Emerson Exchange 365

Ergon Refining already had a number of Emerson’s Smart Wireless solutions at their refinery in Vicksburg, Mississippi. But a remote location where product samples were stored and prepared for shipment presented yet another opportunity to refine daily operations. The results of a custom, solar powered pervasive field network solution were presented at the 2014 Emerson Global Users Exchange in Orlando, Florida.

Headquartered nearby in Jackson, Mississippi, Ergon is the largest manufacturer of naphthenic process oils in the world, with a processing capacity of up to 25,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Along with DeltaV and AMS Suite from Emerson, Ergon had 68 wireless devices, 40 wireless transmitters, 2 mobile worker tablets, 4 access points and a host of other solutions in use at the plant.

Separated from the control system room by several hundred yards, the sample room was normally staffed during the day shift. But without existing electrical or data network connections, moving data from one building to the other was labor intensive and inefficient. In addition, Ergon required that the sample room be monitored for safety and security around the clock.

To devise a solution, Ergon Systems Analyst Steve Giddens consulted with Kirk Giles, Sr. Control Systems Engineer with the John H. Carter Company (JHC), a local business partner of Emerson Process Management.

New data points were needed in the sample preparation room. “In order to accurately measure, analyze and transmit data for several parameters like alarming and history,” said Giddens, “additional instrumentation was required.” Protecting staff was also a priority, so the team factored O₂ and pressure monitoring for the nitrogen blanket system into the equation, plus more fire and smoke alarms.

Comparing a hardwired solution versus wireless, Gidden and Giles were concerned about infrastructure cost, deployment time, construction logistics and safety. “With hardwiring estimated at $250,000, a solar powered pervasive field network costing only $15,000 was the clear choice,” Giddens noted.

“We installed a solar powered wireless repeater with a direct line of sight to the refinery control room,” said Giles. “Wireless transmitters were put in place, sharing critical data between the sample room and refinery controls. To establish connectivity, a wireless field network mesh was extended through an area with no existing electrical or data network infrastructure.”

Taking just five days to complete, the wireless solution eliminated the time and expense of fiber-optic cable trenching in a live process area. At the same time, Ergon’s operational upgrade improved the safety classification in the sample building.

In addition to keeping the sample and control rooms connected day and night, wireless allows Ergon to extend field devices beyond plant areas that had been supported by hardwired infrastructure alone. While solving logistical challenges, Smart Wireless also delivered substantial cost savings with lower risk to Ergon’s plant and personnel.