Wireless coke oven control and data acquisition

This paper provides an overview of an application using a wireless data network to monitor and control the mobile door opener and pusher machines for coke ovens in a steel mill. This system uses Allen-Bradley PLC 5/30s on the mobile coke oven machines to send real-time data via ESTeem wireless modems to a fixed base PLC 5/30. The data from the fixed base PLC is sent to a VAX computer system to be compiled as per EPA regulations. This paper provides the reader with reasons why the customer applied wireless communications in this harsh industrial environment and pitfalls to avoid in the design, installation, and commissioning of the system.<>