Sensor Signal Analysis for Transient Error Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems in industrial settings, such as power plants, often fail to detect transient errors in sensor signals due to their predefined sample rates, leading to undetected errors or unnecessary corrective actions, and may introduce aliasing or noise, which can be harmful.
Innovation Solution
A sensor analysis device is coupled between sensors and control systems to monitor for transient errors at an increased sample rate, detect and report these errors, and modify the output signal to suppress or mask short-term transient errors, thereby preventing their transmission to the control system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control system samples sensor signals at a pre-defined sample rate, then the control system operates with predictable timing and processing load, but transient errors occurring between samples may go undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring function into two segments: the control system performs sampling at its pre-defined sample rate for normal operation, while a separate sensor analysis device performs high-rate sampling specifically for transient error detection. This segmentation allows each system to optimize its sampling strategy without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor analysis device acts as an intermediary between the sensor and the control system. It receives the sensor signal, performs high-rate sampling to detect transients, and then communicates detected errors to the control system. This intermediary role enables transient detection without requiring the control system to operate at high sample rates.
2Reliability
If the control system increases the sample rate to detect transient errors, then transient error detection capability improves, but the processing load and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high-rate sampling and transient detection function from the control system and places it in a separate sensor analysis device. This extraction allows the control system to maintain its simpler, pre-defined sample rate while transient detection capability is provided by the specialized analysis device.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor analysis device creates a parallel sampling pathway that copies the sensor signal and processes it at high rate. This copying approach enables transient detection without modifying the original control system's sampling operation, maintaining system simplicity while adding detection capability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If low-pass filtering is applied to mitigate transient detection issues, then noise reduction occurs, but the response is delayed or errors may go undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic sampling where the sensor analysis device continuously monitors at high rate and can adaptively identify transient events. This dynamic approach allows the system to detect transients without applying static low-pass filtering that would delay or mask error detection.
4Reliability
If the control system detects transient errors or noisy signals, then error detection sensitivity increases, but unnecessary corrective actions may be triggered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by having the sensor analysis device perform specialized high-rate analysis specifically targeted at detecting transient errors, while the control system maintains its normal operation. This localized specialized processing ensures high detection sensitivity for transients without causing the control system to over-react with unnecessary corrective actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor analysis device changes the sampling parameter (rate) specifically for transient detection purposes. By using a higher sample rate only when needed for transient detection and then communicating results to the control system, the patent achieves high sensitivity without causing the control system to trigger unnecessary corrective actions based on noisy high-rate data.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor analysis system for monitoring operation of a turbine engine of a power plant, the sensor analysis system including a turbine control system configured to monitor a plurality of sensors, a sensor device configured to monitor operation of the turbine engine and transmit a first analog signal, and a sensor analysis device coupled to the sensor device. The sensor analysis device is configured to receive the first analog signal, capture a first plurality of samples from the first analog signal at a first rate defined by a device sampling period, determine a second rate defined by the device sampling period, capture a second plurality of samples from the first analog signal at the second rate, and detect one or more samples of the second plurality of samples that includes a transient signal above or below a threshold value.