Flow Meter Digital Twin Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow meters in industrial processes can fail, leading to disruptions, safety issues, and environmental damage, as they are critical for measuring fluid flows and ensuring process control.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that use other process variable measurements to generate estimated flow measurements, which are compared to actual flow measurements to detect any problems, allowing for the validation of flow meter data and potential corrective actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flow meters are used to measure material flow in industrial processes, then process control and safety are improved, but the risk of disruptions and safety issues increases when the flow meter fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy (digital twin) of the flow meter using a process model that replicates the flow measurement function. This virtual flow meter is generated by modeling the relationship between flow and other process variables, allowing continuous monitoring without physical duplication of the actual flow meter hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary process model that mediates between actual process variables and flow measurement. Instead of directly relying on the flow meter, the system uses other process variable measurements (temperature, pressure, level, etc.) as intermediaries to infer flow measurements, reducing direct dependency on the vulnerable flow meter.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If additional instruments are installed to monitor flow meter performance, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing process variables serve multiple functions. Temperature, pressure, and level measurements that are already taken for process control are also used to generate the virtual flow meter and detect flow meter problems. This eliminates the need for dedicated monitoring instruments while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing process variable measurements and control model to self-diagnose flow meter performance. The process control system automatically generates the virtual flow meter and compares it with actual measurements to detect problems, without requiring external monitoring equipment or additional measurement systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining actual flow measurements generated by a flow meter, where the actual flow measurements identify a flow of material in a passageway. The method also includes generating estimated flow measurements based on process variable measurements other than the actual flow measurements. The method further includes comparing the estimated flow measurements and the actual flow measurements and determining whether a problem exists based on the comparison. The estimated flow measurements could be generated using one or more models mathematically representing how the flow of material in the passageway relates to non-flow process variables associated with the process variable measurements. The process variable measurements could be obtained from one or more sensors associated with a flow restrictor in the passageway, one or more sensors positioned within the passageway, and/or one or more sensors positioned outside the passageway.