RU234094U1 - Device for monitoring deviations in the operating mode of industrial boiler equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for monitoring deviations of the operating mode of industrial boiler equipment from that set by the manufacturer pertains to the field of measuring instruments and technical means of control. The device is intended for operation during periods of service and repair maintenance, during commissioning works, during intermediate technical control, and can operate with the automated process control system turned off. The claimed device allows to significantly reduce the risks of premature wear of parts and failure of expensive equipment compared to known analogs while increasing the quality of service and repair maintenance due to the timely issuance of information signals in the event of a critical change in state and due to duplication of the fact of recording in non-volatile memory. In this case, sensors and video cameras are placed in accordance with the diagram for a specific equipment model in space so as to monitor the points of greatest risk. 1 fig.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of measuring instruments and technical control means intended to monitor deviations in the operating mode of industrial boiler equipment from that established by the manufacturer during periods of their service and repair maintenance, commissioning work, and during intermediate technical inspection.

Industrial boiler equipment is classified as hazardous production facilities (HPF). Any failure results in the shutdown of heat supply systems for the entire period of emergency repairs and significant financial losses due to damage to consumers.

Despite the fact that almost all modern boiler houses are equipped with means of preventing equipment breakdowns and timely response to emergency situations by automated process control systems (APCS), which monitor critical parameters, human influence still remains a significant factor according to statistics [1]. The most vulnerable are the difficult-to-control processes of commissioning and maintenance.

The creation of a device for temporary implementation of external (independent from the main boiler house APCS) control of deviations from the parameters declared by the manufacturer, characterizing the normal operating mode of a specific set of boiler house elements, allows solving the technical problem consisting in the fact that the basic functionality of the automated system does not imply monitoring the personnel performing its commissioning, service and technical maintenance, scheduled and emergency repairs, and also cannot take into account the fact that a significant part of manipulations according to regulations must be carried out with the equipment turned off. The presence of human-dependent facts of intervention in the system, which are not controlled in any way, makes the corresponding link in the process of boiler house operation the most vulnerable, since when performing work by specialists of service companies, changes can be made to the boiler house APCS that not only solve the problem of setting up or repairing a specific problem area, but also changes that lead to premature wear and tear and a reduction in the service life of equipment elements or the entire system as a whole.

The active updating of the nomenclature in the direction of transition from German to Chinese-Russian increases the likelihood of mistakes being made by specialists, partly related to the accumulated experience of servicing similar systems that do not exactly match the target ones.

The creation of a portable device that allows recording actions on direct and indirect changes in the observed system relative to its latest current state, including knowledge of both current and previous manipulations and maintenance regulations for equipment of a given type and manufacturer, is aimed at reducing the number of breakdowns caused by the human factor.

Known devices:

An intelligent device for predicting industrial equipment failures and managing its performance (patent for utility model CN208888647 [2]), designed to predict failures of a wide range of industrial equipment. This device is not fully automated and is controlled by an operator located at its control panel, which creates potential safety risks. The operator's actions can lead to incorrect prediction of failures or untimely response to them. In addition, this device cannot be used in rooms where boiler equipment is located, as it is not explosion-proof.

A fault monitoring device and fault monitoring system (utility model patent CN209148048U [3]) designed for fault monitoring when monitoring a thermal power plant production site. The formula of the device explicitly states that it is suitable for monitoring only small amounts of data, assumes manual control, and is actually a tool that optimizes the work of a patrolman.

An intelligent control device for boiler equipment based on the Internet of Things (patent for utility model CN202757108U [4]), designed to detect anomalies in the operation of boiler equipment and notify personnel about them, but not to prevent them.

A device for monitoring equipment parameters (patent for utility model RU212074U1 [5]), designed for point monitoring of the state of industrial equipment installed at power facilities, such as substations, hydroelectric power plants, nuclear power plants, thermal power plants, or at civil and industrial construction sites, which is also a manual control tool. In the basic configuration, it does not include scaling tools, except for a connector for connecting external equipment in one of the design options.

The common disadvantages of these useful models are an insufficient set of sensors to solve the stated technical problem and the fundamental lack of the ability to observe actions performed on the system during periods of its shutdown.

Also known is a device for monitoring equipment parameters (patent for utility model RU163179 [6], prototype), which includes, installed on a single printed circuit board: a microcontroller, a laser pointer, a means for determining temperature characteristics, an RFID reader containing a reading antenna, a vibrometer containing a probe designed with the ability to control vibration parameters of the equipment, a Bluetooth transceiver with the ability to transmit data from the means for monitoring temperature characteristics and the vibrometer to an external operator device, a power source, in a particular embodiment a video camera, controls for the elements of the device and a connector for connecting external sensors.

This device has a number of significant drawbacks in the context of solving the stated technical problem. The device is intended for use during scheduled inspections, it is manipulated by a inspector. Another critical drawback of the prototype is the impossibility of using it as an independent monitoring system and subsequent comparison (before-after) to assess the results of any work. It should also be noted that it is difficult to carry out measurements in hard-to-reach places and that it cannot be reconfigured for a specific object being studied on site. Observation of the object using the prototype is point-by-point, which makes it impossible to establish cause-and-effect relationships between human action sets and the delayed result describing the state of the equipment.

Thus, a full-fledged process of quality control of commissioning and maintenance work using a prototype is impossible, that is, the developed device for non-invasive monitoring of industrial boiler equipment conditions has no direct analogues and meets the criterion of novelty.

The claimed utility model is free from the disadvantages indicated in the prototype.

The technical task of the claimed utility model is to control deviations in the operating mode of industrial boiler equipment from that established by the manufacturer.

The utility model allows for external expert assessment of the actions of service personnel and service departments by recording the detected deviations in long-term memory, accumulating them and issuing signals via warning devices in situations where something different from the norm occurs (explosion, exceeding temperature thresholds, filling the room with gas, etc.) not only in the normal operating mode, but also during periods of normal or abnormal shutdown of the main equipment control system, for example, during maintenance.

The task is solved by:

1. Providing parallel collection of raw data, their preliminary processing and calculations, made possible by using two buses: a common bus (10) for fast data transfer between two processes and power supply, and an independent (from the main bus) data bus for long-term operations (18), i.e. allowing processes to exchange data regardless of each other's state, supporting large amounts of information without the risk of overflowing exchange buffers.

2. Possibilities for long-term storage of sensor mounting methods and their typical settings and calibration parameters, individually for each type of equipment according to the passport data, implemented using a non-volatile memory module (15).

3. Collection of a volume of data and its characteristics sufficient to register changes in the operation of the equipment and to record the behavioral characteristics of the employees operating and servicing the equipment, using a set of sensors, namely: three video cameras (8) (for their adjustment and correct positioning of the observed objects in space, a retractable calibration board (chessboard) with replaceable tables is provided in the upper part of the housing), a vibration meter (7), a means for determining temperature conditions (6), current (11) and voltage (12) sensors and remote sensors of common industrial standards placed directly on the observed objects, connected to a connector (5), ensuring electrical and logical compatibility of the connected sensors with the microcontroller (2), microprocessors (13) and (14) and an interface converter (19).

4. Primary data collection using: a programmable microcontroller (2), including its use to expand the range of collected instantaneous readings accumulated during operation; a microprocessor (13) for the combined processing of data from sensors; a specialized microprocessor (14) for processing long-term operations.

5. Using the Wi-Fi communication module (3) and the ethernet communication protocol to efficiently transmit data between the common bus and the data bus independent of the common bus for long-term operations, and to provide information to the outside.

6. Analysis of the object's indicators using a programmable microcontroller (2) with algorithms for targeted analysis of readings, a microprocessor (13) for processing data from sensors and a specialized microprocessor (14) for processing long-term operations for analyzing readings from a group of cameras, including distances between objects, taking into account the operating mode of a given equipment model set by the manufacturer, and the accumulated archive of the states of a specific object, the long-term storage of which is carried out by a non-volatile memory module (15).

7. Visualization of analysis results on a touch display (17).

8. Operation of the warning system that gives sound signals (19).

9. The ability of the device to withstand abnormal conditions for some time, such as overheating, freezing, conditions after an explosion, etc. due to the emergency power supply system, including a voltage converter unit (20), a backup power supply input unit (21) and a battery (4), the explosion safety of its housing (1), manufactured in Ex d II T3 design, in accordance with Article 23 of Federal Law 123, the use of materials that meet the requirements of GOST 12.1.004-91 SSBT, GOST 12.1.010 SSBT and GOST 12.1.044-89, and sensors that have explosion protection certificates.

10. Possibilities of using the device to identify the causes of an accident and simplify post-accident commissioning work, thanks to its characteristics listed in paragraph 9.

The technical result of this utility model consists in preventing breakdowns of boiler equipment, increasing its service life, improving the quality of service and commissioning works.

The device for monitoring deviations of the operating mode of industrial boiler equipment from that set by the manufacturer is located in a protected housing (1) and contains a microcontroller (2), a communication module (3), a touch screen (9), a microprocessor for processing data from sensors (13), a non-volatile memory unit for long-term storage of key characteristics of the controlled object (14), current (11) and voltage (12) measuring sensors, a connector for connecting external sensors (5), a means for determining temperature characteristics (6), a vibration meter (7), an alert device (16), connected via a block of converters of interfaces of general industrial standards (19) connected to the common bus (10) and connected to the battery (4) via the backup power input unit (21). The microprocessor for processing data from sensors (13) and the non-volatile memory unit for long-term storage of key characteristics of the controlled object (14) are also connected to an independent data bus for processing long-term operations (18), which is controlled by the microprocessor for processing long-term operations (15). Three video cameras (8) for detecting and positioning objects in space and a second touch display (17) for visualizing information stored in the memory for long-term storage (14) are connected to the independent data bus for long-term operations (18).

The device works as follows.

The device is stationary in a folded state, the remote sensors are fixed with fasteners at observation points according to pre-prepared placement schemes, background noise and distance correction rules, using measuring devices and a calibration board included in the kit (calibration), for a specific type of equipment from the database located in non-volatile memory and available for reading on the touch screen. The calibration state is initiated by a specialist auditor and lasts from 2 to 10 minutes depending on the complexity of the configuration of the equipment being monitored.

After selecting the monitoring mode, the device autonomously collects changes regarding the calibration state. Receiving a signal from one of the sensors, usually recording movement, vibration, light level or temperature change, the video cameras are turned on, and the active mode of the embedded software is initialized, monitoring the states in the background.

The fact of recording the movements of previously fixed sensors means a high probability of performing an action that contradicts the execution regulations. Any deviation of the values of the received signals by a value greater than the error means a change that must be recorded. Repeated recording during a specified period, or exceeding / not reaching the threshold by a specified value, or changes in more than two additional channels activates the backup measurement channels, eliminating the risk of failure of a sensor from the main set.

Changes in the readings of the devices observed by the cameras or the occurrence of current/voltage events initiate the launch of algorithms from the software for collecting and storing event attributes. The accumulation of a mass of events over a given period of time is carried out automatically, while a random set of incoming data with different discreteness is checked for compliance with the calibration state with a given probability. Metrics are calculated and sound notification is provided about the need to move the recommended number of sensors to the positions recommended on the screen.

Compliance with the transfer recommendation indicates that personnel are present in the area. Personnel can then receive interactive prompts if the device has this mode, which will reduce the number of erroneous actions.

In addition, information gathering becomes more efficient because from this point on the person's position becomes known.

If there are no changes in the position of the installed sensors, the readings are collected in alarm mode with lower discreteness, the display of information on the zones of change in them of distances between objects and characteristics in each position is replaced by saving this data only in memory. After the background is normalized, a message is transmitted about the end of the personnel work. The collected analyzed data can be read via ethernet.

When using the declared device, the problem of obtaining equipment parameters and formal features of its use, configuration and maintenance methods is solved, which cannot be obtained using the APCS, since these factors are external to the main equipment control system. With the help of an intelligent mobile non-invasive control device, a cause-and-effect relationship can be established between human actions and equipment performance, which allows accumulating a formal knowledge base on typical errors and immediately applying it in observation.

The device is intended for use in a boiler room with linear dimensions of no more than 10X10 ^m2 (which corresponds to the parameters of most boiler rooms).

The device is designed to work with a boiler equipment system consisting of an independent control cabinet and heating element, a boiler and an expansion tank, which can be located either in a common housing or separately from each other.

During operation, the device body is located as close as possible to the central point between the system elements and is connected to a 220 V network.

Remote video cameras, soldered at one end to an independent (from the common) data bus (18), are mounted at the other end on tripods/walls/housings in such a way that the following are present in the frame (if available and if the cameras can be placed accordingly): the control cabinet instrument panel, the liquid level window(s) and scales (temperature/pressure) on the heating element and expansion tank, as well as the boiler room (operator operation control).

Vibration sensors for measuring vibration are installed on the pump body (monitoring the condition of bearings and the moments of air entering the system - the appearance of a leak), on the heating element body (detection of boiling) and on the expansion tank body (detection of a ruptured membrane or unstable operation of the expansion tank), if the system elements are located in a common body, a single sensor is installed on the common body.

The means for determining temperature characteristics in the form of a climate sensor are installed at half the height of the room on a tripod/wall; if possible, an additional climate sensor operating via Wi-Fi is installed in the heated room on a tripod/wall (tracking the results of work in the heated room).

Pyrometers are installed on the working fluid supply pipe, as well as on the return pipe (control of the temperature of the incoming and outgoing liquid), on the heating element body (control of the heating element temperature), on the expansion tank body (control of the tank temperature), on the pump body (pump overheating) and on the control cabinet (electronics overheating). If the system elements are located in a common body, a single sensor is installed on the common body.

The leak sensor is installed under (near, if it is not possible to install under) the heating element, expansion tank, pump and manifold unit, as well as in additional places if desired (to monitor leaks in the area of the corresponding units), if the system elements are located in a common housing, a single sensor is installed under this housing.

Current and voltage measuring sensors (non-contact) are installed at the input of each phase to monitor the quality of the power supply and record anomalies in the operation of the equipment (monitoring of incoming voltage and current, monitoring of phase imbalance, consumed electricity, voltage sags, voltage and current surges) and, if possible, at the input of the heating element and pump (depending on the engine model, from one to three sensors) (monitoring of electricity consumption by the engine and heating element).

Remote sensors from the device are placed and secured in such a way as not to obstruct the service team’s access to key components subject to repair or maintenance.

List of sources of information used

1. Yushkevich D. P. Analysis of accidents and main causes of emergency situations in a boiler house. – Text: electronic // Bulletin of the Magistracy. 2017. No. 7 (70). URL https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/analiz-avariy-i-osnovnyh-prichin-vozniknoveniya-avariynyh-situatsiy-v-kotelnoy/viewer (date of access 07/05/2024).

2. CN208888647.

3. CN209148048U.

4. CN202757108U.

5. RU212074U1.

6. RU163179 (prototype for utility model).

Claims (1)

A device for monitoring deviations in the operating mode of industrial boiler equipment, comprising a protected housing, inside which a microcontroller, a communication module, a connector for connecting external sensors, a means for determining temperature characteristics, a vibrometer, a touchscreen display, connected to a common bus, is located, characterized in that it additionally contains a microprocessor connected to the common bus for processing data from the sensors, a non-volatile memory unit for long-term storage of key characteristics of the controlled object, current and voltage measuring sensors and a notification device connected via an interface converter unit, a voltage converter unit connected to a battery via a backup power input unit, a microprocessor connected to an independent data bus for long-term operations for processing data from the sensors, a microprocessor for processing long-term operations, a non-volatile memory unit for long-term storage of key characteristics of the controlled object, three video cameras for detecting and positioning objects in space, a second touchscreen display for visualizing information stored in the memory for long-term storage.

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