Wireless transmission of force measaurement in hazardous areas

We manufacture force transducers based on strain gauges technology, with a standard output between 5 and 30 mV (power supply: 10 VDC).

As long as SENSY has been in existence, it has offered a wide range of options to allow the type of transmission to be adapted to the application, including:

• Analogue amplifiers (0-10 V, 4-20 mA, +/-10 V, etc.)
• Digital amplifiers (RS232, RS485, USB, etc.)
• Wireless transmitter/receiver for industrial environments.

We can now add to this list:

A ‘wireless ATEX-certified transmitter/receiver capable of being both battery-operated and used in hazardous areas’

• SENSY recently delivered a complete measurement solution, which included a system for measuring the force of five mooring cables operating in a hazardous area, by utilizing radio transmission.
• FINDING a solution for a customer’s problem: Our customer needed to control the forces applied on the tankers mooring lines during the discharge of their crude-oil cargo.

SENSY’s SOLUTION

• Manufacture of five ‘Exd’ certified tensiometers, submersible in case of an accident, quick release for ease-of-use, and connected to a multichannel radio;
• Development of an ‘Ex- certified’ transmitter in an explosion-proof enclosure;
• Realization of an Ex- certified receiver mounted on the outside of the ship’s bridge in an explosion-proof enclosure and connected to a computer installed in the safe area.
• Features of dedicated software:
  
  1. Display of the tension force of each mooring line in a bar graph so that the data can readily understood.
  2. Programmable alert thresholds with an audible alarm and a color changing from green to red depending on the force level.
  3. Real-time data recording.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Force transducers

• Type : Static line tensiometer, model 5560S
• Capacity : 45 t
• Certification : ‘Exd T6’ according to CEI 60079-1/EN60079-1
• Output signal : 1 mV/V
• Protection : IP67 Marine
• Cable length : 15 m
• Option : Quick release system

Conditioner / Transmitter

• Number of channels : 5
• Accuracy : ± 0.1 %
• Inputs : 5 x 2 mV/V
• Power supply : 10..24 VDC
• Range : 1.000 m with no obstructions or interference in the surrounding area
• Explosion-proof enclosure : Eexd IIB T4

Receiver

• Output : RS485 (Modbus)
• Power supply : 230 VAC
• Explosion-proof enclosure : Eexd IIB T4
• Protection : IP54

Dedicated software (on a computer outside of the hazardous area)

• Display of the five strengths on a bar graph with colours changing from green to red depending on the force level;
• Programmable alert thresholds with an audible alarm.
• Data recording