Telemetry is a broad subject and it is applicable to many different areas: from safety monitoring in nuclear plants, to the migration habits of endangered species. It is widely used in big projects like power plants, sewer control and purifying water plants; and their versatility has found diverse applications in the private arena. Thanks to the advances in technology, telemetry is used successfully in chemical plants and the food industry; this used to be a challenge in the past as stainless steel and concrete interfere with some wireless signals.
Measuring of physical and chemical parameters in tanks are areas where telemetry has huge applicability. Due to the diversity of configurations, there is not a one size fits all solution. When shopping for the best telemetry system for your particular business requirements, you need to have a clear idea of your conditions beforehand. There are seven main elements involved in the implementation of the system, if you clarify your needs in these seven points, it will be very easy to choose the right configuration:
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Sensor/hardware optimization: The sensors to be used will be affected by the nature of the substance in the tank. It is not the same to have acid, fuel or syrup. So take note of what is in the tank.
Sensor integration: Depending on what you want the sensor to measure and the conformation of your tanks, the best position to place it will vary. You also need to specify if you are using the system for a single tank or multiple tanks. The main options for positioning in site are:
Flow meter: in or out Bottom: differential pressure Top: ultrasonic or contact Contact: high, low or overflow
Form of communication/signal: The optimal form of communication will be determined by the location characteristics and accessibility of signal. The two main groups are short range wireless connection or long range wireless connection.
Short range: If your tank is close to a LAN(Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network), you can use low energy signals. Some of the options available are: 802.xx protocol, Wi-Fi and short haul RF. Which one is the best depends on the obstacles in the signal´s path and their wave absorption power.
Long range: If the tank is in a remote place or the short range signals are absorbed, some of the options are digital mobile technology (GPRS/CDMA), analog cellular, satellite or a combination of them.
Power: The communication devices need energy to operate. If your tank is local, pay attention to the power configuration and see if you can hardwire or if you need a battery. If the tank is on a remote location, you can you use a battery or you might need solar charging.
Communication frequency/Direction of signal: The optimal communication frequency will be consequence of the nature of the data you want to analyze and store; and if you want the system to perform actions or not. If you are using telemetry for transmitting data to a central hub for security or analysis, then you will need one way communication. If you want the system to be able to respond to certain signal and generate changes (open/close a valve for example), you need two way communication.
Once you choose one or two way communication, there is still the actual transmission frequency. Some of the options are: continuous, minutely, hourly, daily, monthly or alarm activated (usually high or low level).
The communication frequency and direction of signal will affect the choice of the emitter and receiver hardware, and partly the management software used or custom developed for you.
Storage and Management of information: If you have a LANor WAM, you can store and run the analysis of the information on your own network. In this case, at least one of the computers of the network will be dedicated to this endeavor, and the reception hardware will be attached to it. If, on the other hand, people from different geographical locations need access to the information, then you might opt for a hosted solution. Hosted solutions allow for 24-7 access via internet, so it becomes location independent.
Budget: There are hardware choices in different price ranges. As rule of the thumb, the smaller the up-front cost the bigger the long term cost. The total cost of the project will be given by the hardware itself, installation, life of the equipment and maintenance costs.
These are the seven main elements to analyze when looking for a telemetry system for your business requirements. If you search for a service provider with this information at hand, the search will be much more efficient and you will be able to take informed decisions fast.
Telemetry - How To Choose The Right Telemetry System For Your Business Requirementswireless network detector
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