Logic-Based Driver for Redundant Control Outputs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Redundant control systems in gas turbine and other plants face increased complexity and cost due to the need for dual or triple redundancy, particularly in fuel line controllers and sensors, which can be mitigated by implementing digital communication links between control devices to share outputs and adjust contributions to a shared set point.
Innovation Solution
The system uses digital communication links between control devices to facilitate sensing of operation states and adjust contributions to a shared output, allowing for simplex, dual, or triple redundancy modes, reducing complexity by eliminating analog and mixed signal components and enabling fault checking and seamless device online/offline transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant control systems use high-speed analog or mixed signal feedbacks to regulate controls, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog and mixed-signal feedback circuits with a digital communication-based system. Each control device transmits its output state information digitally to other devices, which then use logic circuits to determine their own output contributions. This substitution of digital communication and logic circuits for analog feedback pathways reduces device complexity while maintaining the redundant control functionality and system reliability.
2Reliability
If redundant control systems use voting circuits or additional circuitries to select outputs, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates traditional voting circuits by using digital communication links and logic-based determination. Each device receives digital state information from other devices and uses logic circuits to independently determine its output contribution based on the received information and its own operational state. This approach maintains reliability through redundant control paths while reducing complexity by removing dedicated voting circuitry.
Solution Approach 2:
Each control device independently determines its own output contribution by receiving state information from other devices and processing it through its own logic circuits. Rather than relying on a centralized voting circuit to make decisions, each device autonomously adjusts its output based on the digital communication feedback from the system, distributing the intelligence and reducing overall system complexity.
3Device complexity
If control devices operate independently without digital communication links, then device complexity is reduced, but system reliability and coordination in redundant operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements digital communication links that provide feedback about the operational state and output contribution of each control device to all other devices in the redundant system. This feedback mechanism allows each device to adjust its output based on the current state of the system, ensuring proper coordination in simplex, dual, or triple redundant modes while maintaining relatively simple device architecture through standardized communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
The exemplified methods and systems support shared output drivers or shared control setting drivers across separate control devices for a redundant system of 1, 2, 3, or more control devices in simplex, dual, triple redundancy, and etc. Digital communication links between the control devices are implemented to facilitate sensing, from other control devices, of operation states (e.g., amount of contribution by the control devices to the shared output) and on-line/health status of other control devices in the redundant network.