Today, chemical refineries face increased margins and tight operating conditions. Many refineries are operating near full capacity and need advanced remote monitoring solutions to maximize their production levels, prevent any unscheduled maintenance needs and reduce the cost of complying with federal regulations. On average, most refineries are operating at 90% capacity, yet a large percentage of the equipment used is not monitored continuously throughout the day. They rely on scheduled shutdowns to manually check operations and function.
The VantedegePoint® Wireless Sensor Networking (WSN) solution provides a complete remote monitoring solution to address the needs of chemical refineries and other industrial applications. The VantedgePoint WSN solution addresses the major issues facing the industrial market:
1. There is a need for improved technology for industrial processes.
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Currently, there is a lack of reliable and cost-effective inspection technology which results in 3-7% loss annually.
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Remote sensors can improve the integrity of mechanical operations and the reliability of equipment for significant cost savings.
2. Federal requirements are constantly changing and becoming more strict.
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Refineries are forced to spend more time and money in order to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.
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WSN remote monitoring can measure and track the required data, eliminating any human error that can lead to environmental damages and impact the bottom line.
3. Reduce the amount of emissions into the environment.
4. Increase safety level of work environment.
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Machine malfunctions can cause high levels of toxicity and unsanitary working conditions.
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WSN remote monitoring can provide alerts when thresholds are met, before reaching unsafe levels.
5. There is a need for improved energy efficiency.
- Energy conservation is important on many fronts. From a cost perspective, the average refinery can attribute nearly 1/3 of its operating costs to energy expenses.
- WSN remote monitoring provides reduced operating costs.
6. There is a shortage of skilled employees.
- Over the next 15 years, almost 75% of the refinery workforce will be eligible for retirement. Recruiting a new generation of workers is increasingly difficult due to the safety and health concerns that employees face.
- WSN remote monitoring can increase machine uptime and provide safer working environments through predictive maintenance and threshold monitoring.