Omniflex Automation Products is offering a Hart network interface module (NIM) for its Maxiflex 1000 Series Data Acquisition System. This Dual Hart Port device allows the connection of up to 30 Hart enabled devices to it, making it suitable for the data acquisition environment. Generally, tanks are located some distance away from the monitoring/pump stations out of necessity - and running of many current loops back to the monitoring point is expensive. Using Hart all the Hart facilities are available to the supervisory system as well as the status of the level.
Long distance
Using Maxiflex with its conet local area network (which allows distances up to 10 km on a screened twisted pair) a tank farm's levels can be collected and transmitted back to the supervisory system on a twisted pair. Tank Farm collection points using a Maxiflex LAN Node may also be multidropped on the same twisted pair.
High capacity
Each Maxiflex Node may contain 15 Hart NIMs giving a capacity of 450 Hart Devices, with a possible 126 Maxiflex Nodes on the twisted pair giving a Conet Network Capacity of more than 56 000 Hart devices.
Continuous on-line
The Maxiflex Hart Nim differs from other Hart monitoring data acquisition systems in that it does not multiplex the signals. Each Hart device is constantly on-line to the Hart Nim, thus the speed of data acquisition is much faster. The Hart Nim also supports bi-direction communication so the supervisory system may execute control outputs or write to the Hart devices.
Network topologies
Maxiflex allows the implementation of complex Star and bus topologies that adapt to the particular plant layout requirements. multiple conet networks on existing plant cable can radiate out from the supervisory centre, each supporting as many Maxiflex Nodes daisy chained on the same cable as required.
'Programless' data acquisition
Maxiflex has adopted the philosophy that for data acquisition or telemetry no application program is required. A simple Windows configuration package (OmniSet) is all that is required to configure the application. This streamlines installation and commissioning - with obvious benefit to the scada environment. Later additions to the system are flexibly accommodated, making system expansion as simple as adding modules to the field units, and reading the data at the scada.
Tank farm monitoring of Hart-enabled level transmitters
Maxiflex and Conet enable this application to be easily implemented on existing plant cabling. The Hart Nims allow all the Hart data to be accessed by a scada or supervisory system offering enhanced capabilities to the plant users for data acquisition, field calibration, system diagnostics, etc.
For more information: Ian Loudon, Omniflex, 031 207 7466, [email protected]
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