Why do process industries represent a wireless networking challenge? The first thing to understand is that sites can cover vast areas often with large outdoor spaces. The outdoor areas vary from areas—such as tank farms and storage yards—to busy processing units packed with dense metallic structures. It is also significant that hazardous areas are likely scattered throughout these outdoor environments away from the main office buildings. Hazardous area wireless networks are difficult enough to deploy without the requirement of spanning multiple disparate locations. Deploying Wi-Fi in process areas like this is no easy task. Each project is different due to the nature of the environment and the intended use case in each area. Hence custom wireless solutions are often the go-to solution for hazardous area wireless networking. But where do you start with a custom […]

Wireless networks for hazardous areas are becoming increasingly commonplace as the digitalisation of process industries gains pace. There are many considerations to be made for hazardous area wireless devices, including the right way to calculate its maximum radio frequency (RF) power. Additionally, it is important to assess if this max RF power is below acceptable limits for specific hazardous areas. Your choice of wireless device must have suitable Ex approvals to prevent the risk of ignition from electrical faults, sparks, or hot surfaces. The device will either be Ex-approved or it will be installed in a wireless enclosure system that provides the Ex protection. Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) Levels in Hazardous Areas There are maximum EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) levels allowed in hazardous areas. This affects the deployment of hazardous area wireless devices. […]

Are your devices certified for use in hazardous areas? Practically every wireless device manufacturer serving harsh industrial environments has been asked that question before. It is being posed more frequently than ever thanks to the IoT revolution. Process industries are increasingly adopting strategies for improved digitization across their sites and facilities. This naturally leads to questions about safety certification. If you are one of the few manufacturers who hasn’t been asked about safety-certified wireless devices already, don’t worry, it is only a matter of time. A common misconception among buyers is that standard wireless devices can be easily certified retrospectively. This is rarely the case. Getting an existing device approved to standards required for hazardous areas is no easy process. It isn’t low cost or quick to do either. Here we will run through some […]

The safety of workers, whilst always important, is moving higher up the list of priorities for investment. Workers in process industry environments face a variety of risks over and above their counterparts in other industries. ‘Hazards of the job’ are that much more serious, with a higher potential risk. Falling objects, exposure to dangerous substances, fire, and explosion of flammable gas and dust are potential threats and whilst large-scale disasters are thankfully rare, they still occur. It is unlikely that any one location technology ticks all of your boxes, and there is no silver bullet. Hybrid location technology is the only practical solution to the complexities of the use cases in the process industries. It involves using two or more location technologies as part of the same solution: To deliver wider coverage with reduced infrastructure […]

This article aims to show the advantages of using RFID tags for asset management or in hazardous process industry settings compared to more traditional barcode solutions. Uses of RFID Tags and Barcodes in Hazardous Areas Radio signals are potential causes of explosions in hazardous areas. As such, the use of Radio Frequency Identification, known as RFID, needs to be carefully considered. Versatile and low cost, passive RFID systems can improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and aid productivity. These systems have proven valuable to industrial companies, helping with asset and personnel tracking, inventory management, maintenance planning, and more. As such, they are becoming more and more commonly found in hazardous areas. This rise in popularity is reflected in the updated IEC 60079-14 standard. In June 2014, a new clause concerning RFID tags was added and has potential […]

An Ex nR or restrictive breathing enclosure removes the fuel element of an explosion by stopping any flammable gasses entering the internal enclosure. In doing so, potentially explosive gases never come into contact with hot surfaces or an ignition source potentially present inside the enclosure. Restrictive breathing enclosures are only certified to Zone 2 hazardous areas, where the area is considered safe in normal operation with flammable gases only present in fault conditions. The technique ensures the cumulative concentration within the enclosure does not exceed the lower explosive limit for the gas or vapor concentration over short and long periods of time. A Ex nR enclosure typically has the following characteristics: Lightweight metallic or non-metallic construction Designed to prevent flammable gases entering High ingress protection levels Tightly sealed iWAPXN3 Zone 2/Division 2 Hazardous Area Enclosure […]