WIRELESS MONITORING IN PROCESS APPLICATIONS

• US 20070152813A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kolavennu, Soumitri, Mathur, Anoop
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.220
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Monitoring systems and methods for monitoring one or more parameters within process equipment are disclosed. A monitoring system for wirelessly monitoring the process equipment can include a number of wireless sensors disposed within a fluid or gas process stream for monitoring various aspects of the fluid or gas medium such as temperature or pressure. Each of the wireless sensors can include a transmitter that can be used to wirelessly transmit sensor signals to a receiver in communication with a central monitoring unit. The wireless sensors can be placed directly within the fluid or gas medium, allowing accurate measurements to be taken within the process stream.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for wirelessly monitoring one or more parameters within process equipment, the monitoring system comprising:

one or more wireless sensors disposed within a fluid or gas process stream of the process equipment, each of said one or more wireless sensors including a transmitter adapted to transmit a wireless signal;

a receiver adapted to receive the wireless signals transmitted from said one or more wireless sensors; and

a central monitoring unit in communication with the receiver and adapted to process the wireless signals received by the receiver.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is located outside of the process stream.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is located within the process stream.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said wireless signal is an RF wireless signal.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more wireless sensors is installed at a fixed location within the process stream.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more wireless sensors is coupled to a host object moving within the process stream.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more wireless sensors is an object moving within the process stream.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said process equipment includes distillation process equipment.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said process stream includes a packing column.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein at least one of said one or more wireless sensors is coupled to packing material disposed within the packing column.

11. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said process stream includes a bubble cap column.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of said one or more wireless sensors is coupled to a bubble cap disposed within the bubble cap column.

13. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of said one or more wireless sensors is coupled to a downcomer disposed within the bubble cap column.

14. A monitoring system for wirelessly monitoring one or more parameters within distillation equipment, the monitoring system comprising:

one or more wireless sensors disposed within a fluid or gas process stream of the distillation equipment, each of said one or more wireless sensors including a transmitter adapted to transmit a wireless signal;

a receiver located outside of the process stream and adapted to receive the wireless signals transmitted from said one or more wireless sensors; and

a central monitoring unit in communication with the receiver and adapted to process the wireless signals received by the receiver.

15. A method of wirelessly monitoring one or more parameters within process equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

providing one or more wireless sensors within a fluid or gas process stream of the process equipment, each of said one or more wireless sensors including a transmitter;

sensing one or more parameters within the process stream using at least one of the one or more wireless sensors; and

transmitting a wireless signal to a receiver in communication with a central monitoring unit.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

comparing one or more parameters sensed by the wireless sensor against an expected set of process conditions within the process equipment; and

outputting a control signal to the process equipment for controlling the equipment based at least in part on the wireless signals received from the one or more wireless sensors.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver is located outside of the process stream.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver is located within the process stream.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more wireless sensors is installed at a fixed location within the process stream.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more wireless sensors is coupled to a host object moving within the process stream.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of determining the location of each wireless sensor coupled to the host object.