A West Coast refinery must observe a new regulation for monitoring pressure relieving devices and other equipment that may expel VOC's to the environment. The requirements of this rule provide a number of options for companies that must comply, including: piping discharge to a collection and disposal system, manual monitoring three times per day with approved VOC detectors at each device, or installation of continuous electronic monitoring equipment. The rule further requires reporting of inspection results and all events resulting in discharge of 100 pounds or more of material. Non-compliance with the rule incurs significant fines. Economic alternative of installed solution:

Piping to disposal system - $25,000 per point

Install traditional electronic monitoring instruments - $12,000 per point

Install Wireless Acoustic Monitors - $1,000 per point.

A large east coast refinery has experienced a number of overfilling spill events in the tank farm. As a result, a program to install high level alarms on all tanks was approved. There are mechanical float level indicators installed in the tanks, however there is no power or signal wiring running from the terminal control building to the tanks. The cost to install traditional level alarms and wire them to an indicator panel in the control room is determined to be $500,000 to cover 22 tanks in an area of about ½ square mile. The customer was able to install multi-input wireless instruments to detect the high level contact closure in the float indicators and transmit the alarm condition up to 3000 feet back to the control room. The total cost to install this solution was less than $50,000. All of the tank alarms could be installed in less than one week.

Reliability engineering in a chemical plant seeks a viable method for pressure relief valve monitoring. A demonstration of the Accutech Acoustic monitor was conducted to validate the technique and the plant installed a system, now operational for nearly one year. It has performed effectively in a number of valve locations.

A chemical plant has 4 large high pressure steam traps that have high economic consequences of blowing through. The plant installed acoustic monitors on the traps for continuous evaluation, and subsequent to the initial installation, added a pressure relief valve monitor to the system.

A chemical plant in southern Louisiana has to measure flow, PH and temperature of waste water after treatment discharging to the Mississippi River. The measurement point is 2800 feet from the data collection point. A multi input unit collects flow and PH data in the form of milliamp input from existing instrumentation and a temperature field unit measures temperature. The data is converted to milliamp values using an analog output module at the data collection point. The equipment cost was $3400 whereas the estimated cost to install conduit and wiring was $56,000.

A large Gulf Coast chemical company needs to monitor temperature at a new location on a flare tower. No power or signal wiring is accessible due to the height and extreme temperature and loop wiring is very expensive. The customer was able to provide a thermocouple using a split architecture wireless temperature transmitter to measure and report the temperature.

A large chemical company uses an Accutech acoustic monitor to determine if plastic pellets have clogged a pneumatic conveying piping system. Non invasive installation allows for optimal placement of the sensor to determine the source of the block; eliminating the loss of acoustic signal which had systematically shut-down the pneumatic blower.

A chemical plant uses an Accutech wireless temperature sensor for flare temperature monitoring, saving installation costs for underground signal wires. An analog output box is used to re-create a standard 4-20mA signal, in turn feeding into the control system.

A chemical plant needs a solution for safety shower monitoring and saves $200,000 in wiring costs associated with monitoring 100 safety showers. Using WIM, with alarm-based reporting system, and the WI-8SW switch module multiple-point monitoring capability the plant saves multiple inputs into the control system.

A chemical company uses wireless switch monitor devices installed to monitor the position of process blocking valves. These devices confirm the position of the valves and trigger a safety shut-down system if blocking valves do not move to their proper positions as instructed by the control system. Using multiple base-radios, MODBUS output and networked measurement capabilities many wireless signals are able to coexist in the same confined area.

A large chemical corporation uses Accutech differential pressure sensors for the monitoring of pressure drop across particulate filters in a bag-house exhaust. Wireless measurements saved thousands by cutting the cost of running wiring down the building tower and across a road to the control room. Considerable installation labor and time was also saved allowing the instruments to be delivered three days prior to a turnaround startup with plenty of time to have the units running properly on the day of the startup.

A chemical laboratory monitors and records temperature and pressure on rotating dryers in a designated explosion-proof area as part of an FDA 21 CFR 11 validated process. Temperature and pressure measurements are being recorded with paper chart recorders mounted directly on the rotating dryers. This method has two drawbacks: the chart recorders cannot be read until the lengthy drying process is completed and vibrations associated with the rotation cause the chart recorders to provide readings with less than desired accuracy. By installing Accutech wireless temperature and pressure units on the dryers, the process measurements (4-20 milliamp outputs) are recorded real-time in a SCADA system, providing operators more useful information. The FDA 21 CFR 11 (electronic recordkeeping requirement) process is not impacted since it has already validated for 4-20 milliamp transmitter outputs wired into the SCADA system.

A specialty chemicals company manufacturing flame retardants, polymer additives and waste treatment chemicals needs a solution for temperature monitoring of exterior overhead pipes. Some of the chemicals are piped from one building to another via overhead insulated pipes. In the winter, it is possible that the product may freeze in the pipes causing temporary shutdown. By installing Accutech wireless temperature units on the pipes, the maintenance personnel and operators can be more proactive in monitoring the temperature of the product and make changes to the process in order to prevent freezing.

A plant Engineer for the loading terminal at a large chemical company is installing two wireless units as a high level shut-off for truck loading. The trucks are loaded from the bottom with a metered fill line and a high level switch is inserted into the top of the truck with a float level switch. The float is monitored with the wireless switch input connected to a switch module which provides a real switch closure, an overfill shut-off system. If the truck is filled too quickly, the wireless device closes a switch which shuts off the fill pump before the truck overfills. This company is also installing four temperature devices to monitor the preheating of rail cars before filling them. WIM will be running to display the rail car temperature curves over time.

A plant is required to measure the outflow of water from the plant site through an open channel flow measurement location 2000 feet away and across a street from the nearest data collection station. The cost to wire for power and flow reporting including trenching across the site's lawn and digging up the street was estimated to cost $35,000. A multi-input unit was installed at the channel to accept input from a flow meter and a base radio with single analog output installed at the data collection panel 2000 feet away for a total cost of $2100.

A marine station in Washington has a large 12' tank serving the drinking and bathing water needs for the marine station campus. Six pumps are utilized to carry water from the wells to the storage tank. To inspect the water level the facilities manager was forced to drive a truck ½ mile up the winding hill to manually inspect the level. A mechanical float has been traditionally used to check the tank level and if the water level inadvertently fell too low, a week-long class would have to be rescheduled. The facilities manager desired to instrument the tank with a level (gauge pressure) transmitter and then send a wireless signal 2000' down the hill and through the woods to his utility shack. There was no power at the tank, so the alternative was to install a relatively costly solar cell charged battery system to power a wireless system or use a battery operated wireless system. Running conduit and wire was cost prohibitive, and forced the manager to continue making a visual inspection. An Accutech wireless system was installed with a gauge pressure field unit on an existing pressure tap at the tank and a with base radio transceiver at the utility shack. A 4-20 milliamp output was ranged to show height (feet) on a digital display. The entire system cost including installation was less than $3,000.

A water treatment facility in Connecticut needs to monitor level in a large settling tank remote from any available power or instrument wiring. Using a battery powered DP wireless transmitter, the customer is able to automate what had been an undesirable manual task.

The waste water treatment plant was originally constructed in 1955 to process effluent prior to discharge into the Hudson River. The plant was expanded in 1971. In 1994, a project was undertaken to automate the plant’s critical measurement and control functions.

Due to the age of the plant and limitations for allocating additional land, a key element of the project was to work on the existing footprint which necessitated a creative approach for data acquisition. Trenching for conduit was completely impractical because of the topography and existing infrastructure on the site. As a result, the project was deferred. Subsequently, environmental compliance monitoring standards imposed the need to automate and a solution to the constraints had to be found.

The project was put on a fast track with design authorized in August of 2004. The main focus of phase one of the project was the installation of new analyzers for continuous, accurate measurement of chlorine, pH, DO and turbidity. By September, the project went out for bid and complete installation was scheduled for the spring of 2005, will full operation within 1 year of design.

Trenching and conduit installation was not practical from a cost, infrastructure and scheduling standpoint.

Accutech was selected as the partner of choice to provide 12 multi-input for 22 signals to the control center.

Alternate wireless $45,985 – Accutech was 50% less for hardware and 80% less installed cost compared alternate wireless I/O due to need for enclosures, wiring, etc.

Installation about 1 hour per unit

3MM gallons per day capacity

A large oil fired electricity generating plant is located near a river in a major metropolitan area in the northeast United States. The plant pumps fuel from barges and tankers through a tunnel from the pier that extends under a major surface road between the plant and the river. The fuel line is heated by steam tracing to ensure consistent fuel flow, particularly during cold weather. The tunnel is a confined space area presenting hazards to personnel entering the tunnel, and can be partially flooded with water, preventing inspections and presenting hazards to hard wiring monitoring instruments. The tunnel is about 400 feet long and there are 5 steam traps removing condensate from the steam tracing. Accutech acoustic monitors were installed to continuously monitor trap condition (blowing or cold), eliminating the need for costly inspections and dangerous exposure of personnel to hazards in the confined space. The base radio outputs continuous trap status to the plant historian system via RS 485 Modbus protocol.

A gas booster station service company needs to diagnose a number of pressures, temperatures and differential pressures for evaluation of process efficiency. Typically, smart transmitters are purchased and wired to a central data logger. The setup of equipment can take up to a week, while data collection runs for a day or two.

Disassembly of the equipment after test can also take a day or two. Using Wireless Instruments, setup and disassembly is about 4 hours. Additional savings are realized when taking into consideration wire, power supply and following safety precautions necessary when dealing with temporary wiring around flammable materials.

A gas producer in western Texas needs to monitor pressure relief valves in a separation plant. Acoustic monitors are used with a single base radio in the control room, where the monitor is periodically rotated to different valves for in-situ leak detection.

A large oilfield services provider supplies fractioning equipment to extend life and enhance recovery of oil from existing wells. During the process of setup and operation it is extremely critical to maintain sufficient head to the injection pump of appropriate materials, which are delivered to job sites in mobile tanks. The viscosity and density of the materials vary based on the particulars of the well. Traditionally, as liquid is injected into the well tank level is monitored manually, exposing personnel to potentially hazardous materials and creating potential inaccuracy in level measurement. The tanks are all vented to atmosphere, so gauge pressure field units would be capable of measuring level to within 0.25 inches. Using the 22 point curve feature, the provider is also able to calculate the remaining tank volume despite the irregular shape of the tanks. With the level measurement fully automated, safety and process effectiveness is improved significantly.

A large oil company uses Accutech wireless gauge pressure sensors to monitor tank level. Level measurements honed in to better than ±0.25" are recorded replacing manual dip-stick level measurement methods. Units are specially prepared to withstand abuse from rough handling in oil-field, and are packaged for rapid deployment and redeployment as crews move from site to site.

A gasoline company uses Accutech wireless for relief valve monitoring at unmanned compressor stations. Low pressure wireless sensors were installed in the discharge to atmosphere piping to monitor the relief status of pressure relief valves. The use of wireless devices saved the trenching cost associated with running normal pressure switches.

An oil company makes use of Accutech wireless sensors attached to conventional level probes to determine height of solids in a storage silo. Discrete input devices operate over the wireless link to the switch output box located in the PLC rack. The PLC controls the emptying and filling pumps and conveyors depending on the solids height.

An oil research center in California is conducting a wireless technology evaluation. The researchers have known the value of wireless networks and sensors for some years now. However, when evaluating technology for use in industrial process monitoring and control four years previous there was nothing on the market that met their needs. As a result, they had been working with a small wireless radio company to see if they could develop industrial wireless capabilities. When they were first introduced to the Accutech Wireless Instrumentation system, they found an "off-the-shelf" product that had many of the desired characteristics suitable for use in their refineries and oil patches.

A Large scale beverage manufacturer uses CIP Monitoring in a large scale batch process; getting incomplete diagnosis by using indirect methods of monitoring multi-head rotating spray nozzles. If the nozzles fail to rotate properly the tanks are not cleaned and the next batch is contaminated. Contamination is not detected until later in the process when the volume has increased, causing loss of product value plus disposal cost. The product must then also be treated as hazardous material and be removed using multiple tank cars.

Acoustic monitoring was validated to detect spray nozzle rotation. The installation cost including wiring of acoustic sensors is $6,000 per tank; whereas the installed cost of Accutech wireless is less than $1,000 per tank. The manufacturer's CIP monitoring is now 100% effective.

A large food manufacturer processes french fries at a plant and needs to monitor the suspended solids in the waste water to determine if there is any excess spillage of the product. The plant has power for a Suspended Solids Analyzer, but does not have the necessary wiring to bring the output back to the control room. An Accutech Multi-Input Field Unit was installed to bring the analyzer output back to the control room for continuous monitoring without running additional wiring.

A manufacturer ferments and recovers xanthan gum (a polysaccharide used in the food, pharmaceutical and industrial markets as a versatile thickener and stabilizer), primarily as an intermediary product for salad dressings. Monitoring and maintaining temperature is critical for the fermentation process. RTD temperature was instrumented locally on the tanks. Using the Accutech wireless system, the manufacturer has been able to add temperature to an existing control system to provide more reliable and real-time monitoring of the process.

A wood products company uses 30 foot diameter by 80 foot long rotating kiln dryers to process materials. There is no practical way to measure temperature with a traditional thermocouple due to wiring constraints. The solution for direct measurement was to use Accutech Thermocouple field units mounted on the rotating drum. The benefits realized include greater energy efficiency and improved product quality.

A paper manufacturer in Washington has deployed Accutech wireless infrastructure for various applications within the plant. A pressure unit has been installed to monitor the pulp line, a measurement that has always been inaccessible. The pressure unit has been installed approximately 70 feet above the ground floor and sends the measurement back to the control room. The rack room temperatures are now being monitored as well. With the infrastructure in place, the company is now looking at monitoring pH in the waste water treatment facility.

A metropolitan utility company supplies heating steam for many large buildings and traditionally reads meters and performs safety inspections on a monthly basis. Over a number of years, the company has automated the meter data collection via telecommunications networking but still performs monthly mandated safety inspections of steam traps manually. Accutech wireless Acoustic Monitors were configured to detect both blowing and cold trap conditions and were permanently mounted on the steam traps. An Accutech Base Radio provides continuous trap status output to the flow computers that are tele-networked to the central administration office. Technicians now only visit sites that have detected trap failures for corrective action.

A large power generating utility company in the southeast wants to monitor isolation valves in a large combined cycle power station where a control building is located between two CCGT generating plants. A single Accutech base radio is capable of receiving input from anywhere in either plant, subsequently an acoustic monitor is mounted on a variety of valves for periodic in-situ inspection intervals. When leakage is detected, maintenance is scheduled for the first available time slot resulting in cost savings through lower repair costs and significant reduction in steam loss through high pressure vent valves.

A steel company is updating old pneumatic pressure transmitters for steam pressure and river water pressure monitoring to modern electronic equipment. Because the existing infrastructure is pneumatic, the customer could save significant cost for installing wiring, conduit and the associated electrician labor. The customer determined that the equipment cost of Accutech wireless and conventional wired transmitters is about the same, but the installation cost was nearly ten times the equipment cost. Furthermore, the wireless system would be an easier and quicker installation and provide scalability to add more units in the future. Both points were approximately 200 feet away from the control room.

An energy company has a toxic gas monitor and needs to get the 4-20mA signal 1,000 feet back to the control room. The facility has very large and intense electric fields associated with multiple, large (10,000+ horsepower) electric motors. The cost of running underground conduit is excessive, thus many thousand dollars were saved with the wireless installation.

A leading energy transport, marketing, distribution and process company in Western Canada needs a solution for short-term temperature diagnostics. The company operates more than 45 distribution terminals, 500 miles of pipelines, two million barrels of tank storage and over 1000 truck transportation units. The maintenance personnel need a means of acquiring temperature data in various outside locations without the efforts of manually recording data in the harsh winter months. The solution is to use Accutech wireless temperature units to take short-term temperature readings at a centralized room.

A pharmaceutical company dries a high value product in a rotating tumble dryer, which is of very high importance for product quality. Historically, temperature has always been estimated by indirect means. However, using an RTD temperature field unit the company is able to monitor product temperature directly while the dryer is rotating.

A large manufacturer of cement, an energy-intensive process, is seeking a method of direct temperature measurement on a large rotating kiln which is a key element of the manufacturing process. The skin temperature of the kiln approaches 2300 F and temperature control is a critical aspect of ensuring product quality while optimizing manufacturing cost. A split architecture thermocouple temperature Wireless Field Unit was integrated with a custom thermocouple probe and thermowell designed specifically for the application, enabling direct temperature measurement in this demanding environment.

A mining company uses an Accutech wireless gauge pressure sensor to monitor pressure in a pipe-line, sending the signal across a state highway. The wireless signal allowed for continuous monitoring without disrupting the highway to bury the cable.