An integrated central control method and system

Abstract

This invention discloses an integrated central control method applied to glass production lines with hot and cold processing sections. The method includes a host unit, a first control unit, a second control unit, and a communication gateway between the two control units. The integrated central control method comprises: Step S1, where the host unit collects production data from each glass production line and outputs corresponding optimization instructions; Step S2, where the host unit obtains the control mode of the optimization object and determines the master control unit from the first and second control units based on the control mode; Step S3, where the master control unit obtains communication data from non-master control units through the communication gateway and executes optimization strategies on the optimization object based on the communication data. This invention obtains the control mode of the optimization object from the host unit for optimization, preventing signal conflicts caused by different control systems controlling the same equipment and improving the stability of the glass production line during operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of glass processing control, and more particularly to an integrated central control method and system. Background Technology

[0002] Glass production lines utilize the float glass manufacturing process, encompassing continuous steps such as raw material preparation, melting in a furnace, forming in a tin bath, annealing in an annealing furnace, and cold-end cutting. Glass production lines are characterized by high temperatures, continuous operation, and uninterrupted operation. The temperature difference between the hot and cold sections of a glass production line is extremely large, requiring the control system to simultaneously handle multiple control demands, including continuous adjustment of high-temperature analog quantities and discrete logic control at room temperature. Once the production line is ignited and put into operation, it needs to run continuously for several years or even more than a decade. Any unplanned shutdown caused by a control system failure could result in catastrophic consequences, such as the solidification of molten glass in the furnace and the scrapping of the entire production line. The glass industry primarily uses DCS (Distributed Control System) control for hot section equipment, while PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) control is mostly used for cold section and other equipment. The collaborative control of PLC and DCS is a core technical challenge that cannot be avoided in the intelligent upgrading of glass factories.

[0003] Patent document CN202111315522.7 discloses a "data integration system for smart glass factories," which achieves data aggregation by establishing three data sub-centers: a thermal engineering control center, a utilities center, and a cold end control center. However, it retains multiple physical control centers, and spatial isolation still exists between the sub-centers. It fails to achieve unified control of the entire glass production line within the glass factory from a single central control room, and it does not solve the problem of collaborative control between PLCs and DCS for the same end device.

[0004] Patent document CN202511576234.5 discloses a "PLC-based intelligent control system for glass production process", which only uses the PLC system to predict the kiln temperature field and assess its health. It does not involve the collaborative control of the PLC and DCS dual systems, nor does it propose an integrated control room architecture.

[0005] Traditional glass factories typically have multiple independent control rooms for different process sections of the glass production line. Each control room uses an independent control system. In traditional control methods, multiple systems are directly connected in parallel or switched via simple switching devices, which can easily lead to signal conflicts, equipment malfunctions, and even damage to actuators. If equipment in one process section fails, it can affect the entire glass production line, potentially rendering the entire line unusable and causing serious economic impacts and factory safety issues. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention discloses an integrated central control method applicable to glass production lines with hot and cold sections. The control unit of the glass production line includes a first control unit for controlling the cold section and a second control unit for controlling the hot section. The first control unit and the second control unit are controlled by different systems. The first control unit and the second control unit are controlled uniformly by the host unit; A communication gateway for transmitting communication data is provided between the first control unit and the second control unit; The integrated central control method includes: Step S1: The host unit receives production data collected from the cold section and the hot section respectively and outputs corresponding optimization instructions. The optimization instructions include optimization strategies and optimization objects. Step S2: The host unit selects the corresponding control mode according to the device type of the optimization object, assigns corresponding control weights to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively based on the control mode, and determines the main control unit from the first control unit and the second control unit according to the control weights; Step S3: The main control unit obtains the corresponding communication data from the control unit (which is not the main control unit) through the communication gateway, and the main control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the optimization object based on the communication data.

[0007] Preferably, the first control unit is controlled by a PLC system, and the second control unit is controlled by a DCS system.

[0008] Preferably, the device type includes communication control devices and analog control devices; The control modes include communication control mode and analog control mode; The communication data includes target setpoints and status signals; When the device type is the communication control device: In step S2, the host unit assigns a first control weight to the first control unit, assigns a second control weight to the second control unit, and selects the first control unit as the main control unit based on the comparison result of the first control weight and the second control weight; and In step S3, the host unit controls the first control unit to obtain the target setting value from the second control unit, and the first control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the communication control device. When the device type is the analog control device: In step S2, the host unit assigns a first control weight to the second control unit, assigns a second control weight to the first control unit, and selects the second control unit as the main control unit based on the comparison result of the first control weight and the second control weight; and In step S3, the host unit controls the second control unit to obtain the status signal from the first control unit, and the second control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the analog control device; The first control weight is greater than the second control weight.

[0009] Preferably, when the device type is the communication control device, the optimization strategy is executed in step S3 using the following steps: Step S31a: The second control unit writes the target setting value to the first control unit through the communication gateway; Step S32a: The first control unit determines whether the communication interruption duration with the second control unit is greater than a preset interruption threshold. If so, the first control unit outputs a preset safety control signal to the communication control device; If not, proceed to step S32c; In step S32c, the first control unit generates a corresponding communication control signal based on the target setting value and the optimization strategy, and outputs the communication control signal to the corresponding communication control device.

[0010] Preferably, edge computing nodes are respectively provided in the cold section and the hot section, and the edge computing nodes are used to generate interlocking signals after preprocessing the production data; The first control unit continuously receives the interlocking signal uploaded by the edge computing node; When the device type is the analog control device, in step S3, the optimization strategy is executed using the following steps: Step S31b: The first control unit processes the interlock signal to obtain a corresponding status signal, and inputs the status signal to a preset safety relay; and The second control unit receives the optimization instruction, converts the optimization strategy into a corresponding analog signal, and inputs the analog signal into the safety relay; Step S32b: The safety relay determines whether its circuit is open based on the status signal. If so, the analog signal is output to the corresponding analog control device; If not, then stop outputting the analog signal.

[0011] Preferably, the device type includes digitally controlled devices; The control mode includes a digital control mode; When the device type is the digital control device: In step S2, the host unit selects the corresponding control unit as the main control unit based on the current control level of the digital control device; and In step S3, the host unit controls the main control unit to execute the corresponding optimization strategy on the digital control device.

[0012] Preferably, the control positions include a first control position, a second control position, and a circuit breaker position; When the digital control device is in the first control position, the host unit selects the first control unit as the main control unit and sends a conduction signal to the first control unit. The start-up circuit of the first control unit is turned on to execute the optimization strategy to the digital control device. When the digital control device is in the second control position, the upper-level unit selects the second control unit as the main control unit, sends a conduction signal to the second control unit, and the start-up circuit of the second control unit is activated to execute the optimization strategy on the digital control device; and When the digital control device is in the circuit-breaking position, the upper-level unit does not send a conduction signal, and the start-up circuits of the first control unit and the second control unit are both disconnected, making it impossible to execute the optimization strategy to the digital control device.

[0013] Preferably, the production data includes equipment status data and process data; Each of the optimization objects has corresponding device status data, including real-time operating values, basic operating status, fault information, and execution data; The process data includes furnace temperature, gas flow rate, combustion air flow rate, fuel input, molten glass level, molten glass temperature distribution, annealing furnace temperature distribution, glass conveyor belt speed, cooling air volume, and glass thickness. The super-level unit adopts at least one of the following: kiln combustion optimization model, glass melt flow field prediction model, and annealing stress distribution prediction model; The optimization instructions include at least one of the following: air-fuel ratio optimization instructions, edge-drawing machine speed optimization instructions, and annealing temperature optimization instructions; Step S1 includes processing the furnace temperature, gas flow rate, combustion air flow rate, fuel input amount, and corresponding equipment status data through the furnace combustion optimization model to generate the air-fuel ratio optimization command; The glass melt flow field prediction model processes the glass melt level, glass melt temperature distribution, and corresponding equipment status data to generate the edge-pulling machine speed optimization command; and The annealing stress distribution prediction model processes the annealing furnace temperature distribution, the glass conveyor speed, the cooling air volume, the glass thickness, and the corresponding equipment status data to generate the annealing temperature optimization command.

[0014] Preferably, the host unit continuously acquires the real-time operating data of the optimized object, and constructs and continuously updates the digital twin of the optimized object based on the preset geometric model of the glass production line, the preset mechanism model of the optimized object, and the real-time operating data; When the real-time operating data of the optimized object is abnormal, the host unit controls the digital twin to analyze the cause of the abnormality based on the historical production data.

[0015] This invention discloses an integrated central control system. Using the integrated central control method, the control rooms of the cold section and the hot section of the glass production line are integrated into a unified central control room, and the integrated central control system is deployed in the central control room. The integrated central control system includes: The host unit is used to receive production data collected from the cold section and the hot section respectively and output corresponding optimization instructions. The optimization instructions include optimization strategy and optimization object. The host unit selects the corresponding control mode according to the equipment type of the optimization object, assigns corresponding control weights to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively based on the control mode, and determines the master control unit from the first control unit and the second control unit according to the control weights. The first control unit is connected to the upper-level unit and is used to obtain first communication data from the second control unit after being identified as the main control unit, and to execute the optimization strategy on the optimization object based on the first communication data; The second control unit is connected to the host unit and is used to obtain second communication data from the first control unit after being identified as the main control unit, and to execute the optimization strategy on the optimization object based on the second communication data. The communication unit is connected to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively, and is used to send the first communication data to the first control unit and the second communication data to the second control unit.

[0016] The following beneficial effects can be obtained by using the present invention: The control mode of the optimization object is obtained by the upper unit, and corresponding control weights are assigned to the first control unit and the second control unit to execute the optimization strategy on the optimization object. This prevents signal conflicts caused by different control units controlling the same equipment at the same time and improves the stability of the glass production line during operation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the integrated central control method of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the process for generating communication control signals in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the process for generating analog control signals in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated central control system of the present invention.

[0018] In the attached image: 1. Host unit, 2. First control unit, 3. Second control unit, 4. Communication unit. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0021] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0022] This invention discloses an integrated central control method applied to a glass production line with a hot section and a cold section. The control unit of the glass production line includes a first control unit for controlling the cold section and a second control unit for controlling the hot section. The first control unit and the second control unit are controlled by different systems. The first and second control units are controlled uniformly by the upper-level unit; A communication gateway for transmitting communication data is provided between the first control unit and the second control unit. like Figure 1 As shown, the integrated central control method includes: Step S1: The host unit receives production data collected from the cold section and the hot section respectively and outputs corresponding optimization instructions. The optimization instructions include optimization strategies and optimization objects. Step S2: The host unit selects the corresponding control mode according to the device type of the optimization object, assigns corresponding control weights to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively based on the control mode, and determines the main control unit from the first control unit and the second control unit according to the control weights. In step S3, the main control unit obtains the corresponding communication data from the control unit of the non-main control unit through the communication gateway, and the main control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy for the optimization object based on the communication data.

[0023] This invention centralizes the control of multiple workshop-level control rooms used to control multiple glass production lines in a glass factory into a single central control room for unified control. The original control rooms for a glass production line included raw material control room, melting furnace control room, tin bath control room, annealing control room, cold end control room, and utilities control room, etc.

[0024] The central control room includes a display screen composed of multiple LED splicing screens. Each screen displays an overview of the entire plant's process flow, key parameter trend curves, equipment operating status, energy consumption data, and alarm information in a pre-defined area.

[0025] The glass production line includes multiple process sections such as raw material section, hot processing section, cold processing section, and utilities section. The central control room is divided into multiple control areas according to the process sections, and operators of the same process section work collaboratively within the same control area.

[0026] The upper-level unit includes a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) acquisition unit, which uniformly collects production data uploaded by edge computing nodes from each process segment via industrial Ethernet, enabling dynamic and visual control of the entire process through a graphical interface. Operators view the collected production data and generated optimization instructions on the display screen, further implementing manual control and intervening when a fault or anomaly occurs in a certain process segment of the glass production line to ensure the stable operation of the glass production line.

[0027] Furthermore, edge computing nodes are installed at each process stage. Production data is collected by detection elements at each process stage, and the edge computing nodes perform local preprocessing and anomaly detection on the raw production data, removing abnormal data. The processed production data and the resulting interlocking signals are then uploaded, effectively reducing network load and improving real-time response.

[0028] After receiving the uploaded production data, the host unit sends the corresponding production data to the corresponding optimization model for processing, generating optimization instructions. Each optimization instruction includes the optimization object to be optimized and the optimization strategy. The optimization object is the working equipment in the glass production line, serving as the executor of the optimization strategy. The optimization strategy adjusts the real-time operating status of the corresponding optimization object, such as the exhaust volume of the combustion fan and the feeding speed of the conveyor belt. Multiple different optimization models simultaneously perform real-time differential optimization on different actuators in the glass production line.

[0029] Production data includes equipment status data and process data for the corresponding optimization targets.

[0030] Furthermore, the host unit obtains information about the optimization object in the optimization instruction, selects the corresponding control mode according to its device type, and in each control mode, at most one control unit is used as the master control unit, and another control unit is used as the slave control unit to assist in the transmission of communication data or not to interfere with the master control unit.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a PLC system is used to control the first control unit, hereinafter referred to as the PLC unit, and a DCS system is used to control the second control unit, hereinafter referred to as the DCS unit.

[0032] Specifically, in a glass production line, the DCS unit is primarily responsible for the global closed-loop regulation of numerous continuously and slowly changing analog quantities during hot-end processes such as melting, forming, and annealing. Through sensors distributed throughout the furnace, tin bath, and annealing furnace, it collects corresponding production data in real time and utilizes built-in PID control loops and algorithms, such as feedforward, cascade, and ratio control, to stably maintain key parameters such as furnace temperature, furnace pressure, and tin bath protective gas flow rate at the required process settings. By stably controlling each key parameter to eliminate mutual interference between process stages, it ensures that the physical and chemical state of the molten glass remains uniform and stable throughout the forming process, meeting the quality control requirements of glass production.

[0033] The output unit of the DCS unit is the AO (Analog Output) unit, which is responsible for converting the digital control quantities generated by the CPU (Central Processing Unit) within the DCS unit through algorithms such as PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) into industrial-standard 4-20mA DC current signals to drive actuators that require continuous adjustment. Based on the deviation between the collected production data and the setpoint, the CPU within the DCS unit calculates the corresponding digital output value using a control algorithm. This value is then converted into a linearly corresponding 4-20mA current signal by the unit's internal DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter). 4mA corresponds to the minimum output of the actuator, such as a fully closed control valve and a frequency converter set to 0Hz; 20mA corresponds to the maximum output, such as a fully open control valve and a frequency converter set to its rated frequency. The control loop corresponding to the AO unit is a two-wire current loop. The positive output terminal is connected to the positive signal terminal of the actuator, such as the positioner of the regulating valve or the analog input terminal of the frequency converter. The negative signal terminal of the actuator is connected to the negative output terminal of the AO unit, forming a closed current loop. The magnitude of the current in the loop directly corresponds to the adjustment amount of the actuator.

[0034] In glass production lines, PLC units are primarily responsible for performing high-speed, precise logic and motion control tasks, especially in the front-end material preparation and cold-end finished product processing areas. They optimize control of various objects by receiving digital switch signals and pulse commands, such as controlling the precise feeding and unloading of the weighing system, the lateral and longitudinal interpolation movement of the cutting head, the precise start and stop of the breaking roller conveyor, and the complex trajectories of the multi-axis linkage of the stacking robot. Within an extremely short scan cycle, the PLC unit makes instantaneous judgments on input signals based on preset ladder diagrams or function block logic and immediately triggers corresponding outputs, thereby executing discrete actions requiring millisecond-level response and strict process coordination, ensuring the high efficiency of the central control system.

[0035] The output unit of the PLC unit is the DO (Digital Output) unit, which is responsible for converting the binary logic signals (0 / 1) generated by the CPU inside the PLC unit into on / off signals that can be recognized by external actuators. When the CPU outputs logic "1" inside the PLC unit, the corresponding relay coil inside the DO unit is energized or the transistor is turned on, forming a path between the unit's output terminal and the common terminal; when the output logic is "0", the relay is de-energized or the transistor is turned off, disconnecting the output terminal from the common terminal. The positive terminal of the external 24V DC power supply is connected to the common terminal of the control circuit of the DO unit, and the output terminal of the DO unit is connected to one end of the external actuator (such as a contactor coil, safety relay coil, or solenoid valve coil). The other end of the actuator is connected to the negative terminal of the 24V power supply, forming a complete switching control circuit.

[0036] Furthermore, a communication gateway is set up between the DCS unit and the PLC unit, using OPCUA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) or ModbusTCP (Modbus Transmission Control Protocol) as the communication protocol to realize bidirectional data communication between the DCS system and the PLC system.

[0037] Furthermore, the communication gateway between the DCS and PLC units supports role-based access control, enabling hierarchical management of the operating permissions of different operators. All control command issuance records and process parameter modification records are stored in a tamper-proof audit log, ensuring the traceability and security of system operations.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device types include communication control devices and analog control devices; The control modes include communication control mode and analog control mode; Communication data includes target setpoints and status signals; When the device type is a communication control device: In step S2, the host unit assigns a first control weight to the first control unit, assigns a second control weight to the second control unit, and selects the first control unit as the master control unit based on the comparison result of the first and second control weights; and In step S3, the host unit controls the first control unit to obtain the target set value from the second control unit, and the first control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the communication control device; When the device type is analog control device: In step S2, the host unit assigns a first control weight to the second control unit, assigns a second control weight to the first control unit, and selects the second control unit as the master control unit based on the comparison result of the first and second control weights; and In step S3, the host unit controls the second control unit to obtain status signals from the first control unit, and the second control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy for the analog control device; The first control weight is greater than the second control weight.

[0039] Specifically, communication control equipment includes devices that support fieldbus communication, such as intelligent frequency converters and servo drives.

[0040] Analog control equipment includes devices such as regulating valves and frequency converters that are controlled by 4-20mA analog signals.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, when the device type is a communication control device, the optimization strategy is executed in step S3 using the following steps: Step S31a: The second control unit writes the target setting value to the first control unit through the communication gateway; Step S32a: The first control unit determines whether the communication interruption duration between it and the second control unit exceeds a preset interruption threshold. If so, the first control unit outputs a preset safety control signal to the communication control device; If not, proceed to step S32c; In step S32c, the first control unit generates a corresponding communication control signal based on the target setpoint and optimization strategy, and outputs the communication control signal to the corresponding communication control device.

[0042] Specifically, in the communication control mode, the PLC unit serves as the main control unit. The DCS unit reads the device status data from the PLC unit through the corresponding communication protocol, generates the target setpoint, and writes the target setpoint into the designated register within the PLC unit.

[0043] Equipment status data includes: 1) Real-time operating values ​​of the optimized object, such as the actual frequency of the intelligent frequency converter, the speed of the servo drive, and the position / motion parameters of the stacking robot; 2) Basic operating status of the optimized object, such as start / stop status, running / standby / stop status; 3) Equipment fault and alarm information, such as communication fault, overload, timeout, abnormal shutdown and other alarm signals; 4) Process execution status of the optimized object, such as cold end glass strip conveying status, cutting / stacking completion signal, and raw material batching completion signal.

[0044] Furthermore, the PLC unit is equipped with a communication watchdog that continuously monitors for timeouts. When the communication interruption time with the DCS unit exceeds the preset interruption threshold, the PLC unit automatically outputs a preset safety control signal to the corresponding communication control device, controlling the corresponding communication control device to maintain its current state or enter a preset safety state, and issues a communication fault alarm, which is displayed on the screen in the central control room to remind the operator.

[0045] In one embodiment, the annealing kiln blower frequency converter adopts a communication control mode. The PLC unit directly controls the ABB ACS580 frequency converter via PROFIBUS DP; the DCS unit writes the target frequency of the annealing curve into the PLC data block DB100 via OPCUA, and after the PLC executes the command, it feeds back the actual frequency to the DCS. The PLC internally sets an interrupt threshold of 3 seconds; after the timeout, the frequency converter maintains the current frequency and issues an alarm.

[0046] In one embodiment, the stacking robot adopts a communication control mode. The PLC unit directly controls the stacking robot's actions via EtherCAT; the DCS unit reads the robot's status and output data via OPCUA, summarizes and automatically generates production reports. The PLC unit is set to an interruption threshold of 2 seconds. When communication is interrupted, the robot stops after completing its current action and issues an alarm.

[0047] Furthermore, the PLC unit generates corresponding communication control signals based on the control strategy and target setpoints, and sends them to the bus interface at the site where the communication control equipment is located, from where they are transmitted to the corresponding communication control equipment.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, edge computing nodes are respectively provided in the cold section and the hot section. The edge computing nodes are used to generate interlocking signals after preprocessing the production data. The first control unit continuously receives interlocking signals uploaded by the edge computing nodes; When the equipment type is analog control equipment, such as Figure 3 As shown, in step S3, the optimization strategy is executed using the following steps: Step S31b: The first control unit processes the interlock signal to obtain the corresponding status signal, and inputs the status signal to a preset safety relay; and The second control unit receives the optimization command, converts the optimization strategy into a corresponding analog signal, and inputs the analog signal into the safety relay; Step S32b: The safety relay determines whether its circuit is open based on the status signal. If so, the analog signal will be output to the corresponding analog control device; If not, then stop outputting analog signals.

[0049] Specifically, in analog control mode, the DCS unit serves as the main control unit. After generating the corresponding status signal based on the control strategy, the DCS unit sends the 4-20mA status signal to the normally open contact of the safety relay through the output port of the AO unit.

[0050] In one embodiment, the edge computing node processes the collected production data into corresponding warning signals, such as kiln pressure warning signals and low gas pressure warning signals, using the corresponding interlocking warning model as interlocking signals. These signals are then sent to the PLC unit, where the built-in CPU performs interlocking logic judgment on the interlocking signals and outputs a status signal to the coil of the safety relay through the DO unit. If the interlocking trigger signal indicates a triggered state, the safety relay is de-energized, the normally open contact opens, and the analog control device cannot receive the signal output by the AO unit. If the status signal indicates a non-triggered state, the safety relay is energized, the normally open contact closes, the analog control device receives the signal output by the AO unit, and executes the corresponding control strategy.

[0051] In one embodiment, the furnace combustion regulating valve adopts an analog control mode. The AO unit outputs a 4-20mA signal to the normally open contact of the Omron MY2N-GS safety relay, which is then connected to the valve positioner. The PLC unit sets a high-pressure interlock signal for the furnace, triggering when it reaches 50Pa, and a low-pressure interlock signal for the gas, triggering when it reaches 60% of the preset pressure. Upon triggering, the safety relay disconnects within less than 20ms, physically cutting off the DCS signal, and the valve automatically closes to the safe position.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device type includes a digitally controlled device; Control modes include digital control mode; When the device type is a digitally controlled device: In step S2, the host unit selects the corresponding control unit as the main control unit based on the current control level of the digital control device; and In step S3, the host unit controls the main control unit to execute the corresponding optimization strategy on the digital control device.

[0053] Specifically, digital control equipment includes devices such as motors, pumps, and solenoid valves that are controlled by digital signals.

[0054] Digital control equipment does not require coordinated control through PLC and DCS systems.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control gears include a first control gear, a second control gear, and a circuit breaker gear; When the digital control device is in the first control position, the upper unit selects the first control unit as the main control unit and sends a conduction signal to the first control unit. The start-up circuit of the first control unit is turned on to execute the optimization strategy to the digital control device. When the digital control device is in the second control position, the upper-level unit selects the second control unit as the main control unit and sends a conduction signal to the second control unit. The start-up circuit of the second control unit is then activated to execute the optimization strategy on the digital control device; and When the digital control device is in the open circuit position, the upper unit does not send a conduction signal, and the start-up circuits of the first control unit and the second control unit are both disconnected, making it impossible to execute optimization strategies to the digital control device.

[0056] Specifically, the digital control equipment has a three-position selector switch installed on the operating column next to the equipment, corresponding to the first control position (PLC control position), the second control position (DCS control position), and the circuit breaker position. When the switch is in the DCS control position, the DCS unit's start-up circuit is on while the PLC unit's start-up circuit is off. The DCS unit's internal register stores the previously read target setpoint of the digital control equipment, and uses this target setpoint to execute the corresponding optimization strategy on the digital control equipment. When the switch is in the PLC control position, the PLC unit's start-up circuit is on while the DCS unit's start-up circuit is off. The PLC unit does not need to receive status signals; it generates the target setpoint based on the previously stored equipment status data in its internal register and executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the digital control equipment.

[0057] When in the open-circuit position, both starting circuits are disconnected, and the digital control equipment cannot receive any digital control signals. Since no new optimization instructions are generated, the digital control equipment continues to execute the optimization strategy in the last received optimization instruction, rather than stopping directly. This prevents the equipment in the glass production line from suddenly stopping, which could paralyze the production line and ultimately render the entire production line unusable.

[0058] The equipment status signal corresponding to the equipment status data is simultaneously transmitted to the DCS unit and PLC unit through the input terminal of a one-input two-output signal isolation distributor, ensuring that both the first control unit and the second control unit can obtain the equipment status in real time. The isolator has an accuracy class of 0.1, ensuring that the deviation of the status feedback signals obtained from both ends does not exceed 0.5%. The start-up circuits of the DCS unit and the PLC unit are respectively connected to one output terminal of the isolation distributor, and output the corresponding optimized command according to the control position of the selector switch.

[0059] In one embodiment, the cold-end conveyor roller motor employs digital control. A Schneider XB2-BD33 three-position selector switch is installed next to each roller motor. When the switch is in the DCS position, the DCS operator in the central control room controls the start and stop; when it is in the PLC position, the cold-end PLC automatically controls the logic; and when it is in the open-circuit position, the machine is stopped for maintenance. Equipment operation feedback signals are simultaneously sent to both the DCS and PLC units via a Phoenix Contact MINI MCR-SL-UI-2I model one-input two-output isolator.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the production data includes equipment status data and process data; Each optimization object has corresponding device status data, including real-time operating values, basic operating status, fault information, and execution data; Process data include furnace temperature, gas flow rate, combustion air flow rate, fuel input, molten glass level, molten glass temperature distribution, annealing furnace temperature distribution, glass conveyor belt speed, cooling air volume, and glass thickness. The upper-level unit adopts at least one of the following: kiln combustion optimization model, glass melt flow field prediction model, and annealing stress distribution prediction model; The optimization instructions include at least one of the following: air-fuel ratio optimization instruction, edge-drawing machine speed optimization instruction, and annealing temperature optimization instruction; Step S1 includes processing furnace temperature, gas flow rate, combustion air flow rate, fuel input amount and corresponding equipment status data through a furnace combustion optimization model to generate air-fuel ratio optimization instructions; By processing glass melt level, glass melt temperature distribution, and corresponding equipment status data using a glass melt flow field prediction model, optimization commands for the edge-drawing machine speed are generated; and By processing data on annealing furnace temperature distribution, glass conveyor speed, cooling air volume, glass thickness, and corresponding equipment status using an annealing stress distribution prediction model, annealing temperature optimization instructions are generated.

[0061] On the one hand, real-time operating values ​​include the actual frequency of the intelligent frequency converter, the speed of the servo drive, the speed of the edge-pulling machine, the actual opening degree of the valve, and the output power of the pump. These values ​​are read directly from the registers inside the corresponding equipment via the fieldbus and transmitted back to the PLC unit via the fieldbus interface.

[0062] Basic operating status includes equipment start / stop status, running / standby / stop status, manual / automatic mode, etc., which are collected by the acquisition module of the DCS unit.

[0063] Fault information includes communication failure, overload, overcurrent, overheating, timeout, abnormal shutdown, sensor disconnection alarm, etc., which are obtained by directly reading the fault code register of the optimized object.

[0064] The execution data includes the results of control command execution, action completion signals, batch batch completion signals, and cutting / stacking completion signals, which are obtained by directly reading the status register of the optimized object.

[0065] On the other hand, the furnace temperature is collected by thermocouples installed in the furnace regenerator, small furnace, melting section, refining section, and cooling section, as well as on the roof and pool walls; the gas flow rate is collected by flow meters installed in the main gas pipe and the gas branch pipes of each small furnace; the combustion air flow rate is collected by flow meters installed in the main combustion air pipe and the combustion air branch pipes of each small furnace; the fuel input is collected by mass flow meters and volume flow meters installed on the fuel delivery pipeline; and the molten glass level is collected by a level gauge installed above the surface of the molten glass in the furnace cooling section. The temperature distribution of molten glass is obtained by infrared thermal imagers installed at the melting section, refining section, and tin bath inlet of the melting furnace; the temperature distribution of the annealing furnace is obtained by thermocouples installed in the upper and lower heating zones and cooling zones of zones A to F of the annealing furnace; the speed of the glass conveyor belt is directly obtained by the rotational speed of the drive motor that drives the conveyor belt; the cooling air volume is obtained by wind speed sensors and flow meters installed at the cooling air branch pipes and cold end cooling fan outlets of the annealing furnace; and the glass thickness is obtained by laser thickness gauges installed at the tin bath outlet and annealing furnace outlet.

[0066] Each optimization model is obtained by training its corresponding historical data using a pre-set deep learning-based basic prediction model.

[0067] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the host unit continuously acquires the real-time running data of the optimized object, and constructs and continuously updates the digital twin of the optimized object based on the preset geometric model of the glass production line, the preset mechanism model of the optimized object, and the real-time running data. When anomalies occur in the real-time operating data of the optimized object, the upper-level unit controls the digital twin to analyze the cause of the anomaly based on historical production data.

[0068] Specifically, the supervisory unit also stores production data within a preset retention period, such as production data from the most recent year. Each time the supervisory unit receives new production data, it saves the new data. The supervisory unit also periodically deletes production data that has exceeded its retention period.

[0069] Based on the 3D CAD model of the glass factory, on-site point cloud data, and the physical layout of the entire process, a proportional 3D digital model covering raw material batching, melting furnace, tin bath, annealing furnace, and cold end cutting is constructed to accurately restore the shape, spatial position, pipeline routing, and assembly relationship of equipment in each section, forming a visualized geometric mapping of the physical production line.

[0070] For each optimization target, a mathematical model describing the equipment operation law and the relationship between process parameters and production quality is established by combining the process mechanisms of glass production thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, etc., and integrating the rated parameters of the equipment, the process constraints and safety boundaries commonly used in this field. This model serves as the mechanism model for the optimization target.

[0071] The upper-level unit performs lightweight processing on the original 3D geometric model of the glass production line, removing redundant geometric features and retaining key structures. The spatial coordinates and physical interfaces of all optimized objects' equipment bodies, sensors, and actuators are annotated on the lightweight model, establishing a one-to-one spatial mapping relationship between the geometric model and the physical production line. Subsequently, the mechanism models of the corresponding optimized objects are modularly encapsulated, and the thermodynamic, fluid dynamic, and heat transfer mathematical equations describing the equipment's operating laws are associated and bound to the corresponding equipment components in the geometric model. Historical operating data of the optimized objects is used to calibrate the key parameters of the mechanism models, ensuring that the output of the mechanism models matches the actual operating characteristics of the physical equipment. Then, the data channel of the collaborative control layer is established, and the real-time operating data of the optimized objects is connected to the digital twin engine through a unified protocol. The real-time data is mapped to the corresponding nodes of the geometric model and the input ports of the mechanism model, driving the geometric model to synchronously reproduce the operating posture of the physical equipment and driving the mechanism model to synchronously calculate the internal process. Finally, the accuracy of geometric mapping, the accuracy of mechanism model calculation, and the accuracy of real-time data synchronization are verified in multiple dimensions to correct model deviations, complete the construction of the digital twin of the optimized object, and continuously update the mechanism model parameters and the dynamic attributes of the geometric model with newly collected real-time data during operation to maintain the real-time consistency between the digital twin and the physical object.

[0072] Each digital twin can perform process simulation and deduction for its corresponding equipment. By inputting production data, it generates corresponding operating curves, such as adjusting kiln temperature curves and optimizing annealing curves, to assess their impact on product quality and energy consumption, reducing the risk of trial and error on-site. When quality anomalies or equipment failures occur, the higher-level unit drives the digital twin of the corresponding optimization object to call up production data for the corresponding time period to assist in analyzing the cause of the anomaly or failure. The digital twin also supports remote operation and maintenance collaboration, allowing experts not on-site in the central control room to remotely access the interface and collaborate with on-site operators to diagnose anomalies or failures.

[0073] This invention discloses an integrated central control system. By adopting the above-mentioned integrated central control method, the control rooms of the cold section and the hot section of the glass production line are integrated into a unified central control room, and the integrated central control system is deployed in the central control room. The integrated central control system is uniformly controlled by a higher-level unit, such as... Figure 4 As shown, it includes: The upper unit 1 is used to receive production data collected from the cold section and the hot section respectively and output corresponding optimization instructions. The optimization instructions include optimization strategy and optimization object. The corresponding control mode is selected according to the equipment type of the optimization object. Based on the control mode, the corresponding control weights are assigned to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively. The main control unit is determined from the first control unit and the second control unit according to the control weights. The first control unit 2 is connected to the upper unit 1 and is used to obtain first communication data from the second control unit 3 after being determined as the main control unit, and to execute optimization strategies on the optimization object based on the first communication data. The second control unit 3 is connected to the upper unit 1 and is used to obtain second communication data from the first control unit 2 after being determined as the main control unit, and to execute optimization strategies on the optimization object based on the second communication data. The communication unit 4 is connected to the first control unit 2 and the second control unit 3 respectively, and is used to send the first communication data to the first control unit 2 and the second communication data to the second control unit 3.

[0074] Specifically, the upper-level unit 1 includes a data acquisition module, an optimization module, and a determination module.

[0075] Specifically, the data acquisition module collects and processes production data from the cold and hot production sections from the edge computing nodes on site and then uploads it.

[0076] The optimization module connects to the acquisition module and receives production data collected by the acquisition module. After processing the data using the corresponding optimization model, it outputs the corresponding optimization instructions. The module is connected to the optimization module. The control mode is determined according to the device type of the optimization object in the optimization instruction. The corresponding control weights are assigned to the first control unit 2 and the second control unit 3 according to the control mode. The unit with the higher control weight is determined as the master control unit.

[0077] An embodiment is provided here to facilitate understanding of the present invention by those skilled in the art: A float glass factory originally had six decentralized control rooms: a raw material batching room, a melting furnace control room, a tin bath control room, an annealing control room, a cold end control room, and a utility engineering control room. These control rooms were spaced 50-300 meters apart. Now, a new unified central control room has been built on the first floor of the factory's office building. This room, approximately 300 square meters in size, features a central display system composed of 12 55-inch LED video walls. Twenty operator workstations are arranged in groups according to the raw material section, hot processing section, cold end section, and utility engineering section. A server rack area, engineer workstations, and shift handover area are also included. All operating terminals in the original workshop control rooms have been moved to the unified central control room. The original control rooms are retained as on-site inspection points, housing only inspection record terminals.

[0078] The entire plant is equipped with an industrial Ethernet backbone network, employing a ring-redundant topology. The core switch is located in a central control room, with access switches deployed in each process section, forming a ring network via fiber optic connections. An industrial firewall is deployed between the centralized monitoring layer and the collaborative control layer. A SCADA / HMI system is deployed throughout the glass factory, displaying the entire plant's process flow in zones on a central screen. A digital twin engine constructs a full-process twin based on the factory's 3D model and equipment operating data. A pre-trained furnace combustion optimization neural network model serves as the optimization model, using the heat balance equation as constraints to output air-fuel ratio optimization commands. The DCS unit uses Emerson DeltaV, responsible for furnace combustion control, furnace pressure regulation, tin bath temperature control, and annealing temperature control; the PLC unit uses Siemens S7-1500 series, responsible for raw material batching, cold end cutting, and utility control. Bidirectional data communication between the DCS unit and PLC unit is achieved through an OPCUA gateway, and a control arbitration unit is deployed. Edge computing nodes are deployed in the melting furnace and tin bath areas to perform local analysis on the temperature field data collected by the infrared thermal imager. When an abnormal hot spot is detected, a local alarm is issued within 50ms and the combustion valve is adjusted accordingly.

[0079] In this embodiment, the number of operators in the entire plant was reduced from 36 to 24, and the response time for dispatch was shortened from an average of 3 minutes to less than 15 seconds. Equipment malfunctions caused by control signal conflicts were eliminated. The digital twin engine assisted process personnel in completing two virtual verifications of the annealing curve optimization scheme, avoiding the potential quality degradation of approximately 50 tons of glass plates that could have been caused by on-site trial and error. The optimization instructions continuously output by the optimization model reduced the natural gas consumption per unit of the melting furnace by approximately 3.2%, saving approximately 1.2 million yuan in annual operation and maintenance costs.

[0080] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the implementation and protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should realize that any equivalent substitutions and obvious changes made based on the description and illustrations of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated central control method, applied to a glass production line with hot and cold sections, characterized in that, The control unit of the glass production line includes a first control unit for controlling the cold section and a second control unit for controlling the hot section, wherein the first control unit and the second control unit are controlled by different systems; The first control unit and the second control unit are controlled uniformly by the host unit; A communication gateway for transmitting communication data is provided between the first control unit and the second control unit; The integrated central control method includes: Step S1: The host unit receives production data collected from the cold section and the hot section respectively and outputs corresponding optimization instructions. The optimization instructions include optimization strategies and optimization objects. Step S2: The host unit selects the corresponding control mode according to the device type of the optimization object, assigns corresponding control weights to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively based on the control mode, and determines the main control unit from the first control unit and the second control unit according to the control weights; Step S3: The main control unit obtains the corresponding communication data from the control unit (which is not the main control unit) through the communication gateway, and the main control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the optimization object based on the communication data.

2. The integrated central control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first control unit is controlled by a PLC system, and the second control unit is controlled by a DCS system.

3. The integrated central control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The equipment types include communication control equipment and analog control equipment; The control modes include communication control mode and analog control mode; The communication data includes target setpoints and status signals; When the device type is the communication control device: In step S2, the host unit assigns a first control weight to the first control unit, assigns a second control weight to the second control unit, and selects the first control unit as the main control unit based on the comparison result of the first control weight and the second control weight. as well as In step S3, the host unit controls the first control unit to obtain the target setting value from the second control unit, and the first control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the communication control device. When the device type is the analog control device: In step S2, the host unit assigns a first control weight to the second control unit, assigns a second control weight to the first control unit, and selects the second control unit as the main control unit based on the comparison result of the first control weight and the second control weight. as well as In step S3, the host unit controls the second control unit to obtain the status signal from the first control unit, and the second control unit executes the corresponding optimization strategy on the analog control device; The first control weight is greater than the second control weight.

4. The integrated central control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the device type is the communication control device, in step S3, the optimization strategy is executed using the following steps: Step S31a: The second control unit writes the target setting value to the first control unit through the communication gateway; Step S32a: The first control unit determines whether the communication interruption duration with the second control unit is greater than a preset interruption threshold. If so, the first control unit outputs a preset safety control signal to the communication control device; If not, proceed to step S32c; In step S32c, the first control unit generates a corresponding communication control signal based on the target setting value and the optimization strategy, and outputs the communication control signal to the corresponding communication control device.

5. The integrated central control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Edge computing nodes are respectively set in the cold section and the hot section. The edge computing nodes are used to preprocess the production data and generate interlocking signals. The first control unit continuously receives the interlocking signal uploaded by the edge computing node; When the device type is the analog control device, in step S3, the optimization strategy is executed using the following steps: Step S31b: The first control unit processes the interlock signal to obtain the corresponding status signal, and inputs the status signal into a preset safety relay; as well as The second control unit receives the optimization instruction, converts the optimization strategy into a corresponding analog signal, and inputs the analog signal into the safety relay; Step S32b: The safety relay determines whether its circuit is open based on the status signal. If so, the analog signal is output to the corresponding analog control device; If not, then stop outputting the analog signal.

6. The integrated central control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The equipment type includes digital control equipment; The control mode includes a digital control mode; When the device type is the digital control device: In step S2, the host unit selects the corresponding control unit as the main control unit based on the current control level of the digital control device; and In step S3, the host unit controls the main control unit to execute the corresponding optimization strategy on the digital control device.

7. The integrated central control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control positions include a first control position, a second control position, and a circuit breaker position; When the digital control device is in the first control position, the host unit selects the first control unit as the main control unit and sends a conduction signal to the first control unit. The start-up circuit of the first control unit is turned on to execute the optimization strategy to the digital control device. When the digital control device is in the second control position, the upper unit selects the second control unit as the main control unit, sends a conduction signal to the second control unit, and the start-up circuit of the second control unit is turned on to execute the optimization strategy to the digital control device; as well as When the digital control device is in the circuit-breaking position, the upper-level unit does not send a conduction signal, and the start-up circuits of the first control unit and the second control unit are both disconnected, making it impossible to execute the optimization strategy to the digital control device.

8. The integrated central control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The production data includes equipment status data and process data; Each of the optimization objects has corresponding device status data, including real-time operating values, basic operating status, fault information, and execution data; The process data includes furnace temperature, gas flow rate, combustion air flow rate, fuel input, molten glass level, molten glass temperature distribution, annealing furnace temperature distribution, glass conveyor belt speed, cooling air volume, and glass thickness. The super-level unit adopts at least one of the following: kiln combustion optimization model, glass melt flow field prediction model, and annealing stress distribution prediction model; The optimization instructions include at least one of the following: air-fuel ratio optimization instructions, edge-drawing machine speed optimization instructions, and annealing temperature optimization instructions; Step S1 includes processing the furnace temperature, gas flow rate, combustion air flow rate, fuel input amount, and corresponding equipment status data through the furnace combustion optimization model to generate the air-fuel ratio optimization command; The glass melt flow field prediction model is used to process the glass melt level, glass melt temperature distribution, and corresponding equipment status data to generate the edge-pulling machine speed optimization command. as well as The annealing stress distribution prediction model processes the annealing furnace temperature distribution, the glass conveyor speed, the cooling air volume, the glass thickness, and the corresponding equipment status data to generate the annealing temperature optimization command.

9. The integrated central control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The host unit continuously acquires the real-time operating data of the optimized object, and constructs and continuously updates the digital twin of the optimized object based on the preset geometric model of the glass production line, the preset mechanism model of the optimized object, and the real-time operating data. When the real-time operating data of the optimized object is abnormal, the host unit controls the digital twin to analyze the cause of the abnormality based on the historical production data.

10. An integrated central control system, characterized in that, The integrated central control method described in any one of claims 1-9 is used to integrate the control room of the cold section and the control room of the hot section of the glass production line into a unified central control room, and the integrated central control system is deployed in the central control room; The integrated central control system includes: The host unit is used to receive production data collected from the cold section and the hot section respectively and output corresponding optimization instructions. The optimization instructions include optimization strategy and optimization object. The host unit selects the corresponding control mode according to the equipment type of the optimization object, assigns corresponding control weights to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively based on the control mode, and determines the master control unit from the first control unit and the second control unit according to the control weights. The first control unit is connected to the upper-level unit and is used to obtain first communication data from the second control unit after being identified as the main control unit, and to execute the optimization strategy on the optimization object based on the first communication data; The second control unit is connected to the host unit and is used to obtain second communication data from the first control unit after being identified as the main control unit, and to execute the optimization strategy on the optimization object based on the second communication data. The communication unit is connected to the first control unit and the second control unit respectively, and is used to send the first communication data to the first control unit and the second communication data to the second control unit.

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