Off The Grid Wireless Communication for Process Measurement and Control

The Analynk preconfigured combination solar and battery
power unit enables simple off the grid implementation.

Remote process stations of almost any type requiring monitoring and transmission of measurement data can be accommodated easily with Analynk's solar power unit. The compact preconfigured unit needs just a selection of process measurement gear and a wireless transmitter to enable simple installation. Analynk has already done the design and assembly. The user installs their measurement gear and an Analynk transmitter, performs a quick setup operation, and the station is up and running.

In addition to the obvious advantage of enabling process measurement and transmission where power is not available, there may be instances where a wireless solution saves time and expense of extending a power circuit to the instrument location. The power supply unit comes complete with solar panel, battery, charge controller, and NEMA 4 enclosure. Options are available to accommodate specific installation requirements and custom units can be assembled for larger power requirements and other special applications.

The data sheet below provides more detail. Share your wireless process measurement and control connectivity challenges with Analynk for effective solutions.

Solar power supply for industrial wireless transmitters from Analynk Wireless, LLC

Industrial Wireless Application: Remote Equipment Monitoring

The A16000 Expansion Module increases the I/O
capacity of a standard wireless transmitter or receiver
Image Analynk Wireless, LLC

Imagine yourself a newly hired facilities manager, the go-to person responsible for the proper and continuous performance every machine on site. One machine in particular, you are informed, is a large walk-in refrigerator that houses the primary raw material for the production operation. There is a lot riding on that machine because the stored material is useless if not kept cold. Oh, and by the way, the plant site is bisected by a public street and the refrigerator is located across the street from the main building where the facilities office is housed. Your assessment of the equipment reveals that a lone temperature alarm device monitors refrigerator temperature and sounds a loud horn if the refrigerator temperature reaches a high limit setpoint. There are no existing wire pathways between the main building and the walk-in refrigerator that are available for your use.

Clearly, the level of risk associated with the refrigerator is high. It merits implementation of an improved strategy to monitor refrigerator performance. Things under consideration include some the following items.

• A real time display of the current refrigerator temperature in the facilities management office. 
• Analysis of the temperature data for an upward or downward trend that might indicate the beginning of a malfunction of the cooling system or controls.
• Monitoring of refrigeration compressor motor current, which can be related to the temperature data to confirm that the compressor is operating when it should.
• Real time display of refrigerant suction and discharge pressures.
• Analysis of refrigerant suction and discharge pressure to identify trends or conditions that may indicate service is needed or malfunction is imminent.
• Verify the door to the refrigerator is closed.
• Monitor evaporator fan motor current to verify that all fans are operating.

The greatest challenge in this application is not the gathering of the information, nor its analysis. The difficulty, as well as a substantial cost and time constraint, is delivering the information from the point of measurement to the point of use. Analog signals for real time temperature, refrigerant pressure, and motor current can be easily derived through the addition of sensors to the equipment. The only sensors likely to require intrusive work to install are those for refrigerant pressure. Routing the measurement signals to the facilities office across the road may prove difficult.

A wired connection between the measurement location to the facilities office will require either an underground or overhead routing of cable, traversing the public road. Permission from state, county, and/or local jurisdictions may be required and present potential barriers to timely completion of the project. The cost to install the cabling will be substantial. The distance may be long enough for signal attenuation to be a concern.

The best solution, in terms of initial cost and time to completion, is to establish a dedicated wireless connection between the walk-in refrigerator and the facilities office.

 A multi-input transmitter is installed at the walk-in refrigerator. The transmitter converts digital (switch) and analog input signals into encrypted digital data and transmits in the 900 MHz band to the receiver installed in the facilities office. The receiver decrypts the received data and mirrors the original analog and digital signals at its output terminals. Wireless overcomes the barriers presented by a wired installation, allowing completion in a timely manner at substantially reduced cost.

If you can operate a walkie-talkie, you can establish industrial wireless connections between remotely located, or mobile, equipment and central monitoring locations. Share your ideas and challenges with industrial wireless experts, leveraging your own knowledge and experience with their application expertise.

Process Connections - Wireless is Simple Solution to Many Challenges

Wireless connections for industrial process signals

The operating personnel at almost every facility have something to which they would like to connect. Remotely located equipment, activities that require a human to be present to monitor operation, and other scenarios are all candidates for a wireless connection. Have you ever thought that it would be helpful to know more about the current status of a remotely located piece of gear, for example, the back-up generator located across the parking lot? Budgets, time constraints, cabling difficulties, and other factors seem to continually outweigh the benefits of making the connection and gathering the data. Those days are gone. In fact, they have been gone for some time.

Industrial wireless transmitters, receivers, and repeaters can be applied in place of wires, cables, conduit, trenches, overhead supports, and all the other hardware associated with a wired installation. Data is gathered using whatever process measurement hardware you prefer, just specify commonly used output signals like 4-20 mA, or a host of others. Connect the measuring device output to the transmitter input. Locate a receiver where you want the sensor information delivered. The transmitter converts the sensor analog signal to digital and the receiver converts back to analog. The connection can be accomplished in a very short amount of time without disturbance to the real estate between the two points.

How can I tell if the wireless connection can be accomplished without interference?

The transmission is accomplished in either the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz band, delivering adequate range and power for most facility-wide applications. Obstructions can be overcome with the use of a strategically located repeater.

What about power needed to operate the sensors and wireless equipment?

Most process sensors have very small power requirements, as do the Analynk transmission units. Power, if line voltage is not available at the location, can be provided by batteries, or combination of battery and photovoltaic. Little power needs to be provided for operation.

There may be simple and effective wireless solutions to many of your remote monitoring challenges. Don't assume it is difficult, it is not. Don't assume it is expensive, it is not. Share your ideas and challenges with the experts at Analynk. Combining your facility and process knowledge with their technology and product expertise will lead to effective solutions.

Increasing Generator Set Starting Reliability

Genset monitoring application is ideal for use
of the A16000 Expansion Module

Standby electric generators, often powered by gas or diesel fuel, are critical to maintaining operations in the face of electric power outages. Generator sets for industrial or commercial use are often provided with onboard controls to automatically start the unit, activate a transfer switch, and take the unit back off-line when grid power is restored.

A generator set is a risk mitigation asset, intended to prevent loss of operations when certain adverse conditions occur. Power failures are generally infrequent, so the equipment remains idle most of the time. Automatic controls can test run the unit periodically, but continuous monitoring of a few points on the equipment can provide information that increases the assurance that the unit will start when commanded. Delivering the data to an operations center for monitoring and storage for analysis provides a supervisor a snapshot of unit readiness in real time, anytime.

Some items to monitor that can increase your assessment of startup reliability:

• Fuel Level - Clearly, knowing the current fuel level is useful. Being able to read the engine fuel level from your operations center saves technician time and provides a continuous means of estimating available generator runtime.
• Engine Block Heater - Measure the current flowing to the engine block heater to make sure the heater is functioning properly. 
• Battery - A voltage reading provides indication of battery health.
• Ambient Temperature - While not essential, logging temperature along with the other items can provide some useful data that may reveal some correlations.
• Generator Controller Fault Indicators - If the generator control system provides any outputs that will indicate detection of a fault, monitoring their status at the facilities office brings the data to where it can be acted upon immediately.

There may be other aspects of a generator set that can be monitored during standby to increase the assurance of a startup on command. A careful assessment of each system in place will reveal the possibilities.

Analynk manufactures all the transmitters and sensors necessary to deliver the data points needed. With many generators located remotely from the point where the data should be delivered, Analynk's wireless communications products can be employed to deliver all the data from the generator to the facilities or operations center without having to install any cabling between the locations.

Reach out to Analynk with your performance or process monitoring and data delivery challenges. Combing your process and facilities knowledge with their product application expertise will produce effective solutions. 

Industrial Wireless Communications - Think About Where You Can Use It

Wireless communications applications with beneficial impact
are everywhere, Imaginative thinking is needed.

Analynk builds equipment that empowers anyone with an industrial process control application to make signal connections from sensors to controllers or recorders over distances not practically cabled. The cost and available scale of this technology has reached a level where smaller companies can incorporate it into their operations to increase functionality and efficiency. If you have not done so already, it is time to become familiar with the application basics of this technology and start evaluating your operations for ways to beneficially use industrial wireless communications.

In a simplified fashion, here is how you do it.

• Identify what you want to measure. Typical examples include temperature, pressure, contact closure, or anything else for which a sensing or detecting device is available.
• Find the device most suited for your measurement. It will be convenient to use a device providing a commonly used output signal. Examples include 4-20 ma, 0-5 VDC, and others.
• Select the communications band that best suits your application. Short distances, up to several miles, often use 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz. You can also use the cellular network or one of several satellite networks for extended coverage.
• Select a compatible transmitter, like those from Analynk, to convert the sensor output signal into digital form and transmit it across the network.
• Select a compatible receiver, also available from Analynk, to receive the transmitted signal and convert it back into the original signal form. This output signal will connect to your control or monitoring equipment.
• If you need to send a responding control signal back to the remote location, follow the same plan with the transmission and receiving equipment reversed.

The first time you do it, there will be some things to learn, progress may be a little slow. Once your first attempt is completed, you will understand what needs to be done and further implementation will proceed quickly. There are uncountable applications for this technology that can enable your organization to increase effectiveness, broaden the scope of your operation or service offering, and build a more efficient process. Data points that were previously out of reach are now accessible in real time. Knowing the capabilities of industrial wireless will enable you to recognize useful applications throughout your organization.

You can always contact the specialists at Analynk Wireless to discuss your potential applications. They will help you meet application challenges and get connected.

Connecting With Remote Oil Field Installations

Wireless communications can connect remote oil field
equipment monitoring to a central control point

Oil is sought all across the globe, from the tropics to the Arctic. It is the king of commodities, chattered about endlessly on news channels and touching facets of our lives without our ever being aware. Oil is big and serious business, with tremendous sums of money at risk on the prospect of reaping even greater returns.

Like all raw materials derived from the Earth, oil is often discovered in very remote areas with no transportation, communication, or other infrastructure nearby. It is common for producing wells to operate unattended, which saves cost and increases operational risk due to failure or malfunction that may occur on the site. Maintaining efficient and safe operation at the site is not a luxury, but a necessity. Delivering real time data from remote sites to monitoring and decision making centers is crucial to achieving profitable and safe operation at remote sites.

Analynk manufactures transmission and receiving equipment that builds the bridge between remote sites and the home office. From elemental componentry to integrated, ready to run systems, Analynk specializes in wireless communications for industrial process control. Contact us with your wireless challenges. Whether an expansive multipoint, or a single point application, the specialists at Analynk can combine standard or customized products into a practical solution for you.