OIT Wireless Telemetry for Industrial Applications
The need for advanced wireless technology has been identified in the National Research Council publication (1) ''Manufacturing Process Controls for the Industries of the Future as a Critical Technology for the Future''. The deployment challenges to be overcome in order for wireless to be a viable option include: (1) eliminating interference (assuring reliable communications); (2) easing the deployment of intelligent, wireless sensors; (3) developing reliable networks (robust architectures); (4) developing remote power (long-lasting and reliable); and (5) developing standardized communication protocols. This project demonstrated the feasibility of robust wireless sensor networks that could meet these requirements for the harsh environments common to the DOE/OIT Industries of the Future. It resulted in a wireless test bed that was demonstrated in a paper mill and a steel plant. The test bed illustrated key protocols and components that would be required in a real-life, wireless network. The technologies for low power connectivity developed and demonstrated at the plant eased fears that the radios would interfere with existing control equipment. The same direct sequence, spread spectrum (DSSS) technology that helped assure the reliability of the connection also demonstrated that wireless communication was feasible in these plants without boosting the transmitted power to dangerous levels. Our experience and research have indicated that two key parameters are of ultimate importance: (1) reliability and (2) inter-system compatibility. Reliability is the key to immediate acceptance among industrial users. The importance cannot be overstated, because users will not tolerate an unreliable information network. A longer term issue that is at least as important as the reliability of a single system is the inter-system compatibility between these wireless sensor networks and other wireless systems that are part of our industries. In the long run, the ability of wireless sensor networks to operate cooperatively in an environment that includes wireless LANs, wireless headsets, RF heating, wireless crane controls and many other users of the electromagnetic spectrum will probably be the most important issue we can address. A network of units (Figure 1) has been developed that demonstrates the feasibility of direct-sequence spread spectrum wireless sensor networking for industrial environments. The hardware consists of a group of reprogrammable transceivers that can act as sensor nodes or network nodes or both. These units and the team that built them are the heart of a test bed development system that has been used successfully in demonstrations at various industrial sites. As previously reported, these units have been successfully tested at a paper mill. More recently, these units were utilized in a permanent installation at a steel mill. Both of these applications demonstrated the ease with which a new network could be installed, and the reality that DSSS units can operate successfully in plants where narrow band transmitters had previously caused interference with plant operations.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 885726
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-2002/173; TRN: US200617%%153
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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