Continuous improvement

Lowe Engineering, already established in the Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems market, has introduced the latest version of its comprehensive data acquisition and reporting package CEMData.

Designed for maximum flexibility and ease-of-use CEMData is implemented via a hierarchical system to four levels: application set-up; maintenance mode; supervisor mode and operator mode. This allows a security-controlled range of facilities from project specific assignment of measurements to real-time monitoring and report generation.

Apart from the CEMData software, systems include the following features: custom assembled PCs to suit clients’ requirements running Windows NT-based operating systems (NT4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP); on-board data acquisition cards for analogue / digital I/O; RS232/RS485 and Ethernet I/O; real-time security data archive back up on write-only second drives; watchdog timer to re-boot PC and / or alert DCS or SCADA on system failure; tamper-proof binary data storage format, and NTFS filing system for file access (US Department of Defense security level C2).

Data is held in three sets of rolling archives with user-definable write times ranging from one second to several minutes, with rollover periods of up to 30 years.

Operational functions reflect the development of a user-friendly interface with a ‘one-click’ report generation facility using pre-defined formats that can be customised and fully automated for report generation and printing (print options stored with each report). Other features include an historical data display, allowing users to view all semi-historical data over any interval up to 24 hours (typically available as two second data held for up to two years). Any number of real-time display screens may be user-configured, with an unlimited number of displays such as charts, tables, digital meters, bar graphs and annunciators.

Powerful tools

Whilst retaining complete functional independence, CEMData can be fully integrated with new or existing DCS or SCADA installations for the onward transmission of emissions parameters, or the input and processing of plant information. CEMData includes powerful tools capable of generating real cost and labour savings during all phases of plant operation, including commissioning and maintenance.

CEMData has proved popular amongst the chemical and energy markets and looks set to continue this growth as coverage of MCERTS is extended by the Environment Agency to include data acquisition and report generation for Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems.