Echelon's i.LON SmartServer 2.0

Electrical Power & Protection

July 2012 Electrical Power & Protection

Echelon’s i.LON SmartServer 2.0 is a versatile smart energy manager that helps business achieve its operating and energy-efficiency goals. Designed to connect to IP-based applications such as enterprise energy management solutions, demand response programs, streetlight management systems, and high-value remote asset management programs, the SmartServer lets users link thousands of electronic devices to control centres to access, control, and monitor these devices. The systems flexibility allows historically captured data to be reused to save energy, improve operations, and lower maintenance costs.

The SmartServer can be deployed as the brains of a network or in standalone mode. This allows users to expand on a single hardware platform, whether services are run tethered or disconnected. Everything is in a single box – network management, installation and configuration, scheduling, data-logging, alarming, trending, and communications.

Programs for scheduling, alarming, data-logging, meter reading, and network integration help integrate the control system. For example, logging functions can collect data from networks, devices, or sensors to record energy usage and operation hours. Remote equipment remains properly managed even in the event that connectivity is lost. For instance, a diesel engine in a remote oil field will still be able to report its status when its 3G modem can connect again.

Legacy, non-communicating equipment can easily be transformed into smart, networked devices by using the provided inputs and outputs. For example, a digital input from a moisture sensor, indicating a burst water pipe, could trigger an internal high-voltage, high-current relay to shut down legacy electrical equipment, as well as send an e-mail message to the maintenance staff.

Enterprise energy management

Today’s large enterprises – or those organisations with many facilities scattered across a wide region – must find new ways to operate more efficiently in order to lower energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. The SmartServer has an important role to play in the organisation’s energy and environmental strategies. Facility managers can integrate it with their building automation systems to monitor and control HVAC, lighting, security, and elevator subsystems. Key enterprise energy management applications include:

* Quick-service restaurants.

* Data centres.

* Banks.

* Retail and convenience stores.

* Schools.

For more information contact Erich Nast, Avnet Kopp, +27 (0)11 809 6100, erich.nast@avnet.eu, www.avnet.co.za

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Electrical Power & Protection

Echelon's i.LON SmartServer 2.0

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