Sun (IL US)

Sun Chemical uses wireless to improve product quality and meet air permit requirements

Robust network of Rosemount® DP wireless transmitters allows world's largest producer of printing inks and pigments to reduce product rejects and easily comply with environmental regulations

Emerson Process Management’s Smart Wireless technology is helping Sun Chemical improve ink quality and collect additional data in compliance with its air permit classification at its Kankakee, (IL US), facility. This, the world’s largest producer of printing inks and pigments is using Emerson’s Rosemount® wireless DP transmitters and a Smart Wireless Gateway to deliver reliable, continuous process data from two applications to its PLC.

In the first application, the devices measure differential pressure on filter housings used in ink production. The pressure changes as the filters become clogged with particles. Alarms sent to operators signal when filters should be changed. Periodic staff rounds to check gauges on the filter housing and record the data manually are no longer necessary.

“Now we can ensure that we don’t over-pressurise the filter housing, and that we provide better quality ink to our customers,” said John Dwyer, Sun Chemical process engineer. “We have saved thousands of dollars in eliminating material rejects.”

The second application enabled Sun Chemical to be compliant with a modified air permit classification by quickly establishing a cost-effective monitoring network to measure vapour stream from solvent vent condensers at multiple locations on roofs across the facility. Running conduit for a wired network would have been physically difficult and more expensive.

“With these points spanning the entire site, the multiple roof elevations, and special electrical classifications, a wired solution would have been a challenge,” Dwyer said. “Emerson’s ‘peer to peer’ communication between the wireless instruments gave us a robust solution. In fact, as we add instruments, the network becomes more secure and reliable.”

Sun Chemical easily installed the Smart Wireless technology and Emerson helped to integrate the network with the company’s PLC. The self-organising network has been operating without problem since commissioning.

“Now that the network is established and more monitoring points are available, the plant can fulfil its desire to pick up more process monitoring data and do it fairly easily,” Dwyer said.
In addition to the Smart Wireless solutions already installed at Sun Chemical, Emerson offers a wide range of wireless field instrumentation and plant operations equipment, including Fisher® position monitors, Rosemount Analytical and Machinery Health™ Management devices, and native wireless interfaces to AMS™ Suite predictive maintenance software, DeltaV™ or Ovation® digital automation systems, and SmartStart™ services.