Autonomous Distributed Plant Monitoring Network

ABSTRACT: Regardless of age or service history, machine equipment at AEDC must be reliable and ready for operation when required by test and evaluation schedules. Condition based maintenance of rotating machinery using embedded instrumentation has proven to be an effective approach for increasing the reliability of plant equipment. It is anticipated that broader monitoring capabilities would result in operational improvements including increased availability, more effective labor utilization, and reduced maintenance costs. These benefits can be realized by a cost effective, rapidly deployable wireless sensor platform that can autonomously perform data collection tasks. The system must be compatible with existing maintenance network systems, FIPS 140-2 data security, and DOD requirements for Information Assurance to ensure secure access and system interoperability. Within the proposed Phase II program, Luna will deliver a flexible, secure wireless monitoring platform with energy harvesting that meets AEDC requirements. Luna"s device and system concept will be useful for both rapidly deployable, real-time machine troubleshooting, and long-term, autonomous runtime parameter and machine load estimation. BENEFIT: The value of Luna"s sensor platform is its unique combination of features that are not available in any other commercial platform, including a high degree of application flexibility for both temporary and long-term machine monitoring. The objective of the Phase II program is to produce an application flexible, secure wireless machine sensor platform with extended endurance through energy harvesting. The plant monitoring system would be a cost effective means to achieve expanded machine diagnostic capabilities that seamlessly integrates with existing AEDC maintenance networks. Luna"s sensor platform mitigates both logistic and labor issues associated with batteries through energy harvesting, and eliminates cabling with secure, wireless, remote retrieval of machine health and runtime parameters. The benefit to AEDC is that the sensor platform is designed to be compatible with existing IT infrastructure, Air Force Information Assurance policies, and with DMSI MAINTelligence software. The reconfigurable and flexible monitoring product has been designed to meet the broadest possible range of machine monitoring applications. The plant monitoring system would be useful in unattended monitoring of military plants, propulsion systems and infracture, along with large scale industrial processes common in metals, mining, pulp and paper and chemical process industries.