Method and apparatus for deploying industrial plant simulators using cloud computing technologies
First Claim
1. A network cloud based simulation system for simulating operation of a process control network as connected within a process plant, the simulation system comprising:
- a local supervisor module configured to collect from the process plant a first state variable indicative of a configuration of the process control network and a second state variable indicative of a process operation;
a remote simulation module communicatively coupled to the local supervisor module via a network cloud system, the remote simulation module being configured to (i) use one or more simulated process variable signals to produce one or more simulated control signals to provide a simulated process control network that represents a simulation of the operation of the process control network as connected within the process plant, (ii) implement a process model that is communicatively coupled to the simulated process control network to produce the one or more simulated process variable signals using the one or more simulated control signals, (iii) periodically configure the simulated process control network with the first state variable, and (iv) periodically update the process model using the second state variable,wherein the local supervisor module is further configured to function as a single consolidated access point to bridge communications between the process control network and the network cloud system, andwherein the remote simulation module is further configured to store the first and second state variables as part of the network cloud system by communicating exclusively with the local supervisor module.
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Abstract
A system and method for operating a remote plant simulation system is disclosed. The system and method uses a light application at the plant to collect relevant data and communicate it to a remote plant simulation. The remote plant simulation uses the relevant data, including data from the actual process, to create a process simulation and communicate the display data to the light application operating at the plant where it is displayed to a user. The remote system offers the advantage of offering decreased cost and improved simulation as the equipment cost, operator cost and set up cost is shared by a plurality of users. Further, the data may be stored remotely and subject to data analytics which may identify additional areas for efficiency in the plant.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A network cloud based simulation system for simulating operation of a process control network as connected within a process plant, the simulation system comprising:
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a local supervisor module configured to collect from the process plant a first state variable indicative of a configuration of the process control network and a second state variable indicative of a process operation; a remote simulation module communicatively coupled to the local supervisor module via a network cloud system, the remote simulation module being configured to (i) use one or more simulated process variable signals to produce one or more simulated control signals to provide a simulated process control network that represents a simulation of the operation of the process control network as connected within the process plant, (ii) implement a process model that is communicatively coupled to the simulated process control network to produce the one or more simulated process variable signals using the one or more simulated control signals, (iii) periodically configure the simulated process control network with the first state variable, and (iv) periodically update the process model using the second state variable, wherein the local supervisor module is further configured to function as a single consolidated access point to bridge communications between the process control network and the network cloud system, and wherein the remote simulation module is further configured to store the first and second state variables as part of the network cloud system by communicating exclusively with the local supervisor module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A network cloud based simulation system for simulating operation of a process control network as connected within a process plant, the simulation system comprising:
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a simulation system configured as part of a network cloud system, the simulation system providing a simulation of the operation of the process control network as connected within the process plant using a simulated process control network and a process model; a supervisor module configured as part of the process plant that functions as a consolidated access point between the process control network and the network cloud system, the supervisor module being further configured to collect state variables from the process plant and to selectively transmit the collected state variables to the simulation system; and an update module, configured as part of the network cloud system, the update module receiving the collected state variables exclusively from the supervisor module and storing the collected state variables as part of the network cloud system to update the simulation of the operation of the process control network. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for simulating operation of a process control network as connected within a process plant, the method comprising:
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generating, via a simulation system that is stored as part of a network cloud system, a simulated process control network that represents a simulation of the operation of the process control network as connected within the process plant; collecting state variables from the process plant via a supervisor module that is part of the process plant and functions as a consolidated access point between the process control network and the network cloud system; selectively transmitting, via the supervisor module, the collected state variables to the simulation system; receiving, via an update module, the collected state variables exclusively from the supervisor module; storing, via the update module, the collected state variables as part of the network cloud system; and updating, via the simulation system, the simulation of the operation of the process control network based upon the stored collected state variables. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification