Not all stack monitoring systems are created equal. Modern systems have evolved into active participants in industrial processes and have the ability to provide additional data to be used for understanding emissions, process conditions, and environmental performance.
In terms of the increasing connectivity of industrial monitoring, the concept of a smart stack monitoring system involves a lot more than merely measuring a parameter and showing the results on display.
However, what does make a stack monitoring system smart?
There is no single sensor nor any software function which could be singled out in the list of criteria making the monitoring architecture a smart solution.
Here are some aspects which should be taken into consideration when discussing the characteristics of a stack monitoring system.
1. It Measures More Than One Parameter
An effective monitoring architecture is built upon reliable measurement.
According to the application, it could include such parameters as:
- NOx
- CO
- SO₂
- O₂
- Particulate matter
- Gas flow
- Stack temperature
Each of the parameters offers unique information.
For instance, gas analyzers will assist in determining the concentration of some selected gases, and the flow measurement will provide information concerning the flow of gas through the stack. The temperature measurement can be used as additional information for interpretation of stack conditions.
The main issue is that all these measurements can provide more valuable information in case they are considered not separately but in combination.
2. Sensors Turn Into Connected Data Sources
Traditional measuring instruments might offer measurements locally. A smart monitoring approach implies creating connectivity allowing to transfer measurement data from the field to a centralized system.
An overview of such architecture would look as follows:
Stack Sensors & Analyzers
↓
Data Acquisition
↓
IoT Connectivity
↓
Cloud Platform
↓
Analytics & Dashboard
↓
Operational Decisions
Here the measurement layer and data/analytic layer are separated.
The consequence of which is creation of a monitoring process flow providing potential capability of getting information without any need of physical examination of each measuring instrument by the operator.
For industrial facilities dealing with multiple monitoring points, such connectivity will allow getting data much easier.
3. Real-Time Visibility Alters the Workflow
If the measurement cannot be accessed on demand, it does not have much value.
Monitoring systems that are based on real-time visibility were designed with that purpose in mind. Rather than just collecting the readings and analyzing them periodically, the connected system will provide access to the information in real time via a dashboard.
The dashboard could show:
- Current levels of the gases being measured
- Dust particulates being emitted
- Stack temperatures
- Flow rates
- Any historical trends
- Status of the system
- Notifications or alerts
This will provide operators and environmental teams with access to the monitoring data.
The real-time visibility can help identify changes in operating conditions and investigation of anomalous readings.
4. Historical Data is as Critical as Real-Time Data
Real-time monitoring allows one to understand:
“What is happening now?”
Historical data will allow answering:
“What was happening?”
A trend analysis will be helpful to provide an additional context for emission changes and/or variations in the operation.
For instance, a single reading will not be enough to explain the reasons of the change. The time-series approach will enable the user to compare a single reading to previously taken measurements and evaluate the uniqueness of this case.
Here comes the data storage – an important element of a smart monitoring solution.
Instead of treating each measurement separately, a history of the measurements will be created that can be used for analysis and reporting.
5. IoT Connectivity Is the Bridge Between Hardware and Software
Industrial Internet of Things technology is one of the necessary components of contemporary stack monitoring due to its capability to connect hardware and software.
Sensors and analyzers work at the equipment level, and the Internet of Things technology enables connecting hardware with software.
Such functionality can include:
- Remote data access
- Centralized monitoring
- Remote diagnostics
- Automated notifications
- Data visualization
- Trend analysis
The exact implementation depends on the specific industrial environment, network infrastructure, instrumentation and software platform.
The larger principle is clear: measuring data should have value beyond the place in which it was measured.
6. A Smart System Should Help People Make Sense of Data
Simply taking thousands of measurements does not necessarily mean creating intelligence.
A monitoring system is more valuable when it makes sense of the data collected.
It may do so through dashboards, trends, threshold alarms, reporting or analysis.
For instance, rather than having five separate data streams to look at, the dashboard might integrate gas concentration, flow rate, temperature, and particulates into a single perspective of the process.
This saves from manually putting together information from multiple instruments.
The idea here is not to remove the necessity of engineering judgment. It is to provide more information to help engineers, environmental professionals, and plant personnel make that judgment.
7. Good Data Takes Priority over Everything Else
No matter how good connectivity and analytics may be, low quality measurements cannot be improved by them.
A highly developed dashboard based on poor sensors data will remain poor.
This means that designing a smart stack monitoring system must take into account:
- Sensor applicability
- Measurement accuracy
- Environmental installation
- Calibration and maintenance
- Measurement delivery
- Storage of data
- Analysis and visualization
The technology stack should be thought of as a full-scale system, and not individual devices chosen at random without regard for compatibility.
8. What Should Companies Ask for?
Here are some practical questions to consider when assessing a smart stack monitoring system:
Which parameters have to be monitored?
Various industrial processes require different sets of gas, particulate, flow, and temperature measurements.
How can information be accessed?
Think about the need for local, remote, or centralized access to data.
How is historic data managed?
Trend analysis and reports typically require the ability to store information reliably.
What if things go wrong?
It has to be possible to identify problems with instruments and communications in the system.
Does the architecture scale?
If a system works for one monitoring point, it might need to be expanded for others in the future.
The Future of Stack Monitoring Lies in Connectivity
Ultimately, the development of stack monitoring means moving from discrete measurements to connected systems of information.
Sensors generate the data. Analyzers determine certain pollutants. Flow and temperature sensors add additional data. Internet of Things technology sends the data. Cloud technology can centralize the data. Data dashboards and analysis make sense of it.
All these together lead to a more interconnected way of carrying out industrial environmental monitoring.
For businesses looking into this method, Emissions and Stack’s smart stack monitoring technology gives an excellent point to start in terms of understanding the technologies that integrate flow, temperature, emissions monitoring, and smart monitoring.
It is a basic principle: a smart monitoring technology is not characterized by the number of technologies it uses but by how efficiently it converts the data from these technologies into meaningful information.
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