Valve manifold serially mounted to a distributed control system assembly

1. A control system comprising:

a distributed control system connected to an I/O bank;

said I/O bank has a communication module controlling a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) modules operably connected via a protocol to the communication module;

a valve manifold with a manifold communication module for controlling a plurality of valve stations remotely from the I/O bank and serially connected to the communication module of the I/O bank and using the same protocol as said I/O bank whereby said I/O bank provides valve manifold control;

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to a plurality of pneumatically controlled field devices having one of electric field sensors and loads;

the I/O bank constructed to be connected to said one of electric field sensors and loads; and

at least one of said valve manifold and said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules being housed in a cabinet.

2. A control system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules and said valve manifold being housed in the same cabinet.

3. A control system comprising:

a distributed control system connected to an I/O bank;

said I/O bank has a communication module controlling a plurality of Input/Output modules operably connected via a protocol to the communication module;

a valve manifold with a manifold communication module for controlling a plurality of valve stations remotely and serially connected to the communication module of the I/O bank and using the same protocol as said I/O bank;

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to a plurality of pneumatically controlled field devices having one of electric field sensors and loads operably connected thereto;

the I/O bank constructed to be connected to said electric field sensors or loads of said plurality of field devices;

at least one of said valve manifold and said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules being housed in a cabinet;

said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules and said valve manifold being housed in a single cabinet and

said valve manifold having pneumatic outlets extending through a wall of said single cabinet.

4. A control system as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

said valve manifold and said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules and being housed in separate cabinets; and

a cable for providing communication and power extending from the I/O bank in one cabinet to the valve manifold in said other cabinet.

5. A control system as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

said valve manifold having pneumatic outlets extending through a wall of said other cabinet.

6. A control system comprising:

a distributed control system connected to an I/O bank;

said I/O bank has a communication module controlling a plurality of Input/Output modules operably connected via a protocol to the communication module;

a valve manifold with a manifold communication module for controlling a plurality of valve stations remotely and serially connected to the communication module of the I/O bank and using the same protocol as said I/O bank;

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to a plurality of pneumatically controlled field devices having one of electric field sensors and loads operably connected thereto;

the I/O bank constructed to be connected to one of said electric field sensors and loads of said plurality of field devices;

at least one of said valve manifold and said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules being housed in a cabinet

said valve manifold and said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules being housed in separate cabinets; and

a cable for providing communication and power extending from the I/O bank in one cabinet to the valve manifold in said other cabinet.

7. A control system comprising:

a distributed control system connected to an I/O bank;

said I/O bank has a communication module controlling a plurality of Input/Output modules operably connected via a protocol to the communication module;

a valve manifold with a manifold communication module for controlling a plurality of valve stations remotely and serially connected to the communication module of the I/O bank and using the same protocol as said I/O bank;

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to a plurality of pneumatically controlled field devices having one of electric field sensors and loads operably connected thereto;

the I/O bank constructed to be connected to said one of electric field sensors and loads of said plurality of field devices;

at least one of said valve manifold and said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules being housed in a cabinet; and

said I/O bank having a backplane that operably connects to said plurality of Input/Output modules, said communication module and said manifold communication module whereby said I/O bank provides valve manifold control.

8. A control system comprising:

a communication module having an I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules and controlling said plurality of Input/Output modules via a protocol;

a valve manifold having a manifold communication module serially and remotely connected to the communication backplane of the I/O bank using the same protocol as the communication backplane for controlling a plurality of valve stations whereby said I/O bank provides valve manifold control;

said I/O bank with plurality of Input/Output modules constructed to be connected to a plurality of electric field sensors or loads for a plurality of pneumatically controlled field devices;

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to said plurality of pneumatically controlled field devices; and

said I/O bank and said valve manifold being housed in a cabinet.

9. A control system as defined in claim 8 further comprising:

said valve manifold having pneumatic outlets extending through a wall of said cabinet.

10. A control system comprising:

a distributed control system connected to an I/O bank;

said I/O bank having a communication module controlling a plurality of Input/Output modules operably connected to its communication backplane;

a valve manifold with a manifold communication module for controlling a plurality of valve stations operably connected to a plurality of field devices having its manifold communications module serially connected to the communication backplane of the I/O bank through a single cable or through a second cable for redundant communication;

the Input/Output modules of said I/O bank with a plurality of Input/Output modules constructed to be connected to a plurality of field sensors or loads; and

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to a plurality of field devices.

11. A control system as defined in claim 10 further comprising:

each Input/Output module of said I/O bank having a microprocessor therein; and

said manifold communication module having a microprocessor constructed to emulate a plurality of said microprocessors of each Input/Output module therein and connected to the I/O bank's communication backplane and controlling said plurality of field devices.

12. A control system as defined in claim 11 further comprising:

said manifold communication module having power supplied from said backplane of said I/O bank through said cable.

13. A control system as defined in claim 12 further comprising;

said second cable also connected to supply redundant power from said backplane.

14. A control system as defined in claim 12 further comprising: said I/O bank and said valve manifold being housed in separate cabinets; and

said single cable extending from the I/O bank in one cabinet to the valve manifold in said other cabinet.

15. A control system comprising:

a distributed control system operably connected to a communication module for an I/O bank having no Input/Output modules attached thereto;

a valve manifold with a manifold communication module for controlling a plurality of valve stations operably connectable to a plurality of field devices having its manifold communication module serially connected to said communication module through a communication cable; and

said valve manifold being constructed to be pneumatically connected to a plurality of field devices.

16. A control system as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

said manifold communication module connected via a communication backplane of said I/O bank without Input/Output modules to said communication module.