Apparatus and Method for Monitoring a Steam Plant

• US 20130173178A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Spirax-Sarco Limited (Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC)
• Original Assignee: Spirax-Sarco Limited (Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC)
• Inventors: Poczka, Christopher Michael Roland Agard, Spasova, Lyubka, Lander, Paul
• Application Number:
  US13/721,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173178A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16T 1/48 Monitoring arrangements for inspecting, e.g. flow of steam and steam condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/38 Determining or indicating operating conditions in steam boilers, e.g. monitoring direction or rate of water flow through water tubes measuring or indicating instruments in general G01
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/16 using electric detection means G01M3/045, G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2807 for pipes G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitoring apparatus for a steam plant, the apparatus comprising: a receiver (14) for receiving data from a sensor unit (10) associated with a component of the steam plant, the sensor unit (10) being configured to provide an output indicative of the operating condition of the component over a given period; a storage unit (16) which stores the data received by the receiver (14); and a trend analysis unit (18), the trend analysis unit (18) being configured to retrieve the data from the storage unit (16) and to process and analyse the data to thereby identify a trend in the operating condition of the component. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method of monitoring a steam plant.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus for a steam plant, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving data from a sensor unit associated with a component of the steam plant, the sensor unit being configured to provide an output indicative of the operating condition of the component over a given period;

a storage unit which stores the data received by the receiver; and

a trend analysis unit, the trend analysis unit being configured to retrieve the data from the storage unit and to process and analyse the data to thereby identify a trend in the operating condition of the component.

2. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a fault diagnosis unit which is configured to assess the trend identified by the trend analysis unit and to diagnose a fault experienced by the component.

3. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a fault advisory unit which is configured to provide an advisory message with information on the type of fault, potential causes of the fault and/or how to rectify the fault.

4. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display unit.

5. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is a wired or wireless receiver.

6. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the trend analysis unit is located remotely relative to the steam plant.

7. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit and trend analysis unit are located remotely from one another.

8. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trend is time-based.

9. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trend is linked to the operation of the steam plant.

10. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trend relates to estimated steam loss, estimated condensate load and/or measured temperature.

11. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trend is a temporary or transient failure of the component which is experienced only under certain operating conditions of the steam plant.

12. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trend analysis unit is configured to identify a change in the trend following a modification of the steam plant.

13. A method of monitoring a steam plant, the method comprising:

receiving data from a sensor unit associated with a component of the steam plant, the sensor unit being configured to provide an output indicative of the operating condition of the component over a given period; and

processing and analysing the data to identify a trend in the operating condition of the component.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

diagnosing a fault experienced by the component based on the identified trend.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

providing instructions on how to rectify the fault.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the trend is time-based.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the trend is linked to the operation of the steam plant.

18. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the trend relates to estimated steam loss, estimated condensate load and/or measured temperature

19. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the trend is a temporary or transient failure of the component which is experienced only under certain operating conditions of the steam plant.

20. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising comparing the identified trend before and after a modification of the steam plant.