Information processing system

Abstract

This information processing system comprises: a data storage unit for storing graph structure data in which constituent elements provided in a plant are defined as nodes and each connection relationship between two constituent elements is defined as an edge; and a control unit that groups piping system nodes on the basis of the graph structure data. The graph structure data includes a node data record that is set for each node and that includes attribute information indicating the attributes of the node. The control unit sorts, into the same group, nodes that have the same attribute and are connected to each other from among the piping system nodes.

Description

Information processing system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing system.

[0002] In plant design and construction, design information such as process flow diagrams and piping and instrumentation diagrams is used. In these design information, components such as process equipment, instruments, and piping systems are shown by combinations of graphics and characters.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-191900

[0004] In plant design and construction, components (piping system nodes) of a piping system may be grouped, and various calculations and management may be performed using the group. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which, on a piping and instrumentation diagram, a user colors a related range to ensure a certain function, and devices related to the function are extracted. However, in the design information, it is necessary for the user to visually confirm the connection relationship between components and the attributes of each component while performing grouping, which requires a lot of time for grouping.

[0005] In this technical field, it is desired to efficiently group piping system nodes.

[0006] (Clause 1) An information processing system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a data storage unit that stores graph structure data that defines components provided in a plant as nodes and connection relationships between two components as edges, and a control unit that groups piping system nodes based on the graph structure data. The graph structure data includes node data records that include attribute information indicating the attributes of the nodes, which is set for each node. The control unit classifies nodes that have the same attribute and are connected to each other among the piping system nodes into the same group.

[0007] In this information processing system, based on graph structure data that defines plant components as nodes and the connection relationships between two components as edges, piping system nodes that have the same attributes and are connected to each other are classified into the same group. Therefore, grouping is performed automatically without user intervention. Consequently, users do not need to visually check the attributes of the components, making it possible to streamline the grouping of piping system nodes.

[0008] (Clause 2) In the information processing system described in Clause 1, the node data record may further include a flag indicating whether or not it is a break node that separates the group, and the control unit may divide the group by the break node.

[0009] When a group contains many piping system nodes, calculations and management can become complex. With the above configuration, the group is divided by break nodes. Therefore, even if two piping system nodes connected via a break node have the same attributes, these two piping system nodes are classified into different groups. This simplifies calculations and management within the group.

[0010] (Clause 3) In the information processing system described in Clause 2, the break node may be a node added by the user.

[0011] In this configuration, the user can add break nodes to specify where the group will be divided. This simplifies calculations and management within the group.

[0012] (Clause 4) In the information processing system described in Clause 2, the break node may be a node designated by the user.

[0013] In this configuration, users specify the nodes that divide the group. This simplifies calculations and management within the group without adding new nodes.

[0014] (Clause 5) In the information processing system described in any one of Clauses 1 to 4, if a piping system node is added or changed after grouping has been performed, the control unit may group the added or changed piping system node without changing the group of piping system nodes that are not affected by the added or changed piping system node.

[0015] Downstream design tasks such as various calculations and management are performed using groups of piping system nodes. As the design progresses, piping system nodes are added or modified (including deletions) as needed. With the above configuration, piping system nodes that are added or modified after grouping are grouped again. At this time, the group of piping system nodes that are not affected by the added or modified piping system nodes remains unchanged. Therefore, downstream design tasks can be performed efficiently.

[0016] (Clause 6) In the information processing system described in any one of Clauses 1 to 5, the node data record may further include line numbers set based on the conditions of the fluid flowing through the piping system node, and the control unit may generate a group data record that associates the group with the line numbers.

[0017] This configuration eliminates the need to list the line numbers belonging to each group from the design information. Therefore, it becomes possible to further streamline the grouping of piping system nodes.

[0018] (Clause 7) The information processing system described in any one of Clauses 1 to 6 may include a terminal device used by a user and a server including the data storage unit and the control unit, and the control unit may perform the grouping in response to an operation for performing the grouping being performed on the terminal device.

[0019] The user performs a grouping operation on the terminal device, which then causes the piping system nodes to be grouped on the server. Therefore, since the user does not need to visually check the attributes of the components, the grouping of piping system nodes can be made more efficient.

[0020] According to each aspect and embodiment of this disclosure, the grouping of piping system nodes can be made more efficient.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an information processing system according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the computer constituting the terminal device and server shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a series of steps in plant design. Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining the attribute setting step. Figure 6 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 3. Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining the break node setting step. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after break nodes have been set. Figure 9 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a grouping method performed by the server shown in Figure 1. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the search process shown in Figure 10 in detail. Figure 12 is a diagram for explaining the grouping step. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after grouping has been performed. Figure 14 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a diagram showing an example of a group list. Figure 16 is a diagram for explaining the drawing modification step. Figure 17 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after the drawing has been modified. Figure 18 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 17. Figure 19 is a diagram illustrating the regrouping process. Figure 20 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after regrouping. Figure 21 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 20.

[0022] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0023] First, an information processing system according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the computer constituting the terminal device and server shown in Figure 1.

[0024] The information processing system 1 shown in Figure 1 is a computer system for grouping piping system nodes in plant design information. Examples of plants include those in the oil and gas sector. Examples of plants in the oil and gas sector include petroleum refining plants, gas processing plants, natural gas liquefaction plants, petrochemical plants, and chemical manufacturing plants. Examples of design information include process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping and instrument diagrams (P&IDs), three-dimensional models, and one-line diagrams.

[0025] The information processing system 1 includes one or more terminal devices 10 and a server 20. Each of the terminal devices 10 and the server 20 are connected to each other via a communication network NW so that they can communicate with one another. The communication network NW may consist of either wired or wireless connections. Examples of the communication network NW include the Internet, mobile communication networks, and WANs (Wide Area Networks).

[0026] The terminal device 10 is used by the user and performs various processes based on the user's operations. Examples of the terminal device 10 include desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet terminals, and smartphones. For example, the user uses a web application on the terminal device 10 to group piping system nodes. The terminal device 10 is composed of, for example, the computer 100 shown in Figure 2.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the computer 100 may be configured as a computer equipped with hardware such as a processor 101, main memory 102, auxiliary storage 103, communication device 104, input device 105, and output device 106. An example of the processor 101 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The main memory 102 consists of RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. An example of the auxiliary storage 103 is a semiconductor memory and a hard disk drive.

[0028] The communication device 104 is a device that transmits and receives data with other devices via a communication network NW. The communication device 104 is composed of, for example, a network interface card (NIC) or a wireless communication module. The input device 105 is a device used when a user operates the computer 100. The input device 105 is composed of, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse. The output device 106 is a device that outputs various types of information. The output device 106 is composed of, for example, a display and a speaker.

[0029] Server 20 has the same hardware configuration as terminal device 10. Server 20 may consist of one computer 100 as shown in Figure 2, or it may consist of multiple computers 100 as in cloud computing. Server 20 does not necessarily have to have an input device 105 and an output device 106. Computer programs are stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 of server 20.

[0030] At least one processor 101 of the server 20 reads a computer program stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 into the main storage device 102 and executes it. As a result, each piece of hardware operates under the control of at least one processor 101, and data is read from and written to the main storage device 102 and the auxiliary storage device 103. This realizes the various functional units of the server 20 shown in Figure 1.

[0031] Next, the functional configuration of the server 20 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 3. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data. As shown in Figure 1, the server 20 includes a control unit 21 and a data storage unit 22 as functional elements.

[0032] The control unit 21 is a functional element that provides overall control for the server 20. For example, the control unit 21 performs processing in response to various requests from the terminal device 10. For example, the control unit 21 groups piping system nodes based on the graph structure data described later.

[0033] The data storage unit 22 is a functional element that stores (stores) data related to the plant. For example, the data storage unit 22 stores graph structure data. The data storage unit 22 may also store a group list, as described later.

[0034] In this embodiment, the graph structure data is data that defines the components installed in the plant as nodes and the connection relationships between two components as edges. The components (nodes) include, for example, components of process equipment, instruments, and piping systems. Process equipment is also referred to as equipment nodes, and examples of equipment nodes include reactors, heat exchangers, and pumps. Instruments are also referred to as instrument nodes, and examples of instrument nodes include flow meters and cables. Piping systems are also referred to as piping system nodes, and examples of piping system nodes include pipes, pipe branching components, valves, elbows, and pipe supports. The data storage unit 22 stores graph structure data for each plant, for example. The graph structure data is shared across multiple design processes and is refined from the upstream to the downstream processes of plant design.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the graph structure data GD includes a plant ID (identifier) ​​(not shown), a node list NL, and an edge list EL. The plant ID is information that uniquely identifies a plant.

[0036] The node list NL is a list of nodes contained in a plant, identified by its plant ID. The node list NL includes a node data record, which is set for each node. Each node data record includes the node ID, node type information, line number, attribute information, break node flag, and group ID. Each node data record may also include other information.

[0037] The node ID is information that uniquely identifies a node. In the example shown in Figure 3, for the sake of explanation, a human-identifiable name is assigned as the node ID; however, the node ID is actually a long string of characters (GUID) used by the computer. Node type information indicates the type of node identified by the node ID. Examples of node types include process equipment, instrument, and piping. For example, "Piping" is set when the node identified by the node ID is a piping node.

[0038] Line numbers are subdivisions of stream numbers and are set to provide design boundaries. Stream numbers are assigned to fluids flowing through piping system nodes when the node identified by the node ID is a piping system node, with the same stream number assigned to identical fluids. Line numbers are set by subdividing stream numbers, for example, in terms of drawing management and material management. Line numbers are changed, for example, by branching. In other words, line numbers are set based on the conditions of the fluids flowing through piping system nodes when the node identified by the node ID is a piping system node.

[0039] Attribute information is information that indicates the attributes of a node identified by its node ID and is used for grouping piping system nodes. Examples of node attributes include stress criticality, fluid type, design temperature, design pressure, pipe material, operating temperature, operating pressure, pressure resistance test method, and test pressure. Stress criticality indicates the degree of design quality required for a piping system node. Stress criticality is set according to the fluid conditions. Fluid conditions include the set temperature, set pressure, and hazard level of the fluid.

[0040] Here, stress criticality is set in three levels: Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. Grade A indicates a high quality requirement for the piping system node. Grade B indicates a moderate quality requirement for the piping system node. Grade C indicates a low quality requirement for the piping system node. Stress criticality is set for each line number. Stress criticality is set based on the design information associated with the line number.

[0041] Examples of pressure resistance testing methods include hydrostatic testing and atmospheric pressure testing. The test pressure is calculated from the design pressure and design temperature.

[0042] The break node flag indicates whether a node identified by its node ID is a break node. A break node is a node that separates a group. If the break node flag is "YES", it indicates that the node identified by its node ID is a break node; if the break node flag is Null (or "NO"), it indicates that the node identified by its node ID is not a break node.

[0043] The group ID is information that can uniquely identify the group to which the node identified by the node ID belongs. Groups are set up for various calculations and management. Multiple piping system nodes are divided into several groups according to the above-described attributes. Multiple piping system nodes may be divided into several groups according to a combination of multiple attributes. For example, stress criticality can be used for grouping for thermal stress calculation.

[0044] For grouping of the pressure test package, a combination of the pressure test method and the test pressure can be used. Note that the grouping of the pressure test package is performed to confirm whether there are defects in the material and construction (welding) after the piping system nodes are constructed.

[0045] For extraction of instruments related to equipment, operating temperature, operating pressure, etc. can be used. For example, thermometers are installed in the upstream and downstream piping of a heat exchanger, and the operating conditions of the heat exchange are monitored. In this case, the piping system nodes connected to the heat exchanger may be grouped using the operating temperature. It can be understood that the thermometers installed in the piping system nodes belonging to the same group are measuring the temperature of the same heat exchanger. Similarly, when extracting the pressure gauges provided in the upstream and downstream piping of a pump, the piping system nodes connected to the pump may be grouped using the operating pressure.

[0046] Each node data record further includes a search completion flag (not shown). The search completion flag is information indicating whether the node identified by the node ID has been searched (search completed) or not searched (search not completed). When the search completion flag is "YES", it indicates that the node identified by the node ID has been searched. When the search completion flag is Null (or "NO"), it indicates that the node identified by the node ID has not been searched. The search completion flag is used for grouping of the piping system nodes. Search means a process of finding piping system nodes belonging to the same group. In one grouping, all piping system nodes are searched. For the nodes for which the search has been completed, it is determined which group they belong to in that grouping.

[0047] The edge list EL is a list of edges included in a plant identified by a plant ID. An edge represents a connection (connection relationship) between two nodes. The edge list EL includes edge data records set for each edge. Each edge data record includes an edge ID, a first node ID, a second node ID, and edge type information. Each edge data record may include information other than these. In FIG. 3, for convenience of explanation, the illustration of the edge ID is omitted.

[0048] The edge ID is information that can uniquely identify an edge. The first node ID is the node ID of one of the two nodes connected by the edge identified by the edge ID. The second node ID is the node ID of the other of the two nodes connected by the edge identified by the edge ID. Note that the terms "first node" and "second node" are used for convenience to distinguish the two nodes connected by the edge. Therefore, the first node and the second node may be interchanged. The edge type information is information indicating the type of the edge identified by the edge ID. An example of the type of edge is piping.

[0049] Next, an example of plant design will be described while referring to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a series of steps of plant design. As shown in FIG. 4, plant design includes an attribute setting step PR1, a break node setting step PR2, a grouping step PR3, a drawing change step PR4, and a re-grouping step PR5.

[0050] First, attribute setting process PR1 is performed. Attribute setting process PR1 will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 3, 5, and 6. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the attribute setting process. Figure 6 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 3. First, the user launches an application on the terminal device 10 to perform a predetermined calculation using the design information (for example, pipe stress calculation) and selects the desired design information. As a result, the design information (drawing) is displayed on the display device of the terminal device 10, as shown in Figure 5.

[0051] In the example shown in Figure 5, the piping system node Np11 (piping) with node ID "Line-101" is connected to the equipment node Ne1 with node ID "Equipment-01", and the piping system node Np11 is connected to the piping system node Np12 (branch component) with node ID "Branch-101". The piping system node Np12 is connected to the piping system node Np13 (piping) with node ID "Line-102" and the piping system node Np31 (piping) with node ID "Line-301". The piping system node Np13 is connected to the piping system node Np14 (valve) with node ID "Valve-101", and the piping system node Np14 is connected to the piping system node Np21 (piping) with node ID "Line-201".

[0052] Piping node Np31 is connected to piping node Np32 (valve) with node ID "Valve-301", and piping node Np32 is connected to piping node Np41 (piping) with node ID "Line-401". Piping node Np51 (piping) with node ID "Line-501" is connected to equipment node Ne1, and piping node Np51 is connected to piping node Np52 (valve) with node ID "Valve-501". Furthermore, piping node Np52 is connected to piping node Np53 (piping) with node ID "Line-502".

[0053] In attribute setting step PR1, the user sets attributes for each piping system node displayed on the terminal device 10. Here, stress criticality is used as an example attribute. In this example, the attribute of piping system node Np21 is set to grade C, the attribute of piping system node Np41 is set to grade B, and the attributes of the other piping system nodes are set to grade A. This results in the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 3.

[0054] When a user performs an operation to set attributes on the terminal device 10, the terminal device 10 transmits operation information indicating the operation to the server 20, and the control unit 21 of the server 20 updates the graph structure data GD. In the following explanation as well, the control unit 21 updates the graph structure data GD in response to user operations, but this explanation may be omitted in some cases.

[0055] Note that the line numbers are predetermined. Wedges W1 to W3 indicate the positions where the lines are separated. Wedge W1 indicates the position where line number 001 and line number 003 are separated. Wedge W2 indicates the position where line number 001 and line number 002 are separated. Wedge W3 indicates the position where line number 003 and line number 004 are separated.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6, the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 3 can be represented as graph G1 by representing each node with a rounded rectangle and each edge with a line.

[0057] Next, the break node setting process PR2 is performed. The break node setting process PR2 will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the break node setting process. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after break nodes have been set. Figure 9 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 8.

[0058] In the break node configuration process PR2, a break node is configured. The break node may be a node added by the user, an equipment node, or a node specified by the user.

[0059] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the user designates a desired node from among the nodes displayed on the terminal device 10 as a break node. This sets the break node flag for the node designated by the user to "YES" in the graph structure data GD. In the example shown in Figure 7, the equipment node Ne1 and the piping system node Np52 are designated as break nodes. Note that equipment nodes may also be pre-configured as break nodes.

[0060] The user may add a break node at a desired location on the piping in the diagram displayed on the terminal device 10. In this case, one pipe is divided into two pipes by the break node. As a result, the node data record of the break node and the node data record of the divided pipe are added to the node list NL, and the edge list EL is updated in accordance with the addition of the break node. The node type of the added break node is set to piping system, and the break node flag is set to "YES". The added break node is set to, for example, piping support. No line number or attributes are assigned to the added break node. The user may change the attributes of the divided pipe as needed.

[0061] In the example shown in Figure 7, a break node Nb1 with node ID "Break-001" is added to the piping node Np41, and the piping node Np41 is split into the piping node Np41 and the piping node Np42 (piping) with node ID "Line-402". Furthermore, the attribute of the piping node Np42 is changed from grade B to grade A.

[0062] With the above settings, the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 8 is obtained. As shown in Figure 9, the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 8 can be represented as graph G2 by representing each node with a rounded rectangle and each edge with a line.

[0063] Next, the grouping process PR3 is performed. The grouping process PR3 will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 10 to 15. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the grouping method performed by the server shown in Figure 1. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the search process shown in Figure 10 in detail. Figure 12 is a diagram for explaining the grouping process. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after grouping has been performed. Figure 14 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a diagram showing an example of a group list.

[0064] In grouping step PR3, the user performs an operation to execute grouping on, for example, the terminal device 10. In response to this operation, a series of processes shown in Figure 10 are initiated. Here, the series of processes of the grouping method will be explained, followed by a description of grouping step PR3.

[0065] First, the control unit 21 of the server 20 refers to the node list NL stored in the data storage unit 22 and determines whether or not there are node data records in the node list NL for piping system nodes that have been grouped but whose search is not yet complete (step S1). In other words, the control unit 21 determines whether or not there are node data records in which the node type information is set to "Piping", the group ID is set to a valid value, and the search completion flag is set to "NO".

[0066] In step S1, if it is determined that the node list NL contains node data records for piping system nodes that have been grouped but whose search is not yet complete (step S1: YES), the control unit 21 selects an arbitrary node data record from among them and extracts that node data record from the node list NL (step S2).

[0067] Then, the control unit 21 performs a search (step S3). In step S3, the control unit 21 uses the node of the node data record extracted in step S2 as the starting node, and traces the nodes directly or indirectly connected to the starting node, continuing the search for nodes until it reaches a node with attributes different from those of the starting node or a break node. If an edge is branched, the control unit 21 searches for all nodes connected by those edges.

[0068] The search process in step S3 will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11, in step S3, the control unit 21 extracts the target edge data record from the edge list EL (step S31). Here, the control unit 21 extracts the edge data record containing the node ID included in the node data record extracted in step S2 from the edge list EL as the target edge data record. Then, the control unit 21 extracts the node data record containing the other node ID included in the target edge data record from the node list NL (step S32).

[0069] Then, the control unit 21 determines whether the break node flag included in the node data record extracted in step S32 is "YES" (step S33). In other words, the control unit 21 determines whether the node connected by the edge is a break node. If, in step S33, the break node flag is determined to be Null (step S33: NO), that is, if the node connected by the edge is determined not to be a break node, the control unit 21 determines whether the attributes included in the node data record extracted in step S32 are the same as the attributes included in the node data record extracted in step S2 (attributes of the starting node) (step S34).

[0070] In step S34, if it is determined that the attributes included in the node data record extracted in step S32 are the same as the attributes of the starting node (step S34: YES), the control unit 21 includes that node in the same group as the starting node (step S35). Then, the control unit 21 determines whether there is an edge data record in the edge list EL that includes the node ID included in the node data record and is different from the target edge data record (step S36). In step S36, if it is determined that an edge data record exists (step S36: YES), the control unit 21 repeats the same process as in steps S31 to S36 with that edge data record as the target edge data record.

[0071] On the other hand, in step S33, if the break node flag is determined to be "YES" (step S33: YES), that is, if a node connected by an edge is determined to be a break node, the control unit 21 terminates the search process in step S3 without including that node in the same group as the starting node. Similarly, in step S34, if the attributes included in the node data record extracted in step S32 are determined to be different from the attributes of the starting node (step S34: NO), the control unit 21 terminates the search process in step S3 without including that node in the same group as the starting node.

[0072] If it is determined in step S36 that no edge data records exist (step S36: NO), the control unit 21 terminates the search process in step S3. If multiple edge data records include node IDs that are included in the node data records extracted in step S2, and if multiple edge data records exist in step S36, steps S31 to S36 are performed with each edge data record as the target edge data record.

[0073] Next, the control unit 21 sets the group of nodes included in the same group as the starting node in the search in step S3 into the node data record of each node (step S4). Specifically, the control unit 21 sets the group ID of the starting node as the group ID of the node data record of the nodes included in the same group as the starting node, and sets the search completion flag for the node data records of the starting node and the nodes included in the same group as the starting node to "YES". Then, the control unit 21 performs step S1 again.

[0074] On the other hand, if in step S1 it is determined that there are no node data records in the node list NL for piping system nodes that have been grouped but whose search is incomplete (step S1: NO), the control unit 21 determines whether or not there are node data records in the node list NL for piping system nodes that have not been grouped but whose search is incomplete (step S5). In other words, the control unit 21 determines whether or not there are node data records in which the node type information is set to "Piping", the group ID is set to an invalid value (Null), and the search completion flag is set to "NO".

[0075] In step S5, if it is determined that the node list NL contains node data records for piping system nodes that have not been searched and have not been grouped (step S5: YES), the control unit 21 selects an arbitrary node data record from among them and extracts that node data record from the node list NL (step S6).

[0076] Then, the control unit 21 performs a search (step S7). Similar to step S3, in step S7, the control unit 21 uses the node of the node data record extracted in step S5 as the starting node, and traces the nodes directly or indirectly connected to the starting node, continuing the node search until it reaches a node or break node that has attributes different from those of the starting node. If an edge branches, the control unit 21 searches all the nodes connected by those edges. Step S7 is the same as step S3, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0077] Next, the control unit 21 sets the group of nodes included in the same group as the starting node in the search of step S7 in the node data record of each node (step S8). Specifically, the control unit 21 sets a new group ID as the group ID of the node data record of the nodes included in the same group as the starting node (including the starting node), and sets the search completion flag of those node data records to "YES". Then, the control unit 21 performs step S5 again.

[0078] On the other hand, in step S5, if it is determined that there are no node data records for piping system nodes that have not been searched and have not been grouped in the node list NL (step S5: NO), the control unit 21 updates the group list GL (see Figure 15) (step S9).

[0079] The group list GL is a list of groups of piping system nodes included in a plant, and is used in subsequent operations. The group list GL includes group data records. Each group data record includes a record number, a group ID, and a line number. The record number is a sequential number assigned to the group data record. The group list GL may further include attribute information indicating the attributes used for grouping.

[0080] In step S9, if a new group is generated in steps S5 to S8, the control unit 21 generates a group data record for that group and adds it to the group list GL. If a new combination of group and line number is generated in steps S1 to S4, the control unit 21 generates a group data record for that combination and adds it to the group list GL.

[0081] Then, the control unit 21 sets all node data records to "search incomplete" (step S10). In other words, the control unit 21 sets the search completion flag for all node data records to "NO". As a result, all node data records will be searched the next time grouping (regrouping) is performed.

[0082] With the above steps completed, the grouping method is finished. Using the above grouping method, the control unit 21 classifies piping system nodes that have the same attributes and are connected to each other into the same group, and divides the group by break nodes. Break nodes are not classified into any group.

[0083] Before the grouping process PR3 is performed, the node list NL (see Figure 8) does not contain node data records for piping system nodes that have not been searched and have been grouped (Step S1: NO), but it does contain node data records for piping system nodes that have not been searched and have not been grouped (Step S5: YES). If, in Step S6, the node data record for piping system node Np53 is selected and extracted, then an edge data record containing node ID "Line-502" is extracted from the edge list EL (Step S31). The break node flag for the node data record containing the other node ID "Valve-501" included in that edge data record is "YES" (Step S33: YES). Therefore, as shown in Figure 12, a group consisting only of piping system node Np53 is set.

[0084] Since equipment node Ne1 and piping node Np52, which are connected to piping node Np51, are both break nodes, a group consisting only of piping node Np51 is created. The attributes of piping node Np14, which is connected to piping node Np21, are different from the attributes of piping node Np21, so a group consisting only of piping node Np21 is created. Since piping node Np41 is connected to break node Nb1, a group consisting only of piping node Np41 is created. On the other hand, piping nodes Np11 to Np14, Np31, Np32, and Np42 have the same attributes (grade A) and are connected to each other without going through break nodes, so they are classified into the same group.

[0085] The grouping process PR3 is performed to obtain the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 13 and the group list GL shown in Figure 15. As shown in Figure 14, the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 13 can be represented as a graph G3 by representing each node with a rounded rectangle, each edge with a line, and each group with a dashed frame.

[0086] Although piping node Np52 is set as a break node, it is a valve and may be included in either group ID "A-01" or group ID "A-02". For example, the group for piping node Np52 will be set by the user specifying the group.

[0087] Next, the drawing modification process PR4 is carried out. The drawing modification process PR4 will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 16 to 18. Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the drawing modification process. Figure 17 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after the drawing has been modified. Figure 18 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 17.

[0088] In drawing modification process PR4, the user makes changes to the drawing displayed on the terminal device 10. For example, the user adds a node to a desired position in the drawing displayed on the terminal device 10 and sets the line number and attributes of the added node. In the example shown in Figure 16, a piping system node Np15 with node ID "Branch-111" is added on piping system node Np11, and a piping system node Np61 with node ID "Line-113" is added and connected to piping system node Np15. Accordingly, piping system node Np11 is changed to a pipe connecting equipment node Ne1 and piping system node Np15, and a piping system node Np16 with node ID "Line-111" is further added, connecting piping system node Np15 and piping system node Np12.

[0089] A piping system node Np17 with node ID "Valve-111" has been added to piping system node Np13. Consequently, piping system node Np13 has been changed to a pipe connecting piping system node Np12 and piping system node Np17, and a piping system node Np18 with node ID "Line-112" has been added to connect piping system node Np17 and piping system node Np14.

[0090] On piping node Np53, piping node Np54 with node ID "Branch-112" has been added, and piping node Np71 with node ID "Line-115" has been added and connected to piping node Np54. Consequently, piping node Np55 with node ID "Line-114" has been added to connect piping node Np52 and piping node Np54, and piping node Np53 has been changed to the piping connected to piping node Np54.

[0091] Furthermore, the drawing includes additional wedges W4 indicating the position separating line number 001 from line number 101, and W5 indicating the position separating line number 005 from line number 102.

[0092] The above changes result in the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 17. As shown in Figure 18, the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 17 can be represented as graph G4 by representing each node with a rounded rectangle, each edge with a line, and each group with a dashed frame. Due to the addition of a node, the group with group ID "A-03" is divided into three.

[0093] Next, the regrouping process PR5 is performed. The regrouping process PR5 will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 19 to 21. Figure 19 is a diagram illustrating the regrouping process. Figure 20 is a diagram showing an example of graph structure data after regrouping. Figure 21 is a graph of the graph structure data shown in Figure 20.

[0094] In the regrouping process PR5, similar to the grouping process PR3, the user performs an operation to perform grouping, for example, on the terminal device 10. In response to this operation, a series of processes shown in Figure 10 are initiated. As a result, the control unit 21 classifies piping system nodes that have the same attributes and are connected to each other into the same group, and divides the group by break nodes.

[0095] The node list NL (see Figure 17) before the regrouping process PR5 is performed contains node data records of piping system nodes that have been grouped but whose search is not yet complete (Step S1: YES). If in Step S2 the node data record of piping system node Np53 belonging to the group with group ID "A-01" is selected and extracted, then the edge data record containing node ID "Line-502" is extracted from the edge list EL (Step S31).

[0096] Since the break node flag of the node data record containing the other node ID "Branch-112" included in the edge data record is Null (Step S33: NO), and the attributes of the node data record are the same grade A as the attributes of the piping system node Np53 (Step S34: YES), the piping system node Np54 identified by this node ID is included in the same group as the piping system node Np53 (Step S35).

[0097] Furthermore, since the edge list EL contains two edge data records, each containing the node ID "Branch-112" of piping system node Np54 (step S36: YES), these edge data records are extracted from the edge list EL (step S31). The break node flag of the node data record containing the other node ID "Line-114" included in one of the edge data records is Null (step S33: NO), and the attributes of the node data record are the same grade A as the attributes of piping system node Np53 (step S34: YES), so piping system node Np55, identified by this node ID, is included in the same group as piping system node Np53 (step S35).

[0098] The break node flag for the node data record containing the other node ID "Line-115" included in the other edge data record is Null (Step S33: NO), but since the attributes of the node data record are of grade C, which is different from the attributes of the piping system node Np53 (Step S34: NO), the piping system node Np71 identified by this node ID cannot be included in the same group as the piping system node Np53.

[0099] Furthermore, since the edge list EL contains an edge data record that includes the node ID "Line-114" of the piping system node Np55 (step S36: YES), the edge data record is extracted from the edge list EL (step S31). The break node flag of the node data record containing the other node ID "Valve-501" included in the edge data record is "YES" (step S33: YES), so the piping system node Np52 identified by this node ID cannot be included in the same group as the piping system node Np53.

[0100] Therefore, as shown in Figure 19, piping system nodes Np53, Np54, and Np55 have the same attribute (grade A) and are connected to each other without going through break nodes, so they are classified into the same group ID "A-01" as piping system node Np53 (step S4). Similarly, Np11 to Np18, Np31, Np32, Np42, and Np61 have the same attribute (grade A) and are connected to each other without going through break nodes, so they are classified into the same group ID "A-03" as piping system node Np11.

[0101] Since there are no piping node nodes that have the same attributes as piping node Np51 and are connected to piping node Np51 without going through a break node, the group ID "A-02" to which piping node Np51 belongs will not be changed. Similarly, the group ID "C-01" to which piping node Np21 belongs and the group ID "B01" to which piping node Np41 belongs will not be changed.

[0102] After the processing in steps S1 to S4 is completed, the node list NL (see Figure 17) still contains the node data record for piping system node Np71, which is not yet searched and has not been grouped (step S5: YES). In step S6, the node data record for piping system node Np71 is selected and extracted, and the edge data record containing node ID "Line-115" is extracted from the edge list EL (step S31).

[0103] The break node flag for the node data record containing the other node ID "Branch-112" included in the edge data record is Null (Step S33: NO), but the attributes of the node data record are of grade A, which is different from the attributes of the piping system node Np71 (Step S34: NO). Therefore, the piping system node Np54 identified by this node ID cannot be included in the same group as the piping system node Np71. Consequently, as shown in Figure 19, a group consisting only of the piping system node Np71 is set (Step S8).

[0104] The regrouping process PR5 is performed to obtain the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 20. As shown in Figure 21, the graph structure data GD shown in Figure 20 can be represented as graph G5 by representing each node with a rounded rectangle, each edge with a line, and each group with a dashed frame. Furthermore, the group list GL is updated according to the new groups when the regrouping process PR5 is performed.

[0105] The following describes the effects of Information Processing System 1. Previously, the connection relationships between nodes were not managed as data, requiring users to visually check the connection relationships and attributes of each node on the diagram to group piping system nodes. This resulted in a significant amount of time spent on grouping. In contrast, Information Processing System 1 provides a graph structure data (GD) where components in a plant are defined as nodes, and the connection relationships between two components are defined as edges. This GD includes node data records containing attribute information indicating the node's attributes, which are set for each node. By using the graph structure data (GD), nodes with the same attributes and that are connected to each other can be classified into the same group without user intervention. In other words, grouping of piping system nodes can be automated. Therefore, since users do not need to visually check the connection relationships and attributes of components (nodes), grouping of piping system nodes can be made more efficient.

[0106] If a group contains many piping system nodes, calculations and management can become complicated. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the group size at an appropriate level. To address this problem, the control unit 21 classifies piping system nodes that have the same attributes and are connected to each other without going through break nodes into the same group. In other words, the control unit 21 divides the group by break nodes. With this configuration, even if two piping system nodes connected via break nodes have the same attributes, these two piping system nodes are classified into different groups. This makes it possible to simplify calculations and management within the group.

[0107] Break nodes may also be nodes added by the user. In this case, the user adding the break node to the design information specifies the location where the group is divided. This simplifies calculations and management within the group.

[0108] In thermal stress calculations, the stress on the piping system node itself is calculated, and the stress on the equipment nozzle is calculated using the equipment nozzle as a boundary point in the calculation. It is then evaluated whether the stress falls within the allowable limits. For this reason, by setting equipment nodes as break nodes, the groups are divided by the equipment nodes.

[0109] A break node may be a node designated by the user from among the piping system nodes. In this configuration, the user specifies the piping system nodes that divide the group. This simplifies calculations and management within the group without adding new nodes. For example, when grouping piping system nodes that have the same pressure when a valve is closed, that valve is designated as the break node.

[0110] Grouping is performed using graph structure data GD at a certain point in time, and various downstream design tasks such as calculations and management are performed using the group (group ID) of piping system nodes. As the design progresses, piping system nodes are added or modified (including deletion) as needed, so regrouping is necessary. If the group ID changes each time grouping is performed, downstream design tasks may become complicated. To address this problem, the control unit 21, when piping system nodes are added or modified after grouping has been performed, groups the added or modified piping system nodes without changing the group of piping system nodes that are not affected by the added or modified piping system nodes (maintaining the group). With this configuration, piping system nodes added or modified after grouping are grouped. At this time, the group of piping system nodes that are not affected by the added or modified piping system nodes remains unchanged. Therefore, the consistency of the group (group ID) is maintained, and downstream design tasks can be performed efficiently.

[0111] The control unit 21 updates the group list GL in the grouping method. In other words, the control unit 21 generates a group data record that associates the group ID with the line number. With this configuration, the task of listing the line numbers belonging to each group from the design information can be omitted. Therefore, it becomes possible to further improve the efficiency of grouping piping system nodes.

[0112] When a user performs an operation on terminal device 10 to perform grouping, the server 20 performs grouping of piping system nodes. Therefore, since the user does not need to visually check the attributes of the nodes, it is possible to make the grouping of piping system nodes more efficient.

[0113] The information processing system relating to this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0114] For example, each terminal device 10 may include all the functional units of the server 20 (control unit 21 and data storage unit 22).

[0115] The piping system node group may be used not only for piping stress calculations but also for other calculations, and may be used for various tests or controls of piping systems.

[0116] Break nodes do not need to be configured. Each node data record does not need to include a break node flag.

[0117] The control unit 21 may, instead of steps S1 to S5, determine whether or not there are node data records of piping system nodes whose search is incomplete in the node list NL. In this case, although the group of piping system nodes that are not affected by added or modified piping system nodes may change during regrouping, it becomes possible to make the grouping of piping system nodes more efficient.

[0118] The control unit 21 does not need to generate the group list GL.

[0119] The control unit 21 may perform grouping of piping system nodes in response to the addition or modification of node data records of piping system nodes in the node list NL, in addition to or instead of the user performing an operation to perform grouping.

[0120] In the above embodiment, the control unit 21 groups only piping system nodes, but it may also group equipment nodes in addition to piping system nodes. In this case, similar to piping system nodes, attributes used for grouping are set for equipment nodes as well.

[0121] 1... Information processing system, 10... Terminal device, 20... Server, 21... Control unit, 22... Data storage unit.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising: a data storage unit that stores graph structure data in which components installed in a plant are defined as nodes and connection relationships between two components are defined as edges; and a control unit that groups piping system nodes based on the graph structure data, wherein the graph structure data includes node data records that include attribute information indicating the attributes of the node set for each node, and the control unit classifies piping system nodes that have the same attributes and are connected to each other into the same group.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the node data record further includes a flag indicating whether or not it is a break node that separates the group, and the control unit divides the group by the break node.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the break node is a node added by a user.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the break node is a node specified by the user.

5. The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein if a piping system node is added or changed after grouping has been performed, the control unit groups the added or changed piping system node without changing the group of piping system nodes that are not affected by the added or changed piping system node.

6. The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the node data record further includes line numbers set based on the conditions of the fluid flowing through the piping system node, and the control unit generates a group data record associating the group with the line numbers.

7. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: a terminal device used by a user; and a server including the data storage unit and the control unit, wherein the control unit performs the grouping in response to an operation for performing the grouping being performed on the terminal device.

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