Process connection for process diagnostics

• US 7,702,478 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hedtke, Robert C., Broden, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau; Tung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, XIUQIN
• Application Number:
  US11/364,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 702/100, 702/104, 240/408, 282/17, 204/408
• US Class Current: 702/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0208 characterized by the configuration of the monitoring system

Abstract

A process coupling for coupling a diagnostic device to process fluid of an industrial process includes a process interface configured to physically couple to the process fluid. A fluid pathway extending from the process interface configured to couple a process interface element of the process device to the process fluid. The fluid pathway is configured to optimize transmission of process noise from the process fluid to the process device for use by the diagnostic device.

Claims

1. A process device for diagnosing operation of an industrial process or process device, comprising:

diagnostic circuitry configured to diagnose operation of the industrial process or process device based upon a process noise signal sensed by a sensor configured to sense the process noise signal;

a process coupling for coupling the process device to process fluid of an industrial process, comprising;

a process interface configured to physically couple to the process fluid and having an opening which opens to the process fluid;

a fluid pathway extending from the opening of the process interface to the sensor and which terminates at the sensor, the fluid pathway configured to couple the sensor of the process device to the process fluid; and

wherein the fluid pathway is configured to amplify at least a portion of the process noise signal from the process fluid to the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process coupling includes a first and second diaphragm of differing sizes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process coupling includes a horn type configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process coupling is configured to attenuate certain frequencies of process noise.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a process variable sensor configured to receive the process noise signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process device comprises a process variable transmitter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process device comprises a process variable controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including I/O circuitry for a two-wire process control loop.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the process device is powered with power received from the two-wire process control loop.

10. The process device of claim 1 wherein the fluid pathway includes a volume arranged as a Helmholtz resonator.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid pathway is adjustable whereby alterations in the transmission of the process noise signal from the process fluid to the sensor is thereby adjustable.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid pathway comprises a Helmholtz resonator having an adjustable volume.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 including an adjustable blocking element arranged to selectively block the fluid pathway.

14. A method for diagnosing operation of an industrial process or process device, comprising:

coupling a field device to the industrial process with a process coupling having an opening which opens to a process fluid;

receiving a process noise signal from the process fluid with the opening of the process coupling and coupling the process noise signal to a sensor of the field device, wherein the coupling includes a fluid pathway from the opening to the sensor which terminates at the sensor;

altering the process noise signal by amplifying at least a portion of the process noise signal with a physical configuration of the process coupling;

sensing the altered process noise signal with the sensor of the field device; and

diagnosing operations of the process or process device based upon the sensed altered process noise signal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the process coupling includes a first and second diaphragm of differing sizes.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the process coupling includes a horn type configuration.

17. The method of claim 14 including amplifying the process noise signal with a lever.

18. The method of claim 14 includes attenuating certain frequencies of process noise.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the process device comprises a process variable transmitter.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the process device comprises a process variable controller.

21. The method of claim 14 including a coupling to a two-wire process control loop.

22. The method of claim 21 including powering the process device with power received from the two-wire process control loop.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the process coupling includes a volume arranged as a Helmholtz resonator.

24. The method of claim 14 including adjusting a physical configuration of the process coupling whereby selectively adjusting alterations in the process noise signal by the process coupling.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein the process coupling comprises a Helmholtz resonator and the method includes adjusting a volume of the Helmholtz resonator.

26. The method of claim 14 including selectively blocking the fluid pathway.