EP2335123A1

EP2335123A1 - Method for diagnostic monitoring

Info

Publication number: EP2335123A1
Application number: EP09778336A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank Szemkus; Gernot Pohlmann
Original assignee: DeWind Co
Current assignee: DeWind Co
Priority date: 2008-09-06
Filing date: 2009-09-04
Publication date: 2011-06-22
Also published as: US20110307219A1; DE102008046156A1; CA2736276A1; CN102144195A; WO2010025932A1

Abstract

In order to provide a method for the diagnostic monitoring of the operating states of a plurality of technical systems (1) distributed among different locations, particularly wind energy plants, by means of receiving status codes (19) output by at least one memory programmable control system (SPS) (5, 6) disposed on the system side, wherein an exchange of information is carried out with remote monitoring units (160, 170, 15, 16, 17) that are disposed outside of the technical systems (1) and at a distance thereto and configured separately, which enables the integration, even subsequently, of a wide variety of systems to be monitored regardless of a central service provider in an error-tolerant and flexible manner, according to the invention operating data is associated with each status code (19) on the system side for analyzing the status code (19), a complex status signal (11) is subsequently generated from one or more status codes (19) and the associated operating data, and the complex status signal (11) is transmitted to the remote monitoring units (160, 170, 15, 16, 17) as part of the exchange of information.

Description

Method for diagnostic monitoring

The present invention relates to a method for diagnostic monitoring of the operating state of a plurality of distributed at different locations technical equipment, in particular wind turbines, by receiving issued by at least one system side programmable logic control system (PLC) status codes, wherein an exchange of information with outside of the technical equipment of this remotely located and separately trained remote monitoring units is performed.

Such methods for diagnostic monitoring are used in particular for the timely transmission of alarm messages as an essential prerequisite to ensure the availability of facilities, such as wind turbines. Participants in corresponding alarm networks may be both individuals, such as service personnel or technicians, and computer / communication systems, such as alarm servers and monitoring systems.

The known methods for diagnostic monitoring can be roughly divided into those with a substantially decentralized architecture and those with a substantially central architecture.

In the known decentralized architectures, for example, system messages, for example from wind turbines, for example via the telephone network, are transmitted via temporary dial-up connections. For example, in a known decentralized monitoring method, the signal on the system side to a certain

Transfer terminal of an industrial modem and sent, for example, via SMS to an external communication partner. On the part of

BESTATIGUNGSKOPIE Communication partner, an interpretation of the received signal must take place. At a disadvantage, this usually requires knowledge of the details of the system-side PLC sending the signal.

Although known diagnostic methods of this type have the advantage that they are independent of a central communication service provider and that there is no single point of failure, which could make the whole system monitoring impossible. A disadvantage of the known decentralized monitoring method, however, is that the cost of maintaining the transmission of system messages with the number of monitored systems, messages to be sent and the communication channels used as well as existing in the network monitoring participants increases sharply. The interpretation of the received signals often requires detailed technical information, such as status code lists, via the plant-side PLC. This results in a disadvantage that a scalability of the systems, so in particular a subsequent addition of other systems, complex adjustments of the monitoring system and monitoring process can result. Particularly in the event that PLCs from different manufacturers are used in the various technical systems, problems can arise.

On the other hand, generic methods for diagnostic monitoring are known which are based on centralized communication. Here, systems and parks send their messages to a central external communication node, which has the task of sending the message to selected communication partners via established routes. A disadvantage of this type of diagnostic monitoring is the centralized structure, which can lead to a failure of the complete monitoring, if problems at the central external Communication nodes occur. In addition, a scalability of the monitoring system, ie the addition of additional systems to be monitored, due to the high administrative burden on the part of the central server with disadvantage often very expensive.

Another disadvantage of the known diagnostic

The monitoring method is that an efficient error analysis based on the error codes sent by the PLC is often not possible without additional data from or via the PLC.

Furthermore, in known diagnostic methods of the type mentioned above, the consideration of surprisingly occurring system states in the adaptation of the monitoring method in many cases only possible by the PLC systems are reprogrammed. This is time consuming and therefore disadvantageously not a suitable measure for sudden events that require a change in the monitoring routine.

Against this background, the object of the present invention is to specify a method for the diagnostic monitoring of the type mentioned at the outset, which enables the integration, also subsequently, of a wide variety of systems to be monitored fault-tolerant and flexible independently of a central service provider.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a method of the type mentioned, in which each status code operating data for evaluating the status code are assigned system, then from one or more status codes and the associated operating data a the status code issuing PLC and / or the operating status characterizing complex status signal is generated and the complex status signal transmitted in the context of the information exchange to the remote monitoring units becomes. The method therefore represents a kind of compromise between a completely decentralized monitoring method and a complete centralized monitoring, since the raw status codes are processed by the system. It can be ensured in this way with advantage standardization of the information transmitted to the external remote monitoring units. The status signals generated and transmitted in accordance with the invention are information packages which can be read out of themselves and which can be supplied to a separate evaluation without additional technical data or the like. In particular, in each complex status signal, the operator-specific

Information about the corresponding PLC, from which the raw signal comes, be contained in a uniform form for all complex status signals, desired by the operator.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the operating data are taken from a database available on the plant side, wherein the operating data relate in particular to statistical data of the technical plant. For example, the database may be stored on a hard disk within a wind turbine. The operating data may include, for example, a time stamp and a plain text error log, which is assigned to the respective status code of the PLC. In particular, statistical data of individual operating parameters of the plant, for example, over a time interval of 10 minutes averaged values, can be taken from the database. Thus, according to the invention, all the data which depend specifically on the PLC used can be stored within the system-side database in order to be able to correctly read out the PLC. The complex status signal generated on this basis is standardized according to the invention, ie independent of the special PLC and the special format of the status code transmitted by this PLC. In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the operating data, preferably via remote data transmission, in particular according to one of the protocols ftp and / or http, a geographically distant from the location of the technical system provided operating database, the operating data relate in particular statistical data of the technical system , For example, the operating database may be present on the part of the manufacturer of the PLC. When replacing the system-side PLC can be dispensed with in this embodiment of the method to an adaptation of a database existing database. Instead, current operating data, for example for interpreting the status code sent by a PLC, is taken online from the external operating database.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the operating data from a system-side control (PLC) are retrieved, wherein the

Operating data in particular relate to real-time data of the technical system. The complex status signal can in this way be appended to real-time data generated by the PLC.

In a further development of the invention, it is provided that operating data of a plurality of, preferably different, technical installations are assigned to controls. Thus, according to the invention, upon receipt of a status code triggered by a PLC, a set of other status codes of other PLCs can be interrogated by means of a set of rules and integrated into the complex status signal. Thus, according to the invention, for example, spatially propagating events can be communicated to other systems of a system ensemble. One gets with advantage a kind of early warning system. For example, within a wind farm, a complex status signal about an icing condition of an installation could be used Information about the icing condition of other plant of the same park can be enriched.

If rules for a sequence control of the diagnostic monitoring are read out from a system-side database, the possibility of implementing a monitoring strategy on the plant side is obtained in another advantageous embodiment of the invention. This can be adapted to the specific conditions of the technical installation to be monitored and the PLC present therein. As part of the sequence control, for example, the triggering of the exchange of information to the remote monitoring units can be defined.

The generation of the status signal and / or the information exchange can / can be carried out according to the invention time-controlled. For example, within a predetermined time interval for carrying out frequency analyzes of system states, a status signal can be generated and transmitted to remote monitoring units.

In another embodiment of the invention, the generation of the status signal and / or the information exchange is event-controlled. For example, on the system side, a status signal is generated and sent only on the basis of status codes received from the PLC if certain value constellations of the operating data are present.

The status signals can be stored in a further embodiment of the method according to the invention in a system-side status database and / or in an external status database. For example, a local, plant-side status database can store the last status signal and use it to initialize external remote monitoring units. The external or plant-side status database can also serve within a configurable Period to save all received status signals. This makes it possible, for example, to provide frequency analyzes of specific system states or status code histories, which can then be evaluated by external monitoring clients.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, the operating data are taken from the system status database (13) and / or the external status database (16), the operating data relating in particular to status signals generated in a preceding step. As a result, it is possible with advantage to derive trend information from earlier status signals by comparison with current status signals, for example.

In order to simplify the data architecture, the system-side status database and / or the external status database is / are integrated in the database available on the system side in the development of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the

Exchange of information over a wide area network (WAN), in particular the Internet.

In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the complex status signal (11) is additionally generated from another complex status signal, in particular another technical system. In addition to the output status codes of the PLC, status signals from available status signal generators can thus also be received within the scope of the invention and interpreted and processed as input-side status codes. Thus, status signals of secondary primary status signal generators are also considered as input-side status codes and processed on the basis of the rules of the secondary status signal generator and transformed into secondary status signals. It happens virtually a cascading or series connection of two status signal generators.

The invention will be described by way of example in a preferred embodiment with reference to a drawing, wherein further advantageous details are shown in the figures of the drawing.

Functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

The figures of the drawing show in detail:

Figure 1: Schematic representation to illustrate the information streams and spatial arrangement of

Components in the execution of a method according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for illustrating the sequence of a diagnostic method according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a complex status signal in XML format according to the inventive method;

FIG. 4 shows an example of a rule stored in XML format for a flow control of the diagnostic monitoring according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows schematically the data flows in the application of the method according to the invention in its basic spatial arrangement. In principle, the technical installation 1 can be recognized. Spatially separated from the technical installation 1 are the area 2 of the participants of the alarm network as well as an external data provision system 3 at a third location. Also shown schematically is the Internet 4, via which data exchange between the technical unit 1, the subscriber area 2 and the external data delivery system 3 can take place. The plant is in particular a wind turbine.

Within the technical system 1 are PLC systems 5, 6. The PLC systems 5, 6 communicate via data channels 7, 8 with a status signal generator 9. The status signal generator 9 is designed as a separate service on a system-side computer. The status signal generator 9 is in communication with a diagnostic rule database 10. Rules for the course of the diagnostic procedure are stored in the diagnostic rules database 10. Further are

Operating data identifiers stored on the PLC systems 5, 6 in the diagnostic rules database 10 to allow a rule-based data exchange with the PLC. The diagnosis rule database 10 is also implemented on a computer on the part of the technical system 1.

A status signal 11 generated by the status signal generator 9 is distributed to different receivers via a status signal multiplexer 12. The distribution of the status signal 11 via the status signal multiplexer 12 is optionally carried out on a system-side status signal log database 13 or via the Internet 4 in the subscriber area 2. Die

Status signal log database 13 is also connected via an internet-based web server 14 via the Internet 4 to the subscriber area 2 for a data exchange.

Within the subscriber area 2, a subscriber area-side status signal multiplexer 15 serves to distribute the status signal received via the Internet 4. The status signal multiplexer 15 distributes the status signal 11 to monitoring clients 16, 17 and to a subscriber-side status signal log database 16 In addition, a web browser 17 to read the status signal log database 13 on the part of the technical Appendix 1 via the Internet 4 and the web server 14. This function can be used in addition to the subscriber-side status signal log database 16.

The inventive method for diagnostic monitoring of the operating state of a plurality of distributed at different locations technical equipment 1 is outlined below with reference to FIG 1.

The status signal generator 9 obtains from the diagnostic rule database 10 information about the diagnostic procedure to be performed. For example, a rule is stored in the diagnostic rules database 10, which prescribes a specific query interval. In accordance with this query rule, the status signal generator 9 receives raw status codes from the PLC systems 5, 6 via the data channels 7. In this way, the status signal generator 9 can read out specific operating data of the monitored system.

On the basis of rules stored in the diagnostic rule database 10 with regard to the read-out PLC systems, the status codes present in raw format are now identified, for example, with a standardized plain-text error message. For example, the error message can be generated in German, English, Chinese and / or another language. The diagnostic rule database 10 may, for example, contain rules concerning the retrieval of further data. Thus, in a rule, the retrieval of real-time data from the PLC and / or the retrieval of statistical data, such as a 10-minute average, may be prescribed from a database. The status signal generator 9 then generates the complex status signal 11 from these data. The status signal 11 then exists in a standardized form, which is independent of the read-out PLC 5, 6. The status signal 11 is moreover, it is self-explanatory since it contains the complete information about the error message as well as the location of the error.

The status signal 11 generated in this way is now supplied via the status signal multiplexer 12 on the one hand to the status signal log database 13, where, for example, a plurality of successively generated

Status signals 11 can be stored. On the other hand, the status signal is transmitted via the status signal multiplexer 12 under the intermediation of the Internet 4 to the subscriber-side status signal multiplexer 15 in the subscriber area 2. There it is transmitted to the monitoring clients 16, 17 in order to enable the monitoring of the distributed technical system. A forwarding of the status signal 11 via the status signal multiplexer 15 to the status signal log database 16 in the subscriber area 2 additionally or alternatively to the storage in the system-side status signal log database 13 enables a central detection of the status signals over a time course.

The process steps for generating the status signal 11 proceeding in the status signal generator 9 are illustrated below in detail in the time sequence with reference to FIG.

Initially, the following method steps proceed essentially in parallel. In a method step 18, a PLC system 5, 6 sends out a raw status code 19, which the status signal generator 9 receives in step 20. In parallel, the status signal generator 9 reads out the diagnosis rule database from the diagnostic rule database 10 in step 21. This results in the information as to how the status signal generator 9 is to convert a status code 19 received from one of the PLC systems 5, 6 into a status signal 11.

In the example procedure shown in FIG. 2, the diagnostic rule relates to a polling definition. In step 22, accordingly, upon reaching the Polling time point according to the read out in step 21 diagnostic rule of the signal generator 9 for querying certain operating data according to step 20 is activated.

In step 23, the signal generator 9 queries the diagnosis rule database 10 in step 23 for further operating data which belong to the status code 19 and the transmitting SPS systems 5, 6.

As defined in the diagnostic rule database, in step 24 the signal generator 9 receives real-time data from the PLC and in step 23 data from an external or internal data providing facility 3 to generate a status signal 11 in step 25. The data from the data providing system 3 may comprise individual values, time series or spectra or else digital media contents such as images or sounds or also external prediction values.

Finally, in the next step 26, the signal generator 9 sends the generated status signal 11 to the different receiving channels. According to step 27, the status signal 11 is forwarded via the status signal multiplexer 12 and the Internet 4 to the monitoring clients 16, 17 in the subscriber area 2. In parallel, according to step 28, the status signal 11 is fed via the status signal multiplexer 12 into the system-side status signal log database 13.

By way of example, a status signal 11 present in XML format will be explained with reference to FIG. The XML tags used in the status signal 11 are occupied as follows:

<SYSTEM> Control System - ID (ID), Address <STATUSCODE> Status Identifier (ID), Label (name), Timestamp <DATA> Operation Data Identifier (ID), Operation Data Label (name), value, unit

<LINK> address / name of the corresponding error file (trace file)

<TIMESTAMP> Timestamp (value) with format description (format).

Thus, in the signal state 11 explained by way of example in FIG. 3, the information required for identifying the control is contained in the form of the control system ID and the corresponding logical address. Furthermore, the operating data designations (name) are contained in plain text as temperature, wind speed and production, and the units are included. Finally, the logical address of an error file and a timestamp exist. The status signal 11 thus generated by the status signal generator application with the method according to the invention is thus available in a standardized form that can be interpreted independently of technical details of the PLC 5, 6 emitting the status code. The status signal 11 is thus easily suitable for centralized data evaluation in the subscriber area 2.

By way of example, FIG. 4 shows a diagnostic control system, which is stored in the system-specific diagnostic database 10, in XML format. 4 is delimited by the outer XML tag "diagnostics" in lines 01 and 026. Lines 03 to 04 contain definitions of two status signals, line 6 is a so-called polling query, ie a periodic query of data, in the interval of 10 minutes, ie 600 seconds, defined for plants of the type "EOS". Lines 7 to 8 contain a list of the monitored PLC systems 5, 6 with the associated logical addresses. In line 9, the status signal of ID 5236 for the function "autocall" is defined with the possible operating data identifiers "2370", "6373", "7383". The operating data identifiers each refer to specific ones Operating data which are polled by the PLC during the polling process and embedded in the status signal. Finally, it is specified in line 14 that all status signals are additionally provided with a time stamp.

Lines 16 to 24 define the monitoring rule "event", which transforms a received status code of a PLC from a status signal generator into a status signal, as defined in line 16 for all EOS PLC systems, in lines 17 A list of the monitored PLC control systems 5, 6 including a logical address is shown in Fig. 18. In line 19 it is defined that a status signal "3333" is generated upon receipt of the status code "4444", and according to line 20 the status signal generator receives data from the PLC is interrogated with the operating data identifier "2370" and embedded in the status signal "3333" which it generates. A time stamp is additionally generated for the status signal according to line 22. In line 23 it is determined that the status code contains a reference to an error file.

Different monitoring methods can be carried out on the basis of the set of rules 29 for the diagnosis shown by way of example in FIG. Advantageously, the rules 29 can be varied on the system side, without adjustments in the subscriber area 2 are required. The change of the diagnostic framework can be done for example by users. For this purpose, a change of the PLC systems 5, 6 is also not required.

Within the scope of the invention, the status signal multiplexer 12 can also distribute the status signal 11 to other status signal multiplexers, to a mail and / or SMS server. The status signal, including the operating data contained therein, can also be visualized on the monitoring clients 16, 17. The communication between the PLC systems 5, 6, the status signal generator 9, the status signal multiplexer 12, the external data providing systems 3 and the monitoring client 16, 17 can be done via TCP / IP based web service technology. In particular, SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is suitable.

Thus, a method for diagnostic monitoring of the operating state of a plurality of distributed at different locations technical equipment, in particular wind turbines is proposed, which generates standardized status signals 11 by conditioning the status codes that the PLC systems 5, 6 send out. The standardized status signals are particularly well suited for integration in an evaluation by a subscriber area 2. By standardizing a scalability of the system, especially a subsequent addition of other technical equipment to be monitored, easily possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 technical facility

2 participants area

3 external data delivery system 4 Internet

5 PLC system

6 PLC system

7 data channel

8 data channel 9 status signal generator

10 diagnostics rule database

11 status signal

12 status signal multiplexers (system side)

13 status signal log database 14 web server

15 status signal multiplexer (subscriber side)

16 Status signal log database (subscriber side) 160 Monitoring client

170 Monitoring Client 17 Web Browser

18 PLC sends signal

19 status code

20 status signal generator receives status code

21 Method step Reading the diagnostic control 22 Step Activating the signal generator

23 Procedure Request operating data from the diagnostic rule database and from the external data delivery system 24 Process step Receive operating data from the diagnostic rule database and from the external data delivery system

25 Method step Generation of a status signal 26 Method step Dispatch of the status signal

27 Step Forward the status signal to the monitoring clients

28 Process step Supply of the status signal into the system-side status signal log database 29 Diagnosis rule

Claims

1. A method for diagnostic monitoring of the operating state of a plurality of distributed at different locations technical equipment (1), in particular wind turbines, by receiving by at least one system side arranged programmable logic controller (PLC) (5, 6) output status codes (19), wherein a Exchange of information with outside of the technical equipment (1), remotely located from these and separately trained remote monitoring units (160, 170, 15, 16, 17) is performed, characterized in that the system side each status code (19) operating data for the evaluation of the status code (19) then from one or more status codes (19) and the associated operating data, a complex status signal (11) characterizing the PLC and / or operating state issuing the status code, and the complex status signal (11) is generated as part of the information exchange with the remote monitoring units (19). 160, 1 70, 15, 16, 17) is transmitted.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating data of a database (3) available on the plant side are taken, wherein the operating data relate in particular to statistical data of the technical installation.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the operating data, preferably via

Remote data transmission, in particular according to one of the protocols ftp and / or http, of a spatially away from the location of the technical installation (1) provided operating database (3) are removed, wherein the operating data relate in particular statistical data of the technical system.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, d a d u r c h characterized in that the operating data from a system-side control (PLC) are retrieved, wherein the

Operating data in particular relate to real-time data of the technical system.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that operating data of several, preferably different technical equipment (1) associated with, controls (PLC) are retrieved.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that rules (29) for a sequence control of the diagnostic monitoring from a system-side database (10) are read.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the rules (29) are read out of an XML file.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the generation of the status signal (11) and / or the information exchange is time-controlled.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the generation of the status signal (11) and / or the information exchange is event-controlled.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the status signals (11) in a system status database (13) and / or stored in an external status database (16).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the operating data of the plant-side status database (13) and / or the external status database (16) are removed, wherein the operating data relate in particular in a previous step generated status signals.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the system-side status database (13) and / or the external status database (16) is integrated in the database available on the database (3) / are.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information exchange over a wide area network (WAN), in particular Internet (4), takes place.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the complex status signal (11) is additionally generated from another complex status signal, in particular another technical system.