Page 184 - CW E-Magazine (5-9-2023)

Special Report

each device’s diagnostics data, such as to calibration. For example, HART con- ages can be used for many device types,
its operational status. Many advanced nections provide some condition-related comparing their settings to when they
digitally enabled measurement devices information, but that does not typically were fi rst commissioned or calibrated and
will offer sensor checks including inter- give operators enough detailed diagnos- determining if their performance has de-
nal connections, an indication of sensor tic information to determine if the device graded in the meantime. These software
memory failure and an internal elec- has drifted away from the parameters set packages can often perform a deep analy-
tronics check. at the factory or during commissioning. sis of the device’s condition with no need
for specially trained technicians. A report
Device interrogation is the next step, Calibration of devices generally re- is produced on the calibration variables,
and many devices include in-built condi- quires the removal of the device, which assessing the defi ned limits for different
tion monitoring and diagnostics based on is often costly and impractical within a parameters and determining if the device
the NAMUR NE 107 standard. plant that operates continuously. Manual has passed or failed on each one.
verifi cation – performed by hand, using
To make things easier for the personnel multi-meters and similar devices to check Make your move
who need to deal with alarms, NAMUR the device circuitry, is measuring as The decision about how much
NE 107 categorises internal diagnostics expected – clearly has several drawbacks. effort and resources to invest in condition
into four standard status signals: failure, As well as requiring lengthy downtimes, monitoring is ultimately a matter of cost
function check, out-of-specifi cation and it also needs specially trained technicians. versus benefi t. Many factors – such as the
maintenance required – each of which In addition, every time a person works on criticality of equipment and the size of
can also contain greater detail. For exam- a device is another opportunity for human the facility – will impact on that decision.
ple, with a failure signal, can the failure error, potentially resulting in new prob-
be traced to the device, or is the process lems and unplanned downtime. However, thanks to the increasingly
at fault? Devices with NAMUR NE 107 rich data sets now available as stan-
diagnostics built in allow users to turn off Software verifi cation is faster, but it dard from digital instruments, adopting a
diagnostics that are not required or confi - often means using different software pack- condition monitoring approach to sensor
gure how the diagnostics are reported. ages for different types of devices because networks is one area where the balance
one verifi cation software solution may not has largely tipped in favour of digital
Maintaining consistent performance work with all the devices from multiple diagnostics.
Remote monitoring may be the goal, suppliers and or work with the many dif-
but fi eld verifi cation remains another ferent communications protocols used by [For further information please contact
important aspect of maintaining the ac- different devices. Even so, some of the Susannah Bosanquet; E-mail: Susannah.
curacy of many devices as an alternative best modern verifi cation software pack- bosanquet@admiralconsultancy.com]

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184 Chemical Weekly September 5, 2023

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