Methods and apparatus for surge protection of a distributed control system component

1. An apparatus comprising:

a terminal block to be electrically coupled to a field device, the terminal block including:

a surge protector to reduce an input voltage to an operating voltage when the input voltage satisfies a first threshold; and

a communication interface to generate a status message when the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surge protector is powered with the input voltage when the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold is based on an amplitude of the input voltage satisfying a second threshold or a counter corresponding to a number of times the amplitude of the input voltage satisfies the second threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the status message includes a health status of the surge protector, the health status indicating replacement of the terminal block or the surge protector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an I/O module coupled to the terminal block, and a current limiting module to reduce an input current of the I/O module when the input current satisfies a second threshold and the communication interface to transmit the status message to a controller when the input current satisfies the second threshold, the status message including a value of the input current.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:

a current limiting module to:

measure leakage current of the terminal block;

compare the leakage current to a second threshold; and

the communication interface to transmit the status message to a controller when the leakage current satisfies the second threshold, the status message including a value of the leakage current.

7. A method comprising:

measuring an input voltage to a surge protector embedded in a terminal block to be electrically coupled to an I/O module and a field device;

reducing the input voltage to an operating voltage with the surge protector when the input voltage satisfies a first threshold; and

generating a status message when the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including powering the surge protector with the input voltage when the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein satisfying the first threshold includes comparing an amplitude of the input voltage to a reference voltage amplitude.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein satisfying the first threshold includes comparing a value of a counter to a second threshold, the value corresponding to a number of times an amplitude of the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the status message includes a health status of the surge protector, the health status indicating replacement of the terminal block or the surge protector.

12. The method of claim 7 , further including reducing an input current of the I/O module when the input current satisfies a second threshold and transmitting the status message to a controller when the input current satisfies the second threshold, the status message including a value of the input current.

13. The method of claim 7 , further including:

measuring leakage current of the terminal block;

comparing the leakage current to a second threshold; and

transmitting the status message to a controller when the leakage current satisfies the second threshold, the status message including a value of the leakage current.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

measure an input voltage to a surge protector embedded in a terminal block to be electrically coupled to an I/O module and a field device;

reduce the input voltage to an operating voltage with the surge protector when the input voltage satisfies a first threshold; and

generate a status message when the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to at least power the surge protector with the input voltage when the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to compare an amplitude of the input voltage to a reference voltage amplitude.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to compare a value of a counter to a second threshold, the value corresponding to a number of times an amplitude of the input voltage satisfies the first threshold.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to generate the status message by including a health status of the surge protector, the health status indicating replacement of at least one of the terminal block or the surge protector.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to reduce an input current of the I/O module when the input current satisfies a second threshold and transmit the status message to a controller when the input current satisfies the second threshold, the status message including a value of the input current.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

measure leakage current of the terminal block;

compare the leakage current to a second threshold; and

transmit the status message to a controller when the leakage current satisfies the second threshold, the status message including a value of the leakage current.