24 VDC CONTROL AN EMERGING ALTERNATIVE TO LEGACY 120 VAC

CONTROL APPLICATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA

John C. Thompson

David B. Durocher

Senior Member, IEEE

Project Manager
Cutler-Hammer, Inc.
8850 Stanford Blvd. Ste 3500
Columbia, MD 21045

Senior Member, IEEE

Forest Products Industry Director
Cutler-Hammer, Inc.
5000 Meadows Road, Ste 300
Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Abstract A variety of control voltages are used

throughout the world for industrial process control. The
most common control voltage in North America is 120
VAC. IEC standards that are widely accepted in other
countries including Europe, have used 220 or 240 VAC.
Over the past few years, 24 VDC is gaining acceptance.
Products based on 24 VDC control are now becoming
more available from major manufacturers. This paper will
review various issues associated with 24 VDC and 120
VAC control.

I. INTRODUCTION
In the past, control devices have required too much
power to make 24 VDC products cost effective or practical.
During the past few years, industrial control product
manufacturers have placed more emphasis on 24 VDC as the
control voltage of choice. Design innovations like increased
microprocessor content and separation of control and power
circuits have reduced control power requirements. The result
has been DC power supplies with improved reliability at
reduced costs. Technology advances in power transistor
ampere ratings have helped reduce the issues of excessive
DC voltage drop over long cable runs. This has led to an
increase in the variety of 24 VDC controlled devices along
with improvements in quality, robustness, features and size.
Electrical devices that have used 24 VDC for some time
include programmable logic controllers (PLC's) and distributed
control systems (DCS) central processing units (CPUs),
human machine interfaces (HMIs) and input/output (I/O)
hardware. Most recently, adjustable frequency drives (AFDs),
solid state reduced voltage starters (SSRVS) and servo drives
have changed to this control voltage. We are seeing a new
generation of contactors, starters, control relays and sensors
that will be dedicated to this control philosophy.
Migration to 24 VDC control is being driven by the need for
safer operating voltages, simplified compliance with safety
standards and more reliable interface with PLCs and DCS.

II. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

1) Evolution from Equipment Protection to Personnel
Protection: Historically, electrical design standards were
based on protecting equipment and preventing fires. New
industry standards, including those of the National Fire
Protection Agency (NFPA) as well as the National Electric
Code (NEC) are now beginning to focus on the importance of
personnel protection. The prevalent design philosophy today
suggests that any time an electrical hazard can be reduced by

reducing system voltages to a level that is considered safe, it

should be done. Also, any time the available energy level to
feed an arc flash can be reduced, it should be considered as a
means to enhance safety.
In the past, changes in grounding, ground fault circuit
interrupters and double insulation have been adopted for
portable tools and equipment.
More recently, remote
switching and arc-resistant switchgear is being employed to
improve personnel safety.
The type of circuit and the contact voltage level have a
profound effect upon the resulting injury to people. DC control
circuits are not as dangerous to personnel as AC circuits. In
general, the sensations produced by DC are greatest when
contact is made or broken. Five (5) milliamperes (mA) of DC
current produces about the same effect as two (2)
milliamperes (mA) of AC current.
2) Codes and Standards: Industry codes and standards
have changed significantly in an effort to address improved
personnel protection from electrical hazards. Article 110.16 of
the newly adopted 2002 NEC is a new addition to the code
that recognizes recent updates in NFPA 70E-2000 Electrical
Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces. This new
standard addresses the concern of protecting qualified
persons who work on energized electrical systems by
ensuring they are notified of arc flash hazards and assisting
with selection of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE). Specifically, the new standard states Switchboards,
panelboards, industrial control panels and motor control
centers in industrial and commercial occupancies that are
likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing or
maintenance while energized, must be field marked to warn
qualified persons of the danger of electric arc flash. The
marking must be clearly visible by qualified persons before
they examine, adjust, service or perform maintenance on the
equipment. Section 250.2 added to the 2002 NEC includes a
new definition of a Ground Fault Current Path. This definition
reads as follows: Effective Ground Fault Current Path: An
intentionally constructed, low impedance path designed and
intended to carry fault current from a line-to-case fault on a
wiring system to the grounded (neutral) at the electrical supply
source. Both of these new standards demonstrate a clear
directive to reduce the potential of exposure to hazardous
touch voltages.
Industrial process users have learned the dangers of
poorly grounded systems. The notion that a human body in
parallel with solidly grounded electrical control circuit is
protected because current will take only the path of least
resistance, is a complete fallacy.
Unfortunately, there is

Presented at the 2002 IEEE IAS Pulp and Paper Industry Conference in Toronto, ON: IEEE 2002 - Personal use of this material is permitted.

always some resistance to ground. Electricity does take low

resistance paths, including the one with least resistance, but it
also takes every other path available to it. Touch voltage from
an energized object is about 75% of the rated voltage. So,
even a 120 VAC line-to-case fault from a control power circuit
has a touch voltage potential of 90 volts. IEEE Standard 80
uses a value of 1000 ohms for the human body to perform
touch voltage calculations. This results in a potential for 90
mA of current to flow through the human body. Death from
electrocution can occur from as little as 50 mA in only a few
seconds. To reduce potential current flow below 50 mA,
industry standards suggest that potential touch voltage
conditions never exceed 50 volts AC or DC. With a properly
grounded system, standards suggest that potential current
flow should be below 5 mA.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Standard 29CFR 1910.269 states that operating voltages
above 50 volts are considered high risk for qualified persons
exposed to live parts while equipment is energized. Current
OSHA requirements allow employees to work on energized
systems under 50 volts without the use of special protective
equipment. This regulation states Live parts to which an
employee may be exposed shall be de-energized before the
employee works on or near them. Live parts that operate at
less than 50 volts to ground need not be de-energized if there
will not be increased exposure to electrical burns or to
explosion due to electrical arcs. NFPA Standard 70E defines
a dangerous touch voltage as anything over 30 volts.

For discrete switching devices, speed is typically expressed in

turn-on (pick up) and turn-off (drop out) times. Some devices
such as inductive proximity sensors, include device maximum
switching frequency as a part of performance specifications.
For solid state output sensors and controller I/O modules,
devices designed for 24 VDC control are considerably faster
than their 120 VAC counterparts.
Electromechanical
contactors using AC coils are slightly faster than their DC
counterparts. Smaller, general purpose relays have almost
equivalent response times while larger relays using DC coils
are slower. Fig. 1 shows device operating speed for various
components based on DC device speeds relative to AC. The
differences in device speeds are only pertinent in control
system designs that use hard-wired I/O. In networked I/O, the
data transmission speed has the greatest impact on response
time.
Photoelectric
Sensors

Inductive Prox
Sensors

Output Modules

3) Shutdown and Lockout Requirements: Based on the

voltage and applicable codes and regulations at a site,
maintenance on control equipment may require tag and/or
lock out procedures. In the United States, 24 VDC work can
be performed hot in unclassified areas, but 120 VAC work
must follow a tag/lock out procedure.
For classified (Class 1 Hazardous) locations in Division 1,
work on energized circuits is permitted if control circuits are
considered intrinsically safe. It is also permitted for controls in
Division 2 locations that are nonincendiary.
PLC control and I/O cabinets may have multiple power
sources. If only the circuit that is being worked on is locked
out, there remains a potential safety hazard to personnel
working in the cabinet when the remaining control voltages
are 120 VAC. Finger safe terminals and terminal shields over
the energized components offer some means of protection
from exposure to live parts, but using 24 VDC virtually
eliminates potential safety hazards.

Fig. 1: Relative speed of DC devices compared with AC equivalents.

4) Safety Statistics: Although very few industrial process

manufacturers track and record data from incidents of
electrical shock, the ones that do have found 120 VAC to be
one of the most prevalent voltages. One major chemical
company that maintains a database of electrical safety
incidents based on type of equipment involved, discovered
that a majority of incidents of electrical shock occurred on 120
VAC systems. Using 24 VDC control systems should greatly
reduce potential incidence of electrical shock.

2) Size:
The push to reduce cost has led to the
minimization of control panel and equipment size. This has
led to an increasing demand for smaller and smaller control
devices. Sensors are typically offered in a smaller and wider
variety of sizes in 24 VDC versions. General purpose relays
are typically about the same size. Contactors and starters are
smaller. I/O density is significantly higher for 24 VDC
controls, up to 64 inputs/module, while the maximum for 120
VAC is normally 16.

III. DEVICE CONSIDERATIONS

3) Pick Up/Drop Out Voltage Sensitivity: Minimum pick-up

voltages for relays and contactors are essentially equivalent
between AC and DC coils. 80% is a typical specification
value. However, DC pick-up cycle time is 2 milliseconds

1) Operating Speed: The ability of the control system to

detect and respond quickly to events is often a critical issue.

Input Modules

General
Purpose
Relays

Contactors

0.1

10

100

1000

Speed Factor

where AC can be 2 to 10 milliseconds. The pick-up time for an

AC device is dependent upon the time during the AC cycle
that the control command is initiated. Fig. 2 shows that a
control command at time to results in a pick-up time as long as
10 milliseconds.
Direct Current Equivalent

1.500

Zero Crossing

1.000
0.500

Alternating Current

0.000

t o 2 ms

10 ms

-0.500
-1.000
-1.500

Fig. 2: Comparison of pick-up cycle time for a DC control device

versus an AC device.

It is also important to note that the drop out voltage for DC

coils is lower than AC coils. Fig. 3 shows test data based on
minimum drop out voltage characteristics defined by the
Computer & Business Equipment Manufacturers Association
(CBEMA) curve. This plots percent voltage retention versus a
defined duration of disturbance for various devices tested at a
1.0 ampere load. The test data shows that drop out voltages
can be 15 to 40% lower for DC coils. This may significantly
improve the reliability of a control system that is subject to
voltage dips.

current, 3 mA being common. Since AC devices exhibit

higher leakage current than their DC counterparts, problems
with dimly lit indicator lights or general purpose relays that
wont drop out can occur. In these applications, a parallel
connected load resistor is needed.
5) On-board versus Out-board Component Design: Although
24 VDC control logic devices such as sensors, pilot devices,
PLC I/O and DCS controls are readily available today, power
devices such as contactors and motor starters using 24VDC
control have had limited availability. Traditionally, designs of
these products have included a DC control coil to magnetize a
moving armature to close power contacts. However, the
control interface has typically remained a 120 VAC control
power source used in conjunction with an on-board rectifier,
usually built within the contactor coil. This allowed the use of a
DC coil with the associated advantages of low drop out
voltages and higher contact pressure, but with the
convenience of 120 VAC control. Today, manufactures offer
out-board DC power supplies separate from the starter that
convert a range of input voltages from 200 to 575 VAC 3phase or single phase to 24 VDC. These devices can be
designed based on criteria different from DC power supplies
used to power sophisticated electronic circuits. There is not a
need for high voltage regulation, low ripple currents, or inrush
current limitation. As a result, an application specific device
designed for DC coil control power can be smaller and is
available at a lower cost. Functionally, this device replaces the
control power transformer typically used in a motor control
center (MCC) starter unit assembly.

IV. CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN ISSUES

CBEMA Curve Test Results

100

1) Surge Suppression: Surge suppression devices are

normally used when switching inductive loads. With hard
contacts, they are needed to suppress transient Electromagnetic interference (EMI). When solid state outputs are
used, surge suppression is required to protect the output
circuitry. For AC control systems, a resistor/capacitor snubber
or metal oxide varistor (MOV) is typically used. In DC control
systems, diode suppressors are normally used.

90

% R etained Voltage

80
70
60
50
40
30

CBEMA Curve
Control Relay
AC Coil Starter
24 VDC Supply

20
10
0
0.1

20ms

10

100

0.5 sec

1000

10 sec

10000 Cycles
Steady Seconds
State

Fig. 3: CBEMA plot of percent voltage retention versus disturbance

duration in cycles and seconds for tested devices at 1.0A load.

4) Leakage and Latching Current: Off state leakage current

and minimum required latching currents are important
electrical characteristic of all semiconductor based switching
devices. Failure to consider these issues can lead to control
problems including devices not turning on, or worse, not
turning off on a control command. Most sensors and output
cards designed for 24 VDC exhibit very low leakage currents.
Typical values are less than 1 mA. Many 120 VAC devices
(such as a PLC triac output) exhibit higher levels of leakage

2) Control Cable Length: There are two effects of long

cable length to be considered:

Line resistance and inductance can create excessive

voltage drop, resulting in a device failing to pick up.
Line coupled capacitance can potentially cause a load to
not drop out.

Effect of Resistance and Inductance: NEMA standards require

magnetic devices to operate at 85% of rated voltage. Current
drawn through long control wire runs causes a voltage drop so
if the cable is too long the coil will not be picked up and seal
in. For AC systems the series impedance of the control wires
is the only factor considered when inrush current is present.
For example, a typical Size 1 starters inrush is 210 VA with a
holding load of 18 VA. Control wire size should be based on
210 VA. To allow for voltage sags of 10%, the voltage drop in
the control wires should be limited to 5% of the rated coil
voltage.

For 24 VDC systems there is no substantial difference in

the device inrush load when compared to 120 VAC. But the
holding load can be up to five times greater. The impact of line
impedance varies inversely with the magnitude of the control
voltage. So, the effect of line impedance is increased at lower
voltages. For 24 VDC systems, voltage drop can potentially
be a significant issue. Voltage drop for both 120 VAC and 24
VDC circuits can be compared by the calculations below:

Relay or Contactor

Voltage Drop = Wire Length X Wire Resistance X Current

% Voltage Drop = Voltage Drop
Nominal Voltage
To compare the impact of voltage drop for 24 VDC versus 120
VAC circuits, assume for this example an application with the
same power draw, wire size and efficiency. Since 24 volts is
th
1/5 120 volts:

Stop

Start

24 VDC Current = 5 X 120 VAC Current

Substituting the Voltage Drop formula above, yields:
24 VDC % Voltage Drop = 5 X Resistance X Length
1/5 X 120 VAC
= 25 X 120 VAC % Voltage Drop
Thus, total percent voltage drop for a 24 VDC control circuit
can be a concern for longer cable lengths. This adverse
condition can be minimized through the use of a larger wire
size (from #16 AWG to #14 AWG as an example) as this
reduces the line impedance impact of voltage drop.
Effect of Line Coupled Capacitance: In AC control systems,
the effects of line capacitance in control wiring must be taken
into consideration. Line capacitance can present a problem in
AC control circuits, especially when control devices (such as a
stop pushbutton) are in the circuit, remote from the controlled
device. Fig. 4 shows an example of coupled capacitance in a
typical AC control circuit. The effective line capacitance is the
total capacitance between control wires as well as cable to
conduit. Factors that determine line capacitance include
conductor diameter, the distance between adjacent
conductors and distances to the conduit, length of the run and
even humidity and water filled conduits. If cable runs are too
long, this capacitance will prevent coils from dropping out.
The impact of coupled capacitance increases approximately
with the square of the control voltage. At 120 VAC,
capacitance is generally not an application concern for cable
runs under 2 miles. At 480 VAC, cable runs should be limited
to under 800 feet. For DC control circuits, the effect of
capacitance is not present since capacitance will only conduct
an AC current. Selecting DC is one good solution to eliminate
the effects of capacitance coupling.
3) Wiring Practices: In 120 VAC systems, internal panel
and field device wiring can often be grouped with power
wiring. This can reduce wiring costs versus 24 VDC systems,
where field devices (like sensors) generally require separate
routing of conductors.

Fig. 4: The effects of capacitance in a 120 VAC control circuit.

4) Protection Against Drop-out Due to Momentary voltage

dips: Voltage dips are common in industrial process facilities,
typically caused by large motors starting on weak or heavily
loaded supply systems. Typically, motor contactors drop out
at 65% of rated voltage. AC control systems without special
protection are far more susceptible to voltage dips than DC
control systems because DC power supplies have capacitors
in their filters that store energy. Since most dips are less than
ten cycles in duration, DC coils have much better ride through
capability.
5) Interfaces With Process Control Systems:
Most
programmable logic and distributed control systems use 24
VDC for their interfaces and data highway signals. Careful
design can reduce the need for interposing relays and multiple
power sources. Introduction of a second power source over
50 V into a cabinet or other control unit should be avoided
wherever possible. Special warnings should be posted if this
safety hazard exists.

V. RELIABILITY
1) Control Power Supply Reliability: Reliability requirements
for control power supplies are dependent on the process. If it
can be restarted easily, power supply reliability is not
important unless safety is a concern. But if restart is very
expensive and/or safety is an issue, a reliable power supply is
needed.
Typically for AC control systems a UPS is used. Where
very high reliability is important, two independent UPS are
used. These typically are fed through an automatic transfer
switch with an open transition. One must consider using a
very short transfer time to coordinate with the downstream
control relays to keep them from dropping out during
transition. In most cases, general purpose relays cannot be
coordinated with a high-speed open-transition transfer switch
but heavy duty machine tool relays can.
DC control systems, on the other hand, can be paralleled
and fed from different sources without the need of a transfer
switch. This eliminates the concern for downstream relays

from dropping out. Fig. 5 shows a typical connection for both

and AC and a DC control system.

UPS A

UPS B

Power
Panel A

Power
Panel B

DC Power
Supply

DC Power
Supply

DC
Controls
Automatic
Transfer
Switch
AC
Controls

Fig 5: Dual DC/AC Power Source Configurations

2) Operational
Life:
Devices
that
incorporate
electromechanical switching of hard contacts tend to have a
shorter life than their solid state counterparts. This is due to
contact wear and mechanical failure. Most manufacturers
offer only 24 VDC control for solid state devices, suggesting
that 24 VDC must be more dependable.
In low power applications for 24 VDC control, contact
continuity is an issue that should be addressed. In most
cases, oxidation of the contacts slowly increases contact
resistance until continuity is lost. The rate and degree of
oxidation is due to a number of conditions including contact
design, operating current, switching frequency and operating
environment. Proper selection of the switching device will
reduce or eliminate occurrences of this problem.
Contact material must be reviewed to determine if its
suitable for the application needs. Gold plated contacts
typically provide the lowest contact and highest oxidation
resistance but have the lowest current carrying capability and
mechanical durability.
Other alloys can offer better
performance but also require higher minimum currents to
operate reliably. Mechanical contact design itself can have a
significant impact on contact continuity. Bifurcated and
pentafurcated contact designs can significantly reduce
continuity application issues. Hermetically sealed contacts are
available for applications in extreme environment applications
operating at very low power levels.
Indicator pilot lamps have a very poor life expectancy
compared to other control devices. Published estimated
operating hours for 24 VDC and 120 VAC incandescent lamps
are approximately equal. 24 VDC LED lamps provide the
longest life expectancy.
VI. COSTS
While good design, reliability and safety are key ingredients to
a successful controls system, cost is always an important
criteria in determining if a particular solution is acceptable.
The costs of a control scheme encompasses a variety of
items including engineering, startup, operation and
maintenance.
All of these must be considered when
determining the total lifetime costs.

1) Engineering: It is difficult to determine the difference in

engineering costs, however familiarity and reuse of previous
designs is usually a key factor in reducing development time
and effort.
2) Hardware: The most common and often the only factor
considered when designing a control scheme is the purchase
cost of the components. In general the 24 VDC versions of
the smaller, lower power, devices such as sensors and pilot
devices cost less while the larger, electromechanical devices
such as starters cost more. Fig. 6 shows relative cost of 24
VDC devices versus their 120 VAC counterparts.
NEMA
Contactors/Starters
IEC
Contactors/Relays
General Purpose
Relays
NEMA LED Pilot
Devices

IEC LED Pilot Devices

Controller Power
Supplies
Controller Input
Cards
Controller Output
Cards
Inductive Prox
Sensors

Photo Sensors

0%

20%

40%

60% 80% 100% 120% 140%

Fig. 6: Costs of 24 VDC devices as a percent of 120 VAC devices.

Historically, 120 VAC control power transformers cost

less than 24 VDC power supplies. DC power supplies provide
better voltage regulation and isolation than simple control
transformers. Today, 24 VDC power supplies designed for
use with standard control components such as contactors,
relays and pilot devices are available that offer the alternative
of reduced functionality at a lower cost. Loosening restrictions
on voltage regulation to +/- 10% has enabled newer designs
of 24 VDC power supplies to close the gap in cost versus 120
VAC transformers. Fig. 7 shows both a traditional 120 VAC
control power transformer with a top mounted secondary fuse
clip and a reduced functionality 24 VDC power supply. Since
the power supply is a functional equivalent of the control
power transformer, it can be used with a 24 VDC starter coil in
a MCC unit in place of the transformer. 24 VDC power
supplies generally offer inherent current limiting, shutting
down when sensing a shorted output, and recovering after the
fault has cleared. Compared to 120 VAC control systems,
this eliminates the need to replace blown secondary fuses,
offering a higher degree of control system reliability.

shorted outputs, etc. tend to be more available in 24 VDC

versions. Control systems designed to monitor and report
their status and health will be easier to troubleshoot and less
costly to maintain. Also, repair and replacement of devices in
low voltage systems can be accomplished with power applied,
reducing overall downtime. This could be a critical factor in
process industries or applications where downtime comes at a
premium.

VII. SUMMARY

Fig. 7: Traditional 120 VAC control power transformer and 24 VDC

power supply counterpart.

Another technology that reduces hardware costs for 24

VDC controls involves coil control circuitry for NEMA rated
starters. These devices have traditionally been more costly
than their AC counterparts due to the size and cost of the DC
coil. Although the contact holding force is much greater for DC
designs, holding load currents for DC coils are also higher.
This contributes to higher control power requirements and
potentially a voltage drop problem for longer cable runs. To
address this issue, coil control electronics have been added
that apply full voltage when the device is energized but then
via pulse modulation techniques, reduced coil voltage after
the contactor closes. This maintains higher contact force
(about 20% above a traditional 120 VAC contactor) while
reducing holding VA requirements to levels well below inrush
VA. Although coil control electronics may seem sophisticated
and costly for a standard NEMA starter, most new starter
designs already include electronic overload protection, so the
required circuit board is already a component of the starter
design.
3) Installation: Wire gauge size in DC systems is typically
smaller (#18-22 AWG) than AC systems (#14-16 AWG).
Smaller gauge wire is less expensive and allows the use of
high density terminations. This allows the enclosure and
raceway size to be reduced. However, without proper training
and tools, this may increase termination time during
commissioning by plant electricians.
The new NEC rules governing open wiring and cable
support can significantly impact installation costs. Where in
the past everything was installed in enclosed raceway
systems, the new guidelines now permit installation without
the use of raceways. This has a significant impact on
installation man-hours, reducing a projects bottom line.
4) Startup, Operation and Maintenance: The ability to
detect incorrect wiring and operation of devices are factors
that contribute to the startup and operation costs of a control
system. For most systems, the downtime costs of equipment
generally outweigh the cost of the devices. Devices providing
capabilities for diagnosing problems such as open inputs,

Selecting a system control voltage should be made based

on careful consideration of several factors. The two common
voltages being utilized in North American process control
applications include 120 VAC and 24 VDC.
The use of 120 VAC control is currently more common in
industrial applications in North America.
As a result,
engineers are more familiar with 120 VAC design, installation
and troubleshooting practices. Using test power from a
common receptacle has made this choice convenient for
qualified personnel troubleshooting control systems. There
are fewer design issues with field wiring regarding voltage
drop and noise. Extreme care should be taken to assure
safety from potential electrical shock. Although this potential is
presumed a low risk by most electricians that routinely work
on equipment at much higher voltages, the fact remains that
exposure to a live and poorly grounded 120 VAC circuit is a
relatively frequent occurrence that can be fatal.
The use of 24 VDC control is growing, particularly in
process control applications. It is inherently safe and is
aligned with the new codes and standards established for
enhanced safety. It allows for a reduction in the times where
lockout/tagout must be performed and often times control
panels can be serviced while still energized. The devices are
becoming extremely reliable, are often less expensive and
have better response times. 24 VDC power supplies provide
signal isolation and protection against shorted outputs and
power quality issues. 24 VDC allows direct interfacing with
process control equipment, reducing the need for interposing
relays.
Renewed emphasis on personal safety and improved
performance gives a strong edge to 24 VDC control for new
applications. As new product designs become available, and
costs continue to decrease, 24 VDC will inevitably become the
control system voltage of choice for industrial applications.

VIII. RERERENCES
[1] OSHA Regulations (Standards 29 CFR), Part 1910,
Subpart S Electrical General, U.S. Department of Labor,
http://www.osha.gov/OshStd_toc/OSHA_Std_toc.html.
[2] Code Changes 2002. National Electric Code. M Holt,
Consultant, EC&M Magazine, September 2001.
[3] National Electric Code, NFPA 70, National Fire Protection
Association, Quincy, Massachusetts, 1999.
[4] D. Mohla, D. Schouten, J. Tamblingson, Jr., and C.
Wellman, Comparative Issues of 24 V DC vs. 120 V AC
Process Control Systems", IEEE 2001 Petroleum &
Petrochemical Industry Technical Conference Record