IMI is expanding its NEON sensor range with a combined sound and temperature sensor for the acoustic wireless monitoring of steam traps and pressure/safety relief valves (PRV/SRV) as steam-reliant industries globally grapple with steam condensation and trap failures.
The LoRaWAN-enabled NEON Sonic can measure sound pressure levels from 15 to 80 kHz and temperatures from -40°C to 450°C, providing plant engineers and managers with status reports to determine if steam traps are healthy, leaking or blocked. The sensor is IECEx/ATEX Zone 0 certified, making it suitable for use where there is a risk of explosion.
Featuring a battery life of up to seven years, the sensor substantially reduces the need for plant maintenance teams to conduct regular manual inspections. It is also ideal as a retrofit solution, as it does not require a power supply or any modifications to existing equipment or infrastructure. Steam trap failure is a major issue for power plants, refineries and industrial facilities globally, accounting for the wastage of 15 to 20% of steam energy and making a significant contribution to overall levels of fugitive emissions.
This creates challenges both for plants’ commercial and environmental performance. At the same time, steam trap faults can cause damage to equipment because of erosion where wet steam accumulates. Accurate monitoring can reduce unplanned downtime while ensuring routine maintenance is completed on time, reducing the costs incurred from taking a plant offline.
Failing stream traps also pose a major safety hazard to personnel. Moreover, the manual inspections that are required where automatic monitoring is not in place are both expensive and hazardous, while providing less frequent and less-accurate data on equipment performance and failures. The new sensor complements existing NEON Vibration Sensor, NEON Pressure Sensor and NEON Temperature.
Transmitter in use across energy and industrial applications globally. Nadine Nerrwerth, business development and commercial director, at IMI, says: ‘Steam trap failures have a major commercial and environmental impact because of their implications for plant efficiency. NEON Sonic allows plant managers and engineers to combat the challenges steam trap failures cause to commercial and environmental performance as well as the safety of personnel.’
