GE Energy Mark* VIe Control Product Description

Introduction 

Mark* VIe is a flexible control system for multiple applications. It features highspeed, networked I/O for simplex, dual, and triple redundant systems. Industrystandard Ethernet communications are used for I/O, controllers, and supervisory 

interface to operator and maintenance stations, and third-party systems. 

ToolboxST* is used for Mark VIe and related controls as a common software 

platform for programming, configuring I/O, trending, and analyzing diagnostics. It 

provides a single source of quality, time-coherent data at the controller and plant 

level for effectively managing equipment assets.

Architecture 

A single-board controller is the heart of the system. It includes the main processor 

and redundant Ethernet drivers for communicating with networked I/O and 

additional Ethernet drivers for the control network. A QNX® real-time, multitasking 

operating system is used for the main processor and I/O. Application software is 

provided in a configurable control block language, and is stored in non-volatile 

memory. It conforms to IEEE-854 32-bit floating-point format. 

IONet is a dedicated, full-duplex, point-to-point protocol that provides a 

deterministic, high-speed 100 MB communications network suitable for local or 

remote I/O with a fiber interface. It provides communication between the main 

processor(s) and networked I/O blocks, called I/O packs. 

100 MB Ethernet is used for 

communication to local and 

remote I/O packs. The IONet 

is available in single, dual, 

and triple configurations. 

Each I/O pack is mounted on a board with barrier or box-type terminal blocks. The 

I/O pack contains two Ethernet ports, a power supply, a local processor, and a data 

acquisition board. Computation power grows as I/O packs are added to the control 

system, enabling an overall control system frame rate of 10 ms in simplex, dual, or 

triple redundant configuration. Some process sub-systems require even more 

performance; therefore, the local processors in each I/O pack run algorithms at 

higher rates as required for the application. 

Redundancy 

Every application has different requirements for redundancy depending on the 

importance of the process. Mark VIe provides a wide range of redundancy options 

that can be supplied in virtually any combination and mounted local or remote. Some 

of these redundancy options include: 

• Power sources and supplies single, dual, and triple 

• Controllers (main processor) single, dual, and triple 

• I/O network redundancy single, dual, and triple 

• I/O packs per terminal board single, dual, and triple 

• Ethernet Ports / I/O pack single or dual 

System Architecture 

Controllers are continuously online and read input data directly from IONet. Dual 

redundant systems transmit inputs from one or redundant I/O packs on dual IONets 

to dual controllers. Outputs are transmitted to an output I/O pack that selects either 

the first healthy signal or the signal of choice. Three output packs can be provided to 

vote output signals for mission-critical field devices. 

Dual redundant systems can be configured for single, dual, and triple sensors. Their 

dual internal networks and controllers keep the process online if a controller or 

power supply fails. Triple redundant systems are available to protect against soft or 

partial failures of devices that continue to run but with incorrect signals/data. 

These systems out vote a failed component with a 2-out-of-3 selection of the signal. 

Application software in all three controllers runs on the voted value of the signal 

while diagnostics identify the failed device. These sophisticated diagnostics 

minimize the mean-time-to-repair (MTTR) while the on-line repair capability 

maximizes the mean-time-between-forced-outages (MTBFO). Field sensors for these 

systems can be single, dual, or triple. 

A second controller can be provided to separate the application software for different 

pieces of equipment. For example, a core engine control for an air-fuel governor can 

run in one controller while a second controller can be dedicated to auxiliary control. 

Note Every I/O pack communicates directly on IONet, which enables each I/O pack 

to be replaced individually without affecting any other I/O in the system. Also, the 

I/O pack can be replaced without disconnecting any field wiring. 

I/O Interface 

One or multiple I/O packs are mounted on each board to digitize the sensor signal, 

perform algorithms, and communicate with a separate controller that contains the 

main processor. I/O packs have a local processor board that runs a QNX operating 

system and a data acquisition board that is unique to the type of input device. Local 

processors run algorithms at faster speeds than the overall control system. 

An on-board temperature sensor 

provides continuous monitoring of 

the environment in remote