The future of industrial automation through wireless technology

Objective In the power sector mechanization particularly wireless technology, reduces material costs, labour and shortens the time required for installation and project execution. The future of industrial automation is developing and will not be limited to the distributed control system but will stretch beyond control solutions to provide structured advanced solutions for process. With the growing need for managing safety, cost, quality, energy efficiency and the perfect product mix, these advanced solutions have the potential to take the Indian industrial sector to the next level of performance. With technologies like virtualization, remote services, wireless and integrated solutions for safety, cyber security and energy efficiency, technology players are already gearing up to address the future need for permeant automation. With respect to the Indian power industry, huge power generation capacity additions in the ongoing and succeeding Five Year Plans have created tremendous demand for automation and instrumentation. Challenges for power plants Degeneration of technology, an acute insufficiency of skilled manpower for project execution and lifecycle support for installed systems are some of the challenges faced by Indian power plants. Specifically in the case of process safety systems, the power generation industry is sluggish in the adoption of safety PLCs for applications like boiler protection. To meet the challenges laid, it is considered critical that power plants ensure adoption of advanced technologies available today and sustain it throughout the lifecycle. Wireless cost savings Industry studies have shown that wireless technology delivers crucial cost savings over the lifespan of a project. Overall, the cost of a wireless solution can be 35 per cent of the cost of a wired installation. In challenging economic times, these savings are an important point consideration. Wireless technology further reduces costs by shortening the time required for installation and project implementation. Installation of wireless devices in the field can occur in a fraction of the time needed to install wired systems. Plus, wireless solutions minimize dependency on and coordination with subcontractors and change orders can be easily and quickly accommodated at a low cost. Garnering the benefits of employing these technologies, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) followed the process solutions mobile stations at their Rs 900 crore new fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) project at their Mumbai refinery. They used it to streamline commissioning activity, improve productivity by 20 per cent and generate savings of approximately Rs 1.5 crore per day. The mobile stations increased productivity and reduced operating costs of communication infrastructure by expediting the commissioning of different systems and subsystems.

Wireless technology stretches the ambit of process automation beyond the control room. The mobile station extends access to critical process information, historical data, graphics and other key functions to the field. Below are some benefits that had a direct affect on improving productivity: Loop checking time taken reduced from 1 hour to 20 minutes Mod-bus connectivity checking time taken reduced from almost 24 hours to 1 hour Control valve checking time taken reduced from 1 hour to 20 minutes

There are myriad remote applications in plants that can benefit from wireless technology. For example, one Nebraska power plant is using wireless technology to monitor their remote oil tanks. In addition, they are now able to efficiently monitor water run-off where electricity is unavailable. Some plants are considering such applications: Supervisory control and data acquisition Emissions monitoring Flame sensing with transmitters or even a remote wireless video Control applications, such as turbine control, boiler control, or motor control Monitoring the health of rotating assets

To conclude, the overall impact of installing wireless technology is far-reaching. It cuts downs labour and material costs and shortens the time required for installation and project execution. Wireless solutions also minimize dependency on subcontractors. Technology is available not only to address current challenges, but also prepared to address them in the future.