Failure diagnosing apparatus for combustion systems

• US 5,938,424 A
• Filed: 10/24/1996
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubota, Norikazu, Kurogi, Yasuharu, Oka, Tomohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Larry
• Application Number:
  US08/736,583
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 431/13, 431/14, 431/8, 431/18, 431/25, 364/551.01, 364/550, 364/528.09, 702/183, 702/185, 702/186, 236/15 BR, 236/11, 236/10
• US Class Current: 431/13
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2005/182 Air flow switch
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/52 Fuzzy logic
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2227/04 Prepurge
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2227/22 Pilot burners
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2231/22 using warning lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2233/06 at the air intake
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/06 at the air intake
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/14 electromagnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/12 using ionisation-sensitive elements, i.e. flame rods
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/242 using electronic means

Abstract

An apparatus 9 for diagnosing failures in the combustion system to be installed in the regenerator of an absorption chiller is adapted to automatically prepare quantitative diagnosis data from a plurality of items of measurement data. The apparatus comprises an abnormality degree calculating circuit 2 for calculating degrees of abnormality serving as indexes for discriminating failures, from different items of data obtained by a combustion system control unit 1, a binary conversion circuit 4 for converting the abnormality degrees obtained from the circuit 2 to binary data representing "normal" or "abnormal," a condition judging circuit 5 for discriminating types of states of failures from the binary data by driving a diagnosis knowledge base 7, and a diagnosis data calculating circuit 6 for calculating diagnosis data from the abnormality degrees and types of failure states by driving the base 7.

Claims

1. In a combustion system wherein a fuel jetted out from a burner is ignited and caused to produce flames in a predetermined sequence, an apparatus for diagnosing failures in the combustion system in its entirety or in some of component devices of the combustion system, the failure diagnosing apparatus comprising:

means for measuring different items of measurement data representing the behavior of each component device of the combustion system during the operation of the system in the predetermined sequence,

a diagnosis knowledge base having stored therein as knowledge data the causal relation of different kinds of failures to causes which failures can occur in one or a plurality of component devices to be inspected for diagnosis, in connection with the different items of measurement data to be obtained from the measuring means, and

knowledge base drive means for driving the diagnosis knowledge base based on the measurement data obtained from the measuring means and deriving diagnosis data as to the causes of failures.

2. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the knowledge base drive means comprises data processing means for preparing different items of index data serving as judging indexes in diagnosing failures, based on the measurement data obtained from the measuring means, and the diagnosis knowledge base comprises a condition knowledge portion having defined therein conditions for discriminating types of states of failures based on the index data, the conditions being classified for the respective types, and a connection strength knowledge portion having defined therein the strength of connection between one item or different items of index data and the causes of a plurality of failures, for every failure type, the knowledge base drive means being operable to discriminate the types of failure states from the index data with reference to the condition knowledge portion and to thereafter calculate, from the index data for each type discriminated, diagnosis data representing the probability that the cause of the failure will be the true cause with reference to the connection strength knowledge portion.

3. In a combustion system which is installed in a regenerator of an absorption chiller and wherein a fuel jetted out from a burner is ignited and caused to produce flames in a predetermined sequence, an apparatus for diagnosing failures in the combustion system in its entirety or in some of component devices of the combustion system, the failure diagnosing apparatus comprising:

means for measuring different items of measurement data representing the behavior of each component device of the combustion system during the operation of the system in the predetermined sequence,

a diagnosis knowledge base having stored therein as knowledge data the causal relation of different kinds of failures to causes which failures can occur in one or a plurality of component devices to be inspected for diagnosis, in connection with the different items of measurement data to be obtained from the measuring means, and

knowledge base drive means for driving the diagnosis knowledge base based on the measurement data obtained from the measuring means and deriving diagnosis data as to the causes of failures.

4. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the knowledge base drive means comprises data processing means for preparing different items of index data serving as judging indexes in diagnosing failures, based on the measurement data obtained from the measuring means, and the diagnosis knowledge base comprises a condition knowledge portion having defined therein conditions for discriminating types of states of failures based on the index data, the conditions being classified for the respective types, and a connection strength knowledge portion having defined therein the strength of connection between one item or different items of index data and the causes of a plurality of failures, for every failure type, the knowledge base drive means being operable to discriminate the types of failure states from the index data with reference to the condition knowledge portion and to thereafter calculate, from the index data for each type discriminated, diagnosis data representing the probability that the cause of the failure will be the true cause with reference to the connection strength knowledge portion.

5. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the combustion system to be inspected for diagnosis comprises a main burner line including a main burner, a pilot burner line including a pilot burner for igniting the main burner, a spark rod line including a spark rod for igniting the pilot burner, and an ignition transformer line including an ignition transformer for driving the spark rod, and has a flame sensor for detecting flames from the main burner or the pilot burner and sparks from the spark rod.

6. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 5 which is adapted to diagnose failures in the ignition transformer line and wherein the measurement data includes time after the application of voltage to the ignition transformer and until a spark from the spark rod is detected (measurement data a), current flowing through a primary winding of the ignition transformer (measurement data b), flame current produced by the flame sensor when the spark rod line is caused to generate a spark with the supply of fuel to the pilot burner shut off (measurement data c), and flame current produced by the flame sensor when the spark rod line is caused to generate a spark with the fuel supplied to the pilot burner (measurement data d), and the condition knowledge portion of the diagnosis knowledge base has set therein the six conditions of:

condition 1;

when the measurement data a is abnormal,

condition 2;

when the measurement data b is abnormal,

condition 3;

when the measurement data c is normal,

condition 4;

when the measurement data b is abnormal, and the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data d is normal,

condition 5;

when the measurement data b is abnormal, and the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data d is abnormal, and

condition 6;

when the measurement data b is normal, and the measurement data c is abnormal, as the conditions for discriminating the types of failure states.

7. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the connection strength knowledge portion has specified for the condition 1 the abnormality degree of the measurement date a, abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data a, abnormality degree of the measurement data b, abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 2 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b, abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 3 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 4 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b and abnormality degree of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 5 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b and abnormality degree of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, and for the condition 6 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures.

8. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 5 which is adapted to diagnose failures in the spark rod line and wherein the measurement data includes time after the application of voltage to the ignition transformer and until a spark from the spark rod is detected (measurement data a), current flowing through a primary winding of the ignition transformer (measurement data b), flame current produced by the flame sensor when the spark rod line is caused to generate a spark with the supply of fuel to the pilot burner shut off (measurement data c), flame current produced by the flame sensor when the spark rod line is caused to generate a spark with the fuel supplied to the pilot burner (measurement data d), a time lag after the supply of fuel to the pilot burner and until the pilot burner ignites (measurement data e) and flame current produced from the flame sensor with the pilot burner only ignited (measurement data f), and the condition knowledge portion of the diagnosis knowledge base has set therein the nine conditions of:

condition 1;

when the measurement data a is abnormal,

condition 2;

when the measurement data b is abnormal,

condition 3;

when the measurement data c is normal,

condition 4;

when the measurement data b is abnormal, and the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data d is normal,

condition 5;

when the measurement data b is normal, and the measurement data c is abnormal,

condition 6;

when the measurement data b is normal, and the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data e is abnormal,

condition 7;

when the measurement data b is normal, and the measurement data d is abnormal, and the measurement data e is abnormal,

condition 8;

when the measurement data d is abnormal, and the measurement data f is normal, and

condition 9;

when the measurement data d is abnormal, and the measurement data f is abnormal, as the conditions for discriminating the types of failure states.

9. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the connection strength knowledge portion has specified for the condition 1 the abnormality degree of the measurement date a, abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data a, abnormality degree of the measurement data b, abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 2 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b , abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 3 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 4 the abnormality degree of the measurement data b and abnormality degree of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 5 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 6 the abnormality degree of the measurement data d, abnormality degree of the measurement data e and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data e as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for condition 7 the abnormality degree of the measurement data d, abnormality degree of the measurement data e and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data e as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for condition 8 the abnormality degree of the measurement data d as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, and for condition 9 the abnormality degree of the measurement data d and abnormality degree of the measurement data f as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures.

10. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 5 which is adapted to diagnose failures in the pilot burner line and wherein the measurement data includes current flowing through a primary winding of the ignition transformer (measurement data a), flame current produced by the flame sensor when the spark rod line is caused to generate a spark with the supply of fuel to the pilot burner shut off (measurement data b), flame current produced by the flame sensor when the spark rod line is caused to generate a spark with the fuel supplied to the pilot burner (measurement data c), a time lag after the supply of fuel to the pilot burner and until the pilot burner ignites (measurement data d) flame current produced from the flame sensor with the pilot burner only ignited (measurement data e) and flame current produced from the flame sensor during the first portion of the period after the start of supply of fuel to the main burner and until the fuel supply to the pilot burner is discontinued (measurement data f), and the condition knowledge portion of the diagnosis knowledge base has set therein the nine conditions of:

condition 1;

when the measurement data a is normal, and the measurement data b is normal,

condition 2;

when the measurement data a is normal, and the measurement data b is abnormal, and the measurement data d is abnormal,

condition 3;

when the measurement data a is normal, and the measurement data b is normal, and the measurement data d is abnormal,

condition 4;

when the measurement data a is normal, and the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data d is abnormal,

condition 5;

when the measurement data c is normal, and the measurement data e is abnormal,

condition 6;

when the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data e is abnormal,

condition 7;

when the measurement data e is abnormal, and the measurement data f is normal,

condition 8;

when the measurement data e is abnormal, and the measurement data f is abnormal, and

condition 9;

when the measurement data f is abnormal, as the conditions for discriminating the types of failure states.

11. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the connection strength knowledge portion has specified for the condition 1 the abnormality degree of the measurement date c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 2 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c, abnormality degree of the measurement data d and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data d as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 3 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c, abnormality degree of the measurement data d and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data d as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 4 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c, abnormality degree of the measurement data d and abnormality degree of abnormality occurrence frequency of the measurement data d as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 5 the abnormality degree of the measurement data e as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 6 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c and abnormality degree of the measurement data e as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for condition 7 the abnormality degree of the measurement data e as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for condition 8 the abnormality degree of the measurement data e and abnormality degree of the measurement data f as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, and for condition 9 the abnormality degree of the measurement data f as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures.

12. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 5 which is adapted to diagnose failures in the main burner line and wherein the measurement data includes flame current produced from the flame sensor with the pilot burner only ignited (measurement data a), flame current produced from the flame sensor during the first portion of the period after the start of supply of fuel to the main burner and until the fuel supply to the pilot burner is discontinued (measurement data b), flame current produced from the flame sensor during the following portion of said period (measurement data c) and flame current produced from the flame sensor for a definite period after the fuel supply to the pilot burner is discontinued and until the fuel supply to the main burner is controlled by an external circuit upon a change-over (measurement data d), and the condition knowledge portion of the diagnosis knowledge base has set therein the five conditions of:

condition 1;

when the measurement data a is normal, and the measurement data b is abnormal,

condition 2;

when the measurement data c is abnormal,

condition 3;

when the measurement data c is normal, and the measurement data d is abnormal,

condition 4;

when the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data d is normal, and

condition 5;

when the measurement data c is abnormal, and the measurement data d is abnormal as the conditions for discriminating the types of failure states.

13. A failure diagnosing apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the connection strength knowledge portion has specified for the condition 1 the abnormality degree of the measurement date b as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 2 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 3 the abnormality degree of the measurement data d as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, for the condition 4 the abnormality degree of the measurement data c as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures, and for the condition 5 the abnormality degree of the measurement data d as index data to define the strength of connection between the index data and a plurality of causes of failures.