Method for testing of a combined dynamic positioning and power management system

• US 20060064211A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marine Cybernetics AS (Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas)
• Original Assignee: Marine Cybernetics AS (Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas)
• Inventors: Skjetne, Roger, Johansen, Tor Arne, Sorensen, Asgeir Johan
• Application Number:
  US11/097,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064211A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0256 injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for testing a control system (5) of a marine vessel (0). The control system (5) receives input commands (51) like desired position, heading, and speed from an input command device (50). The control system sends control signals (6, 62) to actuators (3). Such actuators may be electrical thruster drive motors (32) for thrusters (31) and electrical propeller motors (35) for fixed-shaft propellers (34). The vessel (0) comprises sensors (8) like position reference sensors (81, 82, . . . ) providing sensor signals (7, 71, 72, . . . ) back to said control system (5). The actuators (3) receive electrical energy provided by an on-board power system (1) that is controlled by a power management system (2). The inventive method comprises the following steps:

• • a simulator (100) receives signals (6, 7) from the vessel (0); the simulator comprises
    • a simulated actuator module (3′) providing simulated actuator forces to
    • a simulated vessel module comprising an algorithm for computing the dynamic behaviour of the simulated vessel (0′), and
    • a simulated sensor module (8′) that gives simulated sensor signals (7′) describing the calculated dynamic state of said simulated vessel (0′). The sensor module (8′) returns the simulated sensor signals (7′) modelled under simulated disturbances (9′) like simulated wind, current, and waves, to said control system (5). The control system continues to send control signals (6, 62) to the real actuators (3), for testing correct and fault tolerant function of said control system (5) and said power management system (2) subject to the control system (5) stimulated by simulated sensor signals (7′) and the simulated disturbances (9′).

Claims

18. A system for testing a control system (5) of a marine vessel (0),

said control system (5) receiving input commands (51) like desired position, heading, and speed from an input command device (50) and arranged for sending control signals (6, 62) to actuators (3) like electrical thruster drive motors (32) for thrusters (31) and electrical propeller motors (35) for fixed-shaft propellers (34),

said vessel (0) comprising sensors (8) like position reference sensors (81, 82, . . . ) providing sensor signals (7, 71, 72, . . . ) back to said control system (5),

said actuators (3) receiving electrical energy provided by an on-board power system (1) being controlled by a power management system (2),

said system characterized by the following features:

a simulator (100) arranged for receiving one or more signals (6, 7) from said vessel (0);

said simulator comprising

a simulated actuator module (3′

) arranged for providing simulated actuator forces to

a simulated vessel module comprising an algorithm for computing the dynamic behaviour of said simulated vessel (0′

), and

a simulated sensor module (8′

) arranged for calculating simulated sensor signals (7′

) for describing the calculated dynamic state of said simulated vessel (0′

);

said sensor module (8′

) arranged for returning one or more of said simulated sensor signals (7′

) modeled under simulated disturbances (9′

) like simulated wind, current, and waves, to said control system (5) while said control system is arranged for continuously sending control signals (6, 62) to said actuators (3), said system for testing whether said real power system (1) may provide sufficient power controlled by said real power management system (2)) when commanded by said control system (5) under said simulated sensor signals (7′

) and said simulated disturbances (9′

.

1. A method for testing a control system (5) of a marine vessel (0),

said control system (5) receiving input commands (51) like desired position, heading, and speed from an input command device (50) and arranged for sending control signals (6, 62) to actuators (3) like electrical thruster drive motors (32) for thrusters (31) and electrical propeller motors (35) for fixed-shaft propellers (34),

said vessel (0) comprising sensors (8) like position reference sensors (81, 82, . . . ) providing sensor signals (7, 71, 72, . . . ) back to said control system (5),

said actuators (3) receiving electrical energy provided by an on-board power system (1) being controlled by a power management system (2),

said method characterized by the following steps:

a simulator (100) receiving one or more signals (6, 7) from said vessel (0);

said simulator comprising

a simulated actuator module (3′

) providing simulated actuator forces to

a simulated vessel module comprising an algorithm for computing the dynamic behaviour of said simulated vessel (O′

), and

a simulated sensor module (8′

) providing simulated sensor signals (7′

) describing the calculated dynamic state of said simulated vessel (O′

);

said sensor module (8′

) for returning one or more of said simulated sensor signals (7′

) modeled under simulated disturbances (9′

) like simulated wind, current, and waves, to said control system (5) while said control system sends control signals (6, 62) to said actuators (3),

for testing whether said real power system (1) may provide sufficient power controlled by said real power management system (2)) when commanded by said control system (5), under said simulated sensor signals (7′

) and said simulated disturbances (9′

).

2. The method of claim 1, said disturbances (9′

), signals (7′

), sensors (8′

) and actuators (3′

) comprising simulated failure modes (95′

) of said simulated vessel (O′

).

3. The method of claim 1, said signals (6) sent from said vessel (0) to said simulator (100) comprising signals (78) from sensors (88) in the thruster drive motor (32) system that measure shaft speed, propeller pitch, power consumption or thruster azimuth angle.

4. The method of claim 1, said control system (5) being a dynamic positioning or “

DP”

system.

5. The method of claim 1, said environmental conditions comprising weather states,

6. The method of claim 1, said simulated disturbances (95′

) comprising simulated single and multiple failures in mechanical, electric and electronic equipment such as sensors, actuators and signal transmission.

7. The method of claim 6, said testing comprising testing of whether said real power system (1) provides fault tolerance to said simulated single and multiple failures in mechanical, electric and electronic components.

8. The method of claim 1, said vessel (0) being a petroleum platform arranged for dynamic position keeping.

9. The method of claim 1, said sensors (8) sending sensor signals (7) comprising position sensors (81) providing position signals (71), speed sensors (82) providing speed signals (72), and a compass (83) like a gyro, providing heading signals (73);

10. The method of claim 1, said simulated sensor signals (7′

) comprising simulated position signals (71′

), simulated speed signals (72′

), and simulated heading signals (73′

), and when said vessel simulator (0′

) responds to external or internal simulated disturbances (9′

) like one or more of simulated wind, simulated current, simulated waves,

11. The method of claim 1, using a control signal connector (61) on said control signal line (60) for branching off said control signals (6) to a simulator control signal line (60′

) to said simulator (100), and including a simulated actuator electrical motor (32′

, 35′

) interacting with a simulated power generator (1′

) with a simulated power management system (2′

), and an actuator simulator (3′

) comprising thruster simulators (31′

, 34′

).

12. The method of claim 1, in which is added a power management system feedback line (21) for transmitting power management system feedback signals (22) from said power management system (2) to said control system (5).

13. The method of claim 1, in which said simulator (100) comprises a simulated power system (3′

) with a simulated power management system (2′

) using a feedback line (21′

) for simulated feedback signals (22′

) to said control system (5).

14. The method of claim 1, in which said simulator (100) comprises a simulated power system (3′

) with a simulated power management system (2′

); and

a power management system feedback line (21) for transmitting power management system feedback signals (22) from said real power management system (2) to said control system (5).

15. The method of claim 1, said electrical power generators (1g) driven by generator motors (1e).

16. The method of claim 1, said and one or more propellers (33) driven by electrical propeller motors (34);

17. The method of claim 1, said control system (5) having a signal line connector (88) disconnecting said sensor signal line (80) and a simulated-signal connector (89) connecting a simulated signal line (80′

) for feeding said simulated sensor signals (7′

) to said control system (5) still being connected to provide control signals (6) to said major power consuming actuator motors (32, 35);

19. The system of claim 18, said system arranged for testing whether said control system and said power management system (2) functioning correctly together and being fault tolerant, under said simulated sensor signals (7′

) and said simulated disturbances (9′

).

20. The system of claim 18, said control system'"'"'s (5) comprising a joystick input device without position feedback, said control system (5) preferably including automatic heading control functions and compensation for wind or current forces.

21. The system of claim 18, said control system (5) having a command input connector (87) for disconnecting said command input (51) and a simulated-command input connector (86) for connecting a simulated command input device (50′

).

19-1. The system of claim 18, said control system (5) having a signal line connector (88) for disconnecting said sensor signal line (80) and a simulated-signal connector (89) for connecting a simulated signal line (80′

) for feeding said simulated sensor signals (7′

) to said control system (5) still being connected to provide control signals (6) to said major power consuming actuator motors (32, 35);