Sensorized Valve Failure Anticipation Using Trendline Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valves require immediate shutdown and system halt upon failure, lacking the ability to self-anticipate and prevent failure, which disrupts operations and is economically inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A valve equipped with sensors and a controller that monitors operation parameters, computes trendlines, and predicts failure thresholds, allowing for early notification and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If remote control or proximal control is used for valve operation, then valve actuation and pressure adjustment can be performed, but when valve failure occurs the entire system must be shut down causing production loss
Solution Approach 1:
The valve performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring its own operation parameters (torque, temperature, pressure, vibration) and computing trendlines to predict failure thresholds before actual failure occurs. This allows proactive replacement scheduling that prevents sudden failures and maintains system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve implements self-feedback mechanisms by using sensors to monitor its own operational state, computing trendlines of operation parameters, comparing them against thresholds, and generating notifications when failure is anticipated. This closed-loop feedback enables the valve to autonomously assess its health status.
2Reliability
If valve failure is detected immediately, then system shutdown can be prevented, but without self-anticipation capability the failure is discovered too late causing disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The valve performs preliminary failure detection by continuously computing trendlines of operation parameters and comparing them against predetermined thresholds. This allows the system to identify impending failures well before actual breakdown occurs, providing adequate lead time for maintenance scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve creates a protective buffer by establishing threshold values that represent safe operational limits. By monitoring whether operation parameters are approaching these thresholds, the system provides a cushion of warning time before actual failure occurs, allowing proactive intervention.
3Reliability
If multiple sensors and computation units are added to enable self-anticipation, then failure prediction capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it controls valve operation, monitors operation parameters through sensors, computes trendlines of multiple parameters simultaneously, compares them against thresholds, and generates notifications. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the sensing, computation, and control functions into an integrated valve system. The controller unit consolidates the computational logic for trendline analysis and threshold comparison, while sensors are strategically placed to monitor multiple parameters (torque, temperature, pressure, vibration) simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve with capability to self-anticipate failure has a body which is provided with at least one sensor assembly and a controller. The sensor assembly outputs a plurality of time-dependent sensing signals of a first operation parameter of the spindle of the valve or a plurality of time-dependent sensing signals of a second operation parameter of the valve door of the valve. The controller includes a storage unit, a computation unit, and an informing unit. The computation unit computes out a first trendline of the last plurality of time-dependent sensing signals of the first operation parameter stored in the storage unit or a second trendline of the last plurality of the time-dependent sensing signals of the second operation parameter stored in the storage unit. The computation unit also computes out a first accumulated-time threshold of the valve corresponding to a threshold of the first operation parameter over the first trendline or a second accumulated-time threshold of the valve corresponding to a threshold of the second operation parameter over the second trendline. The informing unit outputs the first or the second accumulated-time threshold to the remote of the valve.