Drill Floor Emergency Stop Control for Automatic Collision Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency stop systems in drilling operations require manual user intervention to prevent collisions between personnel and automated machinery, which is inefficient and poses risks in hazardous environments, as they do not automatically react to potential collisions without user input.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a programmable logic controller coupled to safety relays that can automatically detect potential collisions using image analytics or positional sensors and send signals to stop machinery in motion without user intervention, thereby preventing collisions by selectively decoupling power supply or actuating manufacturer-provided emergency stop capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual user intervention is required to activate emergency stop systems, then the system can prevent false activation, but it increases response time and requires human presence in hazardous environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of potential collision scenarios using sensors and image analytics before actual contact occurs. This allows the system to prepare for emergency stopping in advance, reducing response time while maintaining reliability through pre-validated detection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the environment using sensors and cameras, providing real-time feedback about potential hazards. This feedback loop enables automatic activation of emergency stop functions when collision risk is detected, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining system reliability through continuous surveillance.
2Loss of time
If automatic collision detection systems are implemented, then response time is reduced, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the drill floor into multiple monitored zones with dedicated sensors and detection elements. Each zone can be independently monitored and triggered, reducing the complexity of a single comprehensive system while maintaining fast response times through localized detection and response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multi-functional components that serve both normal operational monitoring and emergency detection functions. For example, sensors used for routine position monitoring also detect collision risks, and image analytics software performs both process monitoring and safety assessment, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automatic response capability.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a controller is configured to be operably coupled to a series of safety relays. Each safety relay is coupled to a machine from a plurality of machines. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a potential collision between any machine from the plurality of machines that is coupled to the at least one of the safety relays that was activated. The controller is configured to send, in response to the signal indicative of the potential collision, a signal to at least one of the safety relays from the series of safety relays to activate the at least one of the safety relays, thereby stopping motion of any machine from the plurality of machines that is coupled to the at least one of the safety relays that was activated.