Page 183 - CW E-Magazine (5-9-2023)

Special Report Special Report

Unlock the potential of condition monitoring liver reliable data for condition monitoring
raises an important question: In addition
to using sensors to monitor associated
ondition monitoring has emerged Condition monitoring promotes assets, what steps should operators be
as a game-changer in the dyna- operational reliability, minimises down- DAVID LINCOLN taking to monitor the condition of the
Cmic and safety-sensitive chemical time and optimises performance thanks Digital Lead sensors themselves? After all, if sensors
industry, ensuring operational reliability, to its ability to help operators identify ABB Measurement and Analytics are not working properly, they could be
minimizing downtime, and optimizing deteriorating assets earlier. This enables generating a distorted picture of the
performance. This article delves into the them to address potential maintenance is- and that made it impractical to implement condition of your assets. Even the
key reasons why condition monitoring sues before they can bring production to condition monitoring at scale. smartest AI-based system cannot deliver
is fast becoming indispensable in the a halt or otherwise impact on the process. the expected benefi ts if it is being fed
chemical sector. It explores how early Enabling better maintenance with incorrect information.
detection of equipment failures enhances Condition monitoring is not a new Condition monitoring is essentially
reliability and availability, while mitigat- idea, but barriers of cost, comple- the enabler of a more-effective, opti- Today’s process instruments are
ing safety risks associated with hazard- xity and scalability have previously mised asset management and main- largely digital. As such they produce a
ous substances. The article also high- prevented many more businesses from tenance strategy. In the conventional, wealth of information about the behaviour
lighst how cost optimisation, process enjoying the promised benefi ts. How- planned maintenance approach, opera- of the parameters they are designed to
effi ciency, and asset management are all ever, technological developments have tors carry out regular remedial work at measure, but also about their own perfor-
supported by condition monitoring, help- been breaking down those barriers. intervals based on the usage, critica- including reduced maintenance costs, Other condition monitoring para- mance and accuracy. Many modern de-
ing to ensure regulatory compliance and lity and value of the equipment. Proper minimal downtime, improved reliabi- meters are measured offl ine. For vices can check their own circuitry, help
data-driven decision-making. The article Industry 4.0 and the Industrial planning based on the likely mean time lity and optimised performance. It all example, laboratory analysis can spot with their own calibration and evaluate
ends by providing an overview of how Internet of Things (IIoT) have raised between failures (MTBF) can largely be adds up to increased Overall Equip- an accumulation of debris in lubricant, their own performance. Yet, these capa-
condition monitoring is a stepping stone connectedness to an unprecedented relied on to eliminate unplanned stop- ment Effectiveness (OEE), enabling potentially alerting operators to pro- bilities are not as widely used as they
to predictive maintenance, ultimately level, while Artifi cial Intelligence (AI) pages, but it often results in parts being owners to squeeze the maximum value blems with overheating or friction could be. Many operators are missing out
contributing to improved productivity, and Machine Learning (ML) have retired long before they are worn out. and lifetime from their assets. between surfaces, as well as age-related on advances in device diagnostics and
safety and profi tability. made advanced data analytics afford- deterioration of the lubricant. maintenance as a result.
able and practical for the fi rst time in Such planned maintenance pro- Harnessing the sensor network
With extensive networks of smart many applications. grammes are gradually giving way to Process instrumentation provides the Regardless of what operators So how can measurement device users
instruments already in place across their proactive and preventative maintenance ‘eyes and ears’ of condition monitoring. are measuring, there are two basic take advantage of these capabilities?
production facilities, chemical industry IIoT is key because condition moni- (also known as condition-based mainte- Sensors record data from the produc- approaches that can be used for condi-
operators are often well-placed to reap toring needs access to a reliable stream of nance). This relies on condition moni- tion environment and pass it back to the tion monitoring: trend monitoring and Lines of communication
the benefi ts of condition monitoring. quality plant data that can be interrogated toring to detect and diagnose faults and condition monitoring solution. In some condition checking. Put simply, it comes down to com-
for the warning signs of impending failure. enable pre-emptive servicing. Knowing cases, the data is already being gathered munication. Although most measurement
Automated condition monitoring can Meanwhile, tools based on AI and ML that failures can be detected and pre- for process control purposes. In others, Trend monitoring is the continuous devices are digital, many applications
deliver a step-change in productivity and can automate the data analytics required dicted by the system means that the fre- additional instruments may be installed or regular measurement and interpre- continue to communicate via the tried
effi ciency for maintenance teams and to spot those signs and interpret them for quency of many planned maintenance specifi cally to feed data to the condition tation of data. It involves choosing a and tested 4-20mA current loop, rather
asset managers in chemical plants, where operators. Before such automated tools activities can be signifi cantly reduced, monitoring system. suitable and measurable indication of than digital communications networks.
maximising safety and optimising uptime began to appear, only highly trained data leading to considerable savings. machine or component deterioration and Thankfully, this does not prevent instru-
are critical conside-rations. scientists could generate such insights Various parameters can provide tracking changes in this measurement ments from providing a degree of self-
Predictive Maintenance (PdM) useful information for condition moni- over time. The aim is to alert operators diagnostics.
takes things a step further by layering toring. Vibration and temperature are when deterioration exceeds a critical rate
a risk assessment and time forecast among the most common, since they or absolute threshold. For example, all ABB’s 4-20mA
on top of the diagnostic function. can be measured non-invasively and measurement devices also offer HART
Regardless of whether they’re relying can highlight a multitude of poten- Condition checking is more of a communications – a bi-directional com-
on expert data analysts or AI-based tial maintenance issues (think bearing snapshot. It takes a check measurement munication protocol that provides data
ML tools, PdM systems need to learn wear in rotating machinery, for exam- of a suitable indicator with the machine access between intelligent fi eld instru-
about each asset and its performance ple). Motor current signature analysis running and uses the result as a measure ments and host systems.
characteristics in order to predict the (MCSA) is also popular, because a of the machine condition at that moment.
time to the next failure. motor being used to drive worn or The communications link carries
failing equipment will typically draw Results to rely on the process values, such as fl ow rates or
PdM promises even bigger benefi ts, power differently. The reliance on instrumentation to de- temperature, but it also gives access to

182 Chemical Weekly September 5, 2023 Chemical Weekly September 5, 2023 183

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