Topology-based diagnosis for chemical process plants

摘要

The main topic of this thesis is the design of tools for detecting and diagnosing disturbances and faults in complex chemical processing plants. There is described how the measurements can be combined with process models, and an modular architecture for process information systems is introduced. Each process unit is represented by a separate module. This module includes a routine for distributed estimation of the process state, a diagnostic routine and an icon for the graphical user interface. The module is connected to its neighbours in the process flow sheet through connections representing the process streams. Each module uses only information that is available locally, either from local instruments or supplied through the connections. In this scheme, a process modification can be reflected in the information system by changing only those modules that are directly involved. The result is a system that is easy to configure and to maintain, and modules that are easily portable to other processes. 89 refs., 57 figs., 16 tabs.