阅读说明：本技术 分析工业工厂中操作者动作的影响的方法 (Method for analyzing the effect of operator actions in an industrial plant ) 是由 D·扬卡 M·基奥亚 P·罗德里格斯 M·赫尔尼克 B·施密特 B·克勒佩尔 于 2021-04-14 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明标题为“分析工业工厂中操作者动作的影响的方法”。本发明涉及处理系统的领域,特别是用于工业工厂的处理系统。本发明公开了一种用于确定工业处理系统中的多个元素之间的相互依赖性的方法。该方法包括以下步骤：提供处理系统的拓扑的过程流程图PFD；将PFD转换成有向图,其中将所述多个元素中的每个元素转换成节点,并且将多个元素之间的每个关系转换成有向边缘；从多个节点中选择一个节点作为起始节点；以及构造子图,其中子图由从起始节点前向连接的所有节点组成,因此示出了子图中的多个元素之间的至少一个相互依赖性。(The invention provides a method for analyzing the influence of operator actions in an industrial plant. The present invention relates to the field of processing systems, in particular for industrial plants. A method for determining interdependencies between a plurality of elements in an industrial processing system is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: providing a process flow diagram PFD of a topology of a processing system; converting the PFD into a directed graph, wherein each element of the plurality of elements is converted into a node and each relationship between the plurality of elements is converted into a directed edge; selecting a node from a plurality of nodes as a starting node; and constructing a subgraph, wherein the subgraph consists of all nodes connected forward from the starting node, thus showing at least one interdependence between multiple elements in the subgraph.)

1. A method for determining interdependencies between a plurality of elements in an industrial processing system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a process flow diagram PFD of a topology of a processing system;

converting the PFD into a directed graph, wherein each element of the plurality of elements is converted into a node and each relationship between the plurality of elements is converted into a directed edge;

selecting one of the plurality of nodes as a starting node; and

constructing a subgraph, wherein the subgraph consists of all nodes connected forward from the starting node, thus showing at least one interdependence between the plurality of elements in the subgraph.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of:

for the subgraph, outputting all nodes and all relations of the subgraph.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the further step of:

searching for cyclic interdependencies in the subgraph.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the relationships between the plurality of elements include material flow, energy flow, and/or information flow.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the directional edge is a attributed edge.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first and second light sources are selected from the group consisting of,

wherein at least one edge of the subset of attributed edges has a fuzzy attribute.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the start node is a node having only an output edge.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the process flow diagram is a pipe and instrument diagram P & ID diagram.

9. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program according to claim 9.

11. Use of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 for searching for cyclic interdependencies in a process flow graph, PFD, of a processing system.

12. An industrial plant or processing system comprising a computer having instructions stored thereon, and which when the program is executed by the computer, cause the computer, the industrial plant and/or the processing system to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of processing systems, in particular for industrial plants. The invention also relates to a computer program product, a computer readable storage medium and use of the method.

Background

In many cases, industrial plants are or contain complex networks of elements connected by streams of materials, energy and information. These connections make elements interdependent and make changes to one element, for example its value may affect one or more of the other elements, and may even affect remote elements. Thus, it may become difficult for plant operators, particularly for actions that are not taken frequently, to predict effects including value changes and/or other "actions," including so-called "side effects. Furthermore, it may be difficult to identify whether an atypical process value has a relevant impact on the production process.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for determining interdependencies between elements in a processing system, in particular in an industrial processing system. This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further embodiments are apparent from the dependent patent claims and the following description.

One aspect relates to a method for determining interdependencies between a plurality of elements in an industrial processing system. The method comprises the following steps:

providing a process flow diagram PFD of a topology of a processing system;

converting the PFD into a directed graph, wherein each element of the plurality of elements is converted into a node and each relationship between the plurality of elements is converted into a directed edge;

selecting a node from a plurality of nodes as a starting node; and

a subgraph is constructed, where the subgraph consists of all nodes connected forward from the starting node, thus showing at least one interdependence between multiple elements in the subgraph.

The processing system may be an industrial plant used, for example, in chemical and process engineering. The processing system may be configured to produce and/or manufacture substances, such as materials and/or compounds. Examples of elements may include pumps, compressors, vessels or pressure vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, furnaces, fans, cooling towers, valves, and the like. The process flow diagram may be a pipe and instrument diagram (P & ID) and/or another diagram describing elements of a processing system.

Converting the PFD into a directed graph may be accomplished, for example, by an adjacency matrix representing a plurality of elements as rows and columns and relationships between the plurality of elements as matrix entries, thereby representing directed edges between the elements. Other representations of the directed graph may also be used. Once the directed graph is available, any of the plurality of nodes may be selected as the starting node. In some cases, it may be useful to have an input element as a starting node that can be triggered or otherwise changed by an operator. In the sense of a node in the figure, this "input element" may be a start or stop motor, or may include changing a process variable. This may be done for one or for a plurality of selected starting nodes, for example, for known highly correlated process variables, or even for "atypical" process variables whose effect may not be fully clear. A subgraph of the forward connected nodes can then be constructed. Thus, at least one interdependence is shown between multiple elements in the subgraph-i.e., at least one interdependence can be observed. This portion of the topology model represents a subgraph with all elements that may be affected.

The method advantageously provides the operator with insight regarding the effect, even regarding so-called "side effects" of operator actions and/or process variables. "side effects" may be reactions of elements that have not been planned and/or foreseen by the operator. Side effects may include positive, negative, or negligible effects. Thus, operator actions and/or other changes may be subject to intensive research. This may result in better understanding of the action, at least in some cases, and/or provide safer process guidance by preventing the operator from prompting undesirable side effects in some cases.

In various embodiments, the method comprises the further steps of: all nodes and all relationships of the subgraph are output for the subgraph. The output may include generating a list of all nodes representing equipment and assets that may be affected by the operator action, i.e. equipment and assets that are related to the starting node or a change in its value. The output may include providing an approximation or "verbal" quantification of the effect of the operator's action, including side effects. The output may include a cause and effect relationship visualization inside the process plant to an engineer for verification, for example as a dynamically created process graphic or cause and effect matrix.

In various embodiments, the method comprises the further steps of: the cyclic interdependencies are searched in the subgraph. One idea might be to perform a search in a sub-graph with directional flow of material, energy and/or information flow, creating a list of elements that might be affected by operator actions. The list of elements with links known according to topology defines a subset of the topology graph, a subgraph, and will be searched for loops. The list of elements that may be affected and the detected cycles will be presented to the operator. This may facilitate identification of possible or real cycles with self-reinforcing effects in the production process, for example. In a recirculation loop (recycle loop). The one or more cycles may occur as a reaction to an operator action.

In various embodiments, the relationship between the plurality of elements includes a stream of matter, a stream of energy, and/or a stream of information. This reflects or addresses the fact that: industrial plants are networks, and in some cases complex networks, made up of flow-connected elements of materials, energy, and information. Thus, relationships involve heterogeneous connections that make elements interdependent and change on one element so as to affect one or more other elements.

In various embodiments, a directed edge is an attributed edge (attached edge). The attributed edge may be related to a quantitative impact on another element. This may facilitate quantitative assessment of the effect(s) of operator action and/or changes in process variables. In cases where the quantitative effect of the flow cannot be obtained directly from the PFD, the PFD may be combined with e.g. measurement data and state estimates of the flow in predetermined situations. Likewise, historical or simulated data can be used for this and/or to derive causal relationships. This may also be the basis for "verbally" quantifying the (side effects) of the operator's actions.

In some embodiments, at least one edge of the subset of attributed edges has a blur attribute (fuzzy attribute). Examples of fuzzy attributes are fuzzy variables and/or fuzzy logic rules. The fuzzy attribute may include rules describing effects between elements. For example, a rule may describe:

if the level of reactor A is above 50%, the flow in line B starts.

If there is a flow in the pipe B, the level of the storage tank C will rise.

These rules may be attributed to human experts, or may be derived from historical data.

In some embodiments, the originating node is a node that has only outgoing edges. This is the node where no edge points. In other words, the start node is the "source-only node". This may be related to "actual inputs", i.e. the changes are not related to other elements of the process or plant.

In some embodiments, the process flow diagram is a pipe and instrument diagram (P & ID diagram). Advantageously, this provides a common format for describing a process or plant.

An aspect relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described above and/or below.

One aspect relates to a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or a computer program product as described above.

One aspect relates to the use of a method as described above and/or below for searching for cyclic interdependencies in a process flow diagram, PFD, of a processing system.

One aspect relates to an industrial plant or processing system that includes a computer having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer and/or industrial plant to perform a method as described above and/or below.

For further elucidation, embodiments of the invention are described with the aid of the embodiments shown in the figures. These embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.

Description of the drawings

FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of analyzing the effect of an operator action according to an embodiment;

fig. 2 schematically illustrates a flow diagram for identifying affected elements and finding loops according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3 schematically shows a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically shows an example 100 of analyzing the effect of an operator action according to an embodiment. The operator action 110 may trigger the pattern analyzer 120 to evaluate the directed graph 140. Directed graph 140 may use a Process Flow Diagram (PFD) -examples of elements shown include tanks and level measurement devices-and convert the PFD into directed graph 140, which may describe these elements in an embodiment. The directed graph 140 is traversed starting from a start node in the directed graph 140. By traversing from the starting node to its neighbors and to its neighbors' neighbors (and so on), the sub-graph 150 is created. This sub graph 150 contains all elements affected by the operator's actions. In a simple implementation of the method, the sub-graph may be presented to the operator. Additionally or alternatively, a sub-graph, i.e., a path within the graph back to a previous element or a first element in the path, may be searched for loops in the loop analyzer 160. For example, the loop analyzer 160 may use the Johnson's algorithm (Johnson's algorithms) to find the shortest path between all pairs of vertices in the directed graph. Additionally or alternatively, a list of all elements and all relationships of the subgraph is output, for example in display 180.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a flow diagram 200 of identifying affected elements and finding a loop, according to an embodiment. In step 201, an operator action is performed and/or a process value is changed. The course value may be selected by an operator to investigate the effect. Operator actions and/or process values linked to the element. In the directed graph 140 (see fig. 1), this element serves as a starting point for a breadth-first search or alternatively for a depth-first search that may not explore all paths, like Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm. In step 202, the search creates a list of affected elements, which creates subgraph 150. Sub-graph 150 also includes edges defined by energy, material, and information flow. In step 203, subgraph 150 can add the nodes and edges it traverses. In step 204, the subgraph defined by nodes and edges is searched for loops, which may introduce unexpected self-reinforcing responses to operator actions or atypical process values. In step 205, the list is presented to the operator.

Fig. 3 schematically shows a flow diagram 300 of a method for determining interdependencies between a plurality of elements in a processing system according to an embodiment. In step 301, a process flow diagram PFD of the topology of the processing system is provided. In step 302, the PFD is transformed into a directed graph, wherein each element of the plurality of elements is transformed into a node and each relationship between the plurality of elements is transformed into a directed edge. In step 303, one of the plurality of nodes is selected as the starting node. In step 304, a subgraph is constructed, wherein the subgraph consists of all nodes connected forward from the starting node, showing at least one interdependence between multiple elements in the subgraph. In optional step 305, a list of all elements and all relationships of the subgraph is output.