Chemical Processing-August 2008

From the eDitor wireless takes center stage Vendor playfully shows what the technology offers plants Recently I’ve attended several large conferences run by automation vendors. Certain topics such as cyber security (see p. 20), control system migration (www.ChemicalProcessing.com/voices/rosenzweig. html) and wireless technology (www.ChemicalPro cessing.com/resource_centers/wireless.html) have gotten a lot of attention at all of them. Detailed technical presentations and user roundtables provided a wealth of information while in the exhibit halls information abounded on numerous commercial offerings. However, dry discussions and product pitches aren’t the only ways to effectively educate potential users. Consider what took place at the Honeywell Users Group Americas Symposium in mid-June in Phoenix. Wireless technology received considerable coverage. Of course, there were technical talks as well as products on display. But Honeywell did something different, too — presenting a lively and informative skit called “Becoming Wireless.” The performance ran about an hour. It featured five Honeywell employees, not actors. Yet, the result was effective as well as entertaining — the Honeywell people clearly were having a good time. I particularly related to the skit because the main character, Dave (played by Dave Kaufman), is a reporter with an engineering degree. He works at the Daily Planet. He’s loafing until the paper’s demanding editor, Patricia White (Cindy Bloodgood), orders him to visit the plant of Metropolous Industries because she’s heard it’s doing great things thanks to wireless technology (Honeywell’s OneWireless, of course). Once at the plant, Dave meets Ken (Ken Carfagno), an instrument technician, who takes him into the instrument shop. (The set change involves switching a sign on a desk from Press Room to Instrument Shop — this was a low-budget production!) Ken configures a new wireless temperature transmitter for troubleshooting a heat exchanger. He explains that wireless is low cost, it’s easy to add devices to the network, and he’s used it for other types of troubleshooting. Dave asks about security and how the device interfaces to the control system — he is an engineer after all. The two then move to a heat exchanger of sorts where Ken actually installs the transmitter and real data quickly appear on the control system display. Ken suggests that Dave talk to Jim, an engineer (James Cage). Thanks to a wireless instant location system, they easily track him down. Dave sets off to a “remote” terminal area. He meets Jim who describes how wireless is being used with tankers to measure level, rather than sending people to take readings, and to control devices — avoiding endless radio communication and the risk of overfilling. Dave heads to the control room (of course, the desk sign now says Control Room) to speak to James, another instrument technician (also James Cage), who looks just like Jim. James has to check out some devices; wireless enables him to do this in the field rather than in the control room. So, they go out into the plant where James uses a mobile station that gives him direct access to instrument and system information, allowing him to configure the device. Dave returns to the control room to speak to Ben, a field operator (Ken Carfagno). Yes, Ben looks just like Ken. They then leave to start up a distillation feed pump. Using a handheld device Ben downloads the procedures for the startup, checks out the pump and gives the go-ahead. If a problem develops, he explains, he can stop the pump via the mobile unit and provide information in real time back to the control room. Finally, Dave visits the Honeywell wireless consultant for the plant, Andrew (Andrew Nolan), to get his inputs on what led the plant to deploy wireless. I’m not doing justice to the amount of useful technical information presented or the humor in the production. It was a clear and clever way to get across the message that wireless can provide a simple costeffective solution for a broad range of applications. Honeywell has a video on-line (www.mediaservic es.honeywell.com/HPS/wireless/wireless_theatre.wmv). By the way, at the meeting another interesting use for wireless came up at a lunch. One attendee enthused to me about the important role that wireless could play in safeguarding staff working in confined spaces. He looked forward to the day when wireless detectors track levels of dangerous gases while sensors on a worker’s body provide continuous checks of blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs, to forewarn of potential problems. An intrepid reporter finds how wireless technology is improving plant performance. MaRk RosenzweIg, Editor in Chief mrosenzweig@putman.net 7 chemicalprocessing.com august 2008 http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/voices/rosenzweig.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/voices/rosenzweig.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/resource_centers/wireless.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/resource_centers/wireless.html http://www.mediaservices.honeywell.com/HPS/wireless/wireless_theatre.wmv http://www.mediaservices.honeywell.com/HPS/wireless/wireless_theatre.wmv http://chemicalprocessing.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chemical Processing-August 2008

Chemical Processing- August 2008 Contents From the Editor ChemicalProcessing.com Field Notes In Process Energy Saver Compliance Advisor Protect your Plant What’s on Tap for Water? Keep Operations Safe Polystyrene Plant Gains Extra Output and More Process Puzzler Plant InSites Equipment & Services Adlits Product Spotlight/Classifieds Ad Index End Point

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