Method for remote monitoring of water treatment systems

• US 6,954,701 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hach Company (Veralto Corp.)
• Original Assignee: WaterEye Corporation (Applied Solar, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolfe, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US10/695,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 702/22, 702/30, 702/31, 702/188, 210/634, 210/638, 210/660, 210/141, 700/270, 700/271
• US Class Current: 702/22
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/12 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/22 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 47/14 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/44 by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/001 Upstream control, i.e. monitoring for predictive control
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/003 Downstream control, i.e. outlet monitoring, e.g. to check the treating agents, such as halogens or ozone, leaving the process
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/05 Conductivity or salinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/29 Chlorine compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0221 Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0224 Process history based detection method, e.g. whereby history implies the availability of large amounts of data

Abstract

A method of monitoring the daily operating performance parameters for water treatment processes through the collection of localized data. The data is manipulated to generate preconfigured performance, maintenance, and quality assurance reports and further provide automatic submission of data as required for regulatory review of certain water treatment systems such as potable water treatment. The data is collected from sensors located at an equipment site and transferred to a remote computer located by use of the Internet, further all data received and used for generation of reports is also accessible by Internet connection and be delivered directly to the regulatory agency without additional process.

Claims

1. A method for remotely monitoring the operating performance parameters for a water treatment system, comprising the steps of:

a)providing at least one sensor assembly effective for monitoring critical water parameters and transmitting raw operating data via a communications interface;

b) coupling at least one said sensor to an Internet server computer via said communications interface;

c) transmitting said raw data using to a remotely located Internet server computer;

d) storing said transmitted raw data on said Internet server computer;

e) accessing such data asynchronously from said Internet server computer;

f) manipulating said transmitted and stored raw data into an analysis result and a report result; and

g) uploading said analysis result and said report result to an Internet web server in a format suitable for access and visualization with a web browser computer program.

2. The method of claim 1, further including a step of filing said report result with an appropriate regulatory agency.

3. The method of claim 1, further including a step of transmitting said report result directly to an appropriate regulatory agency using electronic transmission means.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said electronic transmission means is via e-mail.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said electronic transmission means is via ftp (file transfer protocol).

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said electronic transmission means is via direct connection over the Internet to a database located on a remote computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of manipulating said transmitted and stored raw data includes routines to notify selected individuals on the basis of the stored parameters relating to the performance of the system being analyzed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of manipulating said raw data includes routines to notify selected individuals on the basis of said selected parameters relating to compliance testing dates and performance criteria.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of accessing said raw operating data from said at least one sensor includes the steps of reading, querying, and storing data accessed from said electronic system by use of said communications card interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications interface is integral to said sensor assembly.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor assembly is operable to transmit raw operating data in real time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said water treatment system produces potable water.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said water treatment system includes secondary and/or tertiary treatment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said sensor assemblies communicate with an electronic control system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of transmitting said raw data to said Internet Server Computer is integrated into said electronic control system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said electronic control system is defined as a programmable logic controller (PLC).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor assembly is in communication with a local computer and said Internet computer in a parallel arrangement effective for simultaneous transmission of said raw operating data, and said local computer includes a software program operable to perform the steps of reading, querying, and storing data accessed from said at least one sensor.

18. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

h) comparing said analysis result with known optimum performance parameters;

i) determining differentials between said known optimum performance parameters and the analysis result; and

j) sending notifications to pre-determined recipients if known limits for said differentials are exceeded.

19. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

h) comparing said analysis result with known Federal and State EPA parameters;

i) determining differentials between said known Federal and State EPA parameters and the analysis result; and

j) sending notifications to pre-determined recipients if known limits for differentials are exceeded.

20. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

h) comparing said report result with know Federal and State EPA parameters;

i) determining the differential between said known Federal and State parameters and the report result; and

j) sending notifications to pre-determined recipients if known limits for said differentials are exceeded.

21. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of converting said transmitted and stored raw operating data into visual graphs.

22. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of converting said transmitted and stored raw operating data into statistical reports.

23. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of converting said transmitted and stored raw operating data into a compliance calendar.