Systems and methods for control reliability operations using TMR

• US 9,043,263 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: McCarthy, Kevin Thomas, Brahmavar, Ramesh Pai, Venditti, Paul, Banerjee, Goutam
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, LI WU
• Application Number:
  US13/557,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0229 knowledge based, e.g. expert systems; genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes a data collection system configured to collect a data from a control system by using an offline mode of operations. The system further includes a configuration management system configured to manage a hardware configuration and a software configuration for the control system based on the data. The system additionally includes a rule engine configured to use the data as input and to output a health assessment by using a rule database, and a report generator configured to provide a health assessment for the control system.

Claims

1. A turbine system comprising:

a processor configured to execute;

a data collection system configured to collect a data from a control system by using an offline mode of operations, wherein the control system is configured to control the turbine system to produce power using a Triple Module Redundant (TMR) controller having an R core, an S core, and a T core;

a configuration management system configured to manage a hardware configuration and a software configuration for the control system based on the data;

a rule engine configured to use the data as input and to output a health assessment by using a rule database; and

a report generator configured to provide a health assessment for the control system, wherein the health assessment provides an output indication to upgrade hardware or software of the hardware or software configuration for the control system based on an input list received by the configuration management system, the input list comprising new products not yet released, and wherein a health advisor system external to the TMR controller is configured to execute the rule engine to output the health assessment.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to provide control operations for the control system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the R core, the S core, and the T core each vote to take a next action and a majority vote determines the next action, and wherein the health assessment provides a percentage readiness for the control system based on the R core, the S core, and the T core.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the data comprises a configuration file configured to be stored in the controller, and wherein the configuration file comprises a control code, controller parameters, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control code comprises a ladder logic, a sequential function chart (SFC), function blocks, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to be offline during the offline mode of operations.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the offline mode of operations comprises using a file transfer protocol (FTP), a BitTorrent transfer, a fast and secure protocol (FASP) bulk data transfer, a batch job transfer, or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule database comprises a plurality of health assessment “

if . . . then”

rules, and wherein the rule engine is configured to use the plurality of health assessment “

if . . . then”

rules to output the health assessment.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising an online life cycle support tool configured to use the health assessment to update a knowledge base, and wherein the knowledge base comprises a plurality of answers to customer questions related to the health of the control system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the health assessment comprises a Triple Module Redundant (TMR) readiness report, a controller recommendation, a configuration report, an early warning report, an access-based report, or a combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 comprising a power generation system having the control system.

12. A method comprising:

acquiring, via a health advisor system, a data related to a Triple Module Redundant (TMR) controller of a control system of a turbine by using an offline mode of operations, wherein the control system is configured to control the turbine to produce power, and wherein the TMR controller comprises an R core, an S core, and a T core;

analyzing, via the health advisor system, the data to obtain a data analysis by using a plurality of health assessment rules;

deriving, via a health advisor system, a control system health assessment based on the data analysis; and

providing, via a health advisor system, the control system health assessment, wherein the control system health assessment is configured to derive an engineering opportunity for the control system, and wherein the health advisor system is external to the TMR controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the health assessment comprises TMR readiness report, a controller recommendation, an auto configuration report, an early warning report, an access based report, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the offline mode of operations comprises using a file transfer protocol (FTP), a BitTorrent transfer, a fast and secure protocol (FASP) bulk data transfer, a batch job transfer, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the engineering opportunity comprises removing, updating, or replacing a hardware component or a software component of the control system.

16. A system comprising:

a non-transitory machine readable medium comprising code configured to;

acquire, via a health advisor system, a data related to a Triple Modular Redundant (TMR) controller of a control system of a turbine by using an offline mode of operations, wherein the TMR controller comprises an R core, an S core, and a T core, and wherein the health advisor system is external to the TMR controller;

analyze, via the health advisor system, the data to obtain a data analysis;

derive, via the health advisor system, a control system health assessment based on the data analysis, wherein the control system health assessment comprises a Triple Modular Redundant (TMR) readiness report, wherein the TMR report comprises details of the condition of the TMR controller; and

derive, via the health advisor system, an engineering opportunity for the control system based on the control system health assessment, wherein the health advisor system is external to the TMR controller.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the non-transitory machine readable medium comprising code configured to analyze the data comprises code configured to use a controller health assessment rules database to analyze the data.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the non-transitory machine readable medium comprises code configured to use a knowledge base database to provide a plurality of answers to customer questions related to a health of the control system.

19. The system of claim 16, comprising an industrial system having the non-transitory machine readable medium storing the code, wherein the industrial system comprises a gasification system, a turbine system, a gas treatment system, a power generation system, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the TMR readiness report comprises a readiness metric indicating the overall readiness of the control system.