Method for operating a thermotechnical system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Thermotechnical systems face inefficiencies and operational risks due to contamination, which existing monitoring methods fail to predict and address proactively, leading to potential failures and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A method for anticipatory monitoring of contamination in thermotechnical systems involves detecting contamination values, extrapolating future contamination trends, determining an expected time to reach critical levels, and writing this data into memory for system control, enabling timely maintenance and cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If contamination monitoring is performed using existing methods, then contamination detection is possible, but predictive capability and proactive maintenance planning are lacking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidresponse time to contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by calculating and storing an expected time of reach value that predicts when contamination will reach critical levels before actually happening. This allows maintenance to be scheduled in advance based on predicted contamination trends rather than waiting for actual critical contamination to occur, thereby improving system reliability and eliminating reactive delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If continuous monitoring of contamination values is implemented, then contamination status is tracked, but timely prediction of critical levels and maintenance scheduling is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation about critical contamination timingVSAvoidmaintenance efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring contamination values, comparing them against critical thresholds, and using this information to calculate and update the expected time of reach value. This closed-loop feedback system ensures that maintenance scheduling is based on real-time contamination status while providing predictive information about when critical levels will be reached, improving both information availability and maintenance efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

By calculating the expected time of reach value in advance based on current contamination trends, the system enables maintenance to be planned and executed before critical contamination occurs. This preliminary action transforms continuous monitoring data into actionable predictive information, eliminating information gaps about critical timing and optimizing maintenance productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If maintenance is performed based on actual contamination levels, then system efficiency is maintained, but preventive maintenance and failure avoidance are not optimized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem efficiencyVSAvoidfailure prevention capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by predicting the expected time of reach value for critical contamination levels before they are actually reached. This allows maintenance to be scheduled proactively based on predicted contamination trends rather than waiting for actual critical contamination to occur, thereby maintaining system efficiency while optimizing failure prevention capability through timely preventive maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3441694B1Method for operating a thermotechnical system
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3441694B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3441694B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The inventive method for operating a thermal engineering system, wherein the thermal engineering system comprises several components, in particular a boiler, is characterized in that an expected arrival time value is determined from recorded pollution values ​​of the thermal engineering system and/or at least one component, at which a predefinable critical pollution value of the thermal engineering system and/or the at least one component is reached or exceeded, in particular for the first time, and that the expected arrival time value is written to a memory.