkover voltage. At this point, gas discharge tube GT1 is in its fully on state and a low arc voltage is maintained irrespective of discharge current. When the transient passes, gas discharge tube GT1 resets to its non-conducting state. Gas discharge tube GT1 may have an impulse sparkover voltage of 90V or any other suitable impulse sparkover voltage value.

[0026] Resistors R1 and R2 are included in EMI protection circuit 182 to help provide protection from the time the transient is first induced to the time that the gas discharge tube GT1 reaches its impulse sparkover voltage. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, resistor R1 is connected in series with active electrical connector 132B, and resistor R2 is connected in series with active electrical connector 134B. Resistors R1 and R2 may be wire wound, axial, etc., and may have any suitable resistance values. As indicated above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, the PCA including EMI protection circuitry 182 and the flying wire 164, 166, 168 assemblies is immersed in encapsulation material 170 to meet hazardous location approval requirements.

[0027] It may also be desirable to leverage additional types of protection, such as Ex mb (encapsulation to provide a high safety level) or Ex eb (explosion protection according to the Increased Safety for Zone 1 standard) into the transmitter design. However, there are additional safety requirements that make it challenging to meet approvals. For example, components that may be considered an ignition risk, including capacitors (e.g., Cl and C2 of FIG. 3), gas discharge tubes (e.g., GT1 of FIG. 3), and resistors (e.g., R1 and R2 of FIG. 3), need to be immersed in a cemented joint that passed a high-pressure hydrostatic test before and after extended thermal aging. [0028] In one instance, testing revealed that water penetrated the output assembly/header interface during high pressure testing and would not meet approval standards for additional types of protection such as Ex mb and Ex eb.

[0029] One technique for meeting the approval requirements for the additional types of protection involves moving all electrical components for transient protection (e.g., EMI protection circuitry 182) inside the hermetically sealed module. This simplifies the approval process for the output assembly 158 that only includes the flying wire 164, 166, 168 assembly immersed in encapsulation material 170, allowing a straightforward approach to receiving the approval requirements. However, the number of hermetically sealed modules is doubled because two versions of hermetically sealed modules -are used, with one version for standard protection and the other version for transient protection. FIG. 4 shows a hermetically sealed module 104B that includes EMI protection circuitry 182 and an output assembly 158B without any EMI protection components. The flying wire 164, 166, 168 assembly is not shown in FIG. 4 in the interest of simplification. A hermetically sealed module for the standard option is not shown.

[0030] In order to address the problems of complexity, cost, and early customization issues associated with having two different versions of the hermetically sealed modules, another solution is provided. That solution is described below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0031] Embodiments of the disclosure described herein in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6 provide an architecture in which the electronics inside a hermetically sealed package can be reconfigured after assembly while meeting hazardous location approval requirements. Late customizations of standard and transient outputs are selected at hubs during the final assembly process. The costs, complexities, and distribution challenges associated with the architecture described above in connection with FIG. 4 are avoided. Also, since no components are placed inside the encapsulated area of the output assembly, safety Zone 1 approvals are simplified.

[0032] As in the architecture of FIG. 4, the architecture shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 moves electronic components inside the hermetically sealed module. However, connections to the protection diodes DI and D2 and gas discharge tube GT1 are passed outside the hermetic package using extra feedthroughs on an existing header. Late customization is achieved by attaching different wire interface boards during final assembly. [0033] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram that illustrates a first hermetic module 104C-output assembly 158C configuration in which additional feedthroughs 184 and 186 are routed to ground to enable transient protection in accordance with one embodiment. As can be seen in FIG. 5, hermetic module 104C includes EMI protection circuit 182 with transient protections elements to which additional feedthroughs 184 and 186 are connected. More specifically, feedthrough 184 is connected to first TVS diode DI and feedthrough 186 is connected to both second TVS D2 and gas discharge tube GT1. Output assembly 158C includes a wire interface board 188A including connectors (e.g., traces) 190, 192, 194, 196 and 198. Trace 190 connects to active flying lead wire 164, trace 192 connects to active flying lead wire 166, and trace 194 connects to ground flying lead wire 168. Traces 196 and 198 are connected to ground trace 194. When output assembly 158C is coupled to hermetic module 104C, traces 190, 192, 194, 196 and 198 connect to feedthroughs 138, 140, 142, 184 and 186, respectively. As can be seen in FIG. 5, in this connection configuration, first TVS diode DI is connected between active electrical connector 132A and electrical ground via trace 196, and second TVS diode D2 is connected between active electrical connector 134A and electrical ground via trace 198. Also, the second electrode 2 of gas discharge tube GT1 is connected to electrical ground via trace 198. Accordingly, transient protection is enabled in this connection configuration.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram that illustrates a second hermetic module 104C-output assembly 158C configuration in which additional feedthroughs 184 and 186 are routed back to their respective lines 132A and 134A for units without transient protection. In wire interface board 188B of FIG. 6, trace 196 is routed to trace 190, which electrically connects to active electrical connector 132A via feedthrough 138. Similarly, trace 198 is routed to trace 192, which electrically connects to active electrical connector 134A via feedthrough 140. Accordingly, no transient protection is provided in this configuration. Other than the routing for no transient protection, the remaining portion of the circuit of FIG. 6 is similar to the circuit of FIG. 5.

[0035] This architecture shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 allows the same hermetic module to be used for units with and without transient protection. Customization may occur at hubs, potentially weeks after it would have occurred with the architecture of FIG. 4, for example. The additional cost to establish additional modules and the greater annual cost to maintain them are avoided. It should be noted that, instead of employing different wire interface boards 188A and 188B for the two different connection configurations, a single wire interface board with one or more switches to switch between the two configurations may be employed.

[0036] The approval process is also streamlined. Since the concept of increased safety Zone 1 approval is to reduce the risk of thermal and spark hazards, the use of many common electrical components are not allowed. Removing the electrical components from the encapsulated conduit entry area allows for a seamless and straightforward analysis to be carried out to obtain the approval.

[0037] This approach allows flexibility for the end user to install the device either as Flameproof or Increased Safety. Since all electronic components are moved inside the hermetically sealed package, the electronics are insensitive to humidity. Very late customization is possible. A user could potentially configure the device during commissioning. Devices can be reconfigured long after the customer takes possession of them. For example, a customer could reconfigure devices in the field, potentially years after initial commissioning.

[0038] The architecture of the embodiments can be extended to include other functionality. For example: a. A unit could be configured to communicate using HART, Fieldbus, or Modbus protocols. b. A unit could be configured for standard or low power output protocols.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a simplified flow diagram of a method 200 embodiment. At 202, an electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection circuit, coupled to a process variable sensor, is enclosed in a hermetic module with electrical connectors extending outside the hermetic module. At 204, from outside the hermetic module, electronic components of the EMI protection circuit are connected, via the electrical connectors, in a configuration that provides transient protection.

[0040] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.