Water Temperature Monitoring Control

Engineering & Marketing International
Technology

ControlByWeb

Industry

Water Treatment

Client

Rural Northeast Municipality

Country

Northeast USA

Goals

Develop  control system for  1-million BTU water supply tank heater in a rural  Northeast municipality

Integrate weather data, including temperature and wind speed, into the control  logic

Ensure intelligent energy conservation in response to dropping temperatures

Challenges

Need for a controller capable of handling weather data and responding to  temperature fluctuations

Requirement for a solution that avoids sudden freezing while minimizing energy consumption

Integration of multiple sensors, including 1-Wire temperature sensors and an an emometer (wind speed sensor)

Solutions

Implementation of the X-410 controller with 4 digital inputs, 4 relays, and support  for up to 16 1-Wire temperature sensors

Integration of 1-Wire temperature sensors and anemometer for comprehensive  weather data collection

Custom control scripts designed to intelligently manage heater operation based  on both temperature and wind speed, optimizing energy consumption, and  preventing sudden freezing

Results

Utilization of two temperature sensors to monitor water riser temperature and  outside air temperature, along with tracking wind speed through a contact closure in an anemometer

Development of custom control scripts to manage the heater at timed intervals,  preventing freezing, and adjusting to continuous operation as temperatures decrease gradually

A municipal customer in the Northeast US

Addressed the need to prevent freezing in their water supply tank riser, heated by a 1-million BTU heater.  They implemented the X-410 controller, featuring 4 digital inputs, 4 relays, and compatibility with up to 16 1-Wire temperature sensors. The stand-alone X-410 efficiently handled the sensors and custom control logic. 

Two temperature sensors monitored water riser and outside air temperatures, while an anemometer tracked wind speed.

Custom control scripts were created to intelligently regulate the heater, preventing freezing at timed intervals and running continuously as temperatures drop, ensuring energy conservation and proactive response to extreme weather.

 

Common Problems Solutions

 

Environmental Factors - Extreme weather conditions increase the freeze threat and can cause temperatures to drop suddenly

Connectivity Failure - Monitoring and control logic in remote locations can fail if network connectivity issues arise

High Energy Consumption - Water temperature maintenance uses a lot of energy and can become very expensive

 

 

Weather Monitoring - Analog and digital inputs capture weather station data for complete environmental awareness

Stand-Alone Reliability - Our stand-alone I/O devices keep your processes working even when network connectivity fails

Efficiency Enablers - Our device's built-in interface contains custom logic which allows for fine-tuned control to maximize efficiency