Hazardous Area Long
Term Monitoring System
A simple, quick-to-install monitoring system developed by Xodus Group for
long term unattended use in hazardous areas.
The Hazardous Area Long Term Monitoring
System (HALTMS) from Xodus provides
a simple and cost-effective solution to
measuring vibration, dynamic pressure and
stress on pipework and associated structures
in hazardous areas.
Incorporating a modified version of our
Long Term Monitoring System (LTMS), the
HALTMS includes protective Zener barriers
required for the operation of sensors in
hazardous areas. Mounted in a certified EEx
‘d’ flameproof enclosure, the entire system
can be installed and operated unattended in
areas classified zone 1 or zone 2, eliminating
the need for long cables running from the
measurement sensors to a logger in a safe
area. This radically reduces the time and
costs of deployment and eliminates the need
to either install or find additional space in
cable transits.
www.xodusgroup.com
System installation by expert Xodus
engineers can take place within seven days,
depending on the number of sensors required
and site access. Standard configuration
HALTMS systems are kept in store meaning
most customised options can be assembled
in under three weeks.
Sensor types
In its standard configuration, the HALTMS
acquires signals from a maximum of 32
sensors at rates of up to 1,000 samples per
second. It acquires data from ATEX EEx
ia rated ICP accelerometers or dynamic
pressure sensors and ‘simple apparatus’
sensor type strain gauges and potentiometric
displacement gauges for the dynamic
measurements required for vibration analysis.
Standard process 4-20mA pressure,
temperature and position sensors can easily
be installed and recorded.
Mounting
Weighing approximately 110kg, the system
can be bulkhead mounted using mounting
bars placed across the back. Alternatively, it
can be supplied on a free-standing base that
can be temporarily fixed to the installation
floor or wall to prevent movement.
Electrical requirements
The electronic hardware is housed in an
ATEX rated EEx ‘d’ flameproof enclosure
with the circuits to all sensors routed
through protective Zener barriers. Power
for the system hardware is supplied from a
convenient power source capable of being
isolated without impacting the operation of
other equipment. The HALTMS is configured
to run off a 110 to 240 VAC 50-60 Hz supply
and consume less than 100 W. Powering the
system from other types of supply can be
arranged on a case by case basis.
Prior to deployment Xodus can supply all
component certificates of conformance,
system wiring diagrams and sensor and
enclosure hazardous area certificates
required to support management of change
procedures or other client processes required
to allow the system to be installed. System
certification is prepared in advance of
shipment and installation.
Data storage
All data is recorded on removable 1 or 2
terabyte disk drives. The HALTMS can
For more information contact:
Sandy Hutchison . Vibration Engineering Manager . sandy.hutchison@xodusgroup.com . +44 141 2990086
www.xodusgroup.com
10829 May 2015
be programmed to record and store data
continuously or for selected durations and
time periods. In both cases the data is broken
into data files of a user-selected duration. In
the event of the removal of power from the
system only the current data file is lost. On
return of power the HALTMS is programmed
to restart and resume recording data at the
beginning of the next recording period.
Data formats
Data is sampled and stored in a multichannel
Universal File Format (.UFF, .UNV) or .WAV
files which can be directly imported into
engineering analysis applications such as
MATLAB, nCode GlyphWorks, ME’scope
or PULSE. For each recording period
statistical data results are computed and
stored in Comma Separated Values (.CSV)
files. The statistical values stored for each
recording period for each data channel are
the Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Standard
Deviation and Root Mean Square. For strain
or stress data the 2D Rainflow Cycle Count
can also be stored.
In operation the client or supervising engineer
can inspect the statistical data results using
a spreadsheet application such as Microsoft
Excel to rapidly identify the areas of interest,
possibly correlating them with the associated
process conditions at the time from the
process Distributed Control System (DCS)
records. Further detailed analysis of the
recorded time history data can be carried
out by the client or our Vibration Engineering
engineers using the associated multichannel
time history data.
Data harvesting
Normally the system will operate unattended
and store data onto a removable USB storage
device for subsequent analysis. The current
system status, including the storage capacity
remaining, is shown on an illuminated four
line LCD display visible through the window
on the enclosure.
Data is normally transferred from the system
by connecting a laptop or similar portable
PC device to the HALTMS system though an
Ex ‘d’ rated Ethernet RJ45 connector on the
HALTMS enclosure. Data is transferred to the
laptop using file transfer commands familiar
to Microsoft Windows users. Depending on
specific requirements for the operation of
portable electronic devices in a hazardous
area, data transfer may have to be performed
under a temporary hot work permit.
On-line interrogation
A Fibre Optic (FO) ethernet connection can
be set-up from a safe area to the HALTMS
in the hazardous area. The FO ethernet
connection allows a laptop to be connected
to the HALTMS and the system to be
interrogated and / or configured from the
safe area without the need to power down
the device or have a hot work permit issued.
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