In many operating plants, the difficult part of adding a new measurement point is not the transmitter itself. The problem is usually the cable.
A new pressure or temperature transmitter may require:
- new cable trays
- shutdown approval
- hazardous-area wiring
- conduit installation
- PLC cabinet modification
- additional I/O cards
In older plants, especially tank farms and utility areas, the installation cost can easily exceed the instrument cost.
This is one reason many retrofit projects use WirelessHART.
Instead of routing new signal cables back to the control room, WirelessHART devices send process data through a wireless mesh network to a gateway connected to the existing PLC or DCS.
This article was originally featured by FieldComm Group Member News.
Original article: FieldComm Group publication
Where WirelessHART Is Commonly Used
WirelessHART is usually deployed in locations where cable installation is difficult, expensive, or disruptive to production.
Typical examples include:
- tank farms
- pipeline corridors
- cooling water systems
- compressor areas
- rotating equipment monitoring
- remote utility sections
- temporary monitoring projects
In brownfield facilities, maintenance teams often need additional monitoring points after the plant has already been operating for years.
Adding those points through traditional 4–20 mA wiring may require partial shutdowns or new junction box layouts.
WirelessHART avoids most of that work.
Tank Farm Retrofit Example
Tank farms are a common WirelessHART application because measurement points are physically distributed across a large outdoor area.
In one retrofit scenario, the engineering team needed additional temperature monitoring points on storage tanks, but the existing cable trays were already full.
Installing new trays would have required:
- shutdown coordination
- hazardous-area permits
- long conduit runs
- additional marshaling cabinet space
Instead, the project added WirelessHART temperature transmitters and connected them to the existing control system through a wireless gateway.
The original DCS remained unchanged except for the new signal mapping.
Adding Monitoring Points Without Shutdowns
This is one of the main reasons plants adopt WirelessHART.
For many retrofit projects, the process unit is already running continuously. Pulling new cables through operating areas may require production coordination or temporary access restrictions.
Wireless devices reduce the amount of field construction work.
In some projects, the instrument installation can be completed during normal plant operation without modifying the original control loop.
WirelessHART in Hazardous Areas
WirelessHART is widely used in Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous areas where additional wiring work increases both installation cost and engineering complexity.
In these environments, engineers usually want to minimize:
- cable routing
- conduit work
- barrier additions
- cabinet modification
- hot work permits
For this reason, wireless monitoring is commonly used for:
- corrosion monitoring
- tank level monitoring
- steam system monitoring
- vibration monitoring
- pressure monitoring in remote areas
Gateway Integration With Existing Systems
One reason WirelessHART is widely adopted in process plants is that it can integrate with existing HART infrastructure.
The wireless gateway typically connects to:
- PLC systems
- DCS systems
- SCADA platforms
- Modbus TCP networks
- Modbus RTU networks
For retrofit projects, this is important because the plant usually does not want to redesign the entire control architecture.
The goal is normally simple:
Add new monitoring points while keeping the existing system operational.
Microcyber WirelessHART Solutions
Microcyber Official Website provides industrial communication products for HART and industrial protocol integration projects.
Typical applications include:
- HART to Modbus integration
- remote monitoring projects
- retrofit instrumentation
- industrial gateway deployment
- wireless process monitoring
Microcyber products are used in systems involving:
- HART 7 devices
- Modbus RTU communication
- PLC integration
- DCS interoperability
- industrial field instrumentation
For plants expanding monitoring coverage without large-scale wiring modifications, WirelessHART provides a practical retrofit approach.
What Engineers Usually Check Before Deployment
Before deployment, most engineering teams focus on practical installation details rather than wireless theory.
Typical considerations include:
- gateway installation location
- hazardous-area requirements
- communication distance
- battery replacement access
- update interval settings
- PLC or DCS integration method
In retrofit projects, these installation details usually determine the final deployment cost.
WirelessHART is commonly used when plants need additional process visibility but want to avoid major wiring modifications.
For many brownfield facilities, the goal is not replacing existing instruments. The goal is adding new monitoring points with minimal disruption to current operations.
That is why WirelessHART is frequently used in retrofit monitoring projects, tank farms, hazardous areas, and remote equipment monitoring applications.