Ethernet-APL Connects Hazardous Work Zones
As new levels of automation and connected technologies move into the most hazardous environments on Earth, Ethernet-APL is bringing field devices together.
Ethernet-APL (Advanced Physical Layer), an extension of Ethernet technology, hit the standards scene in 2022 and it’s already accelerating high speed connectivity and real-time data exchange and diagnostics in the process automation industry. Ethernet-APL uses a two-wire connection that simplifies cabling and supports long distances (up to 1,000 meters), making it suitable for field devices in large industrial settings. Since power and data can be transmitted over the same cable, infrastructure costs are lower than in traditional fieldbus technologies.
The APL Project was created in 2018 and ran until August 2022, and included a group of 12 leading OEMs from the process automation market and four Standards Development Organizations (SDOs). Phoenix Contact was involved in the development of the APL standard and is active in its maintenance, said Arnold Offner, strategic marketing manager – automation infrastructure.
“We have numerous end-users creating pilot test labs to verify the performance of the portfolio of controller, infrastructure, and field devices for their unique needs,” he said. “Customers are already considering new process automation or business applications with the technology. The high speed and Ethernet access to field instruments with Ethernet-APL is 10,000 times faster than HART and 4 – 20 mA, and 300 times faster than fieldbus. As a bi-directional communication protocol, it allows a lot more data to be extracted in almost real-time speeds. So, plant and process efficiency are dramatically improved, and data is accessible within the company on a plant-wide basis.”
Ethernet-APL is fully compatible with existing Ethernet-based networks, making it easier to integrate field devices and with existing IT systems for advanced analytics, monitoring, and control. “The Advanced Physical Layer is simply a physical layer, and the four SDOs individually applied their respective Ethernet protocol onto the physical layer,” Offner said. “The end-user community selected the same connectors used on PROFIBUS-PA and FOUNDATION Fieldbus, and 4 – 20 mA loop connections for over four decades. So, the pluggable 3-pole connectors continue to be a reliable and robust connection in the deployment of this latest technology.”
Phoenix Contact has developed an Ethernet-APL switch to support the APL technology. The design is based on the company’s Layer 2 Managed switch technology and its platform is the basis of a similar single-pair Ethernet switch design.
Significantly, the new standard provides Ethernet connectivity to extreme harsh environments, such as chemical plants or oil refineries, which have traditionally relied on slower, proprietary communication systems. It meets stringent safety requirements for use in hazardous areas, ensuring that it can be deployed in environments where explosive gases or dust are present. Ethernet-APL is closely related to ATEX, the two European Directives that regulate equipment and work environments in explosive atmospheres.
“The design is based on our fieldbus technology developments of the past decade, intrinsic safety design expertise, and harsh process industry requirements for +70 °C,” said Offner. “We incorporate conformal coating to deal with high humid and corrosive installations found in numerous applications and developed a die-cast aluminum housing to absorb the ambient heat found in these harsh environments. The Ethernet-APL technique also provides power in the loop, up to a Watt over 200 meters (656’) in APL, and up 92 Watts over 1,000 meters (3,280’) in trunk scenarios.”
Offner says the first applications, including chemical, pipeline, and pharmaceutical, are already underway. “We have already seen more simple applications deployed, and we also see customers using Profibus-PA as a starter device type, until APL field devices are available for deployment in those projects. The APL Field Switches currently commercially available for both the PROFIBUS-PA Proxy and APL functionalities. The true APL functionality is then possible when all field devices installed are all APL-based.”
Weidmüller was not directly involved in the Ethernet-APL working group, but as a supplier of Ethernet-APL products, the company maintains strong relationships to its members and is current with technology decisions and design discussions. “As a founding member of the Single Pair System Alliance, a strong alliance of multiple companies pushing the SPE and APL standard, we are aware of the topics surrounding APL and several white papers about the technology have been published,” said Torben Schoeneberg, product manager, Weidmüller Group.
Weidmüller offers a portfolio of components which qualify for Ethernet-APL, including OMNIMATE PCB components, built-in and field attachable plugs (M12). The company plans to extend its portfolio with passive and active components.
“Customers, especially those from the process industry, are quite excited about this new technology. They are aware that this will be a big development,” said Schoeneberg. “Currently, sensor data is collected through fieldbus systems and additional switches, which then require conversion. With APL technology, direct access to this data is achieved with significantly less material and wiring effort. Although it might mean some changes for their plants and infrastructure, especially in brownfield applications, our customers are already planning their updated infrastructure with this new technology.”
Schoeneberg said customers can already begin planning which sensors they want to connect with Ethernet-APL and what specific data they would like to access and use. “It is quite interesting to see and discuss the options they have,” he said. “The brownfield applications involve a variety of options such as, how to change the infrastructure, where can we still use parts of the old sensors and cabling? and where do we need to plan with new material?”
Weidmüller is seeing Ethernet-APL being included in offshore oil & gas platforms to enhance data communication in hazardous environments. These projects focus on using Ethernet-APL to connect field instruments with control systems, ensuring real-time data transmission for monitoring and optimizing production, while adhering to safety standards in explosive atmospheres. Oil refineries can also use Ethernet-APL to upgrade legacy systems. “The objective is to create a unified communication network that supports high-speed data transfer from sensors and actuators in different parts of the plant. This is enabling more efficient process control, better predictive maintenance, and seamless integration of Internet of Things devices,” he said. “Some chemical plants are adopting Ethernet-APL to support IIoT applications, enhancing their automation frameworks. This allows for more precise control of processes like mixing, temperature control, and batch processing, while also collecting more granular data for safety compliance and efficiency improvements.”
Power plants, especially those with distributed control systems, are also exploring Ethernet-APL to modernize their field-level communication infrastructure. The aim is to improve the real-time exchange of data between field devices and control systems, enabling smarter energy management, faster troubleshooting, and better system diagnostics.
“We have a team of business development managers focusing on this topic and addressing device manufacturers, since we need devices on the market to push this technology further. Also, our customers ask for new products and information about this topic – especially big companies from process plants because they want to know how they can use Ethernet-APL in the future and how we can support them. We have components we can provide immediately, but we also work out new solutions together with our customers based on their individual needs.”
To learn more about the suppliers included in this article, visit the Preferred Supplier pages for Phoenix Contact and Weidmüller.
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