Wireless Networks for Extreme Environments

Extronics wireless network chosen by Invensys Process Systems

Invensys Process Systems chose Extronics to improve plant visibility at Total’s Milford Haven refinery. Extronics’ wireless network offers cost-effective and scalable solution.

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Congleton, UK, 8th July 2008:  Extronics, a leading supplier and manufacturer of intrinsically safe and explosion-proof electrical and electronic equipment, has been chosen to supply a wireless network for hazardous environments by Invensys Process Systems (IPS), a global technology, software and consulting firm.  The intrinsically safe and explosion proof wireless network will form an integral part of IPS' project to improve plant visibility at Murco's UK-based refinery.

IPS was awarded the turnkey contract to supply a complete "offsite" solution to the Milford Haven refinery.  Offsite operations are crucial in the production process, providing the handling and storage facilities for high quantities of gas or liquid in the form of tank farms and terminals.  Extronics worked with IPS to provide significant improvements in the efficient operation of these offsite facilities at Milford Haven in zone 1 and zone 2 rated hazardous areas.    

IPS required Extronics to provide a robust and cost-effective measure to deliver work scheduling and position status feedback to operators, in real time, on more than 1,500 manual valves involved in the offsite operations to be displayed on a process mimic.   On Extronics' recommendation, an intrinsically safe and explosion-proof WLAN was installed.  This enabled Windows Mobile rugged PDAs and RFID tags to be used together by operators to enter the status of the valves and feed the information back to the process mimic.    

By utilising Extronics' wireless network, IPS, was able to offer an economic and secure solution for Murco's extreme environments and zone 1 & 2 hazardous areas throughout the Milford Haven plant.   

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About Extronics
Extronics supplies and manufactures a wide range of intrinsically safe and explosion proof products to companies in the process industries who need to mobilise and track their workforce within hazardous facilities.  Its unrivalled understanding and experience of equipping potentially explosive environments, and its focus on wireless networks and devices, enables companies to receive automated and efficient access to process information throughout their facility at any time.

About Invensys Process Systems
Invensys Process Systems (IPS), headquartered in Plano, Texas, is a global technology, software and consulting firm leading significant change in process manufacturing, plant optimization, business operations and enterprise performance. IPS clients are some of the world's most important industrial organizations - companies that operate large oil refineries; plants that process chemicals, gas, LNG, power, pharmaceutical and minerals; and pulp and paper mills. IPS solutions, used at more than 50,000 locations across the globe, include field devices and controls from Foxboro and Triconex, advanced applications from SimSci-Esscor, operations management from Avantis, and the world's first truly open enterprise control system, InFusion.    

IPS' nearly 7,000 employees integrate these capabilities to create solutions that impact and increase efficiency, boost productivity and accelerate performance. These results help industrial companies run safer, operate more efficiently and extract useful knowledge from their operations to make faster, better decisions. To learn more about IPS visit us at http://www.ips.invensys.com/.

TagAbout Milford Haven Refinery

Milford Haven Refinery is a mid-size complex refinery of 5 million tons per annum. It employs around 350 people from local towns and is one of the largest employers in west Wales. In addition to making a commercial contribution to the area, the company also works with local communities to ensure that the environmental impact of the refinery is minimised.

For more information about Extronics, please visit: www.extronics.com

Marketing Contact
Alison Newcombe
alisonn@extronics.com
+ 44 (0)1260 292651 

Sales contact
Paul Lazor
paul@extronics.com
+ 44 (0)1260 292651