Plant safety design assistance device and plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device

• US 9,495,717 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Anzai, Fumikado, Morimoto, Kenichi, Yamanaka, Yoshikane
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US13/988,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32226 Computer assisted repair, maintenance of system components
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32234 Maintenance planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32235 Sharing of data between process control and maintenance management computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A Plant safety design assistance device (100) is configured by a communication device (140), a diagnostics and monitoring device (110), a fault inspection management device (120), and a design and manufacturing device (130) being interconnected via network (150). The diagnostics and monitoring device (110) receives plant status information (dc) from a plant control system (1) and carries out monitoring and diagnostics an the plant. The fault inspection management device (120) maintains fault inspection information (D2) of an apparatus which is used in the plant. The design and manufacturing device (130) maintains design and manufacturing information of the apparatus which is used in the plant. The design and manufacturing devise (130) receives the fault inspection information (D2) from the fault inspection management device (120), and carries out a plant safety design which takes the fault inspection information into account. The plant safety design is thus assisted, with the plant monitoring and maintenance activities being linked therewith.

Claims

1. A plant safety design assistance device, wherein:

a communication device, a diagnosis and monitoring device, a fault inspection management device, and a design and manufacturing device are interconnected via a network;

the communication device transmits plant status information indicating status of a plant and first plant alert information indicating an abnormality, a fault, or a danger of the plant, the plant status information and the first plant alert information being outputted from a plant control system controlling operation of the plant;

the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information, further stores the first plant alert information transmitted via the communication device and the second plant alert information, and transmits the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information to the fault inspection management device;

the fault inspection management device takes in and stores latest plant apparatus configuration information from the design and manufacturing device, and stores and accumulates as fault inspection information the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information and a fault/inspection cause; and

the design and manufacturing device stores the plant apparatus configuration information indicating an apparatus configuration of the plant and fault probability of each apparatus, changes the fault probability of an apparatus of the apparatuses constituting the plant which has failed or has been inspected on basis of the fault inspection information taken in from the fault inspection management device, calculates degree of safety from the fault inspection information taken in and the post-change fault probability of each apparatus, and updates the plant apparatus configuration information into latest information, if the degree of safety of the apparatus of the apparatuses falls below a predetermined degree of safety, by repairing and restoring the apparatus of the plant apparatus configuration information or by replacing the apparatus with another apparatus having a high degree of safety.

2. A plant safety design assistance device, wherein:

a communication device, a diagnosis and monitoring device, a fault inspection management device, a design and manufacturing device, and a requirement management device are interconnected via a network;

the communication device transmits plant status information indicating status of a plant and first plant alert information indicating an abnormality, a fault, or a danger of the plant, the plant status information and the first plant alert information being outputted from a plant control system controlling operation of the plant;

the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information, further stores the first plant alert information transmitted via the communication device and the second plant alert information, and transmits the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information to the fault inspection management device;

the fault inspection management device takes in and stores latest plant apparatus configuration information from the design and manufacturing device, and stores and accumulates as fault inspection information the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information and a fault/inspection cause;

the design and manufacturing device stores the plant apparatus configuration information indicating an apparatus configuration of the plant, fault probability and specifications information of each apparatus, changes the fault probability of an apparatus of the apparatuses constituting the plant which has failed or has been inspected on a basis of the fault inspection information taken in from the fault inspection management device, calculates degree of safety from the fault inspection information taken in and the post-change fault probability of each apparatus, updates the plant apparatus configuration information into latest information, if the degree of safety of the apparatus of the apparatuses falls below a predetermined degree of safety, by repairing and restoring the apparatus of the plant apparatus configuration information or by replacing the apparatus with another apparatus having a high degree of safety, registers the specifications information indicated by requirements specifications information when the requirements specifications information has been transmitted from the requirement management device to the design and manufacturing device and transmits specifications change information to the requirement management device when the specifications information has been changed; and

the requirement management device transmits the requirements specifications information to the design and manufacturing device.

3. A plant safety design assistance device, wherein:

a communication device, a diagnosis and monitoring device, a fault inspection management device, a design and manufacturing device, a requirement management device, and a customer support management device are interconnected via a network;

the communication device transmits plant status information indicating status of a plant and first plant alert information indicating an abnormality, a fault, or a danger of the plant, the plant status information and the first plant alert information being outputted from a plant control system controlling operation of the plant;

the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information, further stores the first plant alert information transmitted via the communication device and the second plant alert information, and transmits the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information to the fault inspection management device;

the fault inspection management device takes in and stores latest plant apparatus configuration information from the design and manufacturing device, and stores and accumulates as fault inspection information the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information and a fault/inspection cause;

the design and manufacturing device stores the plant apparatus configuration information indicating an apparatus configuration of the plant, fault probability of each apparatus, and specifications information, changes the fault probability of an apparatus of the apparatuses constituting the plant which has failed or has been inspected on a basis of the fault inspection information taken in from the fault inspection management device, calculates degree of safety from the fault inspection information taken in and the post-change fault probability of each apparatus, updates the plant apparatus configuration information into latest information, if the degree of safety of the apparatus of the apparatuses falls below a predetermined degree of safety, by repairing and restoring the apparatus of the plant apparatus configuration information or by replacing the apparatus with another apparatus having a high degree of safety, registers the specifications information indicated by requirements specifications information when the requirements specifications information has been transmitted from the requirement management device to the design and manufacturing device, transmits specifications change information to the requirement management device when the specifications information has been changed, further transmits product information to the customer support device, and links defect information to the plant apparatus configuration information and the specifications information when the defect information has been transmitted from the customer support device to the design and manufacturing device;

the customer support device transmits a customer request item to the requirement management device; and

the requirement management device transmits requirements specifications information satisfying the customer request item to the design and manufacturing device.

4. A plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device, wherein:

a communication device a diagnosis and monitoring device, a fault inspection management device, and an instruction processing device are interconnected via a network;

the communication device transmits plant status information indicating status of a plant and first plant alert information indicating an abnormality, a fault, or a danger of the plant, the plant status information and the first plant alert information being outputted from a plant control system controlling operation of the plant;

the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information, further stores the first plant alert information transmitted via the communication device and the second plant alert information, and transmits the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information to the fault inspection management device;

the fault inspection management device stores plant apparatus configuration information, stores and accumulates as fault inspection information the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information and a fault/inspection cause, and further takes out information necessary for examination from the fault inspection information and transmits the information necessary for examination as examination instruction information to the instruction processing device;

the instruction processing device converts the transmitted examination instruction information into a predetermined format and produces and outputs the examination instruction information in the predetermined format as a written examination instruction; and

the diagnosis program of the diagnosis and monitoring device generates the second plant alert information by making a stochastic/inferential diagnosis with reference to the plant apparatus configuration information and the fault inspection information.

5. The plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the plant apparatus configuration information of the fault inspection management device holds an apparatus configuration database for each plant, and a component configuration database for each apparatus.

6. The plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information for each plant transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information for each plant if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information for each plant, and

the fault inspection management device stores plant apparatus configuration information for each plant, stores and accumulates as fault inspection information for each plant the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information for each plant and a fault/inspection cause.

7. A plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device, wherein:

a communication device, a diagnosis and monitoring device, a fault inspection management device, and an instruction processing device are interconnected via a network;

the communication device transmits plant status information indicating status of a plant and first plant alert information indicating an abnormality, a fault, or a danger of the plant, the plant status information and the first plant alert information being outputted from a plant control system controlling operation of the plant;

the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information, further stores the first plant alert information transmitted via the communication device and the second plant alert information, and transmits the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information to the fault inspection management device;

the fault inspection management device stores plant apparatus configuration information, stores and accumulates as fault inspection information the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information and a fault/inspection cause, and further takes out information necessary for examination from the fault inspection information and transmits the information necessary for examination as examination instruction information to the instruction processing device;

the instruction processing device converts the transmitted examination instruction information into a predetermined format and produces and outputs the examination instruction information in the predetermined format as a written examination instruction, and performs information organization of an information format of the examination instruction information into a format of the written examination instruction and wirelessly transmits the organized information as information of a written examination instruction to a portable terminal; and

the diagnosis program of the diagnosis and monitoring device generates the second plant alert information by making a stochastic/inferential diagnosis with reference to the plant apparatus configuration information and the fault inspection information.

8. The plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device according to claim 7, wherein the plant apparatus configuration information of the fault inspection management device holds an apparatus configuration database for each plant, and a component configuration database for each apparatus.

9. The plant monitoring and maintenance assistance device according to claim 7, wherein the diagnosis and monitoring device stores the plant status information for each plant transmitted via the communication device, generates second plant alert information for each plant if a diagnosis program determined that an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality is present in the plant by diagnosing the plant status information for each plant, and

the fault inspection management device stores plant apparatus configuration information for each plant, stores and accumulates as fault inspection information for each plant the first plant alert information and the second plant alert information transmitted from the diagnosis and monitoring device and a fault reason or an inspection reason indicated by third plant alert information inputted by a maintenance worker, in correspondence to apparatuses indicated by the plant apparatus configuration information for each plant and a fault/inspection cause.