Yokogawa
expands its range of ISA100.11a compliant wireless devices
– For field wireless systems based on the “Grow” concept –
Yokogawa Electric
Corporation has developed three new field wireless system devices and has
enhanced existing wireless pressure and temperature transmitters, all of
which are compliant with the ISA100.11a wireless standard. The first of
these products are scheduled to be released in March 2012.
These new wireless products can be used to construct highly reliable
large-scale plant networks, and may also be incorporated in small- and
medium-sized networks that already utilise Yokogawa’s existing products,
substantially expanding their capability. This is in line with the
company’s “Grow” concept of enabling customers to expand their plant
wireless networks while making full use of existing assets.
ISA100.11a is a wireless communication standard for the industrial
automation field that was established in September 2009 by the ISA100
Committee of the International Society of Automation (ISA). This was
approved as a National Standard by the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) in December 2011, and has been submitted to the IECSC65C
Subcommittee for approval as an international standard.
Development background
A wireless network that
connects a control system with field devices such as differential
pressure/pressure transmitters and temperature transmitters has many
advantages: it reduces cabling and other installation costs, and allows
the installation of equipment in difficult-to-wire locations.
In July 2010, Yokogawa began offering entry-level field wireless system
solutions based on the YFGW710 field wireless integrated gateway. Users of
these systems have come to value their high reliability, real-time
performance, and environmental resistance, which help to ensure stable
plant operations, as well as their immunity to electromagnetic
interference and secure wireless communications. A number of these users
now wish to expand their wireless networks.
To meet this demand for large and reliable plant wireless networks,
Yokogawa has developed three new field wireless system devices and
enhanced two existing field wireless transmitters.
The new products are a field wireless management station, a field wireless
access point, and a field wireless media converter.
The field wireless management station is a new gateway device for
connecting production control systems and field wireless devices, and
includes system and security management functions. The field wireless
access point is a new router device for connecting field wireless devices
and gateways, while the field wireless media converter is a new device
that converts data from the 100BASE-TX to the 100BASE-FX format.
The enhanced devices are the EJX-B series differential pressure/pressure
transmitters, the YTMX580 wireless temperature multiplexer, and the YTA
510 temperature transmitter, both of which now have detachable remote
antennas and feature low power consumption design.
Each
of the new field wireless system devices offers dual redundancy via a
backup device. If the communications link is broken or a hardware failure
occurs in any of these devices, automatic switchover to the backup device
is implemented and the communications link is restored, ensuring
uninterrupted communications with field wireless devices and increased
reliability in process monitoring. This feature also offers the same
benefits in any future application of wireless communications technology
for process control.
Compared to the YFGW710, the new field wireless management station can
manage up to ten times the number of field wireless devices. Both it and
the new field wireless access point support communications with
100BASE-TX, 100BASE-FX, and wireless LAN networks, allowing for both the
expansion of plant wireless networks and the full use of existing assets.
Both the EJX-B and YTA510 transmitters now come with an antenna that can
be removed and mounted in a separate location, extending the
communications range. A high-gain antenna option is also available that
can extend the communications range up to four times. The high-gain
antenna, also called a “long distance antenna”, emits strong radio
waves, allowing wireless communications over a wider range. In addition,
through the incorporation of low power consumption design features,
battery life is now twice as long.
Major target markets are process manufacturing industries including oil
and gas (onshore/offshore facilities), petrochemicals, chemicals, iron and
steel, pulp and paper, power, and water treatment. Typical applications
are the measurement of temperature, pressure, flow, and tank fluid level.
Yokogawa’s approach to field wireless communications
Yokogawa
presents wireless communications and other field digital technology
solutions that help companies to optimise their plant operations. Support
of the ISA100.11a standard ensures high reliability, application
flexibility, network expandability, and compatibility with a variety of
wired communication standards.
In July 2010, Yokogawa released the world’s first ISA100.11a compliant
field wireless devices. As the industry’s support of the ISA100.11a
standard gains momentum, the number of ISA100.11a products is expected to
increase. Yokogawa will continue to enhance interoperability for seamless
connection with other companies’ products and will develop sophisticated
wireless control solutions for continuous processes. The company’s focus
is on proposing field wireless communications solutions based on the
“Grow” concept. By making possible the expansion of wireless systems,
educating users about wireless solutions, and improving convenience,
Yokogawa aims to help its customers to grow their plant operations.