Enclosure diagnostic and control systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295439-B2
Application number	US-201514718363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

An enclosure diagnostic and control system is described herein. The system can include a controller having a storage repository, where the storage repository includes at least one threshold value and at least one algorithm. The system can also include an enclosure communicably coupled to the controller and electrically coupled to a field device. The system can further include a number of sensors communicably coupled to the controller, where the sensors measure a number of field values of a number of parameters associated with the field device. The controller can evaluate the field values using the at least one algorithm to generate an evaluated value. The controller can output a control signal based on the evaluated value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An enclosure diagnostic and control system, comprising:
a controller comprising a storage repository, wherein the storage repository comprises at least one threshold value and at least one algorithm;
an enclosure communicably coupled to the controller and electrically coupled to a field device, wherein the enclosure and the field device are located in a hazardous environment;
a plurality of sensors communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the plurality of sensors measure a plurality of field values of a plurality of parameters associated with the field device, wherein at least some of the plurality of parameters indirectly affect a current performance of the field device; and
at least one actuator communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one actuator changes a state of the field device,
wherein the controller evaluates the plurality of field values using a plurality of historical field values measured by the plurality of sensors, nameplate information for the field device, historical information of the field device, and the at least one algorithm to generate a safety score of the field device, wherein the safety score indicates a need of maintenance to improve future performance of the field device based on the current performance relative to historical performance of the field device,
wherein the controller determines whether the safety score falls outside a range of acceptable values,
wherein the controller outputs a control signal to the at least one actuator based on the safety score, wherein the at least one actuator, based on the control signal, controls a current operation of the field device by changing the state of the field device to eliminate a cause of the safety score falling outside the range of acceptable values, thereby improving the safety score and the future performance of the field device without directly affecting an ambient environment surrounding the field device.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user system communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the controller sends a notification to the user system when the control signal is output by the controller to the at least one actuator.

3. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one actuator further operates a control device disposed within the enclosure, wherein the control device, when operating, alleviates a condition within the enclosure that causes the safety score to fall outside the range of acceptable values.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal notifies a user based on the safety score.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the user is part of a user system communicably coupled to the controller.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the field device is located within the enclosure.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is located within the enclosure.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is located in a substantially naturally-controlled environment.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety score indicates maintenance needs and reliability of the field device.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal further provides maintenance actions required to improve the future performance of the field device, and wherein the maintenance actions provided in the control signal, when performed by a user on the field device, improve the future performance of the field device.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines that the safety score falls below a minimum value of the range of acceptable values.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines that the safety score rises above a maximum value of the range of acceptable values.

13. An enclosure diagnostic and control system, comprising:
a controller comprising a storage repository, wherein the storage repository comprises a plurality of threshold values;
a plurality of enclosures communicably coupled to the controller and electrically coupled to a plurality of field devices, wherein the plurality of enclosures and the plurality of field devices are located in a hazardous environment;
a plurality of sensors communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the plurality of sensors measure a plurality of field values of a plurality of parameters associated with the plurality of field devices, wherein at least some of the plurality of parameters indirectly affect a current performance of the plurality of field devices; and,
at least one actuator communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one actuator changes a state of at least a prioritized subset of field devices,
wherein the controller evaluates the plurality of field values using a plurality of historical field values measured by the plurality of sensors, nameplate information for the plurality of field devices, and historical information of the plurality of field devices to generate a plurality of safety scores for the plurality of field devices, wherein each of the plurality of safety scores corresponds to one of the plurality of field devices,
wherein the controller evaluates the plurality of safety scores and identifies, based on evaluating the plurality of safety scores, a prioritized subset of safety scores for the prioritized subset of field devices, wherein the prioritized subset of safety scores is identified based on whether each of the plurality of safety scores falls outside a range of acceptable values,
wherein the controller sends a first control signal to the at least one actuator, wherein the at least one actuator, based on the first control signal, controls a current operation of the prioritized subset of field devices by changing the state of at least one field device of the prioritized subset of field devices to eliminate a cause of a safety score of the prioritized subset of field devices falling outside the range of acceptable values, thereby improving the safety score of the prioritized subset of field devices and improve future performance of the prioritized subset of field devices without directly affecting an ambient environment surrounding the subset of field devices.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller sends a second control signal to a user, wherein the second control signal comprises a maintenance plan for a prioritized subset of field devices, wherein the prioritized subset of field devices corresponds to the prioritized subset of safety scores, wherein the maintenance plan comprises specific maintenance actions that are required to improve future performance of the prioritized subset of field devices without directly affecting an ambient environment surrounding the subset of field devices.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the prioritized subset of field devices comprises at least one of the plurality of field devices.

Assignees

• Manahan Joseph Michael
• Iannce Stephan P
• Rothenberger Richard E
• Bonaccio John M
• Freer Benjamin Avery
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Manahan Joseph Michael
• Iannce Stephan P
• Rothenberger Richard E
• Bonaccio John M
• Freer Benjamin Avery

Classifications

• G08B19/00 Primary

  Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow · CPC title

• G01M99/008 Primary

  by doing functionality tests · CPC title

• G05B23/0224

  Process history based detection method, e.g. whereby history implies the availability of large amounts of data · CPC title

• G05B23/0245

  based on a qualitative model, e.g. rule based; if-then decisions · CPC title

• G08B21/16

  Combustible gas alarms · CPC title