Method for controlling a process and for monitoring the condition of process equipment, and an automation system

• US 8,560,275 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metso Automation OY (Vanowen Group Acquisition Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metso Automation OY (Vanowen Group Acquisition Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Mustonen, Harri, Lehikoinen, Aki, Borg, Ale
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Phuong
• Application Number:
  US12/863,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 702121-123, 702188-190
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33299 Real time, online diagnostic, integrated in normal control system

Abstract

An automation system and a method for controlling a process and for monitoring the condition of process equipment. The method comprises the steps of measuring process signals indicating the condition of the process by means of a first sensor; measuring condition monitoring signals indicating the condition of process components by means of a second sensor; processing the process signals by means of a first I/O module; processing the condition monitoring signals by means of a second I/O module; transmitting the processed process signals obtained from the first I/O module to a process station. The method also comprises the steps of transferring the processed condition monitoring signals obtained from the second I/O module to the same process station; and processing both the said processed process signals and the said processed condition monitoring signals by process station software in the said process station.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a process and for monitoring the condition of process equipment, the method comprising:

a) measuring process signals indicating the condition of the process by means of a first sensor,

b) measuring condition monitoring signals indicating the condition of process components by means of a second sensor,

c) processing the process signals by means of a first I/O module,

d) processing the condition monitoring signals by means of a second I/O module,

e) transferring the process signals processed in and obtained from the first I/O module to a process station,

f) transferring the condition monitoring signals processed in and obtained from the second I/O module to the same said process station,

g) processing both said processed process signals and said processed condition monitoring signals by process station software in said process station.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

generating, based on the processed signals, both process control signals and condition monitoring data in the same said process station software.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

performing both the digital signal processing of the condition monitoring signals and the calculation of the process control signals in the same process station software.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

transferring the processed process signals via a first I/O bus to the process station, wherein the capacity of the first I/O bus is rated to sampling frequencies in the range from 1 to 100 Hz.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

transferring the processed condition monitoring signals via a second I/O bus to the process station, wherein the capacity of the second I/O bus is rated to sampling frequencies in the range from 5 to 20 kHz.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

transferring the processed process signals via a I/O bus to the process station, and transferring the processed condition monitoring signals via the same I/O bus to the process station.

7. The method according to claim 1, in which the first I/O module comprises a first electronics card and the second I/O module comprises a second electronics card.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

processing condition monitoring signals by means of an A/D converter and a low-pass filter included in the second I/O module.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

measuring with the first sensor one of the following variables;

the pressure or the temperature prevailing in the process or in a process component, the rotational speed of a moving component, a property of a product to be manufactured, the flow of suspensions flowing in the process, or a level.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

measuring with the second sensor one of the following variables;

the acceleration, offset or speed of vibration.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

storing both the process control signals and the condition monitoring data on a database server common to said signals and said data, and transferring both the process control signals and the condition monitoring data by using a data transmission bus common to said signals and said data.

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

both monitoring and controlling the process, as well as viewing the condition monitoring data by means of a user interface common to said monitoring, said controlling and said viewing.

14. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

configuring the system by means of a single planning unit.

15. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

transferring the processed process signals via a first I/O bus to the process station, wherein the first I/O bus is configured for signals transmitted continually one by one, and transferring the processed condition monitoring signals via a second I/O bus to the process station, wherein the second I/O bus is configured for signals transmitted at a high sampling frequency.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the capacity of the first I/O bus is rated to sampling frequencies in the range from 1 to 100 Hz, and wherein the capacity of the second I/O bus is rated to sampling frequencies in the range from 5 to 20 kHz.

17. The method according to claim 15, comprising:

processing the process signals by means of an A/D converter included in the first I/O module, and processing the condition monitoring signals by means of an A/D converter included in the second I/O module.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second sensor is a vibration sensor for measuring the acceleration, offset or speed of vibration.

9. The method according to claim comprising:

supplying electric power to the second sensor by means of a power supply unit provided in the second I/O module.

19. An automation system, comprising:

a first sensor for measuring processing signals indicating the condition of a process,

a second sensor for measuring condition monitoring signals indicating the condition of process components,

a first I/O module for processing the process signals,

a second I/O module for processing the condition monitoring signals,

a process station comprising process station software for processing both the processed process signals and the processed condition monitoring signals, and

at least one I/O bus for transferring the processed process signals from the first I/O module to said process station and for transferring the processed condition monitoring signals from the second I/O module to said process station.

20. An automation system according to claim 19, in which said process station software is further provided for generating, based on the processed signals, both process control signals and process condition monitoring data.

21. The automation system according to claim 19, further comprising:

at least one database server for storing said control signals and said condition monitoring data,

a user interface for both monitoring and controlling the process and for viewing condition monitoring data, and

at least one data transmission bus for transferring said control signals and said condition monitoring data between the process station and the database server as well as said user interface.

22. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein said process station software comprises both the digital signal processing of condition monitoring signals and the calculation of the process control signals.

23. The automation system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a first I/O bus for transferring the processed process signals from the first I/O module to the process station, the capacity of the first I/O bus being rated for sampling frequencies.

24. The automation system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a second I/O bus for transferring the processed condition monitoring signals from the second I/O module to the process station, the capacity of the second I/O bus being rated for sampling frequencies.

25. The automation system according to claim 19, further comprising:

an I/O bus for transferring both the processed process signals and the processed condition monitoring signals via the same I/O bus to the process station.

26. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein the first I/O module comprises a first electronics card and the second I/O module comprises a second electronics card.

27. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein the second I/O module comprises an A/D converter and a low-pass filter for the processing of the condition monitoring signals.

28. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein the second I/O module comprises a power supply unit for supplying electric current to the second sensor.

29. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein the first sensor is arranged to measure one of the following:

the pressure or the temperature prevailing in the process or in a process component, the rotational speed of a moving component, a property of a product to be manufactured, the flow of suspensions flowing in the process, or a level.

30. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein the second sensor is a vibration sensor arranged to measure one of the following:

the acceleration, offset or speed of vibration.

31. The automation system according to claim 19, further comprising:

one planning unit for configuring the system.

32. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein said automation system is a distributed control system.

33. The automation system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a first I/O bus for transferring the processed process signals from the first I/O module to the process station, wherein the first I/O bus is configured for signals transmitted continually one by one, and a second I/O bus for transferring the processed condition monitoring signals from the second I/O module to the process station, wherein the second I/O bus is configured for signals transmitted at a high sampling frequency.

34. The automation system according to claim 33, wherein the capacity of the first I/O bus is rated to sampling frequencies in the range from 1 to 100 Hz, and wherein the capacity of the second I/O bus is rated to sampling frequencies in the range from 5 to 20 kHz.

35. The automation system according to claim 33, further comprising:

an A/D converter included in the first I/O module for the processing of the process signals, and an A/D converter included in the second I/O module for the processing of the condition monitoring signals.

36. The automation system according to claim 33, wherein the second sensor is a vibration sensor for measuring the acceleration, offset or speed of vibration.

37. The automation system according to claim 23, wherein the capacity of the first I/O bus being rated for sampling frequencies is in the range from 1 to 100 Hz.

38. The automation system according to claim 24, wherein the capacity of the second I/O bus being rated for sampling frequencies is in the range from 5 to 20 kHz.