Smart search capabilities in a process control system

Providing search results in response to a contextual process plant search query 1302 where a user submits a search query related to process plant entities, search results are obtained 1304 by identifying a data set from a contextual knowledge repository organized using attributes of process plant entities and semantic relations between process plant-related data and plant entities; the search results are then presented on a computing device based on the identified data set. Preferably, searches via the computing devices are external to the process plant, a data diode is put between a field-facing and edge-facing components of the process plant so data flows only from the field-facing to the edge-facing component, as in a unidirectional network (UDN). Plant entities perform physical functions to control a process, such as a valve, mixer, heat exchanger. Computing devices may be workstations, smart phones, tablets, vehicle head units (fig.10). Context for a query may include user location, time of search, previous searches, role of user. Results may include links 1310 to duplicate process plant-related data (fig.6) such as configuration data and run-time data. Analysis of the search query can be used to determine filters to apply to the search results.