INDUSTRIAL PROCESS DIAGNOSTICS USING INFRARED THERMAL SENSING

• US 20150085102A1
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Rud, Jason Harold
• Granted Patent: US 11,076,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/86
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/002 by using thermal means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0008 checking presence/absence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A diagnostic field device for identifying a diagnostic condition in an industrial process includes an infrared sensor array having a plurality of infrared sensors arranged to sense infrared emissions from a location in the industrial process. Processing circuitry processes outputs from the plurality of infrared sensors of the sensor array and generates an infrared image. Diagnostic circuitry compares processed outputs from at least two subsections of the infrared image and provides a diagnostic output based upon the comparison.

Claims

1. A diagnostic field device for identifying a diagnostic condition in an industrial process, comprising:

an infrared sensor array comprising a plurality of infrared sensors arranged to sense infrared emissions from a location in the industrial process;

processing circuitry configured to process outputs from the plurality of infrared sensors of the sensor array and generate an infrared image; and

diagnostic circuitry configured to compare processed outputs from at least two subsections of the infrared image and provide a diagnostic output based upon the comparison.

2. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 wherein the infrared sensor array comprises a plurality of transistors which are responsive to infrared radiation.

3. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 wherein the infrared image comprises a thermal image.

4. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 including a process variable interface element.

5. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry includes a comparator configured to compare an output from a first subsection of the infrared image with an output from a second subsection of the infrared image.

6. The diagnostic field device of claim 3 wherein the diagnostic circuitry provides the diagnostic output based upon a temperature differential between a first subsection of the thermal image and a second subsection of the thermal image.

7. The diagnostic field device of claim 6 wherein the diagnostic circuitry identifies a maximum standard deviation in the temperature differential and responsively identifies a diagnostic event.

8. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic output comprises an indication of escaping gas.

9. The diagnostic field device of claim 4 wherein the diagnostic output is further a function of a sensed process variable.

10. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic output includes information related to a thermal image sensed by the infrared sensor array which is transmitted to another location.

11. The diagnostic field device of claim 10 wherein another location includes a stored image related to the plurality of locations in the industrial process.

12. The diagnostic field device of claim 1 including a lens positioned between the plurality of infrared sensors and the industrial process location.

13. A method of performing diagnostics with a field device and responsively identifying a diagnostic condition in an industrial process, comprising:

sensing infrared emissions from a location in the industrial process using an infrared sensor array comprising a plurality of infrared sensors;

comparing an output from a first subsection of the sensor array with an output from a second subsection of the sensor array;

responsively providing a diagnostic output indicative of a diagnostic condition based upon the step of comparing.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of infrared sensors comprises a plurality of transistors which are responsive to infrared radiation.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the infrared sensor array is arranged to detect a thermal image.

16. The method of claim 15 including calculating a temperature differential between a first subsection of the thermal image with a second subsection of the thermal image.

17. The method of claim 16 including identifying a maximum standard deviation in the temperature differential and responsively identifying a diagnostic condition.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the diagnostic output is further a function of a sensed process variable.

19. The method of claim 13 including transmitting information related to a thermal image sensed by the infrared sensor array to a control room.

20. A diagnostic field device for identifying a diagnostic condition in an industrial process, comprising:

a plurality of infrared sensors arranged to capture an infrared image of the industrial process and provide first and second sensor outputs from a first region and a second region, respectively, of the infrared image; and

diagnostic circuitry configured to compare the first and second sensor outputs and responsively provide a diagnostic output indicative of an occurrence of a thermal diagnostic condition in the industrial process.

21. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the plurality of infrared sensors comprises at least two individual sensors which are responsive to infrared radiation.

22. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the plurality of infrared sensors comprises an array of infrared sensors arranged to detect a thermal image.

23. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 including a process variable interface element.

24. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the diagnostic circuitry includes a comparator configured to compare outputs from the plurality of infrared sensors.

25. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the diagnostic circuitry provides the diagnostic output based upon a temperature differential between the first region of the infrared image and the second region of the infrared image.

26. The diagnostic field device of claim 25 wherein the diagnostic circuitry identifies a maximum standard deviation in a temperature differential and responsively identifies the diagnostic condition.

27. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the diagnostic output comprises an indication of escaping gas.

28. The diagnostic field device of claim 23 wherein the diagnostic output is further a function of a sensed process variable.

29. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the diagnostic output includes information related to the infrared image which is transmitted to another location.

30. The diagnostic field device of claim 29 wherein image information related to the plurality of locations in the industrial process is stored at the another location.

31. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 wherein the plurality of infrared sensors are aimed at the first and second regions.

32. The diagnostic field device of claim 20 including a lens positioned between the plurality of infrared sensors and the first and second regions.

33. A method of performing diagnostics with a field device and responsively identifying a diagnostic condition in an industrial process, comprising:

sensing infrared emissions from a first region and a second region in the industrial process using a plurality of infrared sensors;

comparing an output from the plurality of infrared sensors related to infrared emissions from the first region with an output from the plurality of sensors related to infrared emissions from the second region;

responsively providing a diagnostic output indicative of a diagnostic condition based upon the step of comparing.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the plurality of infrared sensors comprises at least two individual sensors which are responsive to infrared radiation.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the plurality of infrared sensors comprises an array of infrared sensors arranged to detect a thermal image.

37. The method of claim 33 including calculating a temperature differential between the first region with the second region.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein the diagnostic output is further a function of a sensed process variable.

40. The method of claim 33 including transmitting information related to a thermal image sensed by the plurality of infrared sensors to a control room.

41. The method of claim 33 including aiming the plurality of infrared sensors at the first and second regions.

38. The method of claim 36 including identifying a maximum standard deviation in the temperature differential and responsively identifying the diagnostic condition.