Process Flow-Based Case Retrieval for Power Plant Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information retrieval systems for power plant design struggle to efficiently retrieve relevant cases from databases, particularly for young designers, as they often yield a large number of results, making it difficult to identify useful references for specific design phases due to the lack of effective process similarity and flow-based retrieval methods.
Innovation Solution
An information retrieval apparatus that identifies similar and subsequent processes in existing power plants based on design documents and flow sequences, allowing for targeted retrieval of cases from a database, prioritizing results by their relevance to the current design phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If keyword-based retrieval is used to search for design cases in a database, then the system can retrieve cases containing the specified keywords, but the number of retrieval results becomes excessively large making it difficult for designers to identify useful references
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the retrieval process into multiple stages: first filtering cases by process similarity using design documents, then by process flow sequence, and finally by keywords. This multi-level segmentation transforms a single overwhelming retrieval step into manageable stages, reducing the number of results at each stage while maintaining comprehensive search coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces new dimensions for retrieval beyond simple keyword matching. It adds process similarity dimension (comparing design documents), process flow dimension (sequence of operations), and temporal dimension (design phase timing). These additional dimensions create a multi-dimensional retrieval space that significantly reduces irrelevant results while preserving useful cases.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the database includes cases from all design phases and processes, then the comprehensiveness of the database increases, but the difficulty of identifying relevant cases for a specific design phase increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary filtering actions before presenting results to designers. It pre-processes design documents to extract process similarity features, pre-organizes cases by process flow sequences, and pre-identifies relevant design phases. This preliminary organization makes the comprehensive database easily searchable and relevant cases immediately identifiable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary retrieval system that acts as a mediator between the comprehensive database and the designer. This intermediary applies multiple filtering criteria (process similarity, flow sequence, design phase) to bridge the gap between the vast database contents and the designer's specific needs, making the comprehensive database manageable and relevant.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional keyword-based retrieval methods are used, then the retrieval process is simple to implement, but the ability to retrieve cases based on process similarity and flow relationships is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the simple mechanical keyword-matching system with an intelligent retrieval system that uses design document analysis, process flow modeling, and similarity computation. This substitution maintains ease of use for designers while dramatically improving the accuracy of process similarity detection through automated document comparison and flow sequence analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, an information retrieval apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to identify at least one first similar process similar to a process of interest corresponding to a certain design phase in design of a new plant, among processes of existing plants, based on a design document of the process of interest and design documents of individual processes of each of existing plants, identify at least one first subsequent process, a process after the first similar process, based on a design flow indicating a sequence of processes in an existing plant including the first similar process and retrieve a case corresponding to the first similar process and a case corresponding to the first subsequent process from a case database storing cases of troubles.