Monitoring Pump & Motor Systems

Using Lansitec Bluetooth Sensor with Accelerometer and Lansitec LoRaWAN Gateway

Introduction

Purpose

This case study explores the importance of monitoring movement in industrial environments. Industrial applications on any scale rely on various motors for making machinery work and proactively monitoring those motors can prove crucial for manufacturing processes. The case study will explore the use of Lansitec's B005 Bluetooth Beacon with additional built-in accelerometers and the SocketSync Bluetooth Gateway with LoRaWAN for monitoring a pump and motor system. The sensors are deployed to measure vibrations and detect abnormalities in the system's operational behavior via a beaconing technology, transmitting real-time data to the cloud for monitoring and alerting.

Importance of Condition Monitoring

Keeping track of the state of motors is crucial to guarantee their effective and dependable performance. Industrial systems are susceptible to wear, misalignment, and other problems causing excessive vibrations, potentially leading to expensive downtime or equipment failure. Continuous monitoring helps detect problems early, leading to preventive maintenance and reducing unexpected breakdowns. Using IoT technology such as Lansitec sensors can help businesses improve equipment lifespan, cut down on maintenance expenses, and optimize operational effectiveness.

System Overview

Pump and Motor System

The typical motor-pump setup, that we are using to illustrate this use case, is used in industries like water distribution, HVAC, and manufacturing, and involves the motor converting electrical energy into rotational motion. The pump then transfers this mechanical energy to move liquids through piping systems. This seamless interaction is critical for continuous operations in various sectors. For example, in water distribution, pumps ensure consistent flow rates to meet demand, while HVAC systems rely on pumps to circulate fluids for heating and cooling.

Challenges

Motor-pump systems frequently face several operational challenges. Factors such as wear and tear, component misalignment, and rotor imbalances can cause excessive vibration over time, which is a crucial sign of system deterioration. Vibrations have the potential to harm bearings, seals, and couplings, resulting in mechanical strain and ultimately leading to early breakdowns. Common issues include:

Misalignment

Improper alignment of motor and pump shafts leads to added strain on bearings and seals.

Bearing Wear

Extended use without adequate lubrication or dirty lubricants speeds up wear and tear on bearings, decreasing efficiency.

Imbalance

Unequal weight distribution in rotating parts leads to increased vibrations, putting strain on mechanical components.

Sensor and Gateway Technology

Introducing Lansitec devices that significantly help to monitor pump's condition

Lansitec B005 Bluetooth Beacon with Accelerometer

This Bluetooth beacon can be integrated with a high-precision accelerometer, capable of detecting subtle vibrations and rotational speeds, which is critical for monitoring motor and pump health.

Key features include:

The bluetooth beacon constantly advertises iBeacon messages according to settings. It has two built-in high-capacity button cells. The maximum battery life is approximately 5 years with a advertise interval @500ms.

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Bluetooth 5.0

Provides low-energy, wireless communication, enabling real-time data transmission to nearby gateways within a range of 100 meters.

Accelerometer

Measures vibrations in three axes, detecting even minor deviations from normal operating conditions, such as increased vibrations due to misalignment or mechanical wear.

Compact Size & IP67 Rating

The beacon’s small form factor and robust housing allow it to be installed in harsh environments like pump houses, ensuring accurate data collection without the need for wired connections.

Benefits for the Use Case

The small size and ease of installation mean the sensor can be placed directly on critical components of the motor and pump, such as the rotor and pipe connection, where it can continuously monitor for excessive vibrations and alert users to issues before they lead to system failure. Its Bluetooth capability ensures that data is wirelessly transmitted to the gateway without complicated wiring, reducing installation time and maintenance complexity.

Lansitec SocketSync Bluetooth Gateway

The Socket Sync Gateway acts as the data bridge, collecting information from the Bluetooth sensors and forwarding it to the cloud for analysis.

Its specifications include:

The SocketSync Bluetooth Gateway is designed based on BLE and LoRa technology. With the advanced LoRa technology and built-in BLE module, the BLE gateway receives and reports the BLE devices messages to the LoRaWAN gateway. The parameter settings, such as the heartbeat period, LoRaWAN work mode, and sensor data to send in a BLE message, are adjustable as per customers’ requirements.

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Bluetooth 5.0

Enables the gateway to connect with numerous Bluetooth sensors at the same time up to a distance of 100 meters.

Wi-Fi and Ethernet Connectivity:

Offers various ways to connect for transferring data to the cloud, guaranteeing dependability across different network settings.

LoRaWAN Data Forwarding:

The gateway transmits data over extended distances through the LoRaWAN protocol, ideal for remote or large-scale setups.

Benefits for the Use Case

The gateway’s ability to handle multiple sensor connections makes it scalable for systems with several motor-pump setups. Its ability to connect to transmit via LoRaWAN and the Wi-Fi backhaul ensures that data is sent to the cloud smoothly, even in areas with no, unreliable cellular or wired internet access. This guarantees continuous monitoring and activation of alarms if abnormal sensor readings are detected.

Introduction to LoRaWAN Technology

What is LoRaWAN Communication Protocol?

LoRaWAN is a low-power, long-range wireless communication technology, one of the big advantages of large-scale deployments. It enables data transmission over several kilometers with minimal energy use. This is especially useful in industrial settings where systems are spread across large areas.

Key Features Include:

Long-Range Communication

Covers distances of up to 15 kilometers in rural areas and several kilometers in urban environments.

Low Power Consumption

Ideal for IoT deployments where devices are powered by batteries or solar energy, allowing sensors and gateways to operate for extended periods without requiring frequent maintenance.

Benefits for the Use Case

Through the use of LoRaWAN, the system can send important operational information from the pump house to the cloud, even when the location is distant. This feature allows for easy integration in large facilities or installations spread out over a wide area, minimizing the necessity for manual checks and guaranteeing consistent, dependable monitoring of the motor and pump system.

Implementation Process

Installation

The Bluetooth sensors are installed directly on the motor's rotor and on the pump at the pipe connection point, where vibrations are most likely to reveal operational issues. Their compact design and wireless functionality allow for easy mounting using adhesives or clamps without disrupting existing machinery. The Lansitec Socket Sync Gateway is mounted on the pump house roof, where it has a clear line of sight to the sensors, ensuring optimal Bluetooth connectivity and signal strength.

To ensure accurate readings, calibration of the accelerometer is crucial. The sensor must be calibrated to baseline vibration and rotational speed under normal operating conditions. This step allows the system to distinguish between acceptable operational vibrations and warning signs of potential mechanical issues. Calibration can be done via software, typically using the associated app or web platform.

Data Flow

After installation, the Lansitec Bluetooth Beacon with Accelerometer continuously captures data regarding vibrations, acceleration, and rotational speed from the motor and pump. The accelerometer detects even the slightest irregularities in the mechanical behavior of the system. Here’s a more detailed step-by-step breakdown of the data flow:

Sensor Data Capture:
The accelerometer monitors three-axis vibrations and measures rotational speed to create a precise profile of the motor and pump’s operational behavior. It captures data such as:
Changes in vibration intensity (indicative of misalignment, wear, or imbalances).
Rotational speed variations, helping identify any mechanical load issues.

Bluetooth Transmission:
The sensor wirelessly transmits this real-time data using Bluetooth 5.0. This version of Bluetooth ensures low-energy consumption and stable connections over a range of up to 100 meters, ideal for covering the distance between the motor-pump system and the gateway located within or near the pump house.

Gateway Data Aggregation:
The Lansitec Socket Sync Bluetooth Gateway serves as the intermediary device. It receives the Bluetooth signals from multiple sensors simultaneously and consolidates the data. The gateway’s ability to support multiple connections ensures scalability for monitoring several motor-pump pairs at once.

LoRaWAN Transmission to the Cloud:
Transmission of data from the gateway to the cloud is done using LoRaWAN technology, allowing for data to be successfully sent over extended distances. The low-power, wide-area network capability of LoRaWAN is crucial for transmitting data reliably in industrial locations or remote pump houses with unreliable or unavailable conventional internet connections. LoRaWAN effectively sends data packets over long distances without using a lot of power, which is crucial for installations relying on solar or battery power.

Cloud Processing and Alerts:
Next, the information is sent to a cloud-based system, where it is stored and analyzed immediately. Machine learning algorithms or predetermined thresholds can identify unusual patterns in the vibration or rotational data, raising a red flag for possible problems. If the system detects irregularities like too much shaking or sudden shifts in speed, it immediately sends an alert to the user through a mobile app or web dashboard.

Notifications and Maintenance Tasks: These notifications, along with all operational information, are shown in a user-friendly interface, offering practical insights. Users can track trends, analyze past information, and, most significantly, get immediate alerts for possible issues. This enables prompt action to be taken, whether it be setting up preventative maintenance or looking into an unusual reading before it turns into a significant issue.

This smooth data transmission guarantees ongoing real-time observation of motor-pump systems, enabling maintenance crews to respond to early alerts, minimizing downtime, and enhancing operational effectiveness. Monitoring and Maintenance Workflow

Real-Time Monitoring

The information gathered by the sensors is displayed in real-time using a dashboard or mobile app that is cloud-based. This interface offers users a complete overview of the operational characteristics of the motor and pump, such as vibration levels, acceleration, and rotational speed. Individuals can monitor patterns in the long run, evaluate how well they are performing, and detect any deviations from typical functioning. The constant flow of data in real-time enables early identification of minor problems, preventing them from developing into significant equipment breakdowns.

Continuous monitoring ensures that maintenance teams can:
Identify gradual wear and tear: By observing subtle increases in vibration or other indicators.
Perform data-driven maintenance: Only performing repairs or replacements when actual data suggests a problem.

Alarm System

The system is designed to automatically detect anomalies, such as excessive vibration or sudden changes in motor speed, which might indicate mechanical issues like misalignment, bearing wear, or imbalance. Here’s how the alarm flow works:

The sensor detects abnormal vibrations or speeds.
It transmits this data via Bluetooth to the Socket Sync Gateway.
The gateway forwards the information through LoRaWAN to the cloud.
If the cloud platform’s algorithms detect deviations from normal thresholds, it triggers an alarm.

The alert is immediately transmitted to operators through the mobile app or dashboard in real time. The notifications come with in-depth data records, allowing operators to evaluate the seriousness of the problem and react promptly by either arranging maintenance or halting the machine to avoid additional harm. This proactive method helps to decrease outage time and lower the chance of expensive breakdowns.

Through constant monitoring of vibrations and accelerations, the system detects mechanical problems like misalignment, wear, or imbalance early on. This early detection method assists in avoiding sudden equipment breakdowns, enabling maintenance crews to tackle issues in advance and reducing operational interruptions.

Cost savings are achieved by identifying problems early on, leading to a decrease in unexpected maintenance and downtime, resulting in reduced repair expenses and operational inefficiencies. Ensuring that equipment is well-maintained can also result in energy conservation, as faulty motors and pumps typically use higher amounts of energy.

Deployment is made easy by using wireless technology like Bluetooth sensors and LoRaWAN for long-distance communication, removing the necessity for intricate and expensive wiring. This decreases the time and effort needed for installation, simplifying implementation for both new and existing infrastructure.

The solar-powered gateway reduces energy consumption by utilizing renewable energy, thus creating a sustainable system and decreasing reliance on external power sources. This guarantees that the monitoring system functions effectively in distant or isolated areas, leading to additional savings in operational expenses.

Case Study Scenario

Imagine a water distribution pump station where a motor drives the main pump to supply water to several surrounding areas. It supplies water to a municipality and operates a 20 kW motor driving a centrifugal pump. During normal operation, the Lansitec Bluetooth Beacon with Accelerometer is calibrated to detect vibrations within the acceptable range of 0.1-1.5 mm/s, as per ISO 10816 standards for motor vibration. Over a week, the sensor recorded a steady increase in vibrations from 1.1 mm/s to 2.5 mm/s on the motor’s rotor. This deviation is transmitted to the Lansitec SocketSync Gateway and forwarded to the cloud via LoRaWAN, where the real-time data analysis flags the anomaly. The sensor, calibrated to monitor the motor’s normal operation, identifies this deviation as abnormal. The data is immediately transmitted to the Lansitec Socket Sync Gateway via Bluetooth and then forwarded to the cloud using LoRaWAN. The cloud platform’s algorithms flag this vibration as indicative of potential misalignment in the motor shaft.

The alarm is triggered as the vibration exceeds the preset threshold of 1.5 mm/s, a critical value suggesting potential misalignment. Maintenance staff received an alert through the mobile app, prompting an immediate inspection. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the motor’s coupling had started to degrade, causing a misalignment. Left unchecked, this could have resulted in severe motor damage, leading to costly repairs or even a full motor replacement, which would have resulted in several days of downtime.

Outcome

Thanks to the early detection, the maintenance team was able to repair the coupling before it caused motor failure, preventing costly downtime. It allowed the team to replace the coupling at a minor cost of $500, avoiding a motor breakdown that could have cost up to $10,000 and required a minimum of 48 hours of downtime for replacement. The pump station, which normally processes 500,000 liters of water daily, was able to maintain full operational capacity without interruption. This proactive approach not only saved repair costs but also maintained the pump station’s operational efficiency which, in the long run, led to a 70% reduction in repair costs and prevented significant water supply disruptions. With no need for emergency repairs and minimal disruption to water distribution, the station experienced significant cost savings and increased uptime, demonstrating the value of continuous monitoring in preventing critical system failures and the effectiveness of using such systems to extend equipment life, optimize operational efficiency, and minimize both maintenance and operational costs.

Challenges and Solutions

Potential Obstacles

Signal Interference: In industrial environments with metal structures and machinery, Bluetooth signals between sensors and the gateway may experience interference, reducing transmission reliability.
Sensor Miscalibration: If sensors are not calibrated correctly, they may generate false alarms or miss critical data, leading to poor decision-making.
Power Management: Sensors and gateways, especially in remote locations, rely on stable power sources, which can be a challenge in areas without reliable electricity.

Solutions

Proper Calibration and Positioning: Regular calibration and optimal placement of sensors (e.g., on critical motor and pump parts) ensure accurate data collection. Initial calibration should be based on the machine’s baseline vibration levels, with periodic recalibration to account for environmental changes.
LoRaWAN for Reliable Communication: By leveraging LoRaWAN, the system ensures long-range, low-power communication, which is more resilient to interference compared to shorter-range wireless protocols like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth alone. LoRaWAN’s ability to transmit over distances up to 15 kilometers in rural areas makes it ideal for remote pump stations.
Solar-Powered Gateways: For remote installations, using solar-powered gateways ensures uninterrupted data transmission even in areas with unreliable or no electrical power. This reduces maintenance costs and provides energy efficiency while enabling continuous monitoring.

Conclusion

The combination of a sensor that has an accelerometer and a beacon with a robust LoRaWAN gateway provides a reliable and scalable solution for monitoring motor and pump systems. Not just in the demonstrated use case but anywhere where motors are involved. The wireless setup reduces installation complexity, while real-time data and early warnings allow for proactive maintenance, preventing costly equipment failures and downtime. This is what Industry 4.0 is all about.

This system’s scalability makes it adaptable to various applications such as HVAC systems, industrial machinery, and remote monitoring sites. The low-power, long-range capabilities of LoRaWAN enable its use in hard-to-reach locations.

LoRaWAN

Tracker

NB-IoT & LTE-M

Tracker

LoRaWAN

Sensor

Monitoring Pump & Motor Systems

Introduction

Purpose

Importance of Condition Monitoring

System Overview

Pump and Motor System

Challenges

Misalignment

Bearing Wear

Imbalance

Sensor and Gateway Technology

Lansitec B005 Bluetooth Beacon with Accelerometer

Bluetooth 5.0

Accelerometer

Compact Size & IP67 Rating

Benefits for the Use Case

Lansitec SocketSync Bluetooth Gateway

Bluetooth 5.0

Wi-Fi and Ethernet Connectivity:

LoRaWAN Data Forwarding:

Benefits for the Use Case

Introduction to LoRaWAN Technology

Long-Range Communication

Low Power Consumption

Benefits for the Use Case

Implementation Process

Installation

Data Flow

Real-Time Monitoring

Alarm System

Case Study Scenario

Outcome

Challenges and Solutions

Potential Obstacles

Solutions

Conclusion

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