Monitoring system, monitoring method and monitoring program for steam-using facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11294366-B2
Application number	US-201917427310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2019
Priority date	Jan 13, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A monitoring system that monitors a steam-using facility includes a temperature sensor that is a trap temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a steam trap provided in a steam discharge unit and/or a steam temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of steam flowing into the steam trap and a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of steam flowing into the steam trap. The monitoring system determines that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or a sign of the abnormality in the steam trap when (i) a temperature detection value obtained by the temperature sensor and/or statistical temperature data obtained by performing statistical processing on the temperature detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) a pressure detection value obtained by the pressure sensor and/or statistical pressure data obtained by performing statistical processing on the pressure detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A monitoring system configured to monitor a steam-using facility that includes a steam supply unit that is supplied with steam, a steam-using unit that uses supplied steam, and a steam discharge unit that discharges steam after use, the monitoring system comprising:
a temperature sensor that is at least one of a trap temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a steam trap provided in the steam discharge unit and a steam temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of steam flowing into the steam trap; and
a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of steam flowing into the steam trap,
wherein
the monitoring system determines that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or a sign of the abnormality in the steam trap when (i) a temperature detection value obtained by at least one of the temperature sensor and statistical temperature data obtained by performing statistical processing on the temperature detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) a pressure detection value obtained by at least one of the pressure sensor and statistical pressure data obtained by performing statistical processing on the pressure detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof, and
wherein the monitoring system determines that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or there is a sign of the abnormality in a steam supply valve that is provided in the steam supply unit when (i) at least one of the pressure detection value and the statistical pressure data deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) the temperature detection value and the statistical temperature data satisfy predetermined criteria thereof.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an abnormality notification unit that can notify a manager of the steam-using facility of occurrence of an abnormality when it is determined that there is an occurrence of the abnormality or there is a sign of the abnormality.

3. The monitoring system according to any one of claim 1 , wherein:
the steam trap comprises an automatic cleaning mechanism that can automatically remove a clogging material generated in the steam trap, and
the monitoring system operates the automatic cleaning mechanism upon determining that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or a sign of the abnormality in the steam trap.

4. A monitoring method for monitoring a steam-using facility that includes a steam supply unit that is supplied with steam, a steam-using unit that uses supplied steam, and a steam discharge unit that discharges steam after use, the monitoring method comprising:
a temperature detection step of detecting, with a temperature sensor, at least one of a temperature of a steam trap provided in the steam discharge unit and a temperature of steam flowing into the steam trap;
a pressure detection step of detecting, with a pressure sensor, a pressure of steam flowing into the steam trap; and
a determination step of:
determining, with at least one processor, that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or a sign of the abnormality in the steam trap when (i) at least one of a temperature detection value obtained in the temperature detection step and statistical temperature data obtained by performing statistical processing on the temperature detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) at least one of a pressure detection value obtained in the pressure detection step and statistical pressure data obtained by performing statistical processing on the pressure detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof, and
determining that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or there is a sign of the abnormality in a steam supply valve that is provided in the steam supply unit when (i) at least one of the pressure detection value and the statistical pressure data deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) the temperature detection value and the statistical temperature data satisfy predetermined criteria thereof.

5. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including a monitoring program for monitoring a steam-using facility that includes a steam supply unit that is supplied with steam, a steam-using unit that uses supplied steam, and a steam discharge unit that discharges steam after use, the monitoring program, when executed by a computer comprising at least one processor, causing the computer to perform:
a temperature detection function for detecting a signal from at least one of a trap temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a steam trap provided in the steam discharge unit and a steam temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of steam flowing into the steam trap;
a pressure detection function for detecting a signal from a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of steam flowing into the steam trap; and
a determination function for:
determining that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or a sign of the abnormality in the steam trap when (i) at least one of a temperature detection value obtained by executing the temperature detection function and statistical temperature data obtained by performing statistical processing on the temperature detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) at least one of a pressure detection value obtained by executing the pressure detection function and statistical pressure data obtained by performing statistical processing on the pressure detection value deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof, and
determining that there is an occurrence of an abnormality or there is a sign of the abnormality in a steam supply valve that is provided in the steam supply unit when (i) at least one the pressure detection value and the statistical pressure data deviates from a predetermined criterion thereof and (ii) the temperature detection value and the statistical temperature data satisfy predetermined criteria thereof.

Assignees

• Tlv Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakanishi Kazuki

Classifications

• F16T1/48 Primary

  Monitoring arrangements for inspecting, e.g. flow of steam and steam condensate · CPC title

• F01D25/00

  Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups · CPC title

• G05B23/024

  Quantitative history assessment, e.g. mathematical relationships between available data; Functions therefor; Principal component analysis [PCA]; Partial least square [PLS]; Statistical classifiers, e.g. Bayesian networks, linear regression or correlation analysis; Neural networks · CPC title

• F01D25/32

  Collecting of condensation water; Drainage {; Removing solid particles} · CPC title

• F01D21/003 Primary

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title