Safety above All.

Globally certified protection for people, plants, and the environment

Interface Technology for Process Industry Applications: the K-System

With more than 70 years of experience and as the inventor of the intrinsic safety barrier, Pepperl+Fuchs is a leading manufacturer of interfaces for hazardous areas. Nowadays, Interface Technology from Pepperl+Fuchs is reknown and established in process industries all over the world. Technical expertise, application know-how, and a profound market knowlegde ensure that interface technology form Pepperl+Fuchs is tailored to meet specific market requirements in every detail.

One highlight is the Pepperl+Fuchs K-System with its extensive product range, worldwide certifications, unique versatility, and easy handling. From simple isolator modules for safe signal transmission to highly functional components with numerous additional functions, the K-System portfolio offers modules and systems for a wide range of applications in hazardous areas—the best protection for people, plants, and the environment, as proven by millions of installed devices from North Sea platforms to clean room applications.

Take a look at the intrinsic safety barriers and the signal conditioners of the K-System!

Technology Highlights

Interface technology from Pepperl+Fuchs offers maximum safety and highly functional features.

Wide Product Range for All Applications
- Modules for all signal types
- Numerous functions, from simple switch amplifiers to high performance devices

Cost Savings
- Long service life due to lower power consumption, space-saving design, low heat dissipation

Easy Maintenance
- Easy installation and replacement
- Internal diagnostic function

Safety on All Levels
- Choose from a complete SIL 3 portfolio for all signal types, analog and digital

Why Interface Technology from Pepperl+Fuchs?

Built on Decades of Experience

As a pioneer in the field of intrinsic safety barriers, we build on decades of experience: Pepperl+Fuchs is the world's leading expert in the field of intrinsic safety.

Global Hazardous Area Expertise

Interface systems from Pepperl+Fuchs are certified worldwide and guarantee maximum process reliability for countless applications in numerous industries.

Largest Product Portfolio of Its Kind

Pepperl+Fuchs offers a comprehensive range of modules and systems for a wide variety of applications up to SIL 3.

High availability and unrivaled performance

K-System for Maximum Reliability

The K-System impresses with high availability due to low power loss, comprehensive international support, demand-oriented installation options, and unrivaled performance.

The K-System—Established in Process Industries All over the World

A wide range of functions, easy maintenance, and high flexibility: this is what the K-System in particular stands for. Certified worldwide and unsurpassed in reliability, it guarantees maximum process reliability in numerous industries. The K-System is designed for mixed applications of Ex and non-Ex modules.

Its barrier function limits the energy fed into the intrinsically safe circuit. The galvanic isolation of the measuring and control circuits protects control systems and field devices from interference on the signal path, therefore ensuring the efficiency and availability of the system.

Features of the K-System: Maximum Performance for Maximum Safety

K-System technology offers various outstanding features. The Power Rail for DIN rail mounting significantly reduces wiring and maintenance costs. The new K-DUCT power rail with two separate cable ducts maximizes space and channel density in the cabinet. K-System safety relays provide triple redundant switching contacts, diagnostics and line fault transparency (LFT), ensuring maximum protection in emergency situations. These are just some highlights—discover much more benefits in this video!

The Latest Innovation: KCD2-SCS*

Positioners are often equipped with analog position indicators that provide feedback to the controller to confirm that the correct position has been reached. This feedback is typically sent back to the control system as a 4 … 20 mA signal. Previously, a separate isolator module was required for the input and output signal. The KCD2-SCS* combines both functions in one device. Find out more about the unique 2-channel devices for analog signals with individual configurability of the channels!

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Product Highlights

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Switch Amplifiers KFU8-SR-Ex* for Multiple Voltage Ranges

Some applications require different supply voltages. What previously had to be solved with several switch amplifiers can now be handled by one single device. The switch amplifiers KFU8-SR-Ex* feature several highlights at once: supply with 19 to 30 VDC or 90 to 253 VAC, use in intrinsically safe applications, and classification for safety applications up to SIL 2.

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Intelligent Safety Relays with Diagnostics and LFT

To ensure safe signal transfer, Pepperl+Fuchs is setting a new level of reliability: With triple redundant switching contacts, the interface modules of the tried-and-tested K-System provide reliable and safety-related activation and deactivation for applications in accordance with IEC61508 up to SIL 3.

Space efficiency with K-DUCT Profile Rail

In K-DUCT series profile rails, the cable ducts are located behind the DIN rail. Input and output wiring are separated by an integrated partition, which guarantees the spatial separation of Ex and non-Ex signals.

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SIL 3 Current Drivers for Intrinsically Safe Signals

In process automation, there are numerous applications in which analog field devices need to be controlled in hazardous areas. In this context, many signal circuits are subject to SIL 3 requirements. SIL 3 current drivers for intrinsically safe signals make complex workarounds implementing redundancy via two SIL 2 control circuits a thing of the past.

Main Applications

Thermal Power Plants: Direction of Rotation and Speed Monitoring Feedwater Pumps

Task and boundary conditions: Galvanic isolation of control and field side in the safe area and ensuring feed water supply for steam generation.

Typical measuring and control tasks: Direction of rotation monitoring and speed monitoring

Typical isolating modules: Frequency converters of the K-System are also available as intrinsically safe devices for applications in hazardous areas.

Water Locks: End Position Control

Task and boundary conditions: Galvanic isolation of control and field side in the safe area. Ensuring that the lock gates are closed before water is admitted or discharged into the lock basin.

Typical measuring and control tasks: Feedback of the end position contact to the control system when the lock gates are closed.

Typical isolating modules: Switch amplifiers of the K-System are also available as intrinsically safe devices for applications in hazardous areas.

Ships: Optical and Acoustic Warning Devices

Task and boundary conditions: Galvanic isolation of control and field side in the safe area, safe switching on of warning devices in case of emergency, and safety integrity level of the signal circuit(s): SIL 3

Typical measuring and control tasks: Transmission of switching signals from the control system to the warning devices

Typical isolating modules: Safety relay with line fault transparency of the K-System

Pharmaceutics: Control of Valves in Large Plants

Task and boundary conditions: Control of the mass flow of API, hazardous area, safe signal transmission in large plants, different supply modes for a large number of different valves

Typical measuring and control tasks: Control of valves

Typical isolating modules: Intrinsically safe barrier of the K-System, high operating margin by output up to 45 mA (for safety-related applications: SIL3 ESD- and DCS systems that need LFT to get SIL level for DO cards/channels)

Sewage Treatment Plants: Speed Monitoring of Archimedean Screws

Task and boundary conditions: Load-dependent control of the Archimedean screws to keep the high energy consumption typical of these plants within limits

Typical measuring and control tasks: Speed monitoring

Typical isolating modules: Intrinsically safe K-System frequency converters. They are also available as isolators for applications in the safe area.

Biogas Production: Gas Analysis of Biogas and Landfill Gas

Task and boundary conditions: No constant composition of biogas produced in digesters; gas-fired power plants depend on constant supply of chemical energy; continuous analysis of gases, transmission of results to the control system

Typical measuring and control tasks: Transfer of gas quality measurements

Typical isolating modules: Intrinsically safe K-System transmitter power supply or isolators.

Life Sciences: Temperature Monitoring of Process Media

Task and boundary conditions: Temperature monitoring in vats with process media to limit the temperature, preventing unwanted decomposition or chemical reactions; potentially explosive atmospheres

Typical measuring and control tasks: Temperature monitoring

Typical isolating modules: Intrinsically safe K-System temperature converter with output of two configurable limit values or isolators for safe areas.

Customized Solutions—Engineered for Your Needs

Pepperl+Fuchs has established special Solution Engineering Centers (SECs) worldwide, where experienced experts plan, develop, and design customer-specific solutions on a daily basis. One such solution can be seen in this video: Pepperl+Fuchs has developed the BGT rack with integrated K-System modules, which enables users to easily replace outdated Eurocard technology with state-of-the-art interface technology.

Step By Step to Your Tailor-Made Solution

Customized solutions from Pepperl+Fuchs are developed in collaboration with our customers to meet the global approval standards of a trusted partner. No matter how extensive the customizations and specific developments are—our solutions are always based on individual consulting and regular communication with our customers. Our experts cover every step of the process, from the initial consulting, customer specification, solution proposals, engineering, and inspection to the integration of finished, globally certified solutions.

Contact Us

Do you have any questions on our K-System or Interface Technology in general? We are happy to help! Simply fill out the contact form and send us a message.

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Pepperl+Fuchs SE
Lilienthalstraße 200
68307 Mannheim
Germany
info@de.pepperl-fuchs.com
phone +49 621 776-0