Method and determination for fugitive emissions monitoring time

• US 10,488,854 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inspectionlogic LLC
• Original Assignee: Inspectionlogic Corporation (Alliance Technical Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Guenthner, William, Patterson, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Betsch, Regis J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Kaleria
• Application Number:
  US14/717,663
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 422 83, 235375
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/11 fluidic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/00 Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof monitoring of programme-control systems G05B19/048, G05B19/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A system and method is provided for inspecting and recording leak detection and repair components. The method and systems provide a visual representation of the inspection data and provide feedback to the operator to indicate the location of a maximum reading so that the location of the maximum reading may be properly interrogated for a predetermined response time multiple.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for inspecting and recording inspection of a leak detection and repair (LDAR) component on a visual representation device, comprising:

initiating an inspection of a component, the component having a component inspection time;

obtaining an incremental inspection data for the component, wherein obtaining the incremental inspection data for the component forms a plurality of incremental inspection data during the component inspection time;

recording in a database a plurality of time intervals and the plurality of incremental inspection data for the component;

representing, on a visual representation device, the incremental inspection data for the component and an elapsed inspection time value;

determining if the incremental inspection data exceeds a detection data comparator;

increasing the component inspection time while the incremental inspection data for the component represents an increased reading value if the absolute value of the difference between the component inspection time and the elapsed inspection time value is equal or less than a predetermined response time multiple;

updating the elapsed inspection time value over the component inspection time;

representing on the visual representation device, the component inspection time in addition to the elapsed inspection time value;

maintaining the component inspection time when the incremental inspection data for the component represents a decreased reading value from a prior incremental inspection data for the component;

ending the inspection of the component when the elapsed inspection time value meets or exceeds the component inspection time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the representing the plurality of incremental inspection data includes graphing the plurality of incremental inspection data for the component on a visual graph over the component inspection time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the representing step further includes displaying the plurality of incremental inspection data for the component as compared to the elapsed inspection time value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the representing step further includes displaying the component inspection time in addition to the elapsed inspection time value on the visual graph.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the component inspection time, the elapsed inspection time and the plurality of incremental inspection data for the component are all displayed on the visual graph on the visual representation device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the visual graph on the visual representation device represents the plurality of incremental inspection data comparing PPM vs. Seconds.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the representing the plurality of incremental inspection data includes displaying numeric data values.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of incremental inspection data represents PPM readings of an LDAR inspection device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the detection data comparator is a background reading.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the detection data comparator is a component specific data value.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the component inspection time automatically adds the predetermined response time multiple to the component inspection time upon a first instance of the incremental inspection data for the component exceeding the detection data comparator.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the elapsed inspection time value is a value in time incremental seconds.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the recording at a plurality of time intervals and the plurality of incremental inspection data for the component further includes recording an associated time entry for each of the plurality of inspection data for the component.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the associated time entry is the elapsed inspection time value.

15. The method of claim 2 further including representing on the visual representation device a visual marker at a maximum incremental inspection data for the component.

16. The method of claim 2 further including representing on the visual representation device the component inspection time.

17. The method of claim 2 wherein the visual representation device is remote from an LDAR component inspection device and includes a wireless communication device to communicate with the LDAR component inspection device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the visual representation device includes memory storage to maintain the database.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the visual representation device includes a remote connection to a remove server, the remote server maintaining a master inspection database which is updated with data from the database of the visual representation device.

20. The method of claim 2 wherein the visual graph includes a line graph.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the line graph includes a linear moving representation over time of the incremental inspection data for the component.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the line graph includes a first representation of a maximum value of the plurality of incremental inspection data.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the line graph includes a second representation of the component inspection time.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein first representation and the second representation are maintained at least a predetermined distance apart on the visual graph.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the predetermined distance apart is a time period.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the time period is fixed time period related to an LDAR inspection device which is in communication with the visual representation device.

27. The method of claim 2 wherein the elapsed inspection time value and the component inspection time are a data point on the visual graph.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the elapsed inspection time value and the component inspection time are a displayed numerical representation.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the component inspection time is initially a predefined value related to the LDAR component.

30. A computer implemented method for inspecting and recording inspection of a leak detection and repair (LDAR) component on a visual representation device, comprising:

starting inspection of a component;

reading remotely inspection data values from an LDAR inspection device;

displaying the inspection data values on a display device;

displaying a component inspection time on the display device;

relating the inspection data values on the display device and the component inspection time on the display device in graph form;

continually increasing the component inspection time on the graph form on the display device while detecting an increased reading value in the inspection data values;

maintaining on the graph form on the display device the increased component inspection time at a point on the graph when the inspection data values begin to decrease.

31. A computer implemented method for inspecting a leak detection and repair component, comprising:

starting an inspection of an LDAR component;

representing on a visual device an incremental inspection data;

representing on the visual device an elapsed inspection time;

placing the incremental inspection data and elapsed inspection time on a graph;

placing a minimum component inspection time point on the graph;

continually increasing and repositioning the minimum component inspection time point on the graph during detection of an increasing value of the incremental inspection data;

fixating the minimum component inspection time point on the graph upon detection of an equal or reduced value of the incremental inspection data.

32. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in the memory, comprising instructions to:

start an inspection of an LDAR component;

read inspection data values from an LDAR inspection device;

display a component inspection time on a display device;

display the inspection data values on a graph form on the display device;

relate the inspection data values on the display device and the component inspection time on the display device in the graph form;

increase the component inspection time to an increased component inspection time on the graph form on the display device while detecting an increased reading value in the inspection data values;

maintain on the graph form on the display device the increased component inspection time at a point on the graph when the inspection data values begin to decrease.

33. A system including memory and one or more processors operable to execute instructions stored in the memory, comprising instructions to:

start an inspection of an LDAR component;

determine a response time multiple;

read a plurality of incremental inspection data values from an LDAR inspection device;

display a component inspection time on a display device on a graph form;

display the incremental inspection data values on the graph form in combination with a representation of an elapsed inspection time value position on the graph form;

calculate a remaining inspection time value;

increase the component inspection time to an increased component inspection time on the graph form on the display device while detecting an increased reading value in the incremental inspection data value and when the response time multiple is greater than the remaining inspection time value;

maintain on the graph form on the display device the increased component inspection time at a point on the graph when a current inspection data value is less than an immediately prior inspection data value thereby indicating that the incremental inspection data values are decreasing.