Diagnostic controller

Abstract

This utility model relates to the diagnostics of shut-off and shut-off and control valves (hereinafter referred to as "SIV") and can be used in the petrochemical and oil refining industries, as well as in other sectors requiring operational monitoring and diagnostics of shut-off and shut-off and control valves. The objective of this utility model is to develop a diagnostic controller for shut-off and control valves that is mobile and capable of field operation in hazardous areas.A diagnostic controller with the ability to connect valve status sensors (pressure, displacement, and electrical current) is configured to regulate the valve position by sending a command signal to an actuator, which is implemented as an electrical signal-to-pressure converter. The controller is designed in a mobile form factor, with the control board and integrated power supply housed within the housing. It also contains intrinsically safe barriers for connecting the valve and actuator status sensors, implemented as control board components, and a wireless data interface unit for transmitting data between the diagnostic controller and a personal computer. The wireless data interface can be Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or any other interface supported by the personal computer. To ensure mobility, the personal computer is designed as an explosion-proof tablet.

Description

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of diagnostics of shut-off and control valves (hereinafter referred to as SRV) and can be used in the petrochemical and oil refining industries, as well as in other industries where operational monitoring and diagnostics of the state of shut-off and shut-off and control valves are required.

[0002] At oil refineries (hereinafter referred to as REFs), the current status sensors of the valves are located in close proximity to the valves, in a hazardous area. The equipment for reading data from the sensors and controlling the valve actuator (hereinafter referred to as AA) is located in the control room remote from the valves, in a non-hazardous area. Data is transmitted to the control room computer via wired interfaces. To ensure the safe operation of all equipment, the valve sensors and actuator are separated from the control equipment by special intrinsically safe barriers installed in the break in the wired data interface circuits.

[0003] To conduct operational monitoring and diagnostics of the valve directly at the installation site, in the field, mobile monitoring equipment capable of operating in hazardous areas and with a built-in power source is required. Due to explosion-proof requirements, wired data interfaces cannot be used, and the monitoring equipment must ensure explosion-proof connections to the sensors and measuring devices.

[0004] A group of patents US 4976144 A, US 5109692 A, US 5197328 A [1-3] are known, describing a diagnostic device and method for liquid control valves.

[0005] The diagnostic device consists of a diagnostic controller; valve status sensors - a pressure sensor installed at the positioner input, a pressure sensor installed at the valve drive input, a displacement sensor installed on the valve stem; devices for displaying diagnostic results (CRT display and printer); a keyboard connected to the diagnostic controller.

[0006] The diagnostic controller is connected to the valve drive unit and generates a control signal for diagnostics. The output signals from the valve status sensors are displayed on the diagnostic display devices, providing information that can be analyzed to indicate the valve's condition based on criteria such as spring adjustment, stroke time, valve travel, stem friction, seat load, and positioner and transducer calibration.

[0007] The advantages of this solution are:

[0008] possibility of diagnosing the condition of a pneumatically driven valve;

[0009] the presence of a controller for connecting sensors and IM (positioner and / or converter of electrical signal into pressure to control the position of the valve stem).

[0010] The disadvantages of this solution are:

[0011] stationary design;

[0012] absence of explosion protection circuits for connecting sensors and control units of the ZRA;

[0013] The diagnostic device cannot be used in a hazardous area due to the need for a wired connection to an external keyboard, CRT display and printer to display diagnostic results.

[0014] The closest in terms of the combination of features is the ValScope-Pro device [4-6], the description of the operation of which is disclosed in patents US 7539560 B2 and US 7890216 B2 [7, 8] describing a system for diagnosing control valves and positioners - a prototype.

[0015] A control valve and positioner diagnostic system comprising an electrical-to-pressure output transducer and / or a controller configured to regulate the valve position by sending a command signal to the electrical-to-pressure output transducer; and valve status sensors (pressure, displacement, and electrical current). Valve status diagnostics are performed by comparing the command signal with monitored parameters. The advantages of this solution are:

[0016] possibility of diagnosing the condition of a pneumatically driven valve;

[0017] the presence of a controller for connecting sensors and IM (positioner and / or converter of electrical signal into pressure for controlling the position of the valve stem);

[0018] portable controller;

[0019] The disadvantages of this solution are:

[0020] stationary version of personal computer;

[0021] absence of explosion protection circuits for connecting sensors and control units of the ZRA;

[0022] It is impossible to use the diagnostic system in a hazardous area due to the need for a wired connection between the controller and a personal computer.

[0023] The objective of the utility model is to develop a diagnostic controller that has a mobile design and the ability to be used in field conditions - in explosive zones of petrochemical and oil refining industries, as well as other industries.

[0024] The stated task is achieved in that a diagnostic controller with the ability to connect valve status sensors, configured to regulate the position of the valve by sending a command signal to an actuator implemented in the form of an electrical signal-to-pressure converter, according to the utility model, the diagnostic controller contains a control board configured with the ability to electrically and mechanically connect electronic components, as well as a built-in power source, wherein the control board and the built-in power source are placed in a housing, in addition, the diagnostic controller additionally contains intrinsically safe barriers for connecting the valve status sensors and the actuator, implemented in the form of elements of the control board, as well as a wireless interface unit for transmitting data between the diagnostic controller and a personal computer wirelessly.

[0025] The wireless data transmission interface unit can be designed to provide wireless communication via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or any other interface supported by the personal computer.

[0026] The personal computer can be made in the form of a tablet computer.

[0027] The essence of the proposed solution is explained by drawings.

[0028] Fig. 1 shows the appearance and composition of the diagnostic controller,

[0029] Fig. 2 shows the connection diagram of the valve and actuator status sensors to the diagnostic controller.

[0030] In accordance with Fig. 1, the diagnostic controller 11 is a device consisting of a control board 1 and an internal power source 2, enclosed in a metal housing 3. On the housing 3 are located

[0031] 4 input wire interface connectors for valve status sensors;

[0032] Connector 5 of the output interface for connecting to the valve actuator;

[0033] Diagnostic controller operating mode indicators “green” 6 and “red” 8;

[0034] connector for connecting external antenna of wireless interface 7;

[0035] Connector 9 for service connection and charging of the internal power supply;

[0036] Power on / off button 10.

[0037] All components of the diagnostic controller are made in accordance with the requirements for structural elements operating in an explosive area.

[0038] Intrinsically safe barriers for connecting valve and actuator status sensors are made in the form of elements of control board 1.

[0039] The diagnostic controller operates as follows (Fig. 2).

[0040] Preparation for work - carried out only in an explosion-proof zone:

[0041] 1. Recharging the internal power source using an external charger;

[0042] 2. Checking the functional status of the diagnostic controller or programming it using a personal computer 13 using a wired interface;

[0043] 3. Connecting to the diagnostic controller 11 of the personal computer 13 via a wireless interface.

[0044] The diagnostic controller 11, valve status sensors 12 and personal computer 13 are transferred to the place where the ZRA diagnostics are carried out in the explosion hazardous area, where the

[0045] connecting valve status sensors 12 to known control points of the valve;

[0046] Connecting diagnostic controller 11 to actuator 14.

[0047] On personal computer 13, specialized application software is launched and a cycle of diagnostic procedures is performed. [9] can be used as specialized software.

[0048] Thus, the utility model provides the ability to conduct operational monitoring and diagnostics of shut-off and shut-off and control valves in an explosive zone in the field.

[0049] The technical result of the utility model, which consists in the implementation of the possibility of working in the explosive zone of the petrochemical and oil refining industries and in other industries, is achieved due to:

[0050] 1. Mobile version of the diagnostic controller - placement of the control board and built-in power supply in the housing;

[0051] 2. Addition of intrinsically safe barriers for connecting valve status sensors and IM to the design of the diagnostic controller of shut-off and control valves;

[0052] 3. Connecting the diagnostic controller to a personal computer via a wireless interface;

[0053] 4. Conformity of the design of the diagnostic controller to the requirements imposed on structural elements operating in an explosive zone.

[0054] Sources of information

[0055] 1. US 4976144 A, “Diagnostic apparatus and method for fluid control valves”, William V. Fitzgerald, 12 / 11 / 1990.

[0056] 2. US 5109692 A, “Diagnostic apparatus and method for fluid control valves”, William V. Fitzgerald, 05 / 05 / 1992.

[0057] 3. US 5197328 A, “Diagnostic apparatus and method for fluid control valves”, William V. Fitzgerald, 03 / 30 / 1993.

[0058] 4. ValScope®-PRO / / URL: https: / / www.fluidtech.co.za / wp-content / uploads / 2018 / 02 / ValScope-PRO-0909-web.pdf (accessed: 08.01.2025).

[0059] 5. ValScope / / URL: http: / / controldistributors.com / wp-content / uploads / 2015 / 09 / ValScope-Pro-factsheet-GE.pdf (дата обращения: 08.01.2025).

[0060] 6. ValScope Masoneilan™ ValScope™-Pro. All in-One Control Valve Diagnostic Tool / / URL: https: / / dam.bakerhughes.com / m / 303ad3481c3ea6e6 / original / Masoneilan-ValScope-Pro-Fact-Sheet-English.pdf (дата обращения: 08.01.2025).

[0061] 7. US 7539560 B2, «Control valve and positioner diagnostics)), Henry W. Boger, Sandro Esposito, 26.05.2009.

[0062] 8. US 7890216 B2, «Control valve and positioner diagnostics)), Henry W. Boger, Sandro Esposito, 15.05.2011.

[0063] 9. Certificate of state registration of computer program No. 2025613899 Russian Federation. Application for assessing the technical condition of an internal combustion engine based on audio data: No. 2025662265: declared on 29.04.2025: published on 19.05.2025, Bulletin No. 5 / Russkikh G.S. et al.; copyright holder Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Omsk State Technical University (RU).

Claims

1. A diagnostic controller with the ability to connect valve status sensors, configured to regulate the position of the valve by sending a command signal to an actuator implemented in the form of an electrical signal-to-pressure converter, characterized in that the diagnostic controller contains a control board configured with the ability to electrically and mechanically connect electronic components, as well as a built-in power source, wherein the control board and the built-in power source are placed in a housing, in addition, the diagnostic controller additionally contains intrinsically safe barriers for connecting the valve status sensors and the actuator, implemented in the form of elements of the control board, as well as a wireless interface unit for transmitting data between the diagnostic controller and a personal computer wirelessly.

2. The diagnostic controller according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the wireless data transmission interface unit is designed to provide wireless communication via a Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or any other interface supported by a personal computer.

3. The diagnostic controller according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the personal computer is designed as a tablet computer.

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