Centralized Monitoring System for Gas Plant OEM
Introduction
All factories, hospitals or commercial establishments are dependent of electrical and industrial utilities for smooth operations. Equipments like Electrical transformers, Power backup (UPS, diesel generators), air compressors and gas plants. These assets are heart beat of any facility and need to run 24x7.
In most of the cases, the servicing and maintenance (MRO) is managed by by supplier OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Typically OEMs take AMC (Annual Maintenance Contracts), which typically costs 5-10% of Equipment costs. To provide agreed SLA, the OEM has to manage worldwide service network to cater to global market.
Challenges faced by OEMs in Maintenance
With advent of advanced electronics and automation, the equipments now involve PLCs, sensors and alarming system. The utilities run in a closed loop system. In case of deviations (system overload, overhearing), system generate warning and alarms. But in most of cases, such audio warning/alarms are not attended, as the equipment is in remote, noisy or unattended locations.
In case of breakdown, the end-user simply raise ticket to OEM. Typically, service team initially try to provide remote support (over WhatsApp/Anydesk/email). And as next step, engineer visit has to be scheduled. There is high probability of friction and escalation between supplier and customer in breakdowns.
Interestingly, the problem would have been caused due to a temporary overload, overheating of part, imbalanced load or open valve. The breakdowns could have been avoided by timely action on system warnings and alarms. Simply put, the problem statement: There is no well defined owner to monitor alarms of Industrial Utility (Gas Plant) on site, service of which is owned by supplier OEM.
YuDash customer is one of the leading gas plant manufacturers in India. They offer Oxygen and Nitrogen gas generation plants across the world. Their customers include process industries, bottling plants and hospitals.
YuDash Central Monitoring Solution (CMS) for Gas Plant OEM
The problem statement was solved by YuDash using innovative IoT solution. The gas plant is connected to IoT platform using LYNX IoT Gateway. The critical running parameters and alarms are sent to IoT platform on periodic basis. A CMS (Central Monitoring System) layer is developed with following features:
Running parameter and alarms are available on dashboard for each gas plant (running anywhere across the globe
Automated Alarm tracking and alerts on by YuDash IoT rule engine. Alerts on email/SMS sent to OEM service team for timely action and customer communication.
Global map view provides a bird's eye view of all deployments.
Remote Configuration of PLC settings from CMS. This is equivalent to engineer visit to customer's site to make changes in HMI settings.
Advanced features of preventive and predictive maintenance and AI algorithms
IoT Architecture
Each deployed Gas Plant is connected to internet through YuDash IoT Gateway.
Critical running parameters and alarms are sent CMS server on periodic basis.
Automated monitoring of alarms/warning and alert to OEM service team.
Remote Configuration of PLC from CMS
Key Considerations in IoT Architecture design
The IoT Gateway communicates with main PLC through Modbus RS485/TCP-IP only.
Only applicable Modbus registers (running parameters, settings and alarms) are read by IoT gateway, which are selected based on application. Typically, these are settings shown on HMI screen. Typically, 20-30 registers are sufficient for most of remote monitoring use-cases.
The internet can be provided by 4G/LTE network by SIM card to IoT gateway. This is most reliable way of internet access, with no dependency on customer's IT network.
Aspects for system and cyber security:
Use of independent 4G/LTE network avoids any potential threat to customer's IT/OT network.
The LYNX IoT gateway does not run any OS, so there is no threat of virus or remote access to PLC.
In some cases, when 4G/LTE is not accessible, customer's WAN/Internet can be used in YuDash LYNX through ethernet. For use of gateways within secure enterprise LAN, YuDash products offers following options
Static IP address within the Enterprise LAN.
MAC address within configuration for MAC white labeling.
All communication with a single server and single IP port (over MQTT)
Advantage YuDash
IoT based CMS vs traditional CMS
The CMS layer is fully no-code layer which is easily configurable.
The alert settings (limits, conditions) and dashboards are fully configurable by OEM service team. It provides flexibility and customization depending on plant type and end usage.
With SaaS based offering, there is no need to own and manage IT infrastructure by OEM.
Fully scalable solution (both hardware and SaaS) so that new devices can be added as per need.
Two way communication over MQTT to remotely configure PLC from CMS.
Advanced features of preventive and predictive maintenance and AI algorithms
Unmatched Flexibility for IoT platform
Though YuDash offers own IoT platform and customization layer, we are agnostic to IoT SaaS/on-premise platform.
Customer has option to develop their own CMS platform. YuDash IoT gateways can be easily integrated with Cloud servers over MQTT/HTTP.
Choose from YuDash global IoT platform partners.
Parameters like Cost, data volume, Corporate/Country data regulations, customization level may be various points to be considered.
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