System And Method For Process Monitoring

• US 20080109090A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Valenzuela, Carlos, Mehta, Sanjay, Esmaili, Ali, Neogi, Debashis
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31477 Display correlated data so as to represent the degree of correlation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31478 Display all processes together or select only one
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that allow a user to monitor, diagnose, and configure a process. A user interface may be presented that displays data received from process monitors, sensors, and multivariate models. The user interface may be interactive, allowing a user to select which composite and multivariate models are displayed. The user interface and multivariate model may be constructed and updated in real time. The user interface may present various data and interfaces, such as a representation of a composite variable in a multivariate model, a representation of the contribution of process variables to the composite variable, and a representation of a subset of the process variables. The user may select a point of the composite variable for analysis, and the interface may indicate the contribution and values of process variables at the selected point. The interface may be transmitted to a remote user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data collector to receive process monitoring data describing a process performed by a process plant, the process monitoring data comprising values for a plurality of process variables;

a processor to construct a multivariate model of the process as data is received by the data collector; and

a user interface in communication with the processor to present information describing the process, comprising;

a first graphical interface to indicate performance of the process plant based on the multivariate model;

a second graphical interface to display the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables to the multivariate model; and

a third graphical interface to display an indication of the deviation of the process from a range expected by the multivariate model.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is web-based.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is presented to a user in real time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical interface and the second graphical interface are presented to a user concurrently.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the third graphical interface is displayed to the user concurrently to the first and second graphical interfaces.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the user interface presents data in real time.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is presented to a remote user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical interface presents the behavior of a composite variable of the multivariate model as a function of time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second graphical interface presents the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables to the multivariate model at a time point of the multivariate model selected by a user.

10. A method comprising:

based on data received from a process plant, constructing a multivariate model of a process performed by the process plant, the multivariate model being constructed as the data is received;

presenting a user interface to a remote user, the user interface displaying the value of a composite variable of the multivariate model over time, the composite variable being created from a plurality of process variables;

updating the user interface as the data is received;

receiving a selection of a time point in the composite variable display; and

displaying the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables to the composite variable at the selected point.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a displayed process variable from the remote user; and

displaying the value of the selected process variable over a time range.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user interface, the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables, and the value of the selected process variable are displayed to the user concurrently.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the user interface, the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables, and the value of the selected process variable are updated in real time.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the value of the composite variable is updated and displayed in real time.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface is a web-based interface.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

based on data received from a process plant, constructing a multivariate model of a process performed by the process plant, the multivariate model being constructed as the data is received;

presenting a user interface to a remote user, the user interface displaying the value of a composite variable of the multivariate model over time, the composite variable being created from a plurality of process variables;

updating the user interface as the data is received;

receiving a selection of a time point in the composite variable display; and

displaying the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables to the composite variable at the selected point.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a selection of a displayed process variable from the remote user; and

displaying the value of the selected process variable over a time range.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the user interface, the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables, and the value of the selected process variable are displayed to the user concurrently.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein at least one of the user interface, the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables, and the value of the selected process variable are updated in real time.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the value of the composite variable is updated and displayed in real time.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the user interface is a web-based interface.

22. A method comprising:

constructing a multivariate model of a process described by a plurality of process variables in real time based on data received from a process plant;

presenting a web-based user interface to a remote user, the interface displaying;

a composite variable of the multivariate model over time;

an indication of the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables to the composite variable at a time point; and

the deviation of the process from an expected mean trajectory;

receiving a selection of a time point in composite variable display; and

updating the indication of the contribution of the at least one of the plurality of process variables to display the contribution of the at least one process variable at the selected time point.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the composite variable display is updated in real time.

24. A computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

constructing a multivariate model of a process described by a plurality of process variables in real time based on data received from a process plant;

presenting a web-based user interface to a remote user, the interface displaying;

a composite variable of the multivariate model over time;

an indication of the contribution of at least one of the plurality of process variables to the composite variable at a time point; and

the deviation of the process from an expected mean trajectory;

receiving a selection of a time point in composite variable display; and

updating the indication of the contribution of the at least one of the plurality of process variables to display the contribution of the at least one process variable at the selected time point.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the composite variable display is updated in real time.