Operation of measuring equipment in process facilities

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the operation of measuring devices in a process facility. A method for operating a measuring device in a process facility comprises: providing at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measured variable, the measuring device comprising at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device is stored; providing at least one controller unit, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory device in which planned configuration data for the operation of the measuring device is stored; wherein the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device for the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network; comparing the actual configuration data with the planned configuration data, wherein if the configuration data correspond, data communication related to the measured variable is allowed, and if the configuration data do not correspond, data communication related to the measured variable is not allowed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a measuring device in a process installation, a system for operating a measuring device in a process installation, the use of a measuring device, a controller unit and / or a configuration unit in such a system, and a computer program element configured to perform the steps of such a method. Background Art

[0002] The essential feature of a process control system is the measurement of a process variable at a measuring point, for processing it in a control loop or control chain and for deriving therefrom a controlled variable which influences the process via actuators.

[0003] The planning and configuration of such process control systems always refers to a process or method, which specifies at which point which variable is to be measured or at which point intervention is to be performed. These measurement and control points (German: Mess-undRegelstellen; MSR-Stellen) are identified within the context of a process facility by a unique identifier, TAG. To derive the configuration of the process control system from the process description, these measurement and control points are considered in different operating sections.

[0004] Two important work segments are controller engineering and field device engineering. Starting with a unique identifier (TAG) and the physical variable to be measured or affected by the actuator, along with its units, different aspects of the measuring point are considered in both work segments. Following basic engineering, this results in two parts during planning and configuration, which must be brought together again during commissioning to ensure consistent plant operation. During operation, both parts must also be monitored to ensure consistency.

[0005] Controller engineering considers, for example, which control loops or control chains will process the measured variable, which scaling or conversion is necessary for combining it with other values ​​or processing it in the controller, or under which limits unit process alarms are generated. Physical quantities (such as temperature, flow, pressure, etc.) and units are relevant. This data, along with the control logic for the actuators and control loops, is part of the controller configuration data managed in the controller configuration tool. Controller engineering also considers which channels are used to acquire the measured data, the required update rate, the resulting computational load on the controller or the communication load on the network, and the resulting demands on the controller, network, and I / O hardware, as well as their interconnection. This also generates further configuration data (so-called data communication parameters), which are stored in the controller configuration tool but may also be stored in other tools, such as those for the network.

[0006] Field device engineering specifically considers which measuring devices are suitable for measuring the desired variables under given process conditions. This involves selecting the measurement principle (e.g., flow measurement via differential pressure, electromagnetic measurement, Coriolis measurement, ultrasonic measurement, etc.), as well as selecting suitable materials depending on the process medium or environmental conditions. In this engineering phase, the data required to obtain a specific measuring device for each measurement and control point is generated. Furthermore, parameterization specifications for the measuring device at the corresponding measurement and control point are created to configure the measuring device for the specific measurement or control task at that measurement and control point. This configuration data is typically stored in a device engineering database.

[0007] In both parts, data related to the measuring devices are created, which are managed in the corresponding tools or within the sovereignty of these tools, but with some overlap in terms of content.

[0008] During startup, data from various tools in the engineering department is loaded into the corresponding controllers and measuring devices. In this process, data is loaded, for example, from an engineering database into special configuration or online tools that can communicate with the specific hardware in a standardized or proprietary way, in order to store the data in the plant hardware and activate the necessary control and measurement or control algorithms.

[0009] A key step in the startup process is to ensure that the configuration data (especially overlapping data) of the measurement and control points, which originated from different engineering departments and may have been modified with different information at different times, are consistent. In other words, it is necessary to ensure that the assumptions in the controller configuration about the measured values ​​and units (and possibly the scale of the normalized measured variables) at the measurement and control points match the configuration in the equipment. For example, in the event of a fault, the control logic (control loop) may be based on temperature measurements in ° C, while the field device is set to ° F. This will not achieve the expected control behavior in the plant.

[0010] It now becomes clear that there is also a need to provide a method for starting up and operating a measuring device in a process installation. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for starting and operating a measuring device in a process plant. These and other objects, which will become apparent upon reading the following description, are solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims refer to preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0012] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for operating and / or measuring equipment in a process facility is disclosed, comprising at least the following steps:

[0013] - providing at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measured variable, wherein the measuring device comprises at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device are stored;

[0014] - providing at least one controller unit, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory device in which planned configuration data for the operation of the measuring device are stored; wherein the controller unit has no write access to the measuring device for the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network;

[0015] - comparing the actual configuration data with the planned configuration data, wherein if the configuration data correspond, data communication relating to the measured variables is permitted, and if the configuration data do not correspond, data communication relating to the measured variables is not permitted.

[0016] In an embodiment of the method, the controller unit transmits the planning configuration data to the measuring device, and the comparison of the configuration data takes place in the measuring device.

[0017] In an embodiment of the method, the measuring device transmits the actual configuration data to the controller unit, and a comparison of the configuration data is performed in the controller unit, wherein the comparison result is transmitted to the measuring device.

[0018] In an embodiment of the method, the comparison result is stored in a memory device of the measuring apparatus.

[0019] In an embodiment of the method, an error message is provided by the controller unit and / or by the measuring device if the configuration data do not correspond.

[0020] In an embodiment of the method, the method further comprises:

[0021] - providing at least one configuration unit connected to at least one measuring device via at least one network;

[0022] The comparison result is transmitted to the configuration unit, wherein, depending on the comparison result, modified configuration data are loaded into the measuring device and / or if the configuration data do not correspond, modified configuration data for the measuring device are loaded into the measuring device by the configuration unit.

[0023] In an embodiment of the method, the configuration unit is arranged in the measuring device.

[0024] In an embodiment of the method, the comparison results are published and / or accessible across at least one network.

[0025] In an embodiment of the method, at least one network is based on the PROFINET protocol, the Ethernet IP protocol and / or the OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) protocol.

[0026] In an embodiment of the method, the controller unit has write access to the measuring device for at least one data communication parameter in the network.

[0027] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system for operating a measurement device in a process facility, comprising

[0028] at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measured variable, wherein the measuring device comprises at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device are stored;

[0029] at least one controller unit, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory device in which planned configuration data of the measuring device are stored; wherein the controller unit has no write access to the measuring device for the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network;

[0030] At least one comparison unit for comparing actual configuration data with planned configuration data, wherein if the configuration data correspond, data communication relating to the measured variables is permitted, and if the configuration data do not correspond, data communication relating to the measured variables is not permitted.

[0031] In an embodiment of the system, the system further comprises:

[0032] at least one configuration unit connected to at least one measuring device via at least one network, wherein the configuration unit is configured to load modified configuration data into the measuring device depending on the comparison result and / or is configured to load modified configuration data into the measuring device if the configuration data do not correspond.

[0033] A further aspect of the present disclosure relates to the use of a measuring device, a controller unit and / or a configuration unit in a system as described above. Finally, a further aspect of the present disclosure relates to a computer program element with instructions which, when executed on a computing device of a computing environment, are configured to perform the steps of the method as described above in a system as described above.

[0034] definition

[0035] The term "measuring device" is to be understood in the present disclosure in a broad sense and comprises in particular any device for measuring a process variable, such as a field device. Furthermore, such a measuring device may also comprise or be connected to an actuator.

[0036] The term "controller unit" should be understood broadly and specifically refers to an electronic unit or computer hardware that controls certain processes in a process facility. According to the present disclosure, it is preferred that the controller unit does not have "write access" to the measurement device for configuration data, i.e., the controller unit cannot rewrite / reconfigure the measurement device. Such reconfiguration must be performed by a different entity, such as a configuration unit.

[0037] According to the present disclosure, the term “actual configuration data” or actual measuring device parameters refers to configuration data of the measuring device stored in a memory of the measuring device.

[0038] According to the present disclosure, the term “planning configuration data” refers to configuration data of a measuring device derived from the controller-engineering part.

[0039] According to the present disclosure, the term "communication parameters" refers to parameters referring to the communication between the measuring device and the controller unit.

[0040] The term "configuration unit" should be understood broadly and includes any device configured to write / reconfigure actual configuration data / parameters in a measuring device. It should be noted that the configuration unit can be located anywhere in the network, for example, in the measuring device, or in any separate or integrated entity in the network. The configuration unit can also be provided as a computer program element, as embedded software, etc.

[0041] Any disclosure and embodiment described herein is related to the above-mentioned method, system, measuring device, computer program element, and vice versa. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any one of the embodiments and examples are also applicable to all other embodiments and examples, and vice versa.

[0042] As used herein, "determining" also includes "initiating or causing determination," "generating" also includes "initiating or causing generation," and "providing" also includes "initiating or causing determination, generation, selection, sending, or receiving." "Initiating or causing performance of an action" includes any processing signal that triggers a computing device to perform a corresponding action. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described exemplarily with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0044] Figure 1 A flow chart illustrating an example method for operating and / or starting a measurement device in a process facility;

[0045] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating an example system for operating measurement equipment in a process facility is shown;

[0046] Figure 3A schematic diagram illustrating an example individual logical system / network topology; and

[0047] Figure 4 Schematic diagram showing an example of a measuring device in a network topology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] exist Figure 1 , a flow chart of an example method 100 for operating and / or starting a measurement device in a process facility is shown.

[0049] In step 110 , at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measured variable is provided, wherein the measuring device comprises at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device are stored.

[0050] In step 120, at least one controller unit is provided, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory device in which planned configuration data for the operation of the measuring device are stored; wherein the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device for the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network.

[0051] In step 130 , the actual configuration data and the planned configuration data are compared, wherein if the configuration data correspond, data communication relating to the measured variables is permitted, and if the configuration data do not correspond, data communication relating to the measured variables is not permitted.

[0052] exist Figure 2 In the figure, a schematic diagram of an example system 10 for operating measuring devices in a process facility is shown, comprising: at least one measuring device 11 for detecting at least one measured variable, wherein the measuring device 11 comprises at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for the operation of the measuring device are stored; at least one controller unit 12, wherein the controller unit 12 comprises at least one memory device in which planned configuration data for the measuring device 11 are stored; wherein the controller unit 12 does not have write access to the measuring device 11 for the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device 11 and the at least one controller unit 12 are connected via at least one network; at least one comparing unit 13, which is used to compare the actual configuration data and the planned configuration data, wherein if the configuration data corresponds, data communication related to the measured variable is allowed, and if the configuration data does not correspond, data communication related to the measured variable is not allowed.

[0053] A key aspect of this disclosure is based on keeping the two parts—the controller engineering part and the field device engineering part—separate during engineering, also at the configuration and commissioning / operation tool level, and establishing synchronization only at the measurement device level. In this concept, the measurement device preferably retains data ownership over the device configuration parameters that affect measurement and control points, while the controller or controller configuration tool retains data ownership over the parameters that define communication performance.

[0054] This may result in separate logical system / network topologies, such as Figure 3 Depending on the configuration, the system tool and the device tool can of course be integrated with each other, but without any alignment interface at the tool level.

[0055] The alignment of these tools is primarily accomplished via the Ethernet network protocol and the instrument functionality. Consequently, the domains of controller configuration / commissioning and device configuration / commissioning are logically separated. As long as the corresponding network protocols are supported, there are no lifecycle dependencies between these domains. The proposed solution also supports the use of different tools, for example, for different measurement devices, thus preventing potentially undesirable commitments to a tool with potential functional limitations.

[0056] The main effects and advantages of the present disclosure are summarized below:

[0057] Compared with the currently commonly used methods, the present disclosure no longer relies on the controller or controller configuration tool to write device parameters to the measuring device. On the contrary, the parameters that the controller writes to the measuring device directly or indirectly via the network configuration tool are limited to establishing communication parameters necessary for the required performance, such as the update rate. Otherwise, the controller preferably only manages data to the measurement and control point addresses, which are necessary to verify that the measuring device can actually provide the required data in the required format. Typically, this is information related to the measurement principle, unit, unique identifier (TAG) of the measurement and control point, and, if applicable, the data type of the expected digital measurement value. The controller communicates this data to the measuring device and expects a response from the measuring device as to whether the data can be supplied based on the existing configuration and parameterization. If the response is positive, communication begins, or the controller uses the process data for its application. In the case of negative feedback, there is no data exchange about the measured value and preferably user information.

[0058] The measuring device according to the present disclosure preferably has unique sovereignty over the configuration data and manages a state machine that in particular maps whether the measuring device is effectively configured, whether the measuring device has responded positively or negatively to a request from a controller, whether it is included in active communication by the controller, and whether a configuration change has been made. In general, the state machines in field devices are basically known from various fieldbus standards (e.g., PROFIBUS / PROFINET PA profile 4.0). However, they are typically used to map the diagnostic status of the measuring device and combine it with the data of cyclic communication to synchronize the operating mode of the distributed control logic. Configuration counters or event mechanisms also exist to track parameter changes. However, these known mechanisms are not suitable for fundamentally solving the challenge of multiple data sovereignty. On the other hand, the device of the present disclosure can assume data sovereignty and therefore assume the responsibility of keeping the external user state synchronized.

[0059] To this end, a novel state machine can be implemented which is suitable for ensuring synchronization of device parameters, device configuration tools and controllers or controller configuration tools.

[0060] As another element of the present disclosure, a device configuration tool can be used to communicate with the measuring device via a direct network connection. In a special form of embodiment, the device configuration tool can also be directly integrated into the device and accessed via a local interface or a web browser.

[0061] Based on monitoring the network connection to the measuring device and feedback from the measuring device state machine, the device configuration tool can decide whether it needs to download device parameters to maintain or restore a valid device configuration / parameterization. Through its connection to the measuring device, the device configuration tool can also determine whether a connection has been requested from the controller and whether the requested parameters have been confirmed (see Figure 4 ).

[0062] In the event of a negative confirmation of the requested parameters by the controller and / or device configuration tool, the respective tool can indicate to the user that there is a discrepancy between the actual configuration in the device and the requested / predicted configuration from the controller. This indicates that for this measurement and control point, a deviation between the controller and the measuring device has occurred on the part of the engineering team, which can only be eliminated by a decision and intervention by the user (reparameterization on the controller or device side).

[0063] As long as no such deviations occur, commissioning can be fully automated once the physical controller, measuring device, and device configuration tool are connected in a network. Furthermore, changes during operation can be detected via these mechanisms, and a safe state can be adopted.

[0064] A preferred embodiment of this solution is based on the PROFINET Industrial Ethernet protocol. Here, a mechanism is provided for exchanging basic communication relationships (e.g., addressing, update rate, etc.). According to the present disclosure, the necessary information that the controller must verify with the measuring device can be mapped in a standardized GSDML file. The GSDML file defines the structure of the cyclic data to be delivered, for example, according to PA Profile 4.0, corresponding to the measurement principle used. In addition, the units of measurement and the unique identifiers of the measurement and control points can be mapped as parameters in the GSDML file and fed along with the corresponding values ​​from the controller engineering. However, unlike traditional fieldbus methods, according to the present disclosure, this data is not written to the instrument as a configuration; it is simply sent to the instrument for verification. In other words, upon receipt, the device does not adopt these parameters into its configuration; instead, it checks whether they match the existing configuration in the device and sets its state machine accordingly. In the event of parameter deviations, it also sets the status of the corresponding output signal to invalid, preventing the controller from processing values ​​based on an incorrect configuration. Furthermore, it provides diagnostic messages which enable the controller to display the reason for a negative feedback, such as "Device not configured" or "Configuration of the device deviates from the requested parameters", via a connected controller configuration tool or operating and monitoring unit.

[0065] In parallel, a device configuration tool connected directly to the network can monitor the network for known or unknown measuring devices. The device configuration tool can now be configured to automatically download a stored configuration for the measuring device upon first detection, which was previously obtained by the device engineering component, such as from a device engineering database, or to load the configuration from this database on a scheduled basis. However, the device configuration tool can also be designed to simply identify the device and leave the decision to download data to the user.

[0066] Depending on its state machine, a measuring device can detect whether it is already connected to a controller. If the existing (default) configuration or the downloaded configuration in the measuring device as the initial configuration supports the parameters previously requested by the controller, it can set the corresponding output signal to valid and reset the corresponding diagnostic program. If the download from the device configuration tool invalidates the previously valid device configuration (matching the parameters requested by the controller), the device can set the corresponding channel to invalid. In this way, it is possible to prevent the measuring device / field device from operating with a configuration that is inconsistent with the settings assumed / predicted in the controller for the measurement and control point / station. In particular, it can prevent undetected deviations from occurring due to modification of device parameters during operation.

[0067] The controller can repeat its request at any time, but particularly after a configuration change or disconnection on the controller side, to check whether its predictions / assumptions about the device configuration still match its own configuration. The measuring device can detect deviations and report them back to the controller, preventing the exchange of erroneous or unverified process data. Similarly, the device configuration tool can periodically check the presence of measuring devices in the network and the status of the state machine. This mechanism ensures that device replacements are also detected, and the replacement device is connected to the controller and provided with the correct parameters using the same procedures.

[0068] Another preferred embodiment is based on the OPC UA industrial protocol, which not only specifies the communication mechanism but also describes the information model. Such an information model, such as PA-DIM, can be used to eliminate the need for using description files. Based on the agreed information model, the device acts as a server and provides process data as well as information about its state machine and parameters related to the controller (measurement principle, unit, unique identifier (TAG) of the measurement and control point). Using the OPC UA protocol, the controller acts as a client and can browse this information model without any prior knowledge other than the information model itself, find the appropriate process data and query the associated key parameters. If these queried parameters match the controller configuration, process data exchange can begin, for example, by the controller subscribing to the corresponding process values. Since the device state machine information is available on the network, device configuration tools connected to the network can also use it to detect unconfigured measuring devices and provide them with the correct configuration.

[0069] Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to a computer program element configured to perform the steps of the above-described method. Thus, the computer program element may be stored on a computing unit of a computing device, which may also be part of an embodiment. The computing unit may be configured to perform or induce the performance of the steps of the above-described method. Furthermore, it may be configured to operate components of the above-described system. The computing unit may be configured to operate automatically and / or execute user commands. The computing unit may include a data processor. The computer program may be loaded into the working memory of the data processor. Thus, the data processor may be equipped to perform the method according to one of the aforementioned embodiments. This exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure covers both computer programs that use the present disclosure from the outset and computer programs that convert existing programs into programs that use the present disclosure through an update. Furthermore, the computer program element can provide all necessary steps to complete the procedures of the exemplary embodiments of the above-described method. According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable medium, such as a CD-ROM, a USB stick, a downloadable executable file, etc., is provided, wherein the computer-readable medium has a computer program element stored thereon, the computer program element being described in the preceding sections. The computer program may be stored and / or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or solid-state medium supplied with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunications systems. However, the computer program may also be presented via a network such as the World Wide Web and may be downloaded from such a network into a working memory of a data processor. According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a medium for making a computer program element available for download is provided, the computer program element being arranged to perform a method according to one of the aforementioned embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0070] The present disclosure has also been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments as examples. However, from a study of the drawings, the present disclosure, and the claims, those skilled in the art and those practicing the claimed invention will understand and implement other variations. It is worth noting that, in particular, any of the steps set forth may be performed in any order, i.e., the present invention is not limited to a particular order of steps. Furthermore, there is no requirement that the different steps be performed in a single location or at a single node in a distributed system, i.e., each of the steps may be performed at a different node using different equipment / data processing units.

[0071] In the claims and description, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage in an embodiment.

Claims

1. A method for operating a measuring device in a process facility, comprising the following steps: - providing at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measured variable, wherein said measuring device comprises at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for said operation of said measuring device are stored; - providing at least one controller unit, wherein said controller unit comprises at least one memory device in which planning configuration data for said operation of said measuring device are stored; wherein the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device regarding the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network; - comparing the actual configuration data and the planned configuration data, wherein data communication regarding the measured variables is permitted if the configuration data correspond, and data communication regarding the measured variables is not permitted if the configuration data do not correspond; wherein the controller unit transmits the planning configuration data to the measuring device, and the comparison of the configuration data is performed in the measuring device, or The measuring device transmits the actual configuration data to the controller unit, the comparison of the configuration data is performed in the controller unit, and the result of the comparison is transmitted to the measuring device. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the result of the comparison is stored in the memory device of the measuring apparatus. 3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein an error message is provided by the controller unit and / or the measuring device if the configuration data do not correspond.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: - providing at least one configuration unit, said at least one configuration unit being connected to at least said at least one measuring device via at least one network; - transmitting the result of the comparison to the configuration unit, wherein, depending on the result of the comparison, modified configuration data are loaded into the measuring device and / or if the configuration data do not correspond, modified configuration data for the measuring device are loaded into the measuring device by the configuration unit. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the configuration unit is provided in the measuring device. The method of claim 1 , wherein results of the comparison are published and / or accessible across the at least one network. 7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one network is based on the PROFINET protocol, the Ethernet IP protocol and / or the OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) protocol.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit has write access to the measuring device regarding data communication parameters in the at least one network.

9. A system for operating a measurement device in a process facility, comprising: at least one measuring device for detecting at least one measured variable, wherein said measuring device comprises at least one memory device in which actual configuration data for said operation of said measuring device are stored; at least one controller unit, wherein the controller unit comprises at least one memory device in which planning configuration data of the measuring device are stored; wherein the controller unit does not have write access to the measuring device regarding the actual configuration data; and wherein the at least one measuring device and the at least one controller unit are connected via at least one network; at least one comparison unit for comparing the actual configuration data with the planned configuration data, wherein if the configuration data correspond, data communication related to the measured variables is allowed, and if the configuration data do not correspond, data communication related to the measured variables is not allowed; The controller unit transmits the planned configuration data to the measuring device, and the comparison of the configuration data takes place in the measuring device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising: - at least one configuration unit connected to the at least one measuring device via the at least one network, wherein the configuration unit is configured to load modified configuration data into the measuring device depending on the result of the comparison and / or is configured to load modified configuration data into the measuring device if the configuration data do not correspond.

11. Use of a measuring device, a controller unit and / or a configuration unit in a system according to claim 9 or 10.

12. A computer program element having instructions which, when executed on a computing device of a computing environment, are configured to execute the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in a system according to claim 9 or claim 10.

Images