Honeywell unveils new wireless technology for terminal operators
6/5/2013 12:00:00 AM
The announcement was first made at the International Liquid Terminals Association’s (ITLA) 33rd annual conference and trade show in Houston. The OneWireless solution enables operators of oil and gas terminals to increase their productivity while also complying with stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) regulations, all at significantly lower cost than wired technology, according to Honeywell officials.
“There is constant pressure on terminal operators and owners to improve productivity, efficiency, safety and security with limited capital and operating budgets," said Ray Rogowski, global marketing director for Honeywell Process Solutions.
"The OneWireless Terminal Solution helps enable customers to achieve these goals within their budgets," he added. In a competitive industry, terminal operators are investing in tank automation to meet new safety regulations as well as continuously looking for ways to manage costs. Wireless-enabled tank gauging is less expensive, at about half the cost of the wired alternative.”
The system includes the ISA100-compatible Honeywell Enraf SmartRadar FlexLine, the highest-precision wireless radar gauge available, according to the company.
Requiring no external wireless module, the FlexLine’s integrated radio sends tank level measurements securely and wirelessly to the central control room. The Flexline is also used as a data concentrator, collecting data from local tank instruments and sending the data wirelessly through the same ISA100 network.
The OneWireless solution also comprises applications such as Honeywell’s mobile productivity tools (field advisor, mobile station and Experion mobile access), helping with the adoption of operator driven reliability (ODR) programs and enabling operators to complete activities more efficiently and safely.
Other applications include wireless fixed and portable gas detectors and wireless video, such as Honeywell’s digital video manager to enhance plant security and process monitoring. For a mid-size petrochemical facility, ODR and these wireless applications could generate more than $1 million in annual cost savings, the company says.
Honeywell notes that its OneWireless solution enables all of these applications in a single network, which can be tailored to offer either ISA100-only coverage or ISA100 and Wi-Fi coverage. This can help companies realize an additional 25% cost savings in material, installation and maintenance costs over other wireless solutions.
“The viability and acceptance of wireless technology in our industry is now reaching a tipping point,” said Richard Thompson, general manager of Honeywell Enraf.
“Honeywell invested early on in the OneWireless product suite to allow customers to focus on their primary business, rather than the technology. We can seamlessly manage the data traffic across multiple solutions and multiple wireless standards.”
The OneWireless solution will be available in the third quarter of 2013, along with the ISA100 compatible version of SmartRadar FlexLine and OneWireless Network R220. More information can be found on Honeywell's website.
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