Decentralized Control Modules for Oxygen Reduction Plant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oxygen reduction systems face challenges in large or complex environments, such as high manufacturing, installation, and maintenance costs, along with reliability and energy management issues, due to their centralized control architecture, which becomes cumbersome and inefficient as the system size increases.
Innovation Solution
A decentralized control and regulation system using standardized controller modules that distribute control functions across multiple signal-connected modules, allowing for modular adaptation, redundancy, and easy expansion, with each module capable of performing distinct control functions and communicating via a ring bus system for enhanced reliability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized control center is used to regulate all nitrogen generators, oxygen concentration sensors, and actuators, then the system can achieve predetermined oxygen levels, but the system complexity, installation cost, and maintenance difficulty increase significantly with larger numbers of protected areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized control center into multiple decentralized control units, each responsible for a specific protected area or group of nitrogen generators. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the central control system while maintaining reliable oxygen level control in each zone through local decision-making capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If numerous power supply and signal cables are laid between all components and the control center, then all components can be regulated, but installation becomes labor-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control system into distributed control units located near respective protected areas, the patent reduces cable lengths and quantities needed for power and signal transmission. Each control unit handles local components, minimizing the extensive wiring required in centralized architectures.
3Reliability
If standard-required line monitoring of all power supply lines is implemented, then safety requirements are met, but the complexity of monitoring increases with more lines and longer lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements line monitoring at the decentralized control unit level rather than centrally. Each control unit monitors its own power supply lines and connected components locally, reducing the complexity of centralized monitoring while ensuring safety compliance across all protected areas.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the control center is designed with sufficient computing power and numerous interfaces, then it can accommodate large numbers of nitrogen generators, sensors, and actuators, but manufacturing and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent distributes the computing power and interface requirements across multiple decentralized control units rather than concentrating them in a single high-capacity control center. Each control unit has modest computational requirements for its local zone, reducing overall manufacturing costs and simplifying maintenance while maintaining system capacity through modular scalability.
5Adaptability or versatility
If retrofitting and expanding the oxygen reduction system is performed, then system capacity can be increased, but wiring and reconfiguration become complex tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The modular decentralized architecture allows new protected areas or nitrogen generators to be added by simply adding new control units without reconfiguring existing wiring. Each control unit is self-contained and can be independently installed, making retrofitting and expansion straightforward compared to centralized systems where changes require system-wide reconfiguration.
Data Source
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Figure 1b
Figure 2a
AI summary
The invention relates to a control and regulation system for an oxygen reduction plant, comprising at least one inert gas generator (30a, 30b), at least one oxygen concentration sensor (31a, 40), and at least one actuator (32, 33, 41) for the release of inert gas, wherein the control and regulation system has several interconnected control modules (22, 24), each configured or configurable such that one or more control functions can be performed, wherein the control functions are distributed decentrally across at least two interconnected control modules (22, 24).