Feature Test & Measurement
Derek Richardson, group sales director at the IMC Group, allays some of the fears surrounding wireless technology and explains how correct investment can lead to long term benefits
he benefits of wireless technol- ogy within modern businesses cannot be underestimated as it has the potential to transform our
ability to gather data from diverse sources and locations. It also over- comes the need for vast numbers of fixed cables, and this in turn expands the scope for measurement further and wider than ever before. Clearly, in these environmentally
conscious times, energy monitoring has been identified as a major beneficiary of this rapidly evolving area of innovation. However, at a time when engineers
should be looking forward to the broader horizons offered by the world of wireless monitoring, there are lin- gering doubts over the reliability of much of the associated technology currently available. At its best, this type of monitoring
delivers vital data that can inform sig- nificant strategic decisions both for individuals and businesses. As such, it’s hugely important that the data provided is accurate, immediate and consistent.
Diluting the message Unfortunately, there is a lot of inferior technology on the market and it is lead- ing many to dismiss wireless monitor- ing as a fad that can’t be trusted to do its job. It’s a great shame that this field has become tarnished because the best radio frequency (RF) solutions, which fulfil all the promise of the wireless revolu- tion, can be overlooked as a result. Ultimately, the biggest cause of fail-
ure is frequency. In the field of wireless monitoring, a lot of companies have seized upon the 2.4GHz network as the best channel. After all, it’s the interna- tional standard adopted by the com- puter industry worldwide, and it tends to be the cheapest option. However, this option does have critical limitations. Although it is perfectly suited to han- dling high speed data, it has a low range, and that is where problems arise. Higher frequencies have shorter wave- lengths and the result is poorer propaga- tion through a building. In other words, the signal will only travel a short dis- tance in real world applications. This is extremely problematic when
it comes to energy monitoring, which gives rise to another common miscon- ception. There’s a big different between
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automatic meter reading (AMR), which is typically provided by what are known as smart meters, and energy monitoring. The first gives you an over- all meter reading, which is fine as a gen- eral indicator, but limited in terms of real usefulness. By contrast, energy monitoring can build up a much more detailed picture by finding out exactly where the electricity is going - whether it’s air conditioning, heating, lighting, power sockets or IT servers. Working from that level of data, you can make much more informed decisions about energy management or reduction of usage, which can have very important financial implications.
Putting range to the test In a large building such as a hotel, fac- tory, hospital or multi-storey office, the distance that data drawn from energy monitoring can travel (between rooms, departments and floors), becomes a cru-
A range of possibilities T
Above: Derek Richardson, group sales director at the IMC Group
wireless energy monitoring was at Manchester Art Gallery. The gallery recently embarked on a monitoring pro- gramme to assess energy usage. With only fiscal sub-metering available, it was clear that the gallery’s directors required a more detailed analysis. The objectives were to provide baseline data to support a funding application for a new low energy lighting system, recover costs for various events and activities, and reduce overall running costs by monitoring the burden of equipment that maintained strict environmental conditions throughout the building, 24 hours a day.
Following the simple installation of a
cial factor to consider. My advice is simple - always request a range test. Some incredibly innovative solutions have been developed in the UK to over- come the issue of limited range. Rather than being restricted to 100m (line of sight), it is possible to send data over astonishing distances of up to 3,500m (line of sight). The only way of deter- mining this is to ask your chosen sup- pliers to undertake a like for like demonstration. In other words, put them to the test and see for yourself what they can deliver. A great example of the effective use of
Above: a great example of the effective use of wireless energy monitoring was at Manchester Art Gallery
wireless energy monitoring system by Hanwell, the gallery was able to recover the full costs of commercial activities outside of normal hours. With an aver- age of 90 events per year, this equated to approximately 440 hours, or about ten percent of annual average opening hours. The data was also used to help set fees as part of the catering contract tender process, to identify areas of waste and inefficiency, to inform good practice, to support a strategy of invest- ment in the building’s infrastructure of machinery and equipment, and to enhance the gallery’s reputation as an environmentally responsible operation. There, in brief, is a demonstration of
how investment in the best wireless monitoring technology can deliver incredible long term value. Wireless technology can be a hugely powerful tool that fulfils all its promise, but only if you choose wisely.
IMC Group
www.the-imcgroup.co.uk T: 0844 815 6227
Enter 201 MAY 2011 Electrical Engineering
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