Device, plant management system, method, and program

Abstract

Provided are a device, a plant management system, a method, and a program which can more appropriately respond to an abnormality that has occurred.　The device (30) is provided with a display screen for displaying the operation state of a plant (1), and comprises: an abnormality detection unit (322) for detecting the occurrence of an abnormality in the plant (1); a response information database (33C) for storing response information pertaining to responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past; and a display control unit (324) which, when an abnormality is detected, displays guidance information, pertaining to guidance for responding to the abnormality, and aggregation result information, indicating the results of aggregating possible responses to abnormalities related to the abnormality on the basis of the response information, on the display screen.

Description

Apparatus, plant management system, method, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus, a plant management system, a method, and a program.

[0002] Conventionally, sensors are installed in a plant, and the operating status of the plant is monitored based on the measured values ​​of the sensors. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a plant operation support device that includes an event history / operation history that stores events acquired from the plant and operation histories of operating the plant, and a guidance DB that stores guidance on operation details to be notified to operators in response to plant events, and that searches the event history / operation history database for operation details identical to the operation details of the guidance and the number of occurrences of the operation history for a specified guidance in the guidance DB using an operation history search means A105, and displays the search results on a screen display device.

[0003] JP 2007-193512 A

[0004] When an abnormality occurs in a plant, multiple factors are considered. Therefore, even if the same abnormality has occurred in the past, if the current abnormality is caused by a different factor, a different response may be required.

[0005] Therefore, even if a response is made based on past operation history, as in the conventional method, the current abnormality may have a different cause from the past abnormality, and therefore the response may not be appropriate.

[0006] It is an exemplary object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an apparatus, a plant management system, a method, and a program that can more appropriately respond to an abnormality that has occurred.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus having a display screen that displays the operating status of a plant, and is equipped with an abnormality detection unit that detects the occurrence of an abnormality in the plant, a response information storage unit that stores response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past, and a display control unit that, when an abnormality is detected, displays on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality, and summary result information that shows the results of a summary based on the response information regarding responses that can be taken to abnormalities related to the abnormality.

[0008] In the above-described device, the display control unit may display the aggregation result information in the form of a graph showing the ratio of each of the actions taken in the past.

[0009] In the above-described device, the graphs may include a graph showing the proportion of each response that has been taken in the past in the plant, a graph showing the proportion of each response that has been taken in the past in plants of the same type as the plant, and a graph showing the proportion of each response that has been taken in the past in all plants.

[0010] In the above-described device, the display control unit may display the count result information in the form of a list showing the number of times each treatment has been performed in the past.

[0011] The above-described device may further include a receiving unit that, after taking action against the detected abnormality, receives input of information about the action in the form of a questionnaire.

[0012] The above-described device may further include a correspondence information generation unit that generates correspondence information based on the received information.

[0013] The above-described device may further include a guidance information storage unit that stores guidance information in association with an abnormality.

[0014] A plant management system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a plant and the above-described apparatus.

[0015] Another aspect of the method of the present invention is a method for an apparatus having a display screen that displays the operating status of a plant, and includes detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the plant, and, when the abnormality is detected, displaying on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information indicating a summary of responses that can be taken to an abnormality related to the abnormality, based on response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

[0016] Another aspect of the program of the present invention is a program to be executed by a computer of an apparatus having a display screen that displays the operating status of a plant, and includes detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the plant, and, when the abnormality is detected, displaying on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information indicating the results of a summary of responses that can be made to abnormalities related to the abnormality, based on response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

[0017] In addition, any combination of the above components or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, computer programs, data structures, recording media, etc. are also valid aspects of the present invention.

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to more appropriately respond to an abnormality that has occurred.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a plant according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of an apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a physical configuration of the apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a guide display screen displayed on the apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a numerical confirmation table included in the first example of the guide display screen shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a counting result area included in the first example of the guide display screen shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a guide display screen displayed on the apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating example of counting result information included in the second example of the guide display screen shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an information collection screen displayed on the apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a guide display process performed by the apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0020] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention. The same or equivalent components, parts, and processes shown in each drawing will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate.

[0021] First, the configuration of a plant according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the plant 1 according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1 , the plant 1 is, for example, a power generation plant (incineration plant) including a circulating fluidized bed boiler (circulating fluidized bed type), and is equipped with a boiler that generates steam by burning fuel while circulating a circulating material such as high-temperature fluidized silica sand. As fuel for the plant 1, in addition to fossil fuels such as coal, non-fossil fuels (woody biomass, waste tires, waste plastic, sludge, etc.) can be used. The steam generated in the plant 1 is used to drive a turbine 100. Note that the plants targeted by this embodiment are not limited to power generation plants and incineration plants that include boilers, but may also be any plants from which process data can be acquired, such as chemical plants and wastewater treatment plants.

[0022] The plant 1 is configured to combust fuel in a furnace 2, separate circulating material from exhaust gas using a cyclone 3 that functions as a solid-gas separator, and return the separated circulating material to the furnace 2 for circulation. The separated circulating material is returned to the bottom of the furnace 2 via a circulating material recovery pipe 4 connected below the cyclone 3. The bottom of the circulating material recovery pipe 4 is connected to the bottom of the furnace 2 via a loop seal 4a with a narrowed flow path. This leaves a predetermined amount of circulating material stored in the bottom of the circulating material recovery pipe 4. The exhaust gas from which the circulating material has been removed by the cyclone 3 is supplied to a rear flue 5 via an exhaust gas flow path 3a.

[0023] The boiler includes a furnace 2 for burning fuel and a heat exchanger for generating steam and the like using heat obtained by the combustion. A fuel supply port 2a for supplying fuel is provided in the middle of the furnace 2, and a gas outlet 2b for discharging combustion gas is provided in the upper part of the furnace 2. Fuel supplied to the furnace 2 from a fuel supply device (not shown) is supplied into the furnace 2 through the fuel supply port 2a. In addition, a furnace wall tube 6 for heating boiler feedwater is provided on the furnace wall of the furnace 2. The boiler feedwater flowing through the furnace wall tube 6 is heated by combustion in the furnace 2.

[0024] Within the furnace 2, the solids containing the fuel supplied from the fuel supply port 2a are fluidized by combustion and fluidization air introduced from the lower air supply line 2c, and the fuel burns at, for example, about 800 to 900°C while flowing. The combustion gas generated in the furnace 2 is introduced into the cyclone 3, accompanied by the circulating material. The cyclone 3 separates the circulating material from the gas by centrifugal separation, and returns the separated circulating material to the furnace 2 via the circulating material recovery pipe 4, while sending the combustion gas from which the circulating material has been removed through the exhaust gas flow path 3a to the rear flue 5.

[0025] In the furnace 2, a portion of the circulating material, called the in-furnace bed material, accumulates at the bottom. This bed material may contain coarse-grained bed material or exhaust combustion impurities that are unsuitable for circulating flow. These unsuitable bed materials can cause poor flow. Therefore, to prevent poor flow, the in-furnace bed material is continuously or intermittently discharged to the outside from a discharge port 2d at the bottom of the furnace 2. After removing unsuitable materials such as metals and coarse grains from the discharged bed material on a circulation line (not shown), the discharged bed material is either resupplied to the furnace 2 or disposed of as is. The circulating material in the furnace 2 circulates within a circulation system consisting of the furnace 2, the cyclone 3, and the circulating material recovery pipe 4.

[0026] The rear flue 5 has a flow path for flowing the gas discharged from the cyclone 3 to a subsequent stage. The rear flue 5 has a superheater 10 that generates superheated steam and an economizer 12 that preheats boiler feedwater as an exhaust heat recovery section that recovers heat from the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas flowing through the rear flue 5 is cooled by heat exchange with the steam and boiler feedwater flowing through the superheater 10 and the economizer 12. The rear flue 5 also has a steam drum 8 that stores the boiler feedwater that has passed through the economizer 12, and the steam drum 8 is also connected to the furnace wall tubes 6.

[0027] The economizer 12 transfers heat from the exhaust gas to the boiler feed water to preheat the boiler feed water. The economizer 12 is connected to the pump 7 by a pipe 21 and to the steam drum 8 by a pipe 22. The boiler feed water is supplied from the pump 7 via the pipe 21 to the economizer 12 and preheated by the economizer 12, and is then supplied to the steam drum 8 via the pipe 22.

[0028] A downcomer pipe 8a and a furnace wall pipe 6 are connected to the steam drum 8. The boiler feedwater in the steam drum 8 flows down the downcomer pipe 8a, is introduced into the furnace wall pipe 6 at the bottom of the furnace 2, and flows toward the steam drum 8. The boiler feedwater in the furnace wall pipe 6 is heated by the combustion heat generated in the furnace 2, and evaporates into steam in the steam drum 8.

[0029] A saturated steam pipe 8b that discharges the steam inside is connected to the steam drum 8. The saturated steam pipe 8b connects the steam drum 8 and a superheater 10. The steam inside the steam drum 8 is supplied to the superheater 10 via the saturated steam pipe 8b. The superheater 10 superheats the steam using the heat of the exhaust gas to generate superheated steam. The superheated steam passes through a pipe 10a and is supplied to a turbine 100 outside the plant 1 to be used for power generation.

[0030] The pressure and temperature of the steam discharged from the turbine 100 are lower than the pressure and temperature of the steam discharged from the superheater 10. Although not particularly limited, the pressure of the steam supplied to the turbine 100 is approximately 10 to 17 MPa, and the temperature is approximately 530 to 570°C.

[0031] A condenser 102 is provided downstream of the turbine 100. The steam discharged from the turbine 100 is supplied to the condenser 102, where it is condensed and returned to saturated water, and then supplied to the pump 7. A generator is connected to the turbine 100, which converts kinetic energy obtained by the rotation of the turbine 100 into electrical energy.

[0032] The pump 7a supplies makeup water so as to maintain a constant water level in the condenser 102. Fig. 1 shows a flow rate u1 of makeup water supplied by the pump 7a (an example of "process data").

[0033] The process data (data related to the operation of the plant 1) handled in this embodiment may be any data related to the plant 1, for example, data obtained by measuring the state of the plant 1 with a sensor (an example of "process data"), and more specifically, may include measured values ​​of the temperature, pressure, flow rate, and the like of the plant 1. FIG. 1 shows a boiler feedwater flow rate u2 (an example of "process data") supplied from the pump 7 to the economizer 12. FIG. 1 also shows a boiler outlet steam flow rate u3 (an example of "process data") supplied from the superheater 10 to the turbine 100, and a saturated steam flow rate u4 (an example of "process data") supplied from the steam drum 8 to the superheater 10. The make-up water flow rate u1 may be controlled to follow the saturated steam flow rate u4. The boiler feedwater flow rate u2 may be controlled to follow the adjustment while monitoring both the boiler outlet steam flow rate u3 (or the superheated steam flow rate) and the liquid level of the steam drum 8.

[0034] If a hole occurs in the piping system that constitutes the plant 1, the makeup water flow rate u1 increases, or the flow rate difference between the boiler feedwater flow rate u2 and the boiler outlet steam flow rate u3 increases. A DCS (Distributed Control System, FIG. 2) 20 receives process data of the plant 1, such as the makeup water flow rate u1, the boiler feedwater flow rate u2, the boiler outlet steam flow rate u3, and the saturated steam flow rate u4, from the plant 1, and monitors the operating status of the plant 1 and whether any abnormalities have occurred in the plant 1. As will be described later, a device 30 shown in FIG. 2 evaluates the process data based on alarm determination logic that is set for each type of abnormality, and issues an alarm if an abnormality occurs.

[0035] Although the makeup water flow rate u1, the boiler feedwater flow rate u2, the boiler outlet steam flow rate u3, and the saturated steam flow rate u4 are exemplified as process data, the process data related to the plant 1 may be other data or data calculated based on a plurality of process data. The process data related to the plant 1 may be other data such as temperature and pressure, or may be uncalculated data acquired from a sensor or the like.

[0036] 1 shows only one plant 1, the present invention is not limited to this example. The plant management system 50 and the device 30 of the present embodiment described below may be used for two or more plants.

[0037] Next, a plant management system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a diagram showing functional blocks of an apparatus 30 according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the physical configuration of the apparatus 30 according to the embodiment.

[0038] The DCS 20 is a distributed control system for controlling the plant 1, and as shown in FIG. 2, acquires process data from sensors and the like installed in the plant 1, and supplies control signals to the plant 1 for controlling the plant 1 based on the process data.

[0039] The plant management system 50 includes the plant 1 and a device 30. The device 30 is a device equipped with a display screen, such as a display device, a monitoring device, or an operation support device. The device 30 is configured to display information on the display screen based on process data from the DCS 20.

[0040] The device 30 includes a control unit 32 and a storage unit 33. The control unit 32 includes, as functional components, an acquisition unit 321, an abnormality detection unit 322, a counting unit 323, a display control unit 324, a reception unit 325, and a correspondence information generation unit 326. The storage unit 33 stores various types of data, such as a plant basic information DB 33A, a guidance information DB 33B, and a correspondence information DB 33C.

[0041] The acquisition unit 321 is configured to acquire process data from, for example, the DCS 20. The acquisition unit 321 sequentially acquires the process data from the DCS 20 while the plant 1 is in operation. The acquired process data is stored in the storage unit 33 as information related to the process of the plant 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "process information"). Note that the plant 1 is "in operation" as long as at least a part of it is operating.

[0042] The acquisition unit 321 is also configured to acquire alarm information from the DCS 20. The acquisition unit 321 acquires alarm information from the DCS 20 each time an alarm is issued (an example of an "occurrence") during operation of the plant 1. The alarm information indicates an alarm that has occurred in the plant 1, and is information about an alarm (warning) regarding an abnormality that has occurred. The alarm information includes an alarm item (the type of the alarm), the alarm occurrence date and time (the date and time the alarm occurred), an alarm level (the level (importance) of the alarm, etc., which is classified into, for example, a heavy alarm, a medium alarm, a light alarm, etc.), and a value of process data related to the alarm (for example, the value of the make-up water flow rate u1 or the boiler feedwater flow rate u2 determined to be abnormal).

[0043] The DCS 20 determines whether an abnormality or the like has occurred in the plant 1, and generates alarm information when it determines that an abnormality has occurred. The DCS 20 determines that an abnormality has occurred, for example, when a value included in the process data exceeds a predetermined threshold or when a predetermined change occurs in the trend of a value included in the process data. More specifically, the DCS 20 may evaluate predetermined process data based on alarm determination logic and determine whether an abnormality such as a blowout (a condition in which metal materials such as tubes and pipes constituting a boiler are damaged and ruptured, causing internal steam to leak to the outside, such as a boiler tube leak; this includes a condition in which a blowout is likely to occur in the future; the same applies hereinafter) has occurred in the plant 1. The alarm information generated by the DCS 20 is also specifically referred to as "DCS alarm information." Similarly, the system 30 may also determine whether an abnormality or the like has occurred in the plant 1 based on process data acquired by the acquisition unit 321, and determine that an abnormality has occurred. The alarm information generated at this time is also specifically referred to as "system alarm information." Hereinafter, DCS alarm information and system alarm information will be collectively referred to as "alarm information."

[0044] The abnormality detection unit 322 is configured to detect that an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1. More specifically, the abnormality detection unit 322 is configured to detect that an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1 based on the alarm information described above.

[0045] In this application, the term "abnormality" is used in a broader sense than its general meaning. Therefore, in addition to conditions that are generally recognized as abnormal, "abnormality" in this application may also include conditions that are not normally considered abnormal, such as conditions that require attention or vigilance. Furthermore, in this application, "abnormality" may include various types of abnormalities of different levels (importance), for example, from serious abnormalities to minor abnormalities.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, all treatable abnormalities are classified in advance so that they can be identified, and each is assigned an identifier, such as an abnormality ID. Furthermore, each abnormality is classified into larger groups, and an identifier, such as an abnormality classification ID, is also assigned. Furthermore, the classification may be divided into multiple groups of varying sizes, such as relatively large classifications (major classifications), relatively medium classifications (medium classifications), and relatively small classifications (minor classifications). In this case, each abnormality is assigned, for example, a major abnormality classification ID, a medium abnormality classification ID, and a minor abnormality classification ID instead of or in addition to the abnormality classification ID. Information for identifying these abnormalities may be included in the DCS alarm information. Furthermore, the device 30 may acquire information for identifying abnormalities from another device connected via a network that manages this information.

[0047] The tallying unit 323 is configured to tally up possible responses to anomalies related to the detected anomaly based on response information. The response information is stored in advance in the response information DB 33C of the storage unit 33. The tallying unit 323 reads out the response information from the response information DB 33C based on anomalies related to the detected anomaly.

[0048] An anomaly related to a detected anomaly is, for example, an anomaly that is identical to or similar to the detected anomaly. The degree (range) of similarity can be set as appropriate. The aggregation unit 323 determines whether the anomalies are identical or similar, for example, based on the anomaly isolation ID described above. The aggregation unit 323 reads out information on responses previously taken for identical or similar anomalies from the response information DB 33C. Then, the aggregation unit 323 aggregates responses to anomalies that occurred in the past for each possible response in the read response information.

[0049] The tallying unit 323 then generates information indicating the results (hereinafter also referred to as "tallying result information") based on the tallying results for each response. The tallying result information includes, for example, information indicating the proportion of each response to all responses, or information indicating the number of times each response was taken. The tallying result information is stored in the storage unit 33.

[0050] The display control unit 324 is configured to generate display data based on process data, alarm information, etc., and to display information on the display screen based on the display data. More specifically, the display control unit 324 is configured to display information related to guidance for dealing with abnormalities (hereinafter also referred to as "guidance information") and the above-mentioned aggregation result information on the display screen. The guidance information is stored and memorized in advance in the guidance information DB 33B of the storage unit 33. The display control unit 324 reads out the guidance information from the guidance information DB 33B based on the detected abnormality. Examples of screens that the display control unit 324 displays on the display screen will be described later.

[0051] In this way, when an abnormality is detected, guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and aggregation result information indicating the results of aggregation based on the response information regarding responses that can be taken to the abnormality related to the abnormality are displayed on the display screen. This makes it possible to display the guidance information and the aggregation result information together. Therefore, it is possible to provide the operator looking at the display screen with information to support the selection of an appropriate response from among possible responses, and to respond to the occurred abnormality more appropriately than in the past.

[0052] The display control unit 324 is also configured to display the tally result information on the display screen in the form of a graph showing the percentage of each past response, allowing investigators looking at the display screen to easily understand the percentage of each response.

[0053] The type of graph displayed on the display screen is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a pie chart, a bar graph, a line graph, a band graph, or the like.

[0054] The reception unit 325 is configured to, after a response to a detected abnormality has been taken, receive input of information regarding the response in the form of a questionnaire. The questionnaire is conducted in the form of inputting answers to pre-prepared questions. The questionnaire is intended to generate response information regarding the response taken and typically includes multiple questions. Specifically, when a response to a detected abnormality has been taken and the abnormality has been resolved, a screen for inputting the questionnaire is displayed on the display screen. The reception unit 325 receives information input to the screen by, for example, an operator. An example of a screen for inputting the questionnaire will be described later.

[0055] In this way, after taking action against a detected abnormality, information about that action is accepted in the form of a questionnaire, making it possible to easily collect more accurate information compared to mechanically collecting response history.

[0056] The correspondence information generating unit 326 is configured to generate correspondence information based on the information received by the receiving unit 325. This allows the information to be stored in the correspondence information DB 33C stored in the storage unit 33, and the correspondence information based on the collected information can be easily accumulated.

[0057] The plant basic information DB 33A stores multiple pieces of basic information about the plant 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "plant basic information"). The plant basic information includes, for example, information about the fuel, size, region, etc. of the plant 1. It is possible to classify the type of plant 1 based on the plant basic information. By accessing the plant basic information DB 33A and referring to the plant basic information, it is possible to determine, for example, whether a plant is in the same state as a certain plant, whether a plant is of the same size as a certain plant, etc. Furthermore, when the plant management system 50 and device 30 of this embodiment target multiple plants 1, each plant 1 is assigned an identifier for identifying the plant, for example, a plant ID. In this case, the plant basic information includes the plant ID.

[0058] The guidance information DB 33B stores multiple pieces of guidance information. Each piece of guidance information is associated with one or more abnormalities and includes guidance for responding to the abnormalities. The guidance information also includes information for identifying the associated abnormality, such as an abnormality ID and / or an abnormality classification ID. Generally, multiple causes of an abnormality are possible. Furthermore, multiple possible responses may exist for each cause. Therefore, the guidance included in the guidance information comprehensively includes possible causes and responses for the associated abnormality. Therefore, when the guidance information is displayed in a yearly format, the operator of the plant management system 50 or the device 30 is provided with a large number of options. The guidance information DB of this embodiment corresponds to an example of the "guidance information storage unit" of the present invention.

[0059] In this way, the guidance information DB 33B stores the guidance information in association with an abnormality, and the information is stored in the storage unit 33. When an abnormality is detected, the guidance information associated with the abnormality can be read out immediately.

[0060] The correspondence information DB 33C stores multiple pieces of correspondence information. Each piece of correspondence information is associated with an abnormality that occurred in the past. Therefore, the correspondence information includes information for identifying the associated abnormality, such as an abnormality ID, and may further include an abnormality classification ID. Furthermore, when the plant management system 50 and the device 30 of this embodiment target multiple plants 1, the correspondence information includes the plant ID of the plant 1 in which the associated abnormality occurred.

[0061] At least some of the plant basic information DB 33A, the guidance information DB 33B, and the correspondence information DB 33C stored in the storage unit 33 may be normalized in a predetermined manner to subdivide any group unit. The information (data) stored in the plant basic information DB 33A, the guidance information DB 33B, and the correspondence information DB 33C is not limited to being stored in a database format, and may be stored in any structure and format, such as a table format, a block format, or a file format.

[0062] Furthermore, at least one of the plurality of functional blocks in the control unit 32 of the device 30 described above may be realized in cooperation with another device (not shown).

[0063] As shown in Fig. 3, the device 30 physically includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30a, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 30b, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 30c, a communication unit 30d, an input unit 30e, and a display unit 30f. These components are connected via a bus so that they can transmit and receive data to and from each other. Each functional block of the device 30 shown in Fig. 2 is realized by the physical configuration shown in Fig. 3.

[0064] Although the present embodiment describes a case in which the device 30 is configured by a single computer, the device 30 may be realized by combining multiple computers. For example, in addition to the display unit 30f, a display constituting a different display unit for displaying other information may be provided. The device 30 may also be configured by a tablet terminal. By configuring the device 30 as a tablet terminal, the device 30 can be carried around and used, for example, while patrolling the plant 1. The configuration shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and the device 30 may have other configurations or may not have some of these configurations. Furthermore, some of the configurations may be provided in a remote location. For example, a control device including a CPU 30a or the like may be provided in a remote location. In this case, the device 30 including the display unit 30f or the like may be configured to receive control signals generated by a control device provided in a remote location via a network.

[0065] The CPU 30a is a calculation unit that controls the execution of programs stored in the RAM 30b or the ROM 30c and calculates and processes data. The CPU 30a is a calculation unit that executes a program (monitoring program) that displays graphs and descriptions of process data of the plant 1. The CPU 30a receives various data from the input unit 30e and the communication unit 30d, and displays the calculation results of the data on the display unit 30f or stores them in the RAM 30b.

[0066] The RAM 30b is a rewritable storage device among the storage units, and may be configured with a semiconductor storage element such as a DRAM or an SRAM. The RAM 30b may store data such as programs executed by the CPU 30a and process data of the plant 1. Note that these are merely examples, and the RAM 30b may store data other than these, or may not store some of these data.

[0067] The ROM 30c is a memory from which data can be read, and may be configured, for example, as a semiconductor memory element such as a flash memory or an HDD. The ROM 30c may store, for example, computer programs for executing various processes described in this embodiment and data that is not to be rewritten. The data that is not to be rewritten includes, for example, information regarding the plant 1 and specifications of components of the plant 1. The ROM 30c may also store, for example, process data of the plant 1, indicators related to the operation of the plant 1 (such as availability and efficiency), and data such as planned shutdown periods.

[0068] The communication unit 30d is an interface that connects the system 30 to other devices, and may be connected to a communication network such as the Internet.

[0069] The input unit 30e receives data input in response to operations by an operator, and may include, for example, a keyboard and a touch panel.

[0070] The display unit 30f has a screen that visually displays the results of calculations performed by the CPU 30a, and may be configured, for example, by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The display unit 30f may display graphs and explanatory text of process data. The display unit 30f may also be configured so that a single screen is formed by connecting multiple displays.

[0071] Computer programs for executing the various processes described in this embodiment may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as the ROM 30c and provided, or may be provided via a communication network connected by the communication unit 30d. In the system 30, the CPU 30a executes the programs to realize various operations included in this embodiment. The programs can be stored in a storage medium. The storage medium storing the programs may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Note that these physical configurations are merely examples and do not necessarily have to be independent configurations. For example, the device 30 may include an LSI (Large Scale Integration) in which the CPU 30a and the RAM 30b or the ROM 30c are integrated.

[0072] Next, a first example of a guide display screen displayed on the display screen of the device will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a first example of a guide display screen DP1 displayed on the device 30 in one embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a numerical value confirmation table R23 included in the first example of the guide display screen DP1 shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a counting result area R25 included in the first example of the guide display screen DP1 shown in Figure 4.

[0073] The device 30 is configured to display a guide display screen DP1 shown in Fig. 4 on the display screen when an abnormality is detected in the plant 1. The guide display screen DP1 transitions from a dashboard display screen that displays the latest various indicators related to the operation of the plant 1 at predetermined time intervals, for example. On the guide display screen DP1, the operator can check the state of the plant 1 in detail through specific process data.

[0074] The guide display screen DP1 includes a first region R1 and a second region R2. In the first example shown in FIG. 4 , the first region R1 includes a first graph (scatter plot) of "boiler efficiency (loss method) (%)" and "boiler load (%)" and a second graph showing the time variation of "boiler efficiency (loss method) (%)." That is, the first region R1 is configured to be able to display a graph of the first process data (boiler efficiency (loss method) in the first example) and the related second process data (boiler load in the first example). In this way, by displaying not only the first process data but also the graph of the related second process data, the state of the plant 1 can be monitored from multiple angles.

[0075] The first graph may also display a threshold value for detecting whether an abnormality has occurred. Similarly, the second graph may also display a threshold value for detecting whether an abnormality has occurred, and may also display the time when the cause of the abnormality occurred. Furthermore, the device 30 may display two or more graphs of the second process data related to the first process data, rather than just one. In the first example, by pressing the transition button marked "1 / 10" at the bottom of the guide display screen DP1, another graph of the second process data is displayed.

[0076] Furthermore, the device 30 is configured to be able to display a second graph of the first process data, which is different from the first graph, in the first region R1. By displaying a first graph (scatter plot) of the first process data, "boiler efficiency (loss method) (%)," and a second graph showing the time change of "boiler efficiency (loss method) (%)," and displaying multiple types of graphs for the first process data, it is possible to monitor the state of the plant 1 from multiple angles. Note that the device 30 may display three or more graphs related to the first process data.

[0077] The display control unit 324 of the device 30 is configured to be able to display guidance information and tally result information in a second region R2 of the display screen adjacent to the first region R1. The first example is a case where an abnormality that reduces boiler efficiency is detected. In this example, the guide name is "Boiler Efficiency," the content is "Boiler Efficiency (Heat Input / Output Method)," and the date and time of occurrence are the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second when the abnormality occurred (in FIG. 4, "YY / MM / DD h:m:s"), respectively.

[0078] The second region R2 includes a guidance region R20 that displays guidance information for responding to the detected abnormality in a response method column. The guidance region R20 is divided into, for example, "1. Evaluation purpose," "2. Cause of occurrence," and "3. Response method," and the "3. Response method" column is further divided into "(1) Numerical value confirmation" and "(2) On-site confirmation." Each item displays information using text, numerical values, a table, etc.

[0079] Specifically, in the first example, the following explanation is displayed for 1. Evaluation Objective: "Boiler efficiency (loss method) evaluates the balance of boiler efficiency calculated using the loss method against boiler load (heat output) with the aim of detecting abnormalities in boiler efficiency. If this evaluation item occurs, the following factors may be considered." Also, for 2. Cause of Occurrence, two factors are displayed: "(1) Increased moisture content in fuel, resulting in increased flue gas loss. (2) Increased flue gas temperature (T1004.PV), resulting in increased flue gas loss." Also, for 3. Action Method, (1) Numerical Check displays Table R23, as shown in Figure 5. Table R23 includes the fields "Name," "Tag," "Confirmation Content," and "Remarks," and contains multiple rows (records) for describing the numerical check items. Furthermore, for 3. Action Method, (2) On-site Check displays two check items: "a. Check the calorific value and moisture content of the fuel used. b. Check the status of steam and other outflows from various systems." The information displayed in the guidance area R20 is included in the guidance information stored in the guidance information DB 33B.

[0080] In addition, the second region R2 further includes, in part of the response method column, a count result region R25 that displays count result information showing the results of aggregating responses that can be taken to abnormalities related to the detected abnormality.

[0081] Specifically, in the first example, in the section 3. Response Method (3) Questionnaire Results, the aggregated result information is displayed in the form of a graph showing the percentage of each response taken in the past. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the graph includes three graphs: a first pie chart R25A, a second pie chart R25B, and a third pie chart R25C. The first pie chart R25A is a pie chart showing the percentage of each response taken in the subject plant, i.e., plant 1 for which the system 30 displays various plant data as a monitored target. The second pie chart R25B is a pie chart showing the percentage of each response taken in a similar-status plant, i.e., one or more plants determined to be in a similar state to plant 1. The third pie chart R25C is a pie chart showing the percentage of each response taken in all plants, i.e., all plants including plant 1.

[0082] In this way, the graphs displayed in the aggregation result region R25 include a first pie chart R25A showing the proportion of each response that was previously performed in plant 1, a second pie chart R25B showing the proportion of each response that was previously performed in plants of the same type as plant 1, and a third pie chart R25C showing the proportion of each response that was previously performed in all plants. This makes it possible to easily compare the proportion of each response in plant 1 with the proportion of each response in other plants.

[0083] Furthermore, the tally result information displayed in the tally result area R25 is not limited to being in the form of a graph. For example, the display control unit 324 may display the tally result information in the form of a list showing the number of times each past response was performed. This allows the number of times each past response was performed to be seen at a glance.

[0084] In the first example, the first pie chart R25A, the second pie chart R25B, and the third pie chart R25C are each composed of three responses: "change in fuel mix ratio (increase in moisture)," "soot blower operation (progression of ash deposition)," and "other." The area (angle) of each sector in the pie chart is proportional to the proportion (ratio) that each response occupies in the whole. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the first pie chart R25A of the plant and the second pie chart R25B of the plant in the same state show that "soot blower operation (progression of ash deposition)" is a response with a relatively high proportion of multiple responses to abnormalities that occurred in the past.

[0085] As in the first example, when an abnormality that reduces boiler efficiency is detected, it may lead to plant shutdown due to melting of circulating materials or excessive emissions. In this case, two possible causes are "1) Increase in moisture content in fuel" and "2) Increase in exhaust gas temperature." These causes are described in "2. Cause of occurrence" in the guidance area R20. Therefore, by looking at the guidance area R20 on the guide display screen DP1, the operator can grasp the multiple possible causes of a certain abnormality.

[0086] Additionally, the second region R2 of the guide display screen DP1 displays the compilation result information together with the guidance information. Therefore, by looking at the compilation result region R25 of the guide display screen DP1, the operator can obtain hints, for example, from the first pie chart R25A, the second pie chart R25B, and the third pie chart in Fig. 6, that the influence of "1) increase in moisture in fuel" is small, that "2) increase in exhaust gas temperature" is likely to be the main cause, and that addressing "2) increase in exhaust gas temperature" is an effective measure for addressing the abnormality that has occurred.

[0087] Next, a second example of a guide display screen displayed on the display screen of the device will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a diagram showing a second example of a guide display screen DP1 displayed on the device 30 in one embodiment. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of tally result information R25 included in the second example of the guide display screen DP1 shown in Figure 7.

[0088] In the second example, the same or similar components as those in the first example are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. The following mainly describes the differences from the first example. Similar effects and advantages resulting from similar components will not be mentioned. Furthermore, because the second example of the guide display screen DP1 is substantially identical to the first example of the guide display screen DP1, the description thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0089] 7, the first region R1 includes a first graph (scatter plot) of "boiler efficiency (loss method) (%)" and "boiler load (%)" and a second graph showing the time variation of "boiler efficiency (loss method) (%)." That is, the first region R1 is configured to be able to display a graph of first process data (steam temperature (°C) in the second example) and related second process data (boiler load in the second example).

[0090] The second example is a case where an abnormality is detected in which the steam temperature has not reached a predetermined value. In this example, in the second region R2, "Steam Temperature" is displayed as the guide name, "Steam Temperature" as the content, and the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second when the abnormality occurred ("YY / MM / DD h:m:s" in FIG. 7) as the occurrence date and time.

[0091] In the second example, the guidance area R20 displays the following explanatory text in the 1. Evaluation Objective section: "The steam temperature is evaluated based on the balance of the steam temperature relative to the boiler load (heat output) in order to detect abnormalities in the steam temperature. If this evaluation item occurs, the following factors may be considered." Also, in the 2. Cause of the occurrence section, five factors are displayed: "(1) Fuel change (mixed combustion ratio, properties), (2) Change in air distribution, (3) Change in particle size of supplied sand, (4) Progression of ash adhesion, and (5) Impact of abnormal control." Also, in the 3. Action Method section, (1) Numerical Check, table R23 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, as in the first example. Furthermore, in the 3. Action Method section, (2) On-site Check, two check items are displayed: "a. Check the calorific value and moisture content of the fuel used. b. Check the particle size of the supplied sand."

[0092] In the second example, the first pie chart R25A, the second pie chart R25B, and the third pie chart R25C are each composed of five responses: "Fuel change (mixed combustion ratio, properties)," "Air distribution change," "Change in particle size of supplied sand," "Progression of ash adhesion," "Impact of abnormal control," and "Other." The area (angle) of each sector in the pie chart is proportional to the proportion (ratio) that each response occupies in the whole. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the first pie chart R25A for the subject plant, the second pie chart R25B for the same plant, and the third pie chart R25C for all plants show that "Change in particle size of supplied sand" is a response with a relatively high proportion of responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

[0093] As in the second example, when an abnormality is detected in which the steam temperature does not reach a predetermined value, plant efficiency may drop significantly, resulting in uneconomical operation. In this case, five possible causes are: "1) fuel change (mixed-fuel ratio, properties)," "2) change in air distribution," "3) change in sand supply particle size," "4) progression of ash adhesion," and "5) impact of abnormal control." These causes are described in "2. Causes of Occurrence" in the guidance area R20. Therefore, by looking at the guidance area R20 on the guide display screen DP1, the operator can grasp the multiple possible causes of a certain abnormality.

[0094] In addition, the second region R2 of the guide display screen DP1 displays the compilation result information together with the guidance information. Therefore, by looking at the compilation result region R25 of the guide display screen DP1, for example, the first pie chart R25A, the second pie chart R25B, and the third pie chart in Fig. 8, the operator can evaluate that the effects of "1) fuel change (mixed combustion ratio, properties)," "2) air distribution change," "4) ash deposition progress," and "5) influence of abnormal control" are small, and can also evaluate that the response of "3) change in grain size of supplied sand" is an effective measure for the abnormality in which the steam temperature does not reach the predetermined value, making it easier to identify the likely cause and the response.

[0095] Next, an information collection screen displayed on the display screen of the device will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an information collection screen DP2 displayed on the device 30 in one embodiment.

[0096] The device 30 is configured to display an information collection screen DP2 shown in Fig. 9 on the display screen when a detected abnormality in the plant 1 is resolved. The information collection screen DP2 is transitioned from the guide display screen DP1 after a predetermined time has elapsed since predetermined process data fell below a threshold value, for example. Note that the information collection screen DP2 may be transitioned from the guide display screen DP1 at any timing by an operator's operation.

[0097] The information collection screen DP2 includes an input area R30 and an input support area R31. The reception unit 325 of the device 30 is configured to receive input in the form of a questionnaire in the input area R30. In the example shown in FIG. 9 , the input area R30 displays the question, "Which measure was effective?" and answer options for the question, such as "Drum level control," "Regulating valve malfunction," "Regulating valve cleaning," and "...." The questions and answer options displayed in the input area R30 may be generated using an FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) analysis method. The input area R30 also includes a text box labeled "Other," allowing the operator to enter any text in the text box. Thus, the operator can select an answer from multiple options included in the input area R30 and also freely enter an answer.

[0098] 9 shows an example in which one question and multiple answer options are displayed in the input area R30, but this is not limiting. Multiple questions may be displayed in the input area R30, and each question may have one or multiple answers.

[0099] Furthermore, the input support area R31 is configured to be able to display information for supporting input into the input area R30. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the input support area R31 displays a graph of predetermined process data before a countermeasure was taken against the most recently detected abnormality (the "Before" graph in Fig. 9) and a graph of the predetermined process data after the countermeasure was taken (the "After" graph in Fig. 9). In this way, by displaying two graphs of process data before and after the countermeasure, it is possible to support input of a more accurate answer.

[0100] Next, a processing procedure executed by the device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a guide display process S100 executed by the device 30 in an embodiment.

[0101] In the following description, it is assumed that the plant 1 is in operation, that the plant basic information DB 33A stores plant basic information, and that the guidance information DB 33B stores guidance information. It is also assumed that the device 30 stores response information for past abnormalities that occurred in the plant 1 in the response information DB 33C, and that the device 30 also stores response information for plants other than the plant 1 in the response information DB 33C.

[0102] First, the abnormality detection unit 322 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1 (S101). The abnormality detection unit 322 makes the determination based on the alarm information described above. The abnormality detection unit 322 repeats step S101 until it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1.

[0103] If it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1 (S101; Yes), the display control unit 324 acquires guidance information stored in the guidance information DB 33B (S102). The display control unit 324 determines that the abnormality detection unit 322 has occurred in step S101, and reads and acquires guidance information associated with the detected abnormality from the guidance information DB 33B.

[0104] Next, the counting unit 323 counts possible responses to the abnormality related to the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit 322 in step S101, based on the response information stored in the response information DB 33C (S103).

[0105] Next, the tallying unit 323 generates tally result information based on the results of tallying in step S103 (S104). For example, as described with reference to Figures 6 and 8, when a pie chart is displayed on the display screen, the tallying unit 323 calculates the proportion (ratio) of each past action to the whole, and generates tally result information including information on the proportion (ratio).

[0106] Next, the display control unit 324 displays the guidance information acquired in step S102 and the tally result information generated in step S104 on the display screen (S105). As described with reference to Figures 4 and 7, the display control unit 324 displays the guidance information in the guidance area R20 and the tally result information in the tally result area R25 on the guide display screen DP1.

[0107] After step S105, the device 30 ends the guide display process S100.

[0108] The content and order of the steps of the guide display process S100 described in this embodiment are merely an example, and the guide display process S100 is not limited to this example. Also, the order of the steps in the flowchart shown in Fig. 10 may be changed as long as no inconsistency occurs in the process.

[0109] Furthermore, the processes described in this embodiment may be implemented by hardware in the device, or may be implemented by a processor executing a program stored in a storage device. When a program is executed, the program may be stored in a storage medium. The storage medium storing the program may be a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium. The non-transitory storage medium is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a storage medium such as a USB memory or a CD-ROM.

[0110] As described above, according to this embodiment, when an abnormality is detected, guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and aggregation result information indicating the results of aggregation based on the response information regarding responses that can be taken to the abnormality related to the abnormality are displayed on the display screen. This makes it possible to display the guidance information and the aggregation result information together. Therefore, it is possible to provide an operator looking at the display screen with information that supports the selection of an appropriate response from among possible responses, and to respond to the occurred abnormality more appropriately than in the past.

[0111] The embodiments described through the above embodiments can be combined, modified, or improved as appropriate depending on the application, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It is clear from the claims that such combinations, modifications, or improvements are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0112] The present disclosure includes, for example, the following embodiments, in which the correspondence with the above-described embodiments is indicated in parentheses.

[0113] [Supplementary Note 1] The device 30 according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided with a display screen that displays the operating status of the plant 1, and includes: an abnormality detection unit 322 that detects the occurrence of an abnormality in the plant 1; a response information storage unit 33C that stores response information related to responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past; and a display control unit 324 that, when an abnormality is detected, displays on the display screen guidance information related to guidance for responding to the abnormality and aggregation result information that indicates a result of aggregation based on the response information regarding responses that can be taken to abnormalities related to the abnormality.

[0114] [Supplementary Note 2] In the device 30 described in Supplementary Note 1, the display control unit 324 may display the aggregation result information in the form of a graph showing the ratio of each treatment performed in the past.

[0115] [Supplementary Note 3] In the device 30 described in Supplementary Note 2, the graphs may include a graph R25A representing the proportion of each response previously performed in the plant 1, a graph R25B representing the proportion of each response previously performed in plants of the same type as the plant 1, and a graph R25C representing the proportion of each response previously performed in all plants.

[0116] [Supplementary Note 4] In the device 30 described in Supplementary Note 1, the display control unit 324 may display the count result information in the form of a list showing the number of times each treatment has been performed in the past.

[0117] [Supplementary Note 5] The device 30 described in Supplementary Note 1 may further include a receiving unit 325 that, after taking the action against the detected abnormality, receives input of information about the action in the form of a questionnaire.

[0118] [Supplementary Note 6] The device 30 described in Supplementary Note 5 may further include a correspondence information generating unit 326 that generates correspondence information based on the received information.

[0119] [Supplementary Note 7] The device 30 described in Supplementary Note 5 may further include a guidance information storage unit 33B that stores guidance information in association with an abnormality.

[0120] [Supplementary Note 8] A plant management system 50 according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a plant 1 and the device 30 described in any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 7.

[0121] [Supplementary Note 9] A method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for an apparatus 30 having a display screen that displays the operating state of the plant 1, and includes detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1, and, when the abnormality is detected, displaying on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information indicating a summary of responses that can be taken to an abnormality related to the abnormality, based on response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

[0122] [Supplementary Note 10] A program according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a program to be executed by a computer of an apparatus 30 having a display screen that displays the operating state of the plant 1, and includes detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the plant 1, and, when the abnormality is detected, displaying on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information indicating a summary of responses that can be taken to an abnormality related to the abnormality, based on response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

[0123] 1...plant, 2...furnace, 2a...fuel supply port, 2b...gas outlet, 2c...air supply line, 2d...exhaust port, 3...cyclone, 3a...exhaust gas flow path, 4...circulating material recovery pipe, 4a...loop seal section, 5...rear flue, 6...furnace wall pipe, 7...pump, 7a...pump, 8...steam drum, 8a...downcomer pipe, 8b...saturated steam pipe, 10...superheater, 10a...pipe, 12...economiser, 13...area, 21...pipe, 22...pipe, 30...device , 30a...CPU, 30d...communication unit, 30e...input unit, 30f...display unit, 32...control unit, 33...memory unit, 33A...plant basic information DB, 33B...guidance information DB, 33C...correspondence information DB, 100...turbine, 102...condenser, 321...acquisition unit, 322...abnormality detection unit, 323...aggregation unit, 324...display control unit, 325...reception unit, 326...correspondence information generation unit, S100...guide display processing.

Claims

1. An apparatus having a display screen for displaying the operating status of a plant, comprising: an abnormality detection unit for detecting the occurrence of an abnormality in the plant; a response information storage unit for storing response information relating to responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past; and a display control unit for displaying on the display screen, when the abnormality is detected, guidance information relating to guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information showing a result of summarizing responses that can be made to abnormalities related to the abnormality, based on the response information.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays the tabulation result information in the form of a graph showing the ratio of each of the actions taken in the past.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the graphs include a graph showing the proportion of each of the actions taken in the past in the plant, a graph showing the proportion of each of the actions taken in the past in plants of the same type as the plant, and a graph showing the proportion of each of the actions taken in the past in all plants.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays the compilation result information in the form of a list showing the number of times each of the actions has been taken in the past.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a reception unit that, after taking the action against the detected abnormality, receives input of information regarding the action in the form of a questionnaire.

6. The device according to claim 5, further comprising a correspondence information generating unit that generates the correspondence information based on the received information.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a guidance information storage unit that stores the guidance information in association with the abnormality.

8. A plant management system comprising: the plant; and the device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A method for an apparatus having a display screen that displays the operating status of a plant, comprising: detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the plant; and, when the abnormality is detected, displaying on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information indicating a summary of responses that can be made to an abnormality related to the abnormality, based on response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

10. A program to be executed by a computer of an apparatus having a display screen that displays the operating status of a plant, the program including: detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the plant; and, when the abnormality is detected, displaying on the display screen guidance information regarding guidance for responding to the abnormality and summary result information indicating the results of a summary of responses that can be made to abnormalities related to the abnormality, based on response information regarding responses to abnormalities that have occurred in the past.

Images