Analyzing equipment performance and optimizing operating costs

• US 7,398,184 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Yu-Gene T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/784,631
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/183, 702/185, 702/186, 702/189, 702/34
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A system and method for analyzing equipment performance and optimizing operational costs are provided. Data from a sensor associated with a piece of equipment is analyzed and processed to identify characteristics associated with the performance and operational costs of the equipment. If the analysis indicates that abnormal conditions exist or that any user-defined alerts are warranted, a message is sent to an operator terminal. The system and method may continue to monitor the equipment and thus provide real-time data. The data may be stored in memory and collected over time. The data may be associated with a digital signature and used to create performance and/or financial reports for financial institutions, company quality control boards, regulatory control agencies, and the public. The system and method thus provide a cost effective and reliable analysis of equipment performance and operation costs.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory operable to store data associated with a piece of equipment, the data including a metal loss associated with the piece of equipment; and

a processing module operable to process the data to identify one or more characteristics associated with the piece of equipment, wherein the one or more characteristics include an operating parameter associated with the piece of equipment, the operating parameter designed for continued operation of the piece of equipment in light of the metal loss, the processing module further operable to output the operating parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further operable to identify the metal loss based on a corrosion rate, a pitting factor, a B value, and a corrosion mechanism indicator associated with the piece of equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics further comprise a maintenance cycle associated with the piece of equipment and a remaining lifespan associated with the piece of equipment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics further comprise an operating cost associated with operating the piece of equipment using the identified operating parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the piece of equipment comprises one of multiple pieces of equipment, and the processing module is operable to identify the one or more characteristics associated with each of the multiple pieces of equipment.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor operable to collect the data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a wireless sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further operable to store the one or more characteristics in the memory along with authentication information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further operable to output a warning message to an operator terminal when performance of the piece of equipment exceeds at least one of:

an abnormal condition and a user-defined level.

10. A method comprising:

analyzing data associated with a piece of equipment to identify a metal loss associated with the piece of equipment;

identifying one or more characteristics associated with the piece of equipment, wherein the one or more characteristics include an operating parameter associated with the piece of equipment, the operating parameter designed for continued operation of the piece of equipment in light of the metal loss; and

outputting the identified operating parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data comprises a corrosion rate, a pitting factor, a B value, and a corrosion mechanism indicator associated with the piece of equipment.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the analyzing occurs in real-time.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more characteristics further comprise a maintenance cycle associated with the piece of equipment and a remaining lifespan associated with the piece of equipment.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more characteristics further comprise an operating cost associated with operating the piece of equipment using the identified operating parameter.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the piece of equipment comprises one of multiple pieces of equipment, and the data comprises data associated with each of the multiple pieces of equipment.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing the one or more characteristics and authentication information.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising outputting a warning message to an operator terminal when performance of the piece of equipment exceeds at least one of:

an abnormal condition and a user-defined level.

18. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

analyzing data associated with a piece of equipment to identify a metal loss associated with the piece of equipment;

identifying one or more characteristics associated with the piece of equipment, wherein the one or more characteristics include an operating parameter associated with the piece of equipment, the operating parameter designed for continued operation of the piece of equipment in light of the metal loss; and

outputting the identified operating parameter.

19. The computer program of claim 18, further comprising outputting a warning message to an operator terminal when performance of the piece of equipment exceeds at least one of:

an abnormal condition and a user-defined level.

20. The computer program of claim 18, further comprising computer readable program code for storing the one or more characteristics and authentication information.