IoT Infrastructure for Frost-Free Valves in Extreme Conditions

Enhanced Reporting for Valves in Cold Weather

Question

You are operating the IoT infrastructure of a chemical plant where devices are used to ensure that critical valves built in outdoor pipelines are free from frost, even in extreme conditions.

In normal weather, the devices operate as planned, but in unexpectedly and extremely cold conditions, the extra heater of certain valves must be turned on remotely.

In such cases, you want to have the device report temperature data more frequently, in every minute.

You decide updating the device twin as follows:

"desired": { "heaterTemperature": { "sendFrequency": "1m" }, ... }, 
Is that the solution you should choose?

Answers

Explanations

Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer

A. B.

Correct Answer: A.

Option A is CORRECT because the desired properties in the device twin is the way of setting target values for the device.

Since the current scenario doesn't need synchronous, two-way communication, setting the desired value is a perfect solution.

Option B is incorrect because it is the “desired” section of the device twin which is intended to be used for setting target values for the device.

References:

The proposed solution involves updating the device twin with a desired property named "heaterTemperature" and setting its "sendFrequency" value to "1m", indicating that the device should report temperature data every minute when the valve's extra heater is turned on remotely in extreme cold conditions.

This solution could be a valid approach, provided that the devices have the capability to report data at the required frequency and that the increased data transmission frequency does not adversely affect the system's performance or stability. However, several other factors need to be considered before implementing this solution.

Firstly, the solution assumes that the device has the necessary sensors to measure temperature accurately and reliably. If the sensors are not precise or calibrated appropriately, the data reported by the device may not be accurate or useful, which could lead to incorrect decisions being made based on the data.

Secondly, the proposed solution assumes that the increased data transmission frequency will not overload the network or cloud infrastructure. If the network bandwidth or cloud resources are not sufficient to handle the additional data traffic, the system's performance and stability could be affected, leading to delays in data processing and potential data loss.

Thirdly, the proposed solution does not consider the potential impact on the device's battery life. If the device is battery-powered, increasing the data transmission frequency could significantly reduce its battery life, leading to frequent battery replacements or recharging, which could increase maintenance costs and affect the device's availability.

Therefore, while the proposed solution may be a viable approach, it is crucial to consider the device's capabilities, network and cloud infrastructure, and battery life before implementing it. In summary, the answer is: It depends on several factors, and the proposed solution may be valid if these factors are taken into account.