Wireless Sensors and Sensor Networks

Vivek Roy,
3rd Year, Department of Instrumentation and Electronics Engineering, Jadavpur University.

The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it. - The late Mark Weiser, Father of Ubiquitous Computing and Chief Technologist of Xerox PARC

Smart environments represent the next evolutionary development step in building, utilities, industrial, home, shipboard, and transportation systems automation.

Applications of WSN.
Environmental monitoring: Animal tracking, forest surveillance, flood detection and weather monitoring.

Wireless monitoring equipment at Springbrook.

Environmental monitoring

Glacial Monitoring system in Norway

Healthcare
Body Sensor Network

History
Began as Distributed Sensor Network(DSN) as a project initiated by DARPA. The concept of sensing nodes was introduced. The nodes worked autonomously. Ambitious project at that time. Technology components of DSN included sensors, communication and processing modules and distributed software. Carnegie Mellon University(CMU) developed a communication based operating system called Accent

History
The first proper demonstration of DNS was by MIT when it developed a helicopter tracking system in 1984. The sensors were large(shoe box size). The concept of wireless arrived only 1998. Smaller size, cheaper cost and low power consumption has made it suitable for civilian purposes. And today it is viewed as one of the most important technologies of the 21st century.

Is it worth it?
Ease of implementation; no long cable runs. Ability to operate in harsh environments Easy troubleshooting and repair High levels of performance.

NODES
Microcontroller Data Storage Sensor ADC Data Transreceiver Controller

NODES

Data Distribution Network

Wireless Sensor Network

Data Acquisition Network

WSN in Process Industries

No wiring constraints. Easy maintenance. Reduced cost of cabling. Better performance

Classes of Wireless networks from an industrial point of view

Class 5: Monitoring without operational consequences. Class 4: Monitoring with short time operational consequences. Class 3: Covers open loop control applications. Class 2: Consists of closed loop supervisory control Class 1: Closed loop regulatory control, includes motor and axis control as well as primary flow and pressure control. Class 0: Defines emergency actions

A wired process control arrangement

CONTROLLER
CONTROL ROOM

TEMPERATURE TRANSMITTER VALVE POSITIONER

implementation of the same using Wireless Sensor Networks(or WSN)

Wellhead and Heat Exchanger Monitoring on StatoilHydro Offshore Platform

This wireless system was implemented in Grane offshore platform, located in the Norwegian Sea off the coast of Bergen and Norway. Not only was it required to install the transmitters in harsh and hard to reach places, but it was crowded with metal pipe work, metal walkways as well as other metal obstructions.

Features of the system

A total

of 22 pressure Rosemount pressure transmitters were installed to replace traditional gauges. 10 were mounted on the wellhead to measure annular pressure. 12 of them were installed to measure the inlet pressure and pressure drop over the well. A gateway was mounted outside the process area on one side of the platform at height overseeing all the transmitters.

Temperature measurement in a moving drum.

Challenges in measuring temperature

Minimizing

the cost of cabling. Improving the overall reliability of the system. Many temperature sensors need to be mounted, increasing the complexity and cost.

Solution??
Installed

at a fraction of a cost of conventional wired transmitters. More number of sensors can be installed. Easier installation 3-5 years battery life decreases the need for periodic maintenance.

XYR 5000 Wireless Temperature Transmitter

Wireless limit switch manufactured by Honeywell

WirelessHART

Components of WirelessHART
Wireless field devices connected to process or plant equipment. Gateways enable communication between these devices and host applications. Network Manager is responsible for configuring the network,.

Features of WirelessHART

Mesh connection allows more devices to be easily added. Uses IEEE 802.15.4 compatible radios operating in the 2.4GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical radio band. Employs direct-sequence spectrum spread technology(DSSS) and channel hopping. TDMA synchronized and latency controlled communications between devices.

The other side of the debate

Security

Extremely complicated system