ABB Symphony Plus SD Series PROFIBUS Interface: PDP800
Symphony® Plus is the new generation of ABB’s widely acclaimedSymphony family of distributed control systems – the world’s most
widely used DCS in the power generation and water industries.
In all, there are more than 6,500 Symphony DCS installations in
operation all over the world, more than 4,500 of which are in power
and water applications.
No other automation platform has such a long fi eld record and
large installed base in power and water applications as Symphony.
For more than 30 years, ABB has evolved the Symphony family,
ensuring that each new generation enhances its predecessors and
is backwardly compatible with them - all in accordance with ABB’s
long-held policy of ‘Evolution without obsolescence.’
Included in Symphony Plus is a comprehensive suite of
standards-based control hardware and software that meets
the requirements of total plant automation. The SD Series
PROFIBUS interface, PDP800, provides connection between the
Symphony Plus controllers and PROFIBUS DP communication
channels. This allows for easy integration of intelligent devices
such as smart transmitters, actuators and intelligent electronic
devices (IEDs). Each device’s resident information can then be
used in control strategies and higher level applications.
In addition to producing tighter and more reliable process
control solutions, PDP800 PROFIBUS solutions lower
installation costs by reducing wiring and system footprint.
System costs are further reduced by using S+ Engineering to
configure and maintain PROFIBUS networks and devices and
their related control strategies.

Seamless intelligent fi eld device integration
Symphony Plus controllers seamlessly integrate field devices
through its PDP800 PROFIBUS interface module. This allows
access to a wide range of intelligent field devices including
transmitters, actuators, motor control centers (MCC),
flame scanners, intelligent electronic devices, etc, from ABB
and other third-party vendors. PROFIBUS I/O and related
control strategies are configured using ABB’s extensive set
of field-proven standard function code algorithms and
S+ Engineering’s graphical design tools. Furthermore, this data
is provided to other S+ system nodes (ie, control, operation,
engineering and information) over the redundant Plant Network
(PN800).
PDP800 PROFIBUS interface features include:
− Supports PROFIBUS DP V0, V1, V2
− Supports PROFIBUS PA devices through DP/PA linking device
− Supports 1 msec time stamping of devices by PROFIBUS DP V2
− Supports electric and fi ber optic media for PROFIBUS DP link
− Up to 12 Mbps rate of PROFIBUS DP link
− Up to 15 km by fi ber optic PROFIBUS DP link
Comprehensive I/O support
The PDP800 module enables the connection of Symphony
Plus controllers to S800 I/O via PROFIBUS DP V2. S800 I/O
provides options for all signal types, ranging from basic analog
and digital inputs and outputs to pulse counters and intrinsically
safe applications. S800 I/O sequence of events functionality is
supported by PROFIBUS DP V2 with 1 msec accuracy event
time stamping occurring at the source.
Additionally, the PDP800 supports Symphony Plus controllers’
connectivity to S+ Turbine’s specialty modules. Specifi cally, via
PROFIBUS DP V2, the HPC800 can support powerful turbine
control solutions for turbine protection (TP800), valve positioning
(VP800), generator auto synchronization (AS800) and condition
monitoring (MCM800).
Using fi ber optic extensions, PROFIBUS I/O modules and devices
can be placed up to 15 km from the PDP800. Additionally,
PDP800 modules can be located up to 3 km from the controller
via redundant HN800 fi ber optic communications.
High reliability and availability
The PDP800 supports full redundancy at all levels, including
the PDP800 module, power supplies, PROFIBUS DP link, and
controller communication bus (HN800). All redundancy options
are independent from each other to ensure the highest level of
availability and reliability

Data accessible by control application
PROFIBUS device cyclic data is accessed by function code
control applications in Symphony Plus controllers. Data can be
calculated, used as part of a control strategy, or for display
and alarming at the S+ Operations console.
A functional overview of the capabilities of PDP800 is shown
in figure 2.
Manage intelligent field devices
PROFIBUS devices are fully integrated with the Symphony Plus
system, yielding benefits far beyond reduced footprint and
cable costs. Within the S+ Engineering workbench, the Field
Engineering tool supports configuration, commissioning and
maintenance of PROFIBUS devices using device type manager
(DTM) technology. For field devices that have conventional
device description files (GSD), a basic PROFIBUS DTM is
available to allow standardized configuration. The individual
device DTMs can be accessed from Composer’s multiple data
views, such as the system or location overview, and others. It
includes automatic net calculation and loading of process items
by using the device-specific channel configuration generated
from the DTM.