Use Case

An internationally operating company with over 2,000 monitored pressure and gas systems required an efficient solution for monitoring its cryogenic tanks, decompression units and leak detection systems. The lack of real-time monitoring led to timeconsuming fault localization, unplanned maintenance operations and increased operational costs.With the IoT-based SMARTsensor solution from PSsystec, a cross-site 24/7 monitoring system was implemented – without the need for local IT integration. The sensors capture pressure, temperature and operational parameters in real time and securely transmit the data via NB-IoT/LTE-M to the Cumulocity Cloud. An automated alarm management system immediately detects critical deviations and triggers targeted service operations. This minimized unplanned downtime, optimized maintenance processes and maximized operational safety – with up to 50% faster fault resolution.

Challenge

A company with extensive infrastructure and distributed gas systems required a reliable solution for early fault detection and maintenance process optimization.The fragmented technical infrastructure was equipped with on-site sensors, but the lack of centralized access to process values and operating conditions – such as pressure fluctuations, fill levels and leaks – made it difficult to refill the tanks in time and complicated fault localization in case of a malfunction. This resulted in long response times, operational disruptions and financial losses.Since the gas systems were operated at multiple locations, a centralized, scalable monitoring solution was needed – one that functioned independently of local IT due to the necessity for easy retrofitting. The solution had to provide continuous 24/7 monitoring, enable more efficient planning of service operations and improve operational safety in the long term.

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Solution and Technical Implementation

Installation and Integration

The SMARTsensor was implemented at over 2,000 locations to monitor critical gas systems. Thanks to plug-and-play installation, the sensors were seamlessly integrated into existing systems using a simple retrofit process without interrupting operations. Data is transmitted securely via PSA-certified and encrypted communication over the mobile network (NB-IoT/LTE-M), eliminating the need for local IT infrastructure.

Data Analysis and Alarm Forwarding

The SMARTsensor captures pressure, temperature and other operational parameters of plant system technology in real time via standard interfaces such as 4–20mA, 0–10V, Modbus and alarm contacts and securely transmits the data to the Cumulocity Cloud. An automated alarm management system detects critical deviations, fill levels and immediately sends fault notifications to the responsible technician teams. Through centralized process monitoring, downtime was reduced by 50%.