Controller Reconfiguration for Early Fault Detection in Oil and Gas
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fault detection methods in oil and gas apparatuses controlled by controllers often miss early-stage faults or provide false alarms, leading to delayed corrective actions and potential system failures.
Innovation Solution
The method involves reconfiguring the controller to adjust operating parameters, allowing for earlier detection of faults by driving test data points outside the normal operation region, thereby increasing the detection rate of small faults and preventing more serious issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the controller operates under normal operating conditions to maintain system stability, then system reliability is improved, but fault detectability deteriorates because early-stage faults remain undetected within the normal operation region
Solution Approach 1:
The controller proactively drives test data points outside the normal operation region before faults fully manifest, enabling early detection. This preliminary action of pushing the system boundaries allows the fault detection system to identify emerging faults while they are still small, rather than waiting for them to grow into obvious failures that would disrupt normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller dynamically adjusts its operating parameters based on whether it is in normal operation mode or fault detection mode. During fault detection, the controller temporarily modifies operating parameters to drive test data points outside the normal operation region, then returns to normal parameters for stable operation. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between maintaining stability and improving detectability.
2Measurement precision
If the controller drives test data points outside the normal operation region to detect small faults, then fault detection precision is improved, but system operating conditions deteriorate due to deviations from optimal parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements periodic fault detection cycles where it temporarily drives test data points outside the normal operation region to detect small faults, then returns to normal operating parameters. This periodic switching between detection mode and normal operation mode allows the system to maintain high fault detection precision while minimizing the impact on overall operating conditions and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller applies partial deviations from normal operating parameters - just enough to drive test data points outside the normal operation region for fault detection, but not so much as to cause system instability or significant operational disruption. This partial action achieves improved fault detection precision while maintaining acceptable operating conditions.
3Loss of time
If early-stage faults are detected sooner through controller reconfiguration, then loss of time is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional controller configuration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses parameter changes to drive test data points outside the normal operation region for fault detection. By modifying operating parameters temporarily during fault detection cycles, the system achieves early fault detection without requiring additional hardware components. This approach reduces time loss to fault detection while avoiding significant increases in device complexity, as the solution leverages existing controller parameter adjustment capabilities.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of detecting a fault in an oil and gas apparatus controlled by a controller is provided. The method includes collecting a test set of data using a sensor proximate to an oil and gas apparatus during the operation of the oil and gas apparatus under test operating conditions, the test set of data being associated with an operating parameter of the controller, determining a percentage of the test set of data that falls outside a normal operation region of the oil and gas apparatus, and configuring the controller in response to the percentage being between a fault- free percentage threshold and a fault percentage threshold.