Method and system for monitoring plant operating capacity
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring, determining, and outputting at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization of at least one power generating plant connected to a power grid comprising the steps of:
- acquiring thermal images of at least one of one or more stack effluent plumes produced by the at least one power generating plant connected to the power grid using at least one thermal imaging camera,storing the acquired thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes with at least one processing unit,transmitting the stored thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes from the at least one processing unit to a central processing center having at least one processor,scanning the thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes with the at least one processor to identify pixels within the thermal images containing more than at least one of a background pixel intensity and a threshold pixel intensity and thereby define active regions within the transmitted thermal images,associating pixel intensities within the active regions of the thermal images with the at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization supplied by the at least one power generating plant to the power grid using the at least one processor, andtransmitting from the central processing center to at least one of one or more user devices information concerning the at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization supplied to the power grid based on the associated pixel intensities within the active regions of the thermal images.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring system is disclosed for acquiring output activity, utilization capacity and/or effluent data from an facility on a facility-by-facility and/or an industry-by-industry basis. The system is designed to generate a plant and/or industry output activity database that is updated on a continuous, near continuous, periodic and/or intermittent basis so that subscribers are apprised of changes in plant or overall industry output. A clearing house is also disclosed for distributing the acquired data to subscribers to aid in analyzing, predicting trends, pricing, maintaining, adjusting, minimizing, and/or maximizing individual plant or overall industry output.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring, determining, and outputting at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization of at least one power generating plant connected to a power grid comprising the steps of:
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acquiring thermal images of at least one of one or more stack effluent plumes produced by the at least one power generating plant connected to the power grid using at least one thermal imaging camera, storing the acquired thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes with at least one processing unit, transmitting the stored thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes from the at least one processing unit to a central processing center having at least one processor, scanning the thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes with the at least one processor to identify pixels within the thermal images containing more than at least one of a background pixel intensity and a threshold pixel intensity and thereby define active regions within the transmitted thermal images, associating pixel intensities within the active regions of the thermal images with the at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization supplied by the at least one power generating plant to the power grid using the at least one processor, and transmitting from the central processing center to at least one of one or more user devices information concerning the at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization supplied to the power grid based on the associated pixel intensities within the active regions of the thermal images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for monitoring, determining, and outputting at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization of at least one power generating plant connected to a power grid comprising the steps of:
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acquiring thermal images of at least one of one or more stack effluent plumes produced by the at least one power generating plant connected to the power grid using at least one thermal imaging camera, storing the acquired thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes with at least one processing unit, transmitting the stored thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes from the at least one processing unit to a processor, scanning the thermal images of the at least one of the one or more stack effluent plumes with the processor to identify pixels within the thermal images containing more than at least one of a background pixel intensity and a threshold pixel intensity and thereby define active regions within the transmitted thermal images, associating pixel intensities within the active regions of the thermal images with the at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization supplied by the at least one power generating plant to the power grid using the processor, and transmitting from the processor to at least one of one or more user devices information concerning the at least one of plant output activity and capacity utilization supplied to the power grid based on the associated pixel intensities within the active regions of the thermal images.
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Specification