Requirements

• Complex and Challenging Environment

  • Power plants and water treatment facilities are characterized by a high density of metallic structures and buildings. These environments create non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions that impede wireless signal propagation. The presence of large machinery, storage tanks, and various infrastructure components can obstruct signals, leading to weak coverage and unreliable connectivity. Additionally, the industrial setting often includes high ceilings and enclosed spaces, further complicating the installation of access points (APs). As a result, network design must carefully consider these physical barriers to ensure adequate coverage and maintain signal integrity throughout the facility.

• Support for Diverse Use Cases, including

  • Smart Metering: Enable Real-time data collection from smart meters, allowing utility companies to monitor energy consumption, improve billing accuracy, and facilitate demand response programs.
  • Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA): Enable monitoring and operational control of sensors, actuators, valves, and other field devices.
  • IoT Sensors: Support for environmental monitoring, system health checks, and predictive maintenance, enhancing asset management and performance optimization.
  • Video Surveillance: Assist security monitoring at critical infrastructure sites, helping to prevent theft, vandalism, and other security threats.
  • Field Workforce Management: Facilitate communication and data access for field crews, enabling them to receive real-time updates, access work orders, and report issues directly from the field, particularly remote areas lack of cellular networks.

• Zero Tolerance of Link Disconnection

  • In critical infrastructure, any link disconnection can have severe consequences, including service outages and safety risks. The Wi-Fi network must be designed to ensure high availability and minimize downtime, employing redundancy and failover solutions to maintain continuous connectivity for essential operations.

• Need for Real-Time Data and Analytics

  • The ability to transmit real-time data is crucial for effective monitoring and decision-making in the utility sector. Wi-Fi networks must support high-speed data transfer to enable instant access to analytics, which can drive operational efficiency, predictive maintenance, and responsive fault management.

• Cybersecurity Protection

  • With increasing connectivity comes heightened risk of cyber threats. Wi-Fi networks in the utility and energy sector must implement stringent security measures, including encryption, access controls, and continuous monitoring, to protect sensitive data and ensure the integrity of critical infrastructure.

Why Choose Altai

• Super Wi-Fi Coverage by Altai Smart Antenna Technology

  • Thanks to the patented antenna design and signal processing algorithms, Altai’s solution overcomes a Wi-Fi bottleneck and enhances uplink performance in a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environment. This allows for an optimized number of APs while minimizing self-interference in the power stations and water treatment facilities, resulting in reduced capital and operational expenditures.

• Guaranteed Service Level Assurance (SLA) with Altai AlwaysConnected Solution

  • The Altai AlwaysConnected feature employs a proprietary redundancy protocol that ensures optimal wireless link performance with failover capabilities for business-critical applications. This guarantees continuous connectivity and minimizes disruptions.

• Industry-Standard Cybersecurity Protection

  • At Altai, security is a top priority. The integration of the Check Point Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) with the AltaiGate 510 network controller delivers comprehensive end-to-end protection against potential cyber threats. This advanced security framework ensures the integrity and confidentiality of data, enabling operations to proceed with confidence in an increasingly complex cyber landscape.

• Built for Industrial Grade Solutions.

  • Altai APs are engineered to endure the demanding conditions found in the utility and energy sector. With an IP67 weatherproof rating, high wind survival capabilities, resilience to extreme temperatures, and surge protection, these devices are designed for exceptional durability, making them well-suited for harsh environments in power plants and water treatment facilities.

• Comprehensive Centralized WLAN Management

  • The Altai WLAN controller offers comprehensive management and monitoring of the entire WLAN infrastructure, including APs and remote customer premises equipment (CPEs). This centralized management system simplifies network operations, allowing for real-time performance analysis, quick troubleshooting, and proactive maintenance to ensure optimal network performance.

Application

Deploying Wi-Fi in power plants presents significant challenges due to the complex site environments and the restricted locations for access point (AP) installation. Power plants are typically characterized by a dense arrangement of large machinery and structures, such as boiler blocks, cooling towers, and chimneys, which can create non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions that hinder wireless signal propagation. Additionally, the availability of fiber backhaul can be limited, restricting where APs can be installed and complicating the overall network design.

To address these challenges, Altai proposes a strategic deployment of AP at elevated locations throughout the power plant. By installing APs on high structures, such as the tops of cooling towers and boiler blocks, we can mitigate signal blockage from the surrounding environment and enhance overall coverage. From these high locations, the network can be extended in a cellular manner, allowing signals to fill coverage gaps and eliminate blind spots at street level. This approach not only ensures robust connectivity across the facility but also facilitates seamless communication for critical operations, monitoring, and maintenance activities, ultimately enhancing the reliability and efficiency of power plant operations.