Measurement System Time Synchronization for Plant Abnormality Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In petroleum and petrochemical plants, existing measurement devices fail to accurately correlate time-stamped data across multiple sites, leading to ineffective abnormality detection and risk reduction due to asynchronous timing, which hinders the accurate detection of noise and equipment failures.

Innovation Solution

A measurement system that synchronizes the timing of multiple measurement devices via a communication network, allowing them to transmit and receive data based on a correlated time, enabling accurate correlation of data across sites and facilitating early detection of abnormalities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple measurement devices use internal timers to record time independently, then each device can operate autonomously without external synchronization, but the measured data from different devices cannot be accurately correlated in time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous operation of measurement devicesVSAvoidtime correlation accuracy of measured data

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a measurement management apparatus as an intermediary that distributes standardized time information to multiple measurement devices. This mediator enables autonomous devices to synchronize their timing without direct peer-to-peer communication, resolving the contradiction by maintaining operational independence while achieving time correlation through a central time distribution mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement management apparatus receives measured data from multiple devices and provides feedback by distributing standardized time information back to the devices. This feedback mechanism ensures that all devices operate on a common time basis, enabling accurate temporal correlation of measurements while preserving device autonomy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If measurement devices operate with independent timing, then device complexity is reduced by eliminating synchronization mechanisms, but the effectiveness of abnormality detection is degraded due to inability to correlate data across sites

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization mechanism complexityVSAvoidabnormality detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the timing function from individual measurement devices into a centralized measurement management apparatus. By combining time generation and distribution functions at one location, the system eliminates the need for complex synchronization mechanisms at each device while maintaining reliable time correlation for effective abnormality detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement management apparatus serves multiple functions: it generates standardized time information, distributes it to multiple measurement devices, collects measured data from all devices, and enables correlation of data across different sites. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system complexity while improving detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If time information is not standardized across measurement devices, then each device can maintain its own timing reference, but the measured data cannot be effectively used for detecting plant abnormalities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetiming reference flexibilityVSAvoidtemporal correlation information in measured data

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the time parameter from device-specific local time to a standardized time reference distributed by the measurement management apparatus. This parameter transformation enables temporal correlation of measured data across different devices without losing timing flexibility, as devices can still operate autonomously while using a common time basis for correlation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10359766B2Measurement system, measurement management apparatus, measurement device, and measurement method

Publication Date: 2019.07.23 YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A measurement system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of measurement devices configured to perform measurements at a plurality of sites in a measurement target, respectively, and a measurement management apparatus configured to acquire measured data measured by each of the measurement devices via a communication network. Times timed by the measurement devices are correlated with each other. Each of the measurement devices is configured to transmit the measured data measured based on the correlated time to measurement management apparatus. The measurement management apparatus includes a measured data acquirer configured to acquire the measured data from each of the measurement devices.