Test & measurement
Advanced communications make it easier to integrate sensors into wider monitoring and control schemes. In the case of the latest ABB range, HART, Profibus, Modbus and Ethernet are all onboard. Even Bluetooth is available for access via a mobile device using the EZlink Connect app. As well as the primary goal of helping operators keep track of water quality remotely, better connectivity also offers users the option of establishing an external live feed to demonstrate compliance to regulators and reassure other stakeholders such as wild swimmers or anglers that their local bodies of water are safe to use. Cybersecurity is the flipside of increased openness and easier communications. All ABB systems include effective security protocols as part of the package. For instance, we offer two-factor authentication when communicating with sensors via Bluetooth.
NEW POSSIBILITIES
Advanced communications and access to rich data open up opportunities for improvement that go way beyond simply doing the same things better. Maintenance is probably the most obvious example.
A traditional analogue pH sensor will only provide the pH reading. It cannot provide an early warning notification to highlight where maintenance will be required, like those with reference electrode monitoring (REM) for instance. And if there is a fault, it can send an alarm, but without any in-depth diagnostic information to go with it, an engineer may not bring the right kit along to fix it first time. In contrast, self-diagnostic capabilities and rich data enable asset managers to make the transition to predictive maintenance. Conventional preventive maintenance involves engineers visiting each sensor and carrying out a range of maintenance tasks according to a fixed timetable. In contrast, predictive maintenance enables engineers to schedule a visit only when the instrument detects that maintenance is needed. This reduces downtime and achieves greater overall equipment availability, thereby improving performance and reducing maintenance costs. In this way, predictive maintenance helps optimize the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the instruments.
THE FUTURE OF WATER ANALYSIS Most observers agree that we are still in the early stages of the digital transformation, with data poised to drive big changes across almost every area of industrial operations. This grand vision is certainly inspiring, but it largely comes down to the cumulative impact of smaller changes in technology, which have already started to yield some big benefits. Digital sensors in water monitoring fall into this category, effectively answering the twin challenges of workforce and process optimisation faced by utilities and other industrial water users.
ABB 84
www.abb.com September 2024 Instrumentation Monthly
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