Location: Jingsu, China
Project Introduction
In recent years, environmental protection has become an increasingly important issue in the development of new energy. To meet increased demand, wind power has become a booming source of renewable energy in China.
Most wind power generator farms are located in deserts or near the seaside. In order to ensure that power generators operate stably in harsh environments involving dust, salt air, vibration, heat and electrical noise, the generator's own self-protection diagnostics are important, as are detailed daily inspections by site operators. The timeliness of daily inspection is crucial, and entails staff members recording operational data and sending it to back-end data center servers for data analysis andproactive monitoring of system status. Advantech's MARS-3100S meets all these critical requirements perfectly.
System Requirements
A customer in Jingsu, China operates wind farms located in several remote districts which are characterized by high temperature levels, dust, and high humidity. They defined a set of requirements for a proposed system:
1. Able to work in extreme temperature ranges and hazardous environments, withstanding
drop, vibration, shock, water, and dust damage
2. Easy to operate, compact, with manageable weight and size
3. Battery powered with low power consumption
4. Capable of online communications for online data tracking and recording
5. Equipped with a sunlight-readable display for outdoor readability in bright sunshine
System Description
Advantech's MARS-3100S Industrial Tablet PC provided a durable and ideal solution to meet this customer's needs. With this rugged device, inspectors were able to work efficiently in the hazardous wind farm environment. The MARS-3100S was simple to operate, the touchscreen providing an easy interface for data input. It was portable and lightweight, allowing it to be used while walking or standing, and rugged enough to withstand a 3 foot drop to the floor. The magnesium-alloy housing and sealed design further protected MARS-3100S from damage when on duty.
System Diagram
The MARS-3100S, equippedwithbuilt-in WLAN, BT and GPRS modules, allows data to be recorded and communicated easily. At the wind farm, the customer is able to connect easily to their data center, facilitating data transfer and communication. As a result, they have been able to reduce their daily inspection workforce for each site, saving both time and money.
Conclusion
The installation of MARS-3100S brought several benefits to the customer:
1. Quick response for emergencies
2. Increased operational efficiency
3. Low maintenance cost
4. High reliability in harsh environments
5. More accurate dispatch of information
The MARS-3100S Industrial Tablet PC offered the wind farms in Jingsu a rugged and reliable industrial-strength solution. Coupled with Advantech's fast repair service and global logistics, the customer's total cost of ownership (TCO) for the long run was reduced, while at the same time meeting their needs for a comprehensive solution.