An Ex d enclosure is designed to contain an explosion and stop any flames, sparks, and hot gases from escaping into the surrounding atmosphere should an internal explosion occur. In addition, an Ex d enclosure protects the fitted equipment against external moisture, dirt, dust, or water. The enclosure may house equipment such as, contactors, relays, power supplies, transformers, radio devices and other electrical equipment with potentially hot surfaces. Sometimes referred to as ‘flameproof’ or “explosion-proof”, an Ex d enclosure includes what is known as a flame path. The flame path design can vary depending on the construction of the Ex d enclosure system. Flame Path Flame paths are gaps within the enclosure that, if an internal explosion occurs, ensure that by the time the flame has reached the end of the flame path it has […]

GPS is not a new technology, but its use across large industrial processing environments for worker safety is only starting to be realised. A GPS signal receiver does not need to transmit any data and it operates independently of any telephone or wireless signal; Wi-Fi is only needed for data backhaul for RTLS applications. This article explains how personnel GPS tracking can help reduce the need for dense Wi-Fi Infrastructure as part of a hybrid RTLS for true site wide personnel tracking. White Paper: Enhanced Worker Safety in Process Industry Environments Personnel GPS Tracking in Outdoor Environments Site wide RTLS is a challenge when you consider the size of process industry facilities, such as oil & gas tank farms, refineries, or chemical processing plants. One technology alone cannot solve the diverse nature of the use […]

When installing a real time location system (RTLS) for worker safety, it is not uncommon for personnel to feel it is an attempt to track their every move, catching them out any time they run over a coffee break by thirty seconds. The fact is location tracking is designed to increase worker safety and ensure that in the event of an emergency, all on-site workers are looked after to avoid serious injury or loss of life. Worker safety becomes even more important when you consider that personnel 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. Fire, working environment collapse, and explosion of flammable gas and dust are potential threats and whilst large-scale […]

Covid-19 has forced every business to evaluate their working conditions. At Extronics, we have been asked a lot recently if our Real Time Location System (RTLS) products can be used to provide a contact tracing and social distancing solution. With so much noise out there online, how do you know you are getting the facts about the different options available to you? Extronics has been providing RTLS solutions to hazardous industries for over fifteen years. We specialise in developing and manufacturing ATEX, IECEx, and North American certified equipment for use in hazardous areas, and rugged industrial products for harsh environments. We serve customers around the world from industries such as oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, and mining. We have created this article as a guide to some of the most common technology available, and the […]

Received signal strength indication (RSSI) location principle uses received signal strength to determine the location of the transmitting device. A wireless device sends a signal out and that signal is received by a gateway or access point. Multiple access points will pick up the signal and from that a received signal strength is determined by each access point. The further away the access point to the transmitting device the weaker the signal. In comparison, the closer the transmitting device is to an access point the stronger the received signal strength. Location is determined by receiving the signal from multiple access points and taking the different measurements to make an approximation of location by trilateration. The approximate location can then be positioned on a map. For example, an asset or a worker wearing a Wi-Fi RTLS […]

Turnarounds on refineries and other process facilities can be a huge logistical headache. They typically cost significant sums of operational expense and can result in lost opportunity because of reduced production capacity while the facility is shut down. It is essential that turnarounds are managed efficiently to safeguard workers and ensure costs are tracked. If poorly executed, turnarounds can cause significant disruption after startup. This article describes an RTLS case study for a large petrochemical company turnaround project. Background A large petrochemical company were working with a management consultancy to ensure efficiency and profitability during their turnaround. Turnaround Requirements During the turnaround, the client had thousands of additional contractors on site – as well as their own workers. They wanted to locate everyone on the site to ensure safety, but also to monitor contractor invoicing […]