Energy Plant Process Control With Signed Event Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for energy generation and provision lack an automated, legally secure, and intelligent control mechanism to handle process variables and exceptional events, leading to complex and costly error correction and documentation processes.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a detection device for recording process variables, an auditor device for analyzing and recognizing triggering events, and a signing device for generating electronic signatures, which creates a data record and transmits it to an action device for automated and secure documentation and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated reaction for error correction and documentation is implemented, then productivity and response speed improve, but device complexity and implementation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: detection devices for monitoring process variables, auditor devices for analyzing data and generating notifications, action devices for triggering responses, and signing devices for legal documentation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The auditor device acts as an intermediary between detection devices and action devices, processing raw process data, identifying anomalies, and generating structured notifications. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the complex analysis and decision-making logic.
2Reliability
If legally secure documentation with electronic signatures is implemented, then reliability and legal compliance improve, but device complexity and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The signing device automatically generates electronic signatures and attaches them to notifications and actions without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the legal documentation process by autonomously creating cryptographically secured signatures that ensure non-repudiation and legal compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual signing processes are replaced with automated electronic signature generation using cryptographic algorithms. The physical act of signing is substituted with digital signature creation that provides equivalent or superior legal security through hash functions and public key infrastructure.
3Measurement precision
If centralized automated analysis of process parameters is implemented, then measurement precision and anomaly detection improve, but loss of time for data transmission and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auditor device continuously pre-processes process data in the background, maintaining ready-to-analyze data structures and pre-computed statistics. When anomalies occur or queries are initiated, the system can immediately provide precise analysis without requiring time-consuming data aggregation or computation at the moment of need.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where analysis results are immediately fed back to detectives and action devices. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures that precise measurements and anomaly detections are rapidly communicated, minimizing the effective time loss despite centralized processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system and a method for the legally compliant, intelligent control of processes in a plant for the generation and/or provision of energy. The system comprises at least one recording device, one auditor, one action device, and one signature device. The system and the method enable the derivation of error sources based on available process information, thereby creating opportunities for their automated correction. In addition to normal status reports, particularly relevant process events, i.e.,Deviations from defined specifications, such as maximum consumption values within defined time intervals or deviations from specified temperature and pressure values, are automatically evaluated. Action options are automatically generated by an expert system, and their selection is reported and/or initiated to defined persons/departments via a digital signature procedure and system according to the invention, featuring a tamper-proof timestamp. Furthermore, confirmation is provided with a legally compliant digital signature, enabling retroactive control of the process plant or plant components, particularly via the action device.