System and methods for remote management of steam generating systems

• US 20020133270A1
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bagepalli, Srinivas Krishnashamy, Heeran, Michael Edward, Kim, Ban Mo, DeRose, Lynn Ann, Wight, Tara Healy, Hung, Stephen Lan-Sun, Schworm, Jeffrey Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 6,587,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 35/18 Applications of computers to steam boiler control

Abstract

A steam-generation management system remotely measures amounts of utility used by steam-generating systems; monitors and compares their performance against benchmarked performance; analyzes and determines causes for variances in their performance; and recommends to the steam user actions for achieving optimum operation. The steam-generation management also permits remote access and interaction by the user and allows for integrating steam-related information into an overall strategy for managing steam and energy supply.

Claims

1. A steam-generation management system comprising:

means for measuring amounts of utility delivered to at least one steam-consuming site and steam-generating systems, the utility comprising water, water treatment chemicals, energy, and fuel;

means for measuring process parameters of the steam-generating systems and the at least one steam-consuming site;

means for determining steam amounts generated and used at the at least one steam-consuming site;

means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used and utility delivered to provide analyzed and evaluated data and information; and

means for providing access to the analyzed and evaluated data and information and steam-related information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one steam-consuming site comprises at least one steam-consuming system.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one steam-consuming system comprises a plurality of steam-consuming systems.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one steam-consuming site comprises a plurality of steam-consuming sites.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel comprises at least one of natural gas, coal, fuel oil, and combinations thereof.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the energy comprises electricity.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the water treatment chemicals are used to treat water to be fed to a steam-generating system.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for measuring amounts of fuel, energy, water, and water treatment chemicals comprises at least one meter for each of water, water treatment chemicals, energy, and fuel.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one meter comprises a meter selected from the group consisting of digital meters, analog meters, mechanical meters, broad-band spectrum modems, process logic control meters, and combinations thereof.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one meter comprises a meter disposed in cooperation with at least one delivery line that delivers water, water treatment chemicals, energy, and fuel to the steam-consuming site.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the meter that is disposed in cooperation with the at least one delivery line comprises a meter disposed prior to the steam-consuming site in a position sufficient to measure total utility amounts delivered to the steam-consuming site.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the utility is delivered by a method selected from the group consisting of pipeline, electrical line, delivery vehicles, and combinations thereof.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the meter is disposed in cooperation with the at least one delivery line comprises a meter disposed prior to each steam-generating system in the steam-consuming site in a position sufficient to measure utility delivered to each steam-generating system at the steam-consuming site.

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising communications links between each of the means for measuring, means for determining, the means for analyzing and evaluating, and the means for providing.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the communications link is selected from the group consisting of phone modem, network connection, communication, radio communication and other wireless communication systems, cellular communication, satellite communication, web access communication, and Internet access communication, Intranet access communication, and combinations thereof.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises at least one data processing module.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining steam amounts generated and used at the steam-consuming site and the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprise a data processing module.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises means for providing energy-provider information for evaluation and analysis.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the energy-provider information is provided as real-time information.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the energy-provider information is provided in electronic form.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the energy-provider information comprises at least one of energy unit prices, delivery tariffs, energy taxes, and combinations thereof.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam generated and used comprises means for providing utility delivery information for evaluation and analysis.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the means for providing utility delivery information for evaluation and analysis comprises means for providing information on at least one of delivery routes, delivery costs, loss costs, tariffs, taxes, transportation costs, and combinations thereof.

24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining steam amounts generated and used at the steam-consuming site and the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used delivered comprise a computer.

25. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for providing process variable information to the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the means for providing process variable information provides at least one of time, date, temperature, humidity, steam-consuming site location, and other process-influencing variables for the steam-consuming site.

27. The system according to claim 25, further comprising means for providing raw material data and information to the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

28. The system according to claim 25, further comprising means for providing by-product and waste information to the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

29. The system according to claim 25, further comprising means for providing product information to the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

30. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises at least a means selected from the group consisting of means for acquiring data, means for mining data, and means for analyzing data.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein each of the means for acquiring data, means for mining data, and means for analyzing data comprises data acquisition software, data mining software, data analysis software, and combinations thereof.

32. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises at least one means selected from the group consisting of means for purchasing steam, means for predicting steam use trends, means for planning steam-related decisions, means for purchasing energy, means for predicting energy price trends, and combinations thereof.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the means for purchasing steam, means for predicting steam use trends, means for planning steam-related decisions, means for purchasing energy, means for predicting energy use trends, means for predicting energy price trends, and combinations thereof comprises one of software and information provider.

34. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a web site that is connected to the means for analyzing and evaluating to communicate steam-related information and permits access to the analyzed and evaluated data and information and the steam-related information.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the web site permits a user interaction with at least one of the means for measuring, the means for determining, and the means for analyzing and evaluating.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the web site provides real-time analyzed and evaluated data and information and steam-related information.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein the means for measuring utility amounts delivered comprises at least one meter, the web site is connected to each meter of the means for measuring, and the web site permits access to meter information.

38. The system according to claim 36, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises at least one data processing module, the web site is connected to each meter of the means for measuring, and the web site permits access to the at least one data processing module.

39. The system according to claim 36, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises means to provide utility delivery information for evaluation and analysis, the web site is connected to each meter of the means for measuring, and the web site permits access to the utility delivery information.

40. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises quality analytic tools.

41. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises predictive tools that can be used to predict at least one of future times for operation of steam-generating systems at the steam-consuming site as determined by the steam-generation management system and future times to purchase energy as determined by the steam-generation management system.

42. An steam-generation management method comprising the steps of:

measuring utility amounts delivered to a steam-consuming site and steam-generating systems, the utility comprising water, water treatment chemicals, energy, and fuel;

measuring process variables of the steam-generating systems and the steam-consuming site;

determining steam amounts generated and used at the steam-consuming site;

analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used and utility delivered to provide analyzed and evaluated data and information; and

providing access to the analyzed and evaluated data and information and to steam-related information.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of measuring the utility amounts comprises a step of measuring utility delivered to at least one steam-consuming system.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of determining the steam amounts comprises a step of measuring steam from a plurality of steam-generating systems and a plurality of steam-consuming systems.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of measuring the utility amounts comprises measuring at least one of water, water treatment chemicals, energy, fuel, and combinations thereof.

46. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of measuring amounts of utility comprises measuring utility by metering the utility.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the step of metering comprises metering the utility amounts using a meter selected from the group consisting of digital meters, analog meters, mechanical meters, broad-band spectrum modems, process logic control meters, and combinations thereof.

48. The method according to claim 46, wherein the step of metering comprises disposing at least one meter on at least one delivery line that delivers utility to the steam-consuming site.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the step of disposing at least one meter comprises disposing at least one meter on the at least one delivery line and measuring a total utility amount delivered to the steam-consuming site via the at least one delivery line.

50. The method according to claim 42 further comprising interconnecting each of the means for measuring, means for determining, the means for analyzing and evaluating, and the means for providing.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the step of interconnecting comprises providing a communication link interconnecting each of the means for measuring, means for determining, the means for analyzing and evaluating, and the means for providing;

the communications link being selected from the group consisting of phone modem, network connection, communication, radio communication and other wireless communication systems, cellular communication, satellite communication, web access communication, and Internet access communication, Intranet access communication, and combinations thereof.

52. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises processing steam amounts using at least one data processing module.

53. The method according to claim 42, wherein each of the step of determining steam amounts generated and used at the steam-consuming site and the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises processing steam amounts using at least one data processing module.

54. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used further comprises providing energy-provider information for evaluation and analysis.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein the step of providing energy-provider information comprises providing real-time energy-provider information.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the step of providing energy-provider information comprises providing the energy-provider information in electronic form.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein the step of providing energy-provider information comprises providing at least one of energy unit prices, delivery tariffs, energy taxes, and combinations thereof.

58. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating comprises providing utility delivery information for evaluation and analysis.

59. The method according to claim 58, wherein the step of providing delivery information comprises providing at least one of delivery routes, delivery costs, loss costs, tariffs, taxes, transportation costs, and combinations thereof.

60. The method according to claim 42, the method further comprising a step of providing process variable information for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

61. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of providing process variable information comprises providing at least one of time, date, temperature, humidity, steam-consuming site location, and other process variables for the steam-consuming site.

62. The method according to claim 42, the method further comprises the step of providing raw material data for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

63. The method according to claim 42, the method further comprises the step of providing by-product and waste information for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

64. The method according to claim 42, the method further comprises the step of providing raw material information for analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used.

65. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used further comprises at least one of acquiring data, mining data, and analyzing data.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein the step of acquiring data, mining data, and analyzing data further comprises providing data acquisition software, data mining software, data analysis software, and combinations thereof.

67. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used further comprises developing for strategies for purchasing steam, for predicting steam use trends, for planning steam-related decisions, for purchasing energy, for predicting energy use trends, for predicting energy price trends, for planning energy-related decisions, and combinations thereof.

68. The method according to claim 42, the method further comprises communicating the analyzed and evaluated data and information and the steam-related information via a web site.

69. The method according to claim 68, wherein the method further comprises permitting feedback into at least one of the means for measuring, the means for determining, the means for analyzing and evaluating, and means for providing.

70. The method according to claim 68, wherein the step of communicating the analyzed and evaluated data and information and the steam-related information via a web site further comprises providing at least one of the analyzed and evaluated data and information and the steam-related information in real-time and historical data.

71. The method according to claim 68, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used further comprises using at least one data processing module for analyzing and evaluating, and the method further comprises connecting a web site to said at least one data processing module.

72. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used comprises analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used employing quality analysis tools.

73. The method according to claim 42, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used further comprises analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used employing quality predictive tools.

74. The method according to claim 73, wherein the step of analyzing and evaluating the steam amounts generated and used employing quality predictive tools further comprises the step of providing predictions at least one of future times for operation at the steam-consuming site as determined by the steam-generation management system and future times to purchase energy as determined by the steam-generation management system.