Spinwave Systems expands line of wireless Data Center Sensors

Spinwave has recently introduced a new sensor line with significantly more range than earlier models. The new sensor has an open field range of 1,000 Ft. (300 m), which is a 60% increase over the 600 feet in earlier models.

The redesign provides increased configuration flexibility, enabling the introduction of several new sensors, designed for monitoring of server racks in data centers. A single sensor can now monitor temperatures at the top, middle and bottom of a rack. Additionally, sensors that monitor both temperature and relative humidity and analog input sensors are available.

A single receiver/gateway now supports up to 50 wireless sensors/transceivers and 200 measurement points.

Click here for Data Sheet …

Background

Growth in the data center market is exceeding the overall growth in other markets by a wide margin. A recent survey by Datacenter Dynamics Research reports investment of about $30 billion during 2010-2011 and is projected to rise by over 16% to $35 billion in the coming 12 months.

This growth is fueled by escalating connectivity requirements, explosion of cloud computing, and an increasing emphasis on data mining, which is driving a major expansion of data center capacity. The result is a demand for more computing power, server density and a corresponding increase in heat loads, resulting in rapidly escalating energy costs.

Data center operators are faced with two major and seemingly contradictory challenges:

Uptime: Customers demand connectivity! Maintaining uninterrupted operations isPriority 1.

Energy Management: 50% of energy costs in data centers are to power servers. The other 50% ia spent to cool them. Given the escalating cost of energy, energy management has rapidly risen to Priority 1A.

Sensor-based Environmental Monitoring Systems help to achieve these seemingly contradictory objectives!

Environmental monitoring, based upon data provided by sensors deployed throughout a facility, provide a real-time picture of the state of a data center. This enables operators to detect existing problems and potential problems, allowing timely corrective actions to ensure uninterrupted operations.

The data provided enables operators to develop energy management strategies such as running the data center at higher temperatures or running air conditioning units based on actual cooling demand.

Data centers are a dynamic and changing environment, characterized by frequent server upgrades, infrastructure changes and rack re-configurations. Wireless sensor networks are ideal in this environment, due to installation flexibility and ease of deployment.

Spinwave is enjoying increasing market share in data centers due to its highly reliable sensor networks and products.

Spinwave Products Feature:

High Reliability: A Spinwave network utilizes a mesh architecture and a wireless protocol which allows multiple routes for data to reach its destination. It utilizes a frequency hopping scheme (A3) that avoids RF interference by continuously and seamlessly scanning all 16 channels in the 2.4 GHz spectrum for interference and automatically selecting the best channels to ensure maxiumum transmission reliability.

Low Installation Cost: Wireless – no conduit, wiring trays, or other construction related activities.

Easy Deployment: A complete temperature, humidity, and air pressure monitoring network can be installed rapidly with no disruption to data center operations.

Multiple Data Gateways: Integration with data center monitoring systems can be quickly and easily accomplished using common industry protocols – BACnet, LON, Modbus and SNMP.

Flexibility and Scalability: Spinwave’s system can be used to monitor servers in a closet or scale to a major data center. Since the sensors are wireless, they can be easily moved as configurations change or can be used on a temporary basis to monitor a specific zone, aisle, or rack.

Proven: Spinwave products are field tested with thousands installed in data centers, commercial buildings, industrial plants, hospitals, warehouses and educational facilities.

 

Spinwave releases new Modbus RTU, BACnet MS/TP and N2 Receiver/Gateway

The latest version of Spinwave Systems’ SWRF-MODBUS-RTU and SWRF-BACNET-MSTP receiver/gateway now allows changing communication parameters, like baud rate and Node ID, via DIP switch settings.

Additionally, three protocols are supported by the same module and the user can field-select between:

• MODBUS-RTU
• BACnet-MSTP
• Johnson Controls N2

The new product release reduces stock part numbers and allows to easily change protocol settings in the field, without the need of additional software tools.

Spinwave Systems releases new version of Commissioning Tool

This latest version of Spinwave’s Windows-based Commissioning and Maintenance Tool now offers:

• Installs and runs natively on Windows 7/64 bit, in addition to Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7/32 bit
• Enhanced speed during network discovery and commissioning
• Support for Spinwave’s new line of multi-point wireless Data Center Sensors
• Support for the new 3 input (0-5VDC) Analog Input Transceiver
• Support for up to 50 wireless devices or up to 200 sensing points per mesh network in conjunction with our latest mesh firmware
• Ability to connect to wireless mesh networks through wireless sensors’ console port
• Ability to display RF signal strength of repeater/routers

NQ V2.0.0.71 is backwards compatible with Spinwave products shipped after 5/18/2007.

This new version is available for download on Spinwave Systems’ Support Web Site as a web install or ZIP file.

Spinwave Systems enables Energy Efficiency Case Studies

An ongoing case-study on residential energy-efficiency is being conducted by  students in the Energy Services Program at the Lakes Region Community College (Laconia, NH) and data is being published on Energy Matters – New Hampshire.

The goal is to provide non-biased information to consumers about how to save energy and replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.

Three different New Hampshire residences have been selected and are monitored using Spinwave Systems’ wireless sensor networks. Data is continuously pushed to the “Cloud” and can be accesses via an ECO-Dashboard, based on Google’s Visualization API.

All three homes were built in 2009:
1. A home built to code, (IECC 2006).
2. An energy efficient home (triple pane windows, foam insulation, ICF’s, geothermal heating and cooling).
3. A Passive solar home which is well insulated and has a PV system.

Temperatures, relative humidity, HVAC run-times and energy consumption are logged in a relational database (mySQL) and real-time and historical data can be accessed and analyzed via the Eco-Dashboard.

Wireless sensors are positioned at strategic outdoor and indoor locations to monitor comfort levels, weather influence and energy consumption.

The goal of the case study is to help consumers to identify the best energy-efficiency investment for their particular situation.

Spinwave Systems releases wireless RTD sensor for extreme temperature applications

Wireless freezer monitoring, heat trace monitoring and oven temperature sensing are just a few applications requiring sensors supporting an extreme temperature range (-200°C to +850°C), high resolution (0.05°C / 0.1°F) and high accuracy.

Spinwave Systems’ new wireless RTD transceiver (SWS-2PT100)  supports 2 PT100 sensors in 2-wire and/or 3-wire configuration.
The product features a high-power radio for open field ranges up to 3,500 feet (1 km) and can be battery-powered or powered by a 9VDC  supply.
The SWS-2PT100 is part of Spinwave’s A3 product line, known for its ultra high reliability in harsh RF environments. Based on the IEEE  802.15.4 standard, the system outsmarts changing RF interferences with self-adapting frequency agility.

The product is available pre-mounted inside a NEMA4X fiberglass enclosure with either battery power or integrated 120VAC/9VDC power supply.
The power supply version also functions as a wireless mesh repeater.

Datasheet …

Yahoo! uses Spinwave Sensors to improve Data Center Efficiency

Case Study of the air side economizer retrofit project at Yahoo!’s HQ data center.

Multiple wireless Spinwave Systems temperature sensors per CRU are located strategically throughout the server racks. Wireless sensors communicate with Spinwave’s BACnet IP data concentrator and provide temperature data to the ALC control system.

Details …

Spinwave Systems Releases New Wireless Sensors for Data Centers

The new wireless sensors (SWS-T-2EXT ans SWS-T-IN/EXT) extend the existing line of Spinwave’s wireless data center monitoring products.

The new transceivers support two temperature probes, effectively doubling the point count supported per wireless mesh network and reducing the cost of larger installations by almost 50%.

Sensor data is available via SNMP, Modbus, BACnet and LON for easy integration with building automation systems and network management applications.

External temperature probes are designed to be easily mounted at the top, middle and bottom of server racks with magnetic or adhesive sensor clips.

Data Sheet

For details call 978-392-9000 x227

Office Space Optimization Using Wireless Mesh Network

The most energy efficient office space is the office space that does not exist.

Spinwave Systems’ solution partner Abintra is featured in an article in the current edition of FM World – click here to read the full article.

Capturing data to assess and allocate space across the office is becoming increasingly popular. FM World examines some tracking trends and how they can enhance efficient use of a workplace while keeping staff content.

Abintra also recently completed space utilization studies for Deloitte at their Boston facility, for Accenture in Houston and for Barclays PLC in London (1,200 work stations).

Video: Monitoring desk utilization using sensor systems

Google Proposal For Better Data Center Networks

Read the Processor article.

Cranberry Frost Protection using Wireless Sensors

What is the connection between cranberry farming, sensor technology, and computer networks? That is the question I posed to Michael Lange, president of Lange Installations in British Columbia. I now know more than I ever thought I would about how those flavorful little berries grow. It is quite a story, and it revolves around cold and moisture, two phenomena that Canadians in general, and cranberry growers specifically, know a lot about.

“The biggest concern for cranberry growers is frost protection,” Michael told me. A cranberry plant is quite hardy, but when it buds out, it is vulnerable to frost damage. Everyone working for a grower puts in long hours during the frost season to make sure the future cranberry crop is protected by irrigation against future frost damage.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“From March 1^st through June 30^th, the cranberry plants are like a mat on the ground, called a ‘canopy’ in the trade,” Michael said. “At least once a year, they ‘mow’ it to control the thickness of the mat. During this time, the plant wakes up and begins to produce buds. That’s the time when pollination must occur. The danger to the plants occurs at night, when the temperature can go below freezing. The sub-freezing temperature can burn off new growth in as little as 20 minutes. It can take the plants—and the grower—up to three years to recover from that short exposure.”

Growers go to great lengths to protect the plants with irrigation. They use irrigation water with a temperature a bit higher than ambient. Then, something counterintuitive occurs. The instant the irrigation water hits the cranberry plants, the air temperature freezes it. You would think that such an exposure would kill the plant; instead, it protects the cranberry buds. “It freezes over the plant buds like a cocoon. The growers use ice to protect the buds from freezing,” Michael said.

This is where the technology comes in. When growers protect cranberries against frost, they need to know the exact bog temperature on the canopy. Traditionally they used sensors, hardwired from the bogs to a pump station to transmit environmental information. But, broken cables often disrupt transmissions. Hard wired sensor connections are also challenging because of long distances between the sensors to the pump station. Lange knew there had to be a better way. He found it with Spinwave Systems (www.spinwavesystems.com).

“I ran across Spinwave while researching how to run multiple sensors in a congested RF environment,” Michael said. “Spinwave gave us a way to use what they call Frequency Agility based on the IEEE  802.15.4 standard. Spinwave provides a receiver module that hard-wires directly into our controller, which is ideal for a small, low-density wireless sensor integration project. For larger networks, Spinwave also offers a receiver supporting a choice of open protocols (e.g.  ModBus, BACnet and LON) to support up to 31 wireless sensors per network. This solution is in use now on Grafton Farms.”The Lange-Spinwave project showcased the speed of design and delivery for which Spinwave is known. “From start to finish took six weeks!”Michael said. “The best thing for customers is that we can offer 10 times the data and monitoring capabilities of alternative approaches.”

Science and technology help optimize the growing environment

Lange developed a connection with a co-op started by some area growers and Ocean Spray. Scientists at the co-op help optimize the growing environment, managing pest control and diseases that affect productivity. For example, some growers water the canopy too often, producing a wet environment conducive to insect growth.

“When the sensors show us a temperature rise, we can manage moisture levels,” said Michael. “For example, if we have 32°F as a starting setpoint and the ambient temperature reaches 34°F, you can safely stop watering. With accurate sensors and optimized programming, we can manage the watering cycle. Sensor placement is critical, but with the Spinwave sensors we read temperatures accurate to 2/10ths of a degree F between what the plant feels and what’s read by the sensor.”

Over time, the information reported by the Spinwave wireless sensor mesh produces useful trend data. “We use the system in two ways, as a controller and a data logger,” Michael continued. “We can trend the temperature sensors and then, over time, see a pattern of how the cold moves in on the canopy. Software ‘senses’ when we have a frost ‘request’ or that the diesel or electric pump has started, so we can monitor the system’s water pressure and measure/monitor temperature differentials across filters. This is important because irrigation water comes from a reservoir that can get silted up. Turbines throw a lot of turbinated water and the filters screen out debris down to 40 microns, but over time they get clogged.

“For example, a user screen may show four-six pump stations on a typical farm. Overnight, we want to know the lowest temperature, the median temperature, and any pressure differential in any filter system. We’ll watch the pressure differential and hold it on the screen. In the morning, when the shift operator arrives, he’ll see when an event occurred, and send workers out to clean the filters.

“Information like this helps a farmer reduce expenses because it saves the cost of overnight labor when an automated system transmits 24/7/365,”Michael continued. “Growers feel secure that they’re protected because they get actionable data reliably.  The Spinwave wireless approach resolves all sorts of potential problems. Say, for example, there’s a physical tree line. You can’t run sensor cable over 1,000 feet at that point because of built-up capacitance and resistance. Also, a lot of cranberry bogs are near AM transmitters, which means there’s a interferes with wired sensor operation that cannot be filtered out.”

Another successful project for Lange & Spinwave

To illustrate his points, Lange talked about the work his firm did for The Acquilini Group, which farms over 1,000 acres of cranberry bogs. The challenge:  Integrate four pump stations on one property with nine stations on another plot. Here’s how Lange approached it:

“We experimented with 2.4 GHz wireless Ethernet technology to create a wireless LAN with an IP connection. We also used the very reliable Spinwave radio technology which matched our sensor specification, a 10K type 3 industry-standard thermistor. Before we developed this approach, farmers would bury wires in their dikes to get simple on/off remote control, but the wires kept getting cut or otherwise disabled. The Spinwave wireless concept eliminated these problems, so a grower could answer questions like: How do I know when to start frost protection if the temperature at the tree line is different than what the sensor registers in a different microclimate.

Future plans

Looking ahead, Lange hopes to have technology to determine the moisture content of the growing medium using a remote sensor location with a temperature and moisture sensor. This is important because Phase 2 in cranberry frost protection uses irrigation to maintain the moisture content of the growing medium. At present, it’s done by manual watering schedule, but Lange hopes to integrate this capability into the wireless solution so it can be automated and managed from a terminal.