ICP DAS’s I-87K series I/O modules capture analog data from the cooling tower, including cold and hot water temperatures, wet-bulb temperature, outlet pressure, hydrostatic level, and motor current of the cooling fan. The PET series PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition modules receive vibration data from accelerometers monitoring the cooling fan system. This data is transmitted via the Modbus TCP communication protocol to the GRP series Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway, and then sent in real-time via 4G to the SCADA system in the control room. This setup enables remote real-time monitoring of the cooling tower system, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
Introduction:
The client in this case is a chemical plant primarily engaged in the manufacturing, processing, and handling of chemicals. The plant is equipped with essential equipment such as boilers, distillation columns, reactors, and cooling towers to produce high-value-added products. Among these, the cooling tower plays a crucial role in heat dissipation during the production process. It utilizes water and cooling fans to drive hot air upwards, releasing it into the atmosphere to lower the system temperature. This technology is not only applicable to chemical plants but is also widely used in refineries, thermal power plants, and nuclear power plants.
The following explains how the customer adopted ICP DAS’s intelligent cooling tower monitoring solution, utilizing IIoT technology for data collection. This allows for real-time performance analysis of the cooling tower, fault diagnosis of the fan drive system, and damage identification in the cooling system.
Easy Remote Monitoring: Complete Data Control Over Cooling Towers
Due to the large number of devices requiring monitoring in the field, ICP DAS recommended that the customer use the ET-87P8-MTCP 8-slot intelligent Ethernet I/O expansion unit to simplify wiring. Paired with the I-87017ZW voltage/current input module, it captures the cooling tower’s outlet pressure, hydrostatic level, and the cooling fan’s motor current. Additionally, the I-87015PW Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) input module collects the hot and cold water temperatures and wet-bulb temperature. The collected data is subsequently transmitted via Ethernet (Modbus TCP protocol) to the GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway.
Besides, the PET-AR400 PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module transmits the vibration data from the cooling fan system’s gearbox and motor, collected by the iSN-701-F15-L030 IEPE accelerometer, to the GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway via Ethernet (Modbus TCP protocol).
The GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway transmits all on-site data to the central SCADA system via 4G wireless communication, enabling further analysis of the cooling tower’s performance, fault diagnosis of the fan drive system, and damage identification of the cooling system. The system architecture is shown below.
The I-87017ZW analog input module provides 10 differential or 20 single-ended input channels with 16-bit resolution and a sampling rate of up to 50 Hz. Each channel supports an independently configurable input range (+/-150 mV, +/-500 mV, +/-1 V, +/-5 V, +/-10 V, +/-20 mA, or 0 ~ 20 mA).
In this case, the I-87017ZW analog input module collects on-site analog data, including outlet pressure, hydrostatic levels, and motor current values. The collected data is then transmitted to the GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway via Ethernet (Modbus TCP protocol).
The I-87015PW RTD input module features 7 RTD input channels and supports a 3-wire RTD lead resistance elimination function, ensuring accurate measurements regardless of wire length.
In this case, the I-87015PW RTD input module captures RTD data, including hot water temperature, cold water temperature, and wet-bulb temperature. By comparing the outlet water temperature with the cooling limit of the cooling tower—the wet-bulb temperature—the cooling performance can be assessed. These values are transmitted via Ethernet using the Modbus TCP protocol to the GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway.
The ET-87P8-MTCP 8-slot intelligent Ethernet I/O expansion unit is a Modbus TCP I/O expansion unit that provides 8 I/O slots for expanding ICP DAS’s I-87K series I/O modules over Ethernet, making it suitable for various industrial monitoring applications. It features two Ethernet ports to create a daisy-chain topology, allowing multiple ET-87P8-MTCP I/O expansion units to be connected in series or linked with other Ethernet devices for centralized wiring. Furthermore, the ET-87P8-MTCP supports Modbus TCP, Modbus RTU/ASCII communication protocols, and includes a gateway function for converting Modbus TCP to Modbus RTU.
The iSN-701-F15-L030 IEPE accelerometer is designed for vibration measurement, featuring a measurement range of ±80g and a frequency response range from 0.5Hz to 15kHz.
In this case, the iSN-701-F15-L030 IEPE accelerometer is used to measure the vibration data of the cooling fan system’s gearbox and motor, and it transmits the collected data to the PET-AR400 PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module.
The PET-AR400 PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module features four analog input channels, allowing for simultaneous collection of signals from four IEPE accelerometers. The sampling rate is adjustable, reaching a maximum of 128 kHz per channel. Additionally, the 24-bit ADC includes built-in filtering to minimize modulator and signal noise. The PET-AR400 also offers 4 kV electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and 2500 VDC internal isolation, ensuring exceptional stability.
The PET-AR400 PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module is ideal for mobile, portable, and precision signal measurement applications. It supports two A/D trigger modes: software-triggered and analog input threshold-triggered. In software trigger mode, A/D data collection can be initiated via commands to gather continuous or N data samples. In analog input threshold trigger mode, A/D collection is triggered to capture N data samples when the analog input value exceeds or falls below the preset voltage threshold.
In this case, the PET-AR400 PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module plays a crucial role in transmitting the data from the iSN-701-F15-L030 IEPE accelerometer via Ethernet (Modbus TCP protocol) to the GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway, ensuring efficient data transmission and real-time monitoring.
The GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway converts Ethernet, RS-232, RS-485, and CAN wired communications into 2G/3G/4G wireless transmission. Its high-performance CPU ensures stable processing of large data volumes, making it ideal for harsh industrial environments. Additionally, the GRP-540M-4GE features GPS functionality, enabling location tracking for mobile device applications.
In this case, the GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway uses 4G communication to transmit data from the I-87017ZW analog input module, the I-87015PW RTD input module, and the PET-AR400 PoE Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module back to the control room for data analysis and management.
Benefits:
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ICP DAS’s I/O modules feature a dual watchdog system to enhance reliability. The “Module Watchdog” automatically resets the CPU if the module malfunctions, while the “Host Watchdog” ensures continuous communication between the master and the I/O module. Additionally, users can preset a “Safe Value” as a fallback mechanism in the event that the I/O module doesn’t receive commands from the master and exceeds the specified timeout period. For output modules, a “Power On Value” ensures the module enters a preset output state upon power-up or recovery, further improving system reliability and stability.
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The I-87K series I/O module is equipped with comprehensive protection features, including 4 kV electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, 3000 VDC internal isolation, open wire detection for +4 to +20 mA inputs, as well as overcurrent and overvoltage protection. These features enhance its noise resistance, making it highly suitable for industrial applications.
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ICP DAS provides a wide range of I/O expansion modules designed to extend the functionality of programmable automation controllers. These modular I/O modules offer features such as digital input/output, analog input/output, frequency/counter/timer, motion control, and communication capabilities for data exchange with devices. This enhances the design flexibility of control systems.
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In this case, the GRP-540M-4GE with 4G LTE router functionality was selected for two key advantages: first, it effectively bypasses the internal MIS firewall settings, ensuring that data is successfully transmitted back to the control center, and second, it allows for remote access to the on-site equipment at any time, enabling troubleshooting from off-site locations.
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The GRP-540M-4GE Ethernet/Serial/CAN to 4G gateway supports 4G FDD LTE, 3G WCDMA, and 2G GSM, and offers 4G router functionality as well as port mapping capabilities.
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The PET-AR400 Ethernet high-speed data acquisition module simplifies the collection of vibration data, reducing wiring, saving space, and lowering costs.
ICP DAS’s Energy Management System (EMS) Solution: Assisting Businesses in Managing Carbon Emissions
For energy-intensive industries like chemical plants, the need for energy saving and carbon reduction is more urgent compared to typical businesses. To effectively manage energy and carbon emissions, companies must first understand the energy consumption of their facilities and machinery. ICP DAS provides energy management solutions that assist businesses in collecting energy consumption data throughout the production and manufacturing processes, enabling effective management of carbon emission factors.
Power Data Collection of Plant/Equipment
The PM-3000 series smart power meters can collect energy emission values from power consumption, including usage for cooling towers, water-cooled chillers, air conditioning, lighting, and process equipment.
In this case, the collected data are transmitted to the PMC series power meter concentrator via Modbus RTU protocol.
Power Meter Concentrator with Edge Computing and Control Capabilities
The PMC series power meter concentrator offers comprehensive and flexible integration of power meters. In addition to providing real-time power management and data recording functions, it can instantly read and record the power consumption information of electrical equipment measured by the power meters. It supports various communication protocols and features a built-in Web Server, allowing users to access power information and configure system parameters directly through a web browser. With its IF-THEN-ELSE statement, the PMC series can efficiently and reliably execute automated logic. When it detects any abnormal voltage or current in the equipment, it immediately sends alerts to management personnel via email, SMS, LINE, or WeChat.
In this case, the PMC series power meter concentrator integrates the power consumption data of the plant and equipment and transmits this information to the control room via Modbus TCP protocol.
The IoTstar is an IIoT cloud management software developed by ICP DAS. It enables remote monitoring and management of ICP DAS’s PMC series power meter concentrators, as well as the connected I/O modules and equipment. With the IoTstar Dashboard Service, each power meter concentrator features an independent dashboard that visually displays power data, including voltage, current, power factor, cumulative power consumption (kWh), and real-time carbon emission data. Additionally, the IoTstar Report Service offers reporting and query capabilities, allowing users to export reports in PDF or Excel file formats.
Conclusion:
ICP DAS‘s intelligent cooling tower monitoring solution assists clients in collecting relevant data from cooling towers and transmitting it to the control center in real time, enabling remote monitoring. In the event of abnormal conditions, immediate actions can be taken to minimize downtime. Furthermore, management personnel can utilize this data for further analysis and proactively plan preventive maintenance strategies.
In the petrochemical industry, in addition to the intelligent cooling tower monitoring solution, ICP DAS also offers a ZigBee wireless gas leak detection solution for refineries. This solution integrates gas, environmental, and power monitoring within the plant, using wireless communication to overcome the challenges of long-distance coverage across large areas while preventing toxic hazards. Furthermore, ICP DAS provides a monitoring solution for gas pressure regulating stations, enabling real-time remote monitoring of pipeline conditions and on-site images. This approach effectively reduces manual inspection costs while safeguarding the safety of citizens’ lives and property.
ICP DAS has earned customer trust through its reliable products and services. We are committed to developing solutions across a wide range of applications, including Industrial IoT, smart factories, smart manufacturing, energy management, building automation, smart agriculture, smart transportation, and natural resources. Looking ahead, ICP DAS will continue to diversify its offerings to provide more tailored solutions that meet the needs of various industries.
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