Auditable Emissions Data Traceability via Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for monitoring and reporting emissions from hydrocarbon sites lack efficient methods for displaying emission data and uncertainty, making it difficult to manage and understand emissions effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for displaying emission data associated with a site device, involving obtaining sensor data, determining emission data and uncertainty data, generating display data with traceable relationships, and operating a display device to provide this data to users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If emission data is aggregated from multiple sources, then comprehensive emission monitoring is achieved, but data traceability and verification become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomprehensive emission dataVSAvoiddata traceability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments emission data by source type (e.g., combustion sources, process emissions, fugitive emissions) and maintains separate calculation chains for each segment. This allows comprehensive aggregation while preserving traceability to individual sources through structured data organization and source-specific metadata.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary data structure that links aggregated emission data back to original sensor readings and calculation methods. This intermediary layer maintains verification pathways without preventing data aggregation, enabling both comprehensive monitoring and source-level traceability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If detailed emission calculations are performed, then measurement precision is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission measurement precisionVSAvoidemission system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts calculation detail based on source characteristics and regulatory requirements. Different emission sources receive appropriately detailed calculation methods (e.g., mass balance for process emissions, stack testing for combustion sources), avoiding unnecessary complexity while maintaining required precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes calculation parameters based on data availability and source type. It selects from multiple calculation methods (emission factors, mass balance, direct measurement) and adjusts input parameters dynamically, achieving high precision where needed while simplifying calculations for sources with limited data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If uncertainty analysis is included, then measurement reliability is improved, but data processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission data reliabilityVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs uncertainty analysis preliminarily during data collection and initial processing. By calculating uncertainty components as data is gathered rather than performing comprehensive uncertainty analysis on final aggregated data, the system improves reliability without proportionally increasing total processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4520930A1Systems and methods for auditable emissions models
Publication Date: 2025.03.12 SENSIA NETHERLANDS BV
  • EP4520930A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4520930A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4520930A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for display emission data associated with a site device includes obtaining sensor data from at least one sensor associated with the site device, determining, based on the sensor data, emission data corresponding to emissions associated with the site device over a period of time using one or more emission systems, generating display data corresponding to the emission data and traceable relationships between the emission data and the sensor data, and operating a display device to provide the display data to a user.