A Battery-Free IoT solution for monitoring heavy-duty machinery and equipment.

Many industries have greatly benefited from Wireless Condition Monitoring (WCM) that leverages IoT technology. It has the potential to greatly impact the overall optimization of operations and ROI, leading to significant opportunities for growth.

What is Wireless Condition Monitoring (WCM)?

WCM is a new paradigm of automatic data collection that allows monitoring equipment and machinery remotely in real time. It uses a combination of network technology to constantly check machinery condition and performance, and detect any anomalies as they occur. By using wireless technology, the wireless sensors collect various parameters from environmental conditions such as temperature, vibration

Benefits of Wireless Condition Monitoring (WCM)

The benefits of WCM include energy efficiency, reduced maintenance costs, improved safety conditions, and the ability to map a plant digitally. Wireless Condition Monitoring (WCM) can improve safety conditions in several ways. By monitoring equipment and machinery in real time, WCM can detect potential issues before they become major problems, allowing for proactive maintenance and repairs. Best of all, this can help prevent accidents and injuries caused by equipment failure. In addition, WCM can also help reduce the need for manual inspections, which can be dangerous in certain environments. For example, WCM plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of oil rigs, which are often located in remote and hazardous locations.

A typical Wireless Condition Monitoring (WCM) can be broken down into these four components:

Wireless Sensors: Wireless sensors are placed strategically on the equipment to monitor its health. These sensors collect data on parameters like temperature, vibration, and moisture conditions.

Data Transmission: The collected data is wirelessly transmitted to a central system for analysis. This allows for real-time monitoring and early detection of potential issues.

Analytics and Alerts: The central system analyzes the collected data using advanced analytics techniques. It can identify patterns, anomalies, and potential equipment failures. Alerts can be generated to notify operators or maintenance personnel if any abnormal conditions are detected.

Predictive Maintenance: WCM enables predictive maintenance by identifying potential issues before they cause a breakdown. This helps prevent accidents caused by equipment failure and reduces the risk of injury to workers.

By using wireless sensors to collect data on various parameters such as temperature, vibration, and moisture conditions, WCM can provide a more accurate picture of the equipment's health without putting workers at risk, and further prevent accidents and injuries caused by equipment failure.

A Breakthrough in the Wireless Condition Monitoring

In the renewable energy sector, there is a challenge in monitoring machinery that generates electricity using the power of moving water because both the use of batteries and direct wired connection near the rotor poles are prohibitive since the operation of hydropower creates high currents and electromagnetic fields in the enclosure. Any loop in such strong fields can turn into unwanted currents with potential short circuits in the printed circuit board (PCB) or the chip.

GE Hydro's partnership with Asygn and HID Global has resulted in a groundbreaking Wireless Condition Monitoring (WCM) solution that was recognized as the winner of the 2022 AIM Case Study Competition.

GE Hydro's **Asset Performance Management** software

Asygn’s AS3211 IC equipped with Xense sensors can be operated in a battery-free RFID platform and interface with HID Global’s robust RFID tag that helps data transmission using RAIN RFID protocol. [RAIN - a nod to the link between UHF RFID and the cloud.] The RFID reader acts as an intelligent gateway, calibrating, collecting, filtering, averaging, and transmitting data locally. GE Hydro's Asset Performance Management software platform then aggregates and analyzes the data using machine learning capabilities, providing valuable insights for generator components that were previously difficult to measure during operation. The RFID tag consists of a special UHF RFID chip that allows it to operate reliably in severe environments. The wireless communication can penetrate material over a long distance of up to 7 meters. The passive UHF RFID sensor tags are battery-free because they can derive their energy from the radio waves emitted by the reader. They have the same lifespan as the assets they are monitoring because they do not require an external power source.

This breakthrough solution allows GE Hydro's customers to push hydropower equipment to its limits while enhancing network power factor and reducing the risks associated with unseen bad connection temperature rises during rotor current increase.

Conclusion

There are several benefits to optimizing Wireless Condition Monitoring. It can help to improve uptime and minimize downtime; operations can run more efficiently and maximize productivity since heavy-duty equipment is very costly. WCM can optimize asset utilization without significant investments in new equipment. In conclusion, wireless condition monitoring presents significant opportunities for optimizing operations and driving growth. By leveraging real-time data and proactive maintenance practices, companies can enhance equipment uptime, boost asset utilization, make data-driven decisions, and achieve cost savings. Embracing wireless condition monitoring improves operational efficiency and enables companies to stay competitive in an increasingly digital and connected world.

About the Author

Arthur Wang