Systems and methods to monitor operating processes

• US 9,310,288 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Sharpe, Joseph Hiserodt Jr., Jenssen, Hallgeir
• Primary Examiner(s): Soderquist, Arlen
• Application Number:
  US13/751,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20140212978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 436/6, 436/50, 436/55, 436/61, 436/121, 436/163, 700/266, 700/271, 700/272, 702 30- 31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/00 Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2823 raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures hydrocarbon content of earth materials G01N33/241; prospecting G01V; drilling per se E21B
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user

Abstract

Example methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for monitoring operating processes. An example method includes monitoring an equipment parameter associated with an asset in an operating process unit and monitoring a process parameter associated with the asset. The example method includes determining an asset health corresponding to the asset. The asset health is determined based on a potential state of corrosion associated with the asset by comparing a corrosivity index to a corrosion threshold. The corrosivity index is a function of at least one of current values or changes in the monitored equipment parameter or the monitored process parameter over time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, in substantially real-time, an equipment parameter associated with an asset in an operating process unit;

monitoring, in substantially real-time, a process parameter associated with the asset;

collecting repeated measurements over a period of time from the substantially real-time monitoring of the equipment and process parameters;

comparing the repeated measurements to corresponding corrosion thresholds;

generating an alarm indicative of a potential state of corrosion associated with the asset when the repeated measurements exceed the corresponding corrosion thresholds for corresponding threshold periods of time; and

determining an asset health value corresponding to the asset based on the alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of one of the corrosion thresholds is defined based on an asset type of the asset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the asset type is at least one of a liquid hydrocarbon unit, a gaseous hydrocarbon unit, or an aqueous unit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the potential state of corrosion by weighting the monitored equipment parameter or the monitored process parameter based on impact on corrosion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining thermal stress associated with the asset by comparing the repeated measurements to corresponding thermal stress thresholds.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising creating an alarm associated with the thermal stress when the repeated measurements exceed the corresponding thermal stress thresholds for corresponding threshold periods of time, wherein the alarm is to be presented to an operator.

7. The method of claim 1, further including determining a corrosivity index, wherein the corrosivity index is a function of at least one of current values or changes over time of the equipment parameter and at least one of current values or changes over time of the process parameter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing a validity of measurements associated with the monitored equipment parameter or the monitored process parameter, wherein assessing the validity of the measurements includes comparing the measurements to a validity threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein assessing the validity of the measurements includes receiving a low voltage or bad value parameter from an asset monitoring application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the potential state of corrosion is detected prior to degradation of the asset.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a first one of the corrosion thresholds varies depending on whether ones of the repeated measurements exceed a second one of the corrosion thresholds.

12. The method of claim 1, further including monitoring, in substantially real-time, at least one of a second equipment parameter or a second process parameter, wherein generating the alarm is based on the at least one of the second equipment parameter or the second process parameter.

13. A system comprising:

a monitoring application to monitor, in substantially real-time, an equipment parameter and a process parameter associated with an asset in a process unit and collect repeated measurements, over a period of time, from the substantially real-time monitoring of the equipment parameter and the process parameter;

a thermal stress analyzer to compare the repeated measurements for each of the equipment parameter and the process parameter to corresponding thermal stress thresholds and generate an alarm indicative of a thermal stress associated with the asset when the repeated measurements exceed the corresponding thermal stress thresholds for corresponding threshold periods of time; and

an asset health value calculator to determine an asset health corresponding to the asset based on the alarm.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the thermal stress thresholds are based on at least one of a material composition of the asset, a wall thickness of a material, a safety margin, an engineering guideline, or an industry standard.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein determining the thermal stress includes weighting the monitored equipment parameter and the monitored process parameter based on impact on thermal stress.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a corrosion analyzer to determine a potential state of corrosion associated with the asset by comparing the repeated measurements for each of the equipment parameter and the process parameter to corresponding corrosion thresholds.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the corrosion analyzer is to create an alarm indicative of the potential state of corrosion when the repeated measurements exceed the corresponding corrosion thresholds for corresponding threshold periods of time, wherein the alarm is to be presented to an operator.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein a value of a first one of the thermal stress thresholds corresponding to one of the equipment parameter or the process parameter is defined by a value of at least one of the other one of the equipment parameter or the process parameter, another equipment parameter, or another process parameter.

19. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to at least:

monitor, in substantially real-time, an equipment parameter associated with an asset in an operating process unit;

monitor, in substantially real-time, a process parameter associated with the asset;

collect repeated measurements, over a period of time, from the substantially real-time monitoring of the equipment and process parameters;

determine an asset health corresponding to the asset, the asset health being determined based on a potential state of corrosion associated with the asset, the potential state of corrosion determined based on the repeated measurements of the equipment parameter and the repeated measurements of the process parameter;

generate an alarm indicative of the potential state of corrosion associated with the asset when the repeated measurements of the equipment parameter exceed a first corrosion threshold and the repeated measurements of the process parameter exceed a second corrosion threshold; and

adjust the asset health based on the alarm.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein a value of one of the corrosion thresholds is defined based on an asset type of the asset.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to determine the potential state of corrosion by weighting the monitored equipment parameter and the monitored process parameter based on impact on corrosion.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to present the alarm to an operator.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to:

determine thermal stress associated with the asset by comparing the repeated measurements to corresponding thermal stress thresholds; and

create an alarm associated with the thermal stress of the asset when the repeated measurements of the equipment parameter exceed a first thermal stress threshold and the repeated measurements of the process parameter exceed a second thermal stress threshold, wherein the alarm associated with the thermal stress is to be presented to an operator.