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 (PRVs/SRVs), 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 whether steam traps are healthy, leaking or blocked.
The sensor is IECEx/ATEX Zone 0 certified, making it suitable for use in environments 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 worldwide, 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 for both plants’ commercial and environmental performance. At the same time, steam trap faults can cause damage to equipment due to erosion where wet steam accumulates.
Accurate monitoring can reduce unplanned downtime while ensuring routine maintenance is completed on time, lowering the costs incurred from taking a plant offline. Failing steam traps also pose a major safety hazard to personnel.
Moreover, the manual inspections required where automatic monitoring is not in place are both costly and hazardous, while providing less frequent and less accurate data on equipment performance and failures.
The new sensor complements the existing NEON Vibration Sensor, NEON Pressure Sensor and NEON Temperature Transmitter already in use across energy and industrial applications globally.
Nadine Nerrwerth, Business Development and Commercial Director at IMI, said: “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 address the challenges steam trap failures pose to commercial and environmental performance, as well as to the safety of personnel.”
IMI launches new NEON Sonic sensor for steam trap monitoring
