Wireless Sensor Networks Sing New Song

Hi Moose: I'm interested in using this technology to collect data from vibration sensors. Sample rate 100 kHz. Where can I get more information? Vibes

A chemical manufacturing and refining plant, wanted to upgrade remote safety shower monitoring systems to comply with OSHA guidelines. Though the existing shower facilities fall under a grandfather clause and are not subject to more stringent OSHA regulations, the customer wanted to reduce the potential for insur­ance and litigation issues that could occur with on-the-job accidents. XYR wireless transmitters provided a reliable and cost-effective solution.

Problem

As required by OSHA First Alert Response guidelines, in the event of an incident the plant operator should be alerted of a running shower within 5 to 10 seconds of its use. The shower indication can also serve to alert plant opera­tions to bigger, potentially more significant problems in the remote areas of the plant.

Many of remote safety showers in the plant were located in explosion-proof areas with no existing wiring. The estimated cost just to run cable to 17 shower sites in explosion-proof areas for monitoring purposes was $600,000, which includes trenching, resurfacing, cable, and conduit. It does not include the extensive time involved to install the wiring in the area for monitoring. The plant needed a more cost effective alternative to installing monitoring systems for the remote safety showers.

Solution

Using wireless technology to monitor remote shower usage eliminated the need for Class I, Div 1 instrumentation and the associated wir­ing and installation costs. The wireless system, using either a target alarm or pressure, alerts the control room immediately, so situation management can be implemented sooner.

The costs to purchase wireless transmit­ters and install them in the 17 shower areas ran about $20,000. The customer saved $580,000 installing wireless transmitters, a price that made OSHA compliance a far less costly proposition.

Customer Comment

"We were able to meet OSHA requirements in a very short amount of time – and at one-tenth the cost of the other solutions we considered."

Benefits

Wireless transmitters remove the barriers to monitoring variables where traditional transmitters are too costly to implement. They're designed for applications with no access to power, hazardous or remote locations, where instrumentation changes are frequent or where manual readings are taken today.

Honeywell XYR wireless transmitters reliably and securely transmit up to 2000 feet on a 3-5 year battery life with an accuracy of ±0.1%. You'll efficiently, quickly and safely monitor process areas and assets that have not previously been practical.

• Reduced Installation, Maintenance and Operating Costs

• Improved Product Quality

• Meets Regulatory Requirements

• Ensures High Uptime

• Enhances Flexibility

In a rolling mill application it is critical to monitor bearing temperatures to predict bearing failure. Bearing failures can lead to unplanned downtime resulting in lost production, delayed customer deliveries and revenue shortfalls for the business. A major steel producer used wireless technology to provide reliable early warning of potential bearing failures.

Problem

Strategically placed thermocouples are typically used to measure bearing tempera­ture. But very often water and moisture in the conduit runs to the thermocouples and collects in the thermocouple heads, creating inaccurate temperature readings. Due to these inaccurate readings, the alarms used to detect bearing temperature at this steel production site were not reliable. Low readings meant that a bearing could heat up without the alarm unit detecting the problem.

Instrument technicians tried to seal the ther­mocouple heads and conduit with Duxseal or silicone, but moisture still got in. If the high bearing temperature isn't detected bearing failure will certainly result, causing thousands of dollars in downtime and repair. Techs then have to enter the hazardous area to replace thermocouples.

Solution

The mill installed XYR5000 wireless temperature transmitters with integral thermocouples to monitor the bearings. Because the thermocouple is sealed within the transmitter and wireless technology doesn't require wire or conduit, there's no conduit en­try point for water or oil - and no more failures from moisture in the instrumentation.

With the new equipment instrument techni­cians can predict possible failures and take preventative measures to avoid bearing failure. This information helps keep employees out of hazardous locations, preventing possible injury, and reduces process downtime that occurred with bearing failure.

User Comment

"Since we installed the wireless transmitters we have eliminated bearing failures caused by sensor or wire failure"

Benefits

Wireless transmitters remove the barriers to monitoring variables where traditional transmitters are too costly to implement. They're designed for applica­tions with no access to power, hazardous or remote locations, where instrumentation changes are frequent or where manual read­ings are taken today.

XYR 5000 wireless transmitters reliably and securely transmit up to 2000 feet on a 3-5 year battery life with an accuracy of ±0.1%. You'll quickly and safely monitor process areas and assets you've only ever dreamed of.

• Reduced Installation, Maintenance and Operating Costs

• Improved Product Quality

• Meets Regulatory Requirements

• Ensures High Uptime

• Enhances Flexibility