Recording distributed, networked measuring points decentrally and monitoring them autonomously - this was the task facing the Ennepetal municipal sewage company. They rely on a smart data logger from Delphin for monitoring.
Stadtentwässerungsbetriebe Ennepetal operates 18 pumping stations spread across the entire city. The fill levels of the pump sumps and the operating status of the pumps are monitored at the respective stations. Two pumps at a time are controlled via a PLC in alternating operation in order to regulate the inflows and outflows in the overall system. This serves to ensure the operational safety of the sewer systems and must be monitored around the clock in order to be able to react as quickly as possible in the event of faults, such as blockages. Until now, the relevant data was transmitted to the service technicians via the 3G mobile network. Due to the planned shutdown of 3G and the update to LTE (4G), the measurement data acquisition was upgraded to a future-proof status using the Loggito loggers from Delphin Technology.
To ensure autonomous measurement data acquisition, a Loggito logger was initially installed in each pumping station. The required sensors for fill levels, current consumption, operating data and fault messages were connected via its universally usable sensor inputs. In combination with the internal monitoring and calculation channels as well as the operating hours counters, the recorded process data not only provides information on the current status of the pumping stations, but also on the expected time for maintenance. This enables predictive maintenance of the pumping stations. All signals are pre-processed, monitored and stored in the Loggito logger before they are forwarded to the central data server. The logger works independently of a PC with internal data storage. In the event of a temporary mobile phone connection failure or a fault on the central server, all recorded data can be stored in the internal data memory. As soon as the connection is re-established, remote data transmission to the server continues fully automatically.
Also in urban drainage: Decentralized recording and autonomous monitoring of distributed measuring points, including networking options, is becoming an increasingly important component for keeping an eye on the status of systems and machines, even from a distance.
Ennepetal municipal drainage company:
"Since we have been using the Delphin monitoring system, we always have all the important values for the pumping stations to hand, both in the office and on the road. This means we can react optimally at all times and don't have to constantly visit every single pumping station. This saves working time and money."
MONITORING @ the edge
The independent pre-processing, monitoring and analysis of all signals with the Loggito loggers at the respective pumping station enables independent monitoring including automatic shutdown functions. Even if there is no radio connection at times, such functions are guaranteed at all times thanks to the self-sufficient mode of operation. If, for example, the limit value for the storage temperature or the power consumption of a pump is exceeded, the system can be switched off using the digital outputs. In addition to the Loggito loggers, LTE routers were also installed on site at the pumping stations to send the measurement data to the central server. The routers are equipped with an automatic restart function, which re-establishes the connection and ensures remote data transmission in the event of a connection failure or if the VPN gateway is unavailable. The Delphin Data Center (DDC) and the Profisignal 20 Server (PS20 Server) are installed on the server and are responsible for central measurement data management and user administration. All recorded data from all pumping stations is networked, centrally stored, monitored and analyzed here. The measurement data is archived in a valid and traceable manner and can be retrieved at any time with access within seconds, whether on the network, via PC or mobile via smartphone or tablet. This also enables a comparison and in-depth analysis of the individual pumping stations. The transmission of the measurement data to end devices of the city of Ennepetal is realized within a secure network via VPN tunnel. The connection to the individual Loggito loggers and the status of each measuring point are also monitored centrally and automatic e-mail alerts are sent. Employees can access the Data Center via Open VPN Client and call up the visualization. Smartphones and tablets can also access the PS 20 server and the DDC via OpenVPN and the PS20 Client app (free for iOS and Android).
Another advantage of remote access to all pumping stations is that the Loggito devices can also be configured remotely. User management allows you to define which user groups can make changes to the basic system and the device configuration and which are only allowed read-only access. This enables service technicians, for example, to make adjustments to limit values or the monitoring and storage of various parameters without having to spend time and effort traveling to the respective pumping station each time. The PS 20 Basic software is the front end of the monitoring system and offers an interactive user interface. The platform-independent complete software for the visualization and analysis of the recorded measurement data is installed in the control room as a desktop application and can also be accessed at any time via the PS20 app on the service technicians' mobile devices. The measured values and their progression over time are displayed in measurement curves on clear dashboards.
These trends allow the measured values to be viewed quickly and easily. An overview chart shows the status of all 18 monitored pumping stations. The alarm list is also displayed in tabular form on a separate chart. This means that both the service technician on the road and the office staff have access to all measurement data at all times. (in)
Pictures: DelphinStadtwerke Ennepetal, kajani-stock.adobe.com
COMPANY
Delphin Technology AG
Lustheide 81 , 51427 Bergisch Gladbach
Phone 02204 / 97685-0
Mail: info@delphin.de
AUTHOR
Jan Tippner, B.Eng., Head of Sales,
Delphin Technology AG, Bergisch Gladbach