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The LogBox is data logger box that was developed for Nefit by Necoso. Its primary task is to ‘watch over’ a Nefit boiler at the site of a customer. This ‘watching over’ involves continuous gathering of boiler telemetry and checking if the boiler is functioning within its normal operational perimeters. As soon as the LogBox detects a boiler malfunction, it sends out a notification using SMS or e-mail. This triggers the Nefit service department to connect to the LogBox and remotely analyze the problem. The LogBox also allows for ‘live’ monitoring/controlling of the boiler. The LogBox communicates with the outside world using a wired ethernet link and/or a wireless GPRS link. The TCP/IP protocol is used as the ‘carrier protocol’ for both media. On top of TCP/IP protocol the standard protocols like HTTP, FTP and telnet are used. The Nefit ‘LogProt’ propriety protocol for communication with the boiler is also transported over TCP/IP. This enables Nefit service personnel to communicate with a boiler from any PC or workstation in the world with that has internet access.
Figure: Communicating with boiler via ethernet network The GPRS option of the LogBox allows for communications with the boiler independent of the (wired) internet communication facilities at the location of the boiler. This was major design requirement of the LogBox, as often boilers are located at customer sites where no wired internet is available or use of internet facilities at hand is prohibited by site owner/customer.
Figure: Communicating with boiler via GPRS network The first batch of LogBoxes is deployed for field testing of prototype boilers and for analysis of boilers with so called ‘ghost-errors’. In the future the technology that was developed for the LogBox could easily be applied / integrated in all boilers. The LogBox data logger is the result of close cooperation between Necoso and Nefit engineers. The hardware is based on Necoso’s latest NCS0402 box plus a special daughterboard that implements the Nefit boiler communication bus interfaces. The software consists of the standard Necoso application suite for GSM and a set of Nefit- specific applications for boiler communications, boiler monitoring and data logging. For the development of the LogBox software an incremental development method was used. The writing of specifications for the LogBox was a cooperative effort of Necoso and Nefit. Design and implementation were continuously monitored and verified by engineers of the Nefit service department.
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Necoso, Het Kasteel 315, 7325 PE Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
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