Process diagnostics
First Claim
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1. An acoustic flowmeter for measuring a flow rate of a process fluid in a pipe section in an industrial process, the flowmeter comprising:
- an acoustic sensing device configured to couple to the pipe section and adapted to measure a process noise;
monitoring electronics coupled to the acoustic sensing device and adapted to isolate acoustic patterns generated by vortices in the process fluid from the measured process noise, the monitoring electronics adapted to detect a change in the measured process noise and to generate an alarm signal based upon a detected change, the change being indicative of a failure or deterioration of equipment in the industrial process.
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Abstract
A diagnostic device for use in a industrial process includes monitoring electronics or diagnostic circuitry configured to diagnose or identify a condition or other occurrence in the industrial process. The system can be implemented in a process device such as a flowmeter, and in one example an acoustic flowmeter. A transducer can also be used and a frequency response, such as resonant frequency, can be observed.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An acoustic flowmeter for measuring a flow rate of a process fluid in a pipe section in an industrial process, the flowmeter comprising:
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an acoustic sensing device configured to couple to the pipe section and adapted to measure a process noise;
monitoring electronics coupled to the acoustic sensing device and adapted to isolate acoustic patterns generated by vortices in the process fluid from the measured process noise, the monitoring electronics adapted to detect a change in the measured process noise and to generate an alarm signal based upon a detected change, the change being indicative of a failure or deterioration of equipment in the industrial process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A diagnostic device for detecting fouling and corrosion in process equipment comprising:
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process equipment;
at least one detector for measuring a frequency response coupled to the pipe section;
an transducer coupled to the process element and adapted to excite the process element into resonance; and
a diagnostic circuit coupled to the at least one detector and the transducer, the diagnostic circuit adapted to trigger the process element into resonance via a command sent to the transducer and to process the measured frequency response from the at least one detector, the diagnostic circuit adapted to compare the measured frequency response to a stored reference frequency response and to produce a diagnostic signal indicative of health of the process equipment based on a deviation of the measured frequency response from the stored frequency response. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of monitoring health of fixed equipment in an industrial process comprising:
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measuring a noise signal in a process fluid of the industrial process;
separating acoustic patterns associated with vortices from process noise in the measured noise signal;
calculating a process value based on the acoustic patterns and a noise signature based on the process noise;
comparing the noise signature to a stored reference signature; and
adding an alarm indication onto a flow measurement signal for transmission to a control center, if the noise signature deviates from the stored reference signature by more than a predetermined limit.
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22. A diagnostic system adapted to detect fouling and corrosion of fixed equipment in an industrial process, the diagnostic system comprising:
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a sensing device configured to measure a process variable and adapted to passively or actively detect process noise; and
monitoring circuitry coupled to the sensing device and adapted to identify a frequency change in the process noise.
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23. A method of detecting corrosion or fouling of process equipment in an industrial process comprising:
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exciting a mechanical device into resonance;
measuring a resonant frequency of the device; and
generating an alarm signal indicative of fouling or corrosion of the device based upon the resonant frequency of the device.
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24. A device for diagnosing operation of a valve in an industrial process comprising:
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a first pressure sensor adapted to measure on upstream or downstream pressure;
a second pressure sensor adapted to measure a pressure of pneumatic fluid used to control valve position; and
diagnostic circuitry configured to diagnose operation of the valve based upon the sensed pressure. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification