CONTROL ROOM DESIGN AND ERGONOMICS
Environmental Aspects
Graphic displays should be placed out of the way of direct sunlight or other strong ambient lighting. The displayed information is prone to becoming ‘washed out’ and hard or impossible to read from certain angles. A good location of a large screen system is just below the ceiling level and angled down to the operator’s position. This location uses space that would normally be unusable. The down angle provides good visibility, does not interfere with the control room lighting, and is out of the way of direct sunlight.
A reliable large screen system requires a stable temperature and humidity control. This is important for the electronics and also the screens. Screens can be affected by changes of temperature and humidity. Ideally, they should be operated only in an air-conditioned control centre. Nowadays this tends to be standard. Another important factor is the noise created by large screen systems. Modern systems have very low noise dissipation. When a large screen system is integrated in the control centre design, care should be taken that the noise generated by the electronics is not transmitted to the control room. This can be avoided by installing sufficient levels of insulation. In modern control centres the controllers as well as other PCs tend to be located in a separate and secure server room.
As with any piece of electronic equipment, the ambient conditions are very important. Therefore it is important to ensure that such systems are installed in rooms with stable conditions. The environment must be relatively dust-free. Some vendors offer completely encapsulated systems with overpressure inside to prevent dust from entering. This is very useful for areas with a lot of dust, for example, in coal mines or in sandy areas, such as countries in the Middle East.
