Wireless instrumentation and low-cost apps make it possible to monitor pumps, steam traps and other equipment for a fraction of the previous cost, and in much less time.
“Until recently, when engineers wanted to monitor plant equipment such as steam traps, pumps or heat exchangers they were often faced with difficult, complex and expensive projects,” says Brian Joe, Rosemount wireless product manager, in his article, Apps Simplify Wireless Monitoring, published on Automation.com.
Today, however, wireless instrumentation and low-cost apps make it possible to monitor pumps, steam traps and other equipment for a fraction of the previous cost, and in much less time. Brian describes how equipment monitoring can be accomplished with WirelessHART® instruments and dedicated software analytics running as an app.
“Emerson alone has nearly 30,000 wireless networks installed, with more than 8 billion hours or operation,” he notes. “Because wireless networks don’t require a wired infrastructure, a wireless instrument can be installed for one-third to one-fifth the cost of a wired 4-20mA or fieldbus instrument.”
Multiple wireless instruments form a mesh network so data can be passed from one instrument to another, thus avoiding obstacles, increasing transmission distance and providing reliability of the network in case one instrument fails. These instruments don’t require power wiring, so they can be installed virtually anywhere to monitor just about anything.
Brian cites an example to demonstrate the ease: “Adding a steam trap monitoring system is simple and inexpensive. When Rosemount 708 wireless acoustic transmitters are installed on steam traps, they automatically join the plant’s WirelessHART mesh network, are recognized by the wireless gateway, and begin transmitting data.”
And, Emerson’s software “apps” make analyzing the collected data very easy. Each app can acquire data via a wired connection to the plant’s gateway, or from a wireless I/O card. Each app can also access data from historians, databases or other sources via industry-standard interfaces such as OPC UA and Modbus TCP/IP.
Brian explains how this works: “Each app addresses specific assets—such as steam traps, pumps, heat exchangers and other items—with simple and inexpensive plug-in solutions. These apps run independently of a plant’s control system. The app package is simple to install, easy to manage and available to multiple users simultaneously.”
Emerson offers Plantweb Insight apps for steam traps, pumps, heat exchangers, corrosion monitoring, and other equipment, with more apps scheduled for release in coming months. As Brian explains, “These systems can be brought online in hours or days rather than months, and often at a fraction of the cost of traditional wired instrumentation. In many cases, payback is achieved in a matter of months, and an initial system can be installed at minimal cost to prove viability.”