SYSTEM FOR MONITORING PLANT EQUIPMENT

• US 20110184547A1
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Holcim Incorporated (LafargeHolcim, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Holcim Incorporated (LafargeHolcim, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Loutfi, Moheb Y.
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/110
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 7/42 Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/08 Detecting presence of flaws or irregularities
• 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

Abstract

A system for monitoring plant equipment is provided. Another aspect provides an automated analysis system wherein software instructions operably compare sensor data to predefined valves and determine mechanical problems in multiple machines. In another aspect, a cement manufacturing system includes sensors for sensing movement conditions of cement making machines. A further aspect provides a central computer connected to vibration sensors associated with cement making machines, where software instructions perform real-time comparisons and machine performance determinations, based at least in part on sensed signals.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for cement manufacturing, the system comprising:

(a) a first cement manufacturing machine;

(b) at least a first sensor coupled to the first machine operably sensing a movement condition associated with a portion of the first machine;

(c) at least a second cement manufacturing machine located remotely from and performing a different manufacturing operation than the first machine;

(d) at least a second sensor coupled to the second machine operably sensing a movement condition associated with a portion of the second machine;

(e) a central computer operably receiving signals from the first and second sensors while being remotely located from the first and second machines; and

(f) software instructions used by the central computer to automatically perform substantially real-time calculations based at least in part on signals from the sensors to determine and report operating problems with sensed portions of the machines.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hand-held and portable electronic data collector operable to receive signals through the central computer from a third sensor coupled to a third remotely located cement manufacturing machine, the hand-held data collector operably interfacing with the central computer to transfer sensor data to an offline database.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a first switch matrix and a multiplexer connecting at least the first and second sensors to the central computer to provide at least a sixty-four channel data acquisition device with analog-to-digital sensor-to-multiplexer signal conversion, and the monitored sensors exceeding four signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the machines includes a rotating cement kiln.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the machines includes a rotating crusher.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the machines includes a fan.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the machines includes a separator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor operably senses vibration of a bearing assembly in the first machine, and the central computer automatically compares real-time sensed vibrational values to target values and automatically activates an alarm indicator if the compared value difference exceeds an alarm limit.

9. A monitoring system for cement manufacturing, the system comprising:

(a) a kiln;

(b) a crusher;

(c) a separator;

(d) a fan;

(e) sensors detecting movement-related characteristics of the kiln, crusher, separator and fan; and

(f) a central processing unit receiving substantially real-time and continuous signals from the sensors and using the signals to determine if any undesirable conditions are present with regard to the kiln, crusher, separator and fan, and to identify one or more likely causes of the undesirable conditions.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a display visually showing a simulated representation of the kiln, crusher, separator and fan, and indication feature based on the sensor signals associated therewith, in order to virtually replicate a manual walk by route for checking same.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a hand-held electronic data collector operable to communicate with the central processing unit to download sensor data from a remotely located cement manufacturing machine and virtually replicate a manual data collection route for collecting the same sensor data.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least a first switch matrix and a multiplexer connecting the sensors to the central processing unit to provide at least a sixty-four channel data acquisition device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensors include at least three differently oriented vibration sensors located adjacent the kiln.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the sensors senses a characteristic of a rotating bearing assembly, and the central processing unit automatically compares real-time sensed vibrational values to target values and automatically activates an alarm indicator if the compared value difference exceeds an alarm limit.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensors send at least 1,000 qualitative samples per second to the central processing unit.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising an evolutionary learning program being used by the central processing unit to automatically adapt its undesirable condition determination through repeated use over time.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the central processing unit uses at least one of the sensor signals to automatically determine if a mechanically unbalanced movement condition exists.

18. A monitoring system for a manufacturing plant, the system comprising:

(a) a first manufacturing machine component;

(b) at least a first sensor operably sensing a movement condition associated with the first machine component;

(c) at least a second manufacturing machine component;

(d) at least a second sensor operably sensing a movement condition associated with the second machine component;

(e) at least a first converter converting analog signals from the sensors to digital signals;

(f) at least a second converter converting digital signals to analog signals;

(g) at least one multiplexer connecting the first converter to the second converter to provide at least fifty channel data acquisition; and

(h) a programmable controller calculating vibrational characteristics of the machine components based at least in part on the signals provided by the second converter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the manufacturing machine components assist in manufacturing cement.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a hand-held electronic data collector operable to communicate with the central processing unit to download sensor data from a remotely located cement manufacturing machine and virtually replicate a manual data collection route for collecting the same sensor data.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein one of the machines is a separator including a rotating and substantially vertically elongated shaft, and the associated sensor includes a non-contact proximity sensor sensing the movement condition associated with the shaft.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising software in the controller comparing sensed values to historical data and determining if there is an undesirable movement condition sensed by any of the sensors in a real-time manner, the software then automatically identifying a potential mechanical causation associated with the sensed values.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least a first sensor includes at least two differently oriented accelerometers sensing vibration of the first machine component.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein one of the machines includes a rotating cement kiln.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein one of the machines includes a rotating crusher.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein there are at least sixty vibration sensors that send substantially real-time and continuous signals to the controller for automatic fault calculations.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensor operably senses vibration of a bearing assembly in the first machine, and the controller automatically compares real-time sensed vibrational values to target values and automatically activates an alarm indicator if the compared value difference exceeds an alarm limit.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensor operably senses vibration of a bearing assembly in the first machine and the second sensor operably senses vibration of a mechanical transmission component in the second machine.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the sensors sends at least 1,000 analog samples per second to the controller, and the controller accessing on-line and off-line sensor signal databases for analysis and alarm signal reporting.

30. A monitoring system for cement manufacturing, the system comprising:

a clinker-making kiln comprising a rotatable hollow tube;

a rotatable transmission rotating the tube;

a motor rotating the transmission;

a block supporting a section of the transmission;

a bearing assembly located between the transmission and the block;

a first set of sensors located adjacent to and operably sensing vibrations of at least one of;

(a) the tube, (b) the bearing assembly; and

(c) the transmission;

a second set of non-contact sensors located adjacent the motor and operably sensing vibrations of at least one of;

(a) the motor and (b) the transmission; and

computer instructions receiving signals from the sensors and automatically determining if an undesirable condition exists with the kiln.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a controller connected to the sensors through a communications interface, the controller being remotely located from the kiln, and another set of software instructions used by the controller to perform substantially real-time calculations based at least in part on signals from the sensors to determine and report operating problems with the kiln.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the sensors communicate with the interface and controller in a wireless manner.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the interface includes a multiplexer.

34. The system of claim 30, further comprising a display visually showing a simulated representation of the kiln and sensor locations associated therewith, the display varying a sensor indication image to reflect a condition associated with at least one of the sensor signals.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein each of the sets of sensors include at least two vibration sensors having different orientations.

36. The system of claim 30, further comprising software in the controller comparing sensed values to historical data and determining if there is an undesirable movement condition sensed by any of the sensors in a substantially real-time and continuous manner, the software then automatically identifying a potential mechanical causation associated with the sensed values if an undesirable condition is determined.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein at least one of the sensors send at least 1,000 samples per second to the controller for vibrational peak analysis by the controller.

38. A computer program, stored in memory, comprising:

a set of instructions receiving substantially real-time vibration sensor data in cement making machinery;

a set of instructions comparing the real-time sensor data to target sensor data; and

a set of instructions automatically determining if an undesirable condition exists in the cement making machinery, and automatically identifying and reporting a potential cause of the undesirable condition based at least in part on the data comparison and determination.

39. The computer program of claim 38, further comprising a set of instructions automatically determining if an undesired rotational imbalance is occurring in the cement making machinery.

40. The computer program of claim 38, further comprising a set of instructions automatically determining if an undesired bearing condition is occurring in the cement making machinery.

41. The computer program of claim 38, further comprising a set of instructions analyzing analog data from at least fifty vibrational sensors associated with multiple cement making machines in a substantially real-time and continuous manner.

42. The computer program of claim 38, further comprising a set of instructions visually displaying a simulated representation of the cement making machinery and an indication image of the sensor data in order to replicate a manual walk by route for checking same.

43. A method of using and monitoring machines to manufacture cement, the method comprising:

(a) moving a portion of a first machine;

(b) detecting a characteristic associated with the movement of step (a);

(c) moving a portion of a second machine remotely located relative to the first machine;

(d) detecting a characteristic associated with the movement of step (c);

(e) moving a portion of a third machine remotely located relative to the first and second machines;

(f) detecting a characteristic associated with the movement of step (e);

(g) making cement with the machines; and

(h) substantially simultaneously using remotely located software instructions to automatically determine if an undesirable mechanical condition exists in the first, second and third machines based at least in part on the detected characteristics, and if so, automatically identifying a probable cause.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising using the software instructions to compare historical detected data to real-time detected characteristic data.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising using an evolutionary learning calculation to assist in making the probable cause identification.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

rotating a hollow tube of a cement kiln machine;

energizing a motor to rotate a transmission which rotates the tube;

supporting the transmission with a stationary block and a bearing assembly located between the transmission and the block;

heating crushed rock in the kiln to make clinker;

receiving signals from a first set of sensors located adjacent the block and operably sensing vibrations of at least one of;

(a) the tube, (b) the transmission, and (c) the bearing assembly;

receiving signals from a second set of sensors located adjacent the motor and operably sensing vibrations of at least one of;

(a) the motor and (b) the transmission;

using the software instructions to determine if an undesired rotational imbalance is occurring within the kiln machine and if an undesired rotational bearing condition is occurring within the kiln machine; and

visually displaying a simulated representation of the kiln machine and a sensor indication image in order to replicate a manual walk by route for checking same.