SYSTEM FOR STORING AND PRESENTING SENSOR AND SPECTRUM DATA FOR BATCH PROCESSES

• US 20080161958A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: LaFond, Claude, Buijs, Thomas, Kanodia, Hemant, Davidson, Mikael H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/109
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0264 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3595 using FTIR
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8557 Special shaping of flow, e.g. using a by-pass line, jet flow, curtain flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0286 Modifications to the monitored process, e.g. stopping operation or adapting control

Abstract

A system for monitoring and controlling a batch process. The system includes a control system that is operable to control the batch process and to receive measured process variables of the batch process. An analyzer analyzes a material sample from the batch process and generates array data representative of the composition of the material sample. An analyzer controller is operable to collect the array data from the analyzer and the measured process variables from the control system. A software data server running on a computer is operable to retrieve the array data and the measured process variables from the analyzer controller. A software information management system running on the computer is operable to receive the measured process variables and the array data from the data server and to store the measured process variables and the array data in a database in an associated manner.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling a batch process having field instruments and a sample system connected thereto, the field instruments being operable to measure process variables of the batch process and the sample system being operable to obtain a sample of material being produced by the batch process, the system comprising:

a control system for controlling the batch process, the control system being connectable to the field instruments to receive the measured process variables therefrom;

an analyzer connectable to the sample system to receive the material sample therefrom, the analyzer being operable to analyze the material sample and to generate array data representative of the composition of the material sample;

an analyzer controller connectable to the analyzer and to the control system and operable to collect the array data from the analyzer and the measured process variables from the control system;

at least one computer connectable to the analyzer controller and the control system;

a software data server stored on the at least one computer and executable to retrieve the array data and the measured process variables from the analyzer controller; and

a software information management system stored on the at least one computer and including a database, the information management system being executable to receive the measured process variables and the array data from the data server and to store the measured process variables and the array data in the database in an associated manner.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the array data comprises spectral data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the analyzer comprises a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data server communicates with the analyzer controller using the TCP/IP protocol.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the array data and the measured process variables are each stored in the database so as to be associated with the analyzer, thereby causing the array data to be associated with the measured process variables.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a batch software system running on the at least one computer and operable to store the identities of equipment used to monitor and control a batch run of the batch process, thereby associating the equipment with the batch run, and wherein the equipment used to monitor and control the batch run includes the analyzer.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a software data export tool running on the at least one computer, the data export tool being operable to gather the array data and the measured process variables for the batch run for a particular time period from the database of the information management system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer comprises a monitor for displaying information, and wherein the system further comprises a software data visualization tool running on the at least one computer, the data visualization tool being operable to display a plot of the array data gathered by the data export tool on the monitor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plot is a two-dimensional plot.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the plot is a three-dimensional plot.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the data visualization tool is operable to display the measured process variables adjacent to the plot of the array data.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer comprises a first computer and a second computer having the monitor, the data export tool and the data visualization tool running on the second computer and the data server and the information management system running on the first computer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the array data is stored in the database in a flat file.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the analyzer is operable to generate sets of array data, each set of array data representing the composition of the material sample at a different time period, and wherein the analyzer controller is operable to collect the sets of array data from the analyzer and the data server is operable to retrieve the sets of array data from the analyzer controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information management system is operable to receive each set of array data from the data server and to time stamp each received set of array data, and wherein each time stamped set of array data is stored in a single line in the flat file.