Dependable electronics are an absolute necessity in hazardous environments. However, the combination of combustible gases or dust with an arc or a spark from these products can potentially cause devastating fires or explosions. Whether you are at the chemical plant, on your oil platform or offshore drilling rig, in your mill, or somewhere equally as dangerous, all of your equipment is likely carrying a hazardous rating like Class I Div 2, Class I Div 1, IECEx/ATEX Zone 1 or Zone 2. But what does that mean exactly and how does this affect what lighting you should buy? Read on for more clarity on hazardous environments and ratings.

What is a hazardous location?

Hazardous locations are in more places than you think and it’s important to be aware of them if you are purchasing electronic equipment including LED lighting. Even your local gas/petrol station is considered a hazardous location because of the potential for an explosion. If, for example, a spark or lit cigarette collides with a drop or puddle of gasoline – FIRE! Your gas station needs hazardous-rated lighting.

According to UL (a US-based global certification laboratory), a hazardous location is “where explosion or fire hazards exist due to the presence of flammable gases, flammable or combustible liquid-produced vapors, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers or flyings.”

This could mean anything from the obvious like a drilling rig or chemical plant where highly flammable substances are mined or processed. Or it could mean the less obvious like a mill or sugar processing facility where the minute particles in the air have the potential to create a spark in the right conditions. Each facility is rated differently, based on their potential for explosion, which we’ll dive deeper into below.

What are some of the hazardous UL Ratings?

UL ratings are seen and adhered to most often in North America but do apply to countries in South America, Asia, and the Middle East. When looking at a hazardous UL rating, you’ll find the Class first and then the Division.

Dialight most often sees and certifies Class I, II, and III. The main difference between the three is the presence of flammable gases/vapors; combustible or conductive dust; or fibers like wood chips and cotton (see the chart below). The lower the Class the higher the hazard.

The Division (1 or 2) is what defines the likelihood of there being hazardous substances in enough ignitable concentrations in the atmosphere (i.e. what is the likelihood that there is enough gas or dust in a given situation that it would ignite or explode and what is the circumstance for that). If your facility is Div 1, it means that the particles or gases/vapors created at your facility are always potentially going to ignite and severe caution is needed to prevent a spark (think chemical processing). Div 2 means that an explosion or fire could only happen in the event of some breakdown or system failure but that extreme caution should still be observed to prevent catastrophe (ex. A platform in an oil refinery may be a CI D2 environment as the decks tend to be outdoors and far enough away from the source of the flammable gas. It would only become hazardous if an abnormal condition occurred like a valve failure or similar accident.)

UL_Haz_Doc

What are some hazardous ATEX Ratings?

IECEx/ATEX ratings are seen most often in Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. They are relatively similar to UL ratings in that the lower the Zone the higher the probability is for fire or explosion based on the materials present and their concentration in the atmosphere. Both UL and ATEX classify certain substances in groups. Check out our ATEX reference chart below.

Atex_Doc

Wireless Anti-Two Block Switch Systems for Traditional ATB

Anderson Controls is pleased to announce the general availability of their Wireless Anti-Two Block switch.

This Wireless ATB is designed to be a simple cost-effective replacement for traditional ATB systems.

With a quick installation, it is an easy way to remove the headaches associated with the wires, rusted contact, and loose springs of traditional ATB systems.

This wireless system eliminates both the cable reel and the anti-two block switch and the headaches associated with them. The self-contained switch is immune to mechanical failures and water damage since both the switch and the receiver are designed with solid state components which are fully encapsulated; the system is designed to be as hassle-free as possible. There’s no need to worry about the potential for a cable being broken by branches or other objects, and no more need for a cable reel.

This is also a perfect solution to eliminate the corrosion factor in the reel contacts and their loose springs. Installation is as simple as mounting the wireless switch at the boom tip and installing the receiver at the base of the boom. This simple installation allows OEM’s to reduce manufacturing cost by removing brackets, wire guides and the associated labor.

Systems:

Wireless Anti-Two Block Switch

Wireless 2.4GHz Anti-Two Block Switch Transmitter System

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angular measurement in harsh environments

The compact GIM500R inclination sensors in robust aluminum housing are ideal for use in harsh environments.
When it comes to tough outdoor use, many sensors reach their limits. Inclination sensors by sensor expert Baumer stand for maximum reliability and durability even in a harsh environment. Thanks to the extremely robust and resilient design, the new GIM500R sensors are ideal for outdoor applications in mobile automation and ensure maximum system uptime.

The GIM500R inclination sensors excel by ultra-high accuracy up to ±0.1˚ for absolute reliability and precise positioning. The E1-compliant and uncompromising design with optimal EMC properties, IP 69K protection and corrosion resistance up to C5-M is particularly addressing demanding outdoor applications. Their shock and vibration resistance up to 200 g respectively 20 g and the wide temperature range from +85 down to -40°C make the inclination sensors particularly durable in temperature fluctuations and any type of soiling. The integrated EN13849-compliant firmware meets the highest requirements on reliability which allows for standard components to be used in functional safety systems up to PLd level. Another hallmark of the new series is optional redundant system design where required.
Inclination sensors of the GIM500R series stand out by their compact aluminum housing, high cost-efficiency and maximum flexibility in system design. They fit in the confined installation space prevailing in mobile automation and heavy vehicles.
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Further information

The robust cable transducers GCA5 are ideally suited for outdoor applications and cramped installation space.

The robust cable transducers GCA5 are ideally suited for outdoor applications and cramped installation space.

Sensor expert Baumer is further expanding their portfolio of cable transducers being the easiest, most reliable and cost-efficient way to measure linear motion within a path from 0.5 to 50 m. New series GCA5 is practice-proven when the going gets tough, for example at mobile machinery, and is ideally suited for use in cramped installation conditions.
The compact cable transducers of the GCA5 series do not compromise on maximum robustness in demanding applications. The housing of impact-resistant plastics, the corrosion-proof stainless steel cable with abrasion-resistant nylon sheath and the non-contact wear-free magnetic sensing make them the optimal choice for reliable and low-maintenance deployment in harsh environments. Thanks to the innovative design with three-chamber-principle, both electronics and stainless steel spring are hermetically encapsulated against the cable drum.  The integrated flexible dirt skimmer at the cable inlet is an additional protection against humidity and ingress of any other harmful environmental substance for maximum application reliability.
The cable transducers of the GCA5 series feature a maximum measuring range of 4700 mm and are available either with integrated CANopen interface or analog output 0.5…4.5 VDC. The CANopen variant provides additionally redundant position sensing and hence simplifies function monitoring at control level. Housing protection IP 67 (cable inlet IP 54), shock resistant up to 50 g, vibration proof up to 10 g and the extended temperature range from -40 to +85 °C make the cable transducers particularly robust and resistant against temperature fluctuations and all kinds of soiling.
The cable transducers of the GCA5 series excel by their narrow design and shallow installation depth of a mere 65 mm which allows easy installation even in cramped space – as prevailing in mobile machinery and utility or transport vehicles. Cable transducers series have been standing the test of time in outrigger positioning at mobile cranes and telehandlers as well as height positioning at floor conveyor trucks and stacker cranes. Whether as OEM equipment or for retrofit – the robust and compact cable transducers are ideal for precise measurement of linear motion in demanding applications.

View the entire line of Cable Transducers here:

https://andersoncontrol.com/shop/sensors/cable-transducer/

SCADA remains relevant for industrial automation

Embedded workflow, engineering model support, and auto-discoverable assets are among the technologies keeping SCADA alive.

Figure 1: Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) increases operator efficiency. In the Enerchem facility, use of modern SCADA means that data is accessible and all needed functionality is found in a single system. Courtesy: Kymera Systems
Placing computer power onto “edge devices” as near to production as possible is a goal hotly pursued in today’s industrial automation circles. What’s more, in just the past few years, copious amounts of process and operations data moved to the cloud.
Yet these developments by no means obviate the role of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems as a convenient and secure aggregation point. SCADA instances are found across the oil and gas industries and in all major production industries. In fact, smart instrumentation and cloud modalities make SCADA more relevant to the entire business enterprise.
“One basic difference in today’s oil and gas environment is that it is expected that operations data can be accessed from the corporate office,” says Doug Rauenzahn, a product director.
 

SCADA installation

A SCADA installation typically includes computer workstations, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and other instrumentation for system inputs and outputs (I/O). Unlike a distributed control system (DCS), SCADA control functions may be limited. The feedback loop passes through the PLC, while SCADA monitors loop performance. That is, PLCs assume parameter control, while operators monitor results and, for example, change set points. Peer-to-peer communications among the controllers may be lacking.
The more modern programmable automation controller (PAC) addresses these concerns to compete with a DCS as a control paradigm.
Another element of a SCADA installation is a distributed database and tag- or point-data elements. Each tag represents a single system input or output value. Examined in series, these value-time stamp pairs track point history. Metadata may also be stored with tags. Systems with many thousands of tags are common today.
SCADA includes tools for process design and development. Of prime importance is the ability to efficiently implement multiple instances of a system. SCADA implementations often include pre-integrated data historians and portal connectivity to aggregate data and communicate results, analytics, etc., to interested parties.
To deal with the complexity of it all, modern SCADA uses object-oriented programming to define virtual representations of each particular entity mirrored in the graphical interface. These virtual objects included address mapping of the represented node and other valuable information. Virtual objects also play a role in supporting SCADA’s ease of implementation since they are available for reuse in multi-plant scenarios.
Object orientation opens a wealth of possibilities. “The object model created in SCADA is an abstraction that can be used by other systems aimed at analytics and optimizations and to feed first-principle engineering or other type models,” says Andy Weatherhead, manager of global engineering.
SCADA increasingly incorporates the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology. Smart instrumentation and cloud technologies lead to more complex control algorithms, while open network protocols improve SCADA cybersecurity.
 

Upstream SCADA territory

As previously mentioned, SCADA is used extensively in industries including energy and power, water and wastewater, manufacturing, and refining. In the oil and gas industries, sub-sea level drilling and production control are typically the purview of DCS, although SCADA implementations tend to proliferate as a means to roles, based on collaboration or cross-functional operations.
According to Darren Schultz, director, of SCADA, oil, gas, and chemicals, in today’s North American upstream gas markets, the gas, well, or pad is typically PLC-controlled, as are the gathering systems connecting the pads, including the compressors involved. On the other hand, gas processing facilities, transmission gas lines, and gas delivery typically are under an independent DCS, and SCADA is widely applied in pipeline and distribution networks.
“Oil production is similar in that field operations are most often addressed with SCADA, refining with DCS, and pipelines are again SCADA-equipped. In the oil industry, you also have tank farms, which may be managed using DCS from nearby processing plants,” says Schultz.
Actual control requirements differ by well type. For natural-flow wells, casing pressure, temperature, and flowing-valve position are monitored, while gas wells further rely on compensated flow calculations. Remote control is limited to the shutdown valve on a natural-flow well. For an artificial-lift well, motors or gas lift valves are also controlled.
Compressor stations in a pipeline system maintain pressure for gas delivery to destination. A gas pipeline typically has multiple compressor stations. A gas or liquid pipeline has block or segmenting valves that can shut down pipeline segments. Valued information includes pressure, temperature, flow, and valve position. Pump stations maintain system pressure or match flow demand. Multiple pump stations connect to the pipeline, with connectivity back to a central location.
Figure 2: Enerchem International, a producer and distributor of hydrocarbon drilling and fracturing fluids, uses fractionation to treat crude, unprocessed oil. With just more than 30,000 tags, the facility recently updated its SCADA to take advantage of b
 

Beyond supervision and control

“What’s exciting about the upstream today is the great uses it has for cloud computing and for something that is happening right now, the advent of auto-discoverable assets technology,” says Weatherhead.
Use of auto-discovery will significantly ease the pain of field implementations. “The cloud offers a ready-made infrastructure for SCADA,” says Weatherhead. “Combined with a services approach, an operator can have power, use a wizard to set up, and be processing data in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, today, in too many cases, you see sites where despite using the very latest drilling technologies, after 3 months of work, they still haven’t tied into SCADA. Three months of lost optimizations is real money.”
Another interesting element to SCADA to petroleum industry efforts aimed at best practices actually has been available for some time. “Over the last several years I’ve found intense interest in the subject of workflows in upstream oil and gas,” says Weatherhead.
Workflows are the traditional discipline of industrial engineers or operations management specialists, types not typically found at wellsites. But workflow isn’t something applied exclusively in offices and factories. A defined process and defined work flow are important benefits for an upstream sector with operations that employ multiple 3rd party-specialist suppliers.
“What [are] wanted are workflows for such things as ‘take a well test’,” says Weatherhead. “It sounds simple, but if you don’t have the different systems involved well-test integrated, you can’t create a relevant workflow. Again, an object data model as found in SCADA provides a level of abstraction that allows easy linkages, much as a bus where elements use device drivers to plug in.”
According to Technical Toolboxes, an industry software provider, when thinking about SCADA implementations, one way to segment upstream operations is pertaining to a) reservoir, b) completion, and c) production. Once the requirements of each are defined by means of production workflows, improvements can be made. Cross-functional objectives can be addressed as role-based goals for “reservoir surveillance, well-test validation, and production optimization.”
With a Web browser, all interested parties-and no malicious parties-access a reliable, single source of truth. It’s the availability of a relevant, configurable interface that can kick off an evolution in how things work.
What’s more, “Web-based interfaces provide a self-service environment so resources aren’t wasted laboriously building or modifying screens. Users quickly become adept at building them and the dashboards that serve their needs. That being said, hesitations persist about using Web interfaces in a control network, as opposed to a business network,” says Rauenzahn.
 

IT-based automation strategies for the oil and gas industry

Rauenzahn says a more strategic approach to IT-based automation use in oil and gas industries will involve collecting data and managing operation in a way that approaches closed-loop control. “SCADA can furnish data to first-principle physics and other type models extensively used in the upstream. Model output is in turn used to tune predictive analytics models, which allow operators to see a well’s probable future direction. This is the advent, or at least contributes to, the ability of the oil and gas industry to achieve the kind of closed-loop control familiar in plant-based processes,” says Rauenzahn.
Weatherhead agrees. “Upstream production is not a closed-loop process, but that’s where the industry is headed. It will come, and it’s not so far away.”
At the end of day, Rauenzahn concludes, “You have to take a holistic approach to justifying automation expense in oil and gas. You have silos of data and silos of people. You have to look at the costs of poor coordination. When you can build workflows to reflect actual processes you can build a culture that encourages the information sharing [and] that leads to productivity growth.”
 
Kevin Parker is a senior contributing editor to Oil & Gas Engineering magazine.
Industrial Control Links (ICL) products can be found at AndersonControl.com here