Greater Transparency in the Plant—Pepperl+Fuchs Presents a Product Study for Radio-Based Monitoring of Manual Valves

At the heart of the modular WILSEN.valve solution from the Mannheim-based experts for industrial sensors is a battery-operated central unit (WILSEN). Depending on the valve type and specific application requirements, various types of NAMUR or 2-wire low-power DC sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs' wide and tried-and-tested portfolio can be connected to this unit. These sensors, which are significantly more rugged than the solutions currently available on the market, can be conveniently connected to the central unit via standardized M12 connections. The actual transfer of the valve positions to the higher-level asset management system or an IoT platform can then be done completely wirelessly: The valve position feedback already prepared by the central unit is transmitted to the desired target system over several kilometers via radio following the internationally recognized LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) standard. Visualizations, alarms, and downstream measures can then be triggered in the field.

Due to the high-power battery of the central units and the low energy consumption of the connected NAMUR and 2-wire sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs, the WILSEN.valve system operates for years without needing maintenance. It therefore offers a simple and cost-effective solution for valve monitoring and can also be easily retrofitted in existing systems. In addition to the actual position feedback, it is also possible to transfer diagnostic data from the sensors (e.g., line fault or short circuit) and additional information from the central unit (e.g., GPS location, battery status, or temperature). Parameterization is carried out either directly at the installation location using the dedicated WILSEN smartphone app via Bluetooth or using remote access within the LoRa network via a downlink channel.

To help optimize battery performance even further, Pepperl+Fuchs offers a free, web-based battery runtime calculator for the WILSEN system. This tool allows users to calculate the expected battery life of their WILSEN.valve solution based on a number of parameters. These include the location (indoor or outdoor areas), measurement and transmission frequencies, and the quality of the LoRaWAN network at the operating location.

Interested parties are invited to visit Bochum or Nuremberg to familiarize themselves with the WILSEN.valve product study. The experts at Pepperl+Fuchs are looking forward to your visit:

DIAM & DDM, Bochum, November 8–9, 2023, stand FF 34

SPS, Nuremberg, November 14–16, 2023, hall 7A, stand 411