Updating and utilizing dynamic process simulation in an operating process environment

• US 9,904,268 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Blevins, Terrence L., Wojsznis, Wilhelm K., Nixon, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ochoa, Juan
• Application Number:
  US14/725,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20150261200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 703 6, 700 17, 700 83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23404 If data error detected, switch automatically to program mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23445 Real time simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A simulation system that includes interconnected simulation blocks which use process models to perform simulation activities for a process plant is integrated into a process control environment for the process plant in a manner that makes the simulation system easy to use and easily updated for on-line process simulation. The disclosed simulation system enables future predicted values as well as the current predicted values of process parameters produced by the simulation system to be made available for performance evaluation as well as to guide plant operations. Additionally, the simulation system is connected to the operating process plant to receive various on-line process plant measurements, and uses these measurements to automatically update the process models used in the simulation system, to thereby keep the simulation system coordinated with the actual operating conditions of the process plant.

Claims

1. A process control system for controlling a process plant, the process control system comprising:

a plurality of field devices operable to process physical materials to produce a product;

a process controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of field devices and operable to execute one or more control modules to control the plurality of field devices, the one or more control modules configured to accept, at an input of the one or more control modules, a measured value or parameter and to generate an output to control one of the plurality of field devices; and

a simulation block configured to simulate a portion of the process control system, the simulation block including;

a process model that models the portion of the process control system and is configured to receive live data from the process control system while the process control system is operating; and

a simulation unit that, during a period of operation of the process plant, uses (1) the process model and (2) data from the process control system during the period of operation of the process plant, to simulate the operation of the portion of the process control system during the period of operation of the process plant to generate a simulated output corresponding to the measured value or parameter accepted by the one or more control modules during the period of operation of the process plant, the simulated output including one or more predicted future values;

wherein the measured value or parameter and the simulated output are compared to calculate a compensation factor to be applied to an output of the process model to produce a modified simulated output reflecting a non-modeling change in the process control system; and

wherein the process controller is configured to automatically provide the simulated output to the input of the one or more control modules when the measured value or parameter is known to be faulty or has a bad status.

2. A method of controlling a process plant, the method comprising:

executing, in a process controller communicatively coupled to a plurality of field devices and configured to control the plurality of field devices to process physical materials to produce a product, a control module configured to accept, at an input of the control module, a measured value or parameter and to generate an output to control one of the plurality of field devices;

simulating, during a period of operation of the process plant, the operation of a portion of the process plant during the period of operation of the process plant in a simulation block operating on a first computer device communicatively coupled to the process plant, using a process model for the portion of the process plant to produce a simulated output corresponding to the measured value or parameter accepted by the control module during the period of operation of the process plant, the simulated output including one or more predicted future values;

comparing the measured value or parameter and the simulated output to calculate a compensation factor to be applied to an output of the process model to produce a modified simulated output reflecting a non-modeling change in the process plant; and

automatically providing the simulated output to the input of the control module instead of the measured value or parameter when the measured value or parameter is known to be faulty or has a bad status.