Power Requirements & Management
Because Wireless Field Network applications differ from Wireless Plant Network applications, power requirements associated with each are quite different.
Wireless Plant Network applications such as wireless video and mobile worker applications can be line powered or recharged daily. However, one of the most important requirements that characterizes field network devices is that you don’t “plug them in.”
Wireless Field Network devices are battery powered, and have an extremely low power requirement. The power these devices use is 10 times lower than other wireless networking solutions that consider themselves “low power.” Even though the power requirement is low, it is still a very important component, and the batteries must last for 5 to 10 years in harsh plant environments.
Energy efficiency is a key consideration in the development of every Emerson wireless device and network component, with the goal of maximizing the period before maintenance is required. Our designers treat power like gold – a scarce commodity to be collected and conserved at every opportunity, and spent only on functionality valued by the user, such as diagnostics. As a result, users get the benefits of our SmartPower capabilities, which include advanced power management techniques, fast device wakeup times, low-power electronics, and energy scavenging technologies.
We have also thought about what happens when circumstances cause a battery to drain more quickly than expected. That is why our AMS Suite: Intelligent Device Manager predictive maintenance software can be configured to alert you with ample warning that a battery will need replacing.
