EP3305622A1 - Method for diagnosis of spatially distributed technical components - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the invention, a method is provided for the diagnosis of spatially distributed plant-technical components, in particular components of the train control and / or train control, which consume electric power to fulfill its intended purpose, comprising the following method steps: a) connecting a plurality of system components (V1 to Vn) to an electrical power supply line (L); b) connecting a voltage (4) and current (2) transducer to the supply line (L) between a supply source (PS) and a plant component (V2, V3) connected next to the supply source (PS); c) evaluating the current and voltage values supplied by the transducer (2, 4) by comparing the recorded in a measuring interval current and voltage waveform for the system components (V1 to Vn) in the undisturbed state when exercising the intended function current and voltage signature; and d) upon reaching a predetermined deviation, a diagnostic signal is issued. In this way, it is possible for many consumers connected to the supply line (system components) to be able to determine which current and voltage profile deviates from a control curve due to the known current and voltage signatures and therefore triggers a diagnostic signal. Thus, it is also possible to determine early on a deviation from the control curve, which could be indicative of a future malfunction of a plant component by way of early warning.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for the diagnosis of spatially distributed plant components, in particular components of the train protection and train control, which consume electric power to fulfill its intended purpose.

Such usually decentralized system components are used in particular in rail networks such as the railroad, where these are used to control vehicle influencing and / or vehicle monitoring units and to monitor functionality and to record process data and back to a central control and / or monitoring center, such as a control center or a signal box. As Zugbeeinflussende units that give instructions to the driver or even make direct intervention in the vehicle control or directly set a safe track, for example, signals, points, balises, line conductors, track magnets and the like, as well as sensors for detecting process variables of the moving train, such as power consumption, speed and the like. As train and track section monitoring units can also balise and line conductors, but also axle and track circuits and other train detection systems are called. Basically, however, the present invention relates to all industrial plants in which functional units are distributed over long distances and yet must be centrally controlled. The central controller can be perceived by a stationary control center, but also by a non-stationary virtual control center.

In railway traffic, it is usually the case that these technical components are controlled by an interlocking or a remote interlocking computer. For the data transfer between the interlocking and the system components in the track area, standardized copper cables are usually provided today, for which the classic travel distances are the upper limit for 10 km in practice due to the physical transmission parameters, the cable coverings (RLC). For certain types of plant components, however, this upper limit can only be at a maximum distance of 6.5 km.

The construction of technical facilities, especially in railway infrastructure, is based on robustness and reliability due to the more than 100 years of history of industrial plant construction and railway engineering. In the former conception, the outer elements of the railway safety systems were connected via relatively strong cable cores in order to be able to reliably detect the switching states over the defined distances, ie the design takes place according to the peak loads with sufficient reserve. With the switching operation of the outer elements, the information is transmitted via the energy supply. It follows, however, in an obvious way, that the possible distances are limited by the detectable energy flow. Among today's flexibility, cost and resource policy aspects, these established concepts are in addition to those through the EP 2 301 202 A1 It is urgently necessary to innovate the disclosed communication structure in the field of energy supply, thus dissolving the previous coupling of information and energy.

1. a) ein übergeordnetes Steuerungssystem, das mit den dezentralen Funktionseinheiten mittels Datentelegrammen Informationen austauscht,
2. b) ein Datentransportnetzwerk mit einer Anzahl von Netzzugangspunkten, wobei das übergeordnete Steuerungssystem über mindestens einen Netzzugangspunkt an dem Datentransportnetzwerk angekoppelt ist;
3. c) Kommunikationseinheiten, die an einem Netzzugangspunkt angeschlossen sind und den dezentralen Funktionseinheiten den Zugang zu dem Datentransportnetzwerk bereitstellen, und
4. d) ein Energietransportnetz, an das die dezentralen Funktionseinheiten angeschlossen sind und das die dezentralen Funktionseinheiten mit elektrischer Energie versorgt. Auf diese Weise ist nun auch das Energietransportnetz vollkommen von einem Stellwerk entkoppelt.

For this purpose, the international patent application discloses WO 2013/013908 A1 a solution. This solution provides an apparatus and method for operating in one industrial plant arranged decentralized functional units, comprising:

1. a) a higher-level control system which exchanges information with the decentralized functional units by means of data telegrams,
2. b) a data transport network having a number of network access points, wherein the higher-level control system is coupled to the data transport network via at least one network access point;
3. c) communication units which are connected to a network access point and provide access to the data transport network to the decentralized functional units, and
4. d) an energy transport network to which the decentralized functional units are connected and which supplies the decentralized functional units with electrical energy. In this way, the energy transport network is now completely decoupled from a signal box.

Based on today's interlocking architecture with decentralized stations, but point-to-point energy supply, this is a new, innovative approach, which is sold by Siemens Switzerland AG under the name Sigrid®. Today's cable-intensive and labor-intensive point-to-point connections for the power supply or power supply of the peripheral elements along the track (called element controller or system component) are replaced by bus-saving or easy-to-install bus or ring circuits.

However, the previously customary and approved monitoring strategy for the decentralized system components is lost because of the no longer existing point-to-point connection. So it is, for example, in existing switch diagnostic devices so that they Measure the voltages and currents when changing over a switch by attaching voltage and current transformers to the supply lines to the point motor motor. In the case of signals, the signal term to be displayed on the signal is transmitted from the signal box card to the trackside signal control unit by means of a modulated AC voltage signal, and the corresponding current flow of the lamp currents activated according to the transmitted signal term is monitored on the signal box card. However, all these monitoring directions, which can be used to reach safety levels up to SIL4, require considerable resources in the interlocking as well as extensive cabling and safety checks, so that a new way for a less material-intensive simplified diagnosis of the system components has to be taken. This new approach must also take account of the connection of the plant components to the above-mentioned energy buses.

The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for diagnosing spatially distributed equipment components, in particular components of the command and / or train control, which consume electric power to fulfill its intended purpose to specify that in terms of the required cabling and the use of Monitoring components designed much simpler.

1. a) Anschliessen von einer Vielzahl von anlagentechnischen Komponenten an eine elektrische Stromversorgungsleitung;
2. b) Anschliessen eines Messwandlers für Spannung und Strom an die Versorgungsleitung zwischen einer an die Versorgungsleitung angeschlossenen Versorgungsquelle und einer nächst zur Versorgungsquelle an der Versorgungsleitung angeschlossenen anlagentechnischen Komponente;
3. c) Auswerten der von dem Messwandler gelieferten Strom- und Spannungswerte durch Vergleich des in einem Messintervall aufgenommenen Strom- und Spannungsverlaufs mit für die anlagentechnischen Komponenten im ungestörten Zustand bei Ausübung der bestimmungsgemässen Funktion aufgenommenen Strom- und Spannungssignaturen; und
4. d) bei Erreichen einer vorbestimmten Abweichung Aussenden eines Diagnosesignals.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a method for the diagnosis of spatially distributed plant-technical components, in particular components of the train control and / or train control, which consume electric power to fulfill its intended purpose. In this case, this method comprises the following method steps:

1. a) connecting a plurality of plant components to an electrical power supply line;
2. b) connecting a voltage and current transducer to the supply line between a supply source connected to the supply line and a plant component connected next to the supply source at the supply line;
3. c) evaluating the current and voltage values supplied by the transducer by comparing the current and voltage waveform recorded in a measuring interval with the current and voltage signatures recorded for the system components in the undisturbed state when the intended function is exercised; and
4. d) upon reaching a predetermined deviation emitting a diagnostic signal.

In this way, it is possible for many consumers connected to the supply line (system components) to be able to determine which current and voltage profile deviates from a control curve due to the known current and voltage signatures and therefore triggers a diagnostic signal. Thus, it is also possible to determine early on a deviation from the control curve, which could be indicative of a future malfunction of a plant component by way of early warning. By way of example, a faulty filament could be mentioned, which causes a higher resistance and therefore probably burns out shortly. Another example could be the power consumption of a switch motor, which shows a conspicuously high and long power consumption at the beginning of the Weichenumstellbewegung and therefore could be an indication that the sliding conditions for the switch blade on the sliding chairs are no longer optimal and therefore a lubrication of the switch required should be.

Even on busy railroad lines, it is usually not the case that the meaningfulness of the recorded current and voltage curve is blurred by too high a number of simultaneously active system components. Nevertheless, it may be provided in an advantageous development of the invention that the system components connected to the supply line could be operated stepwise or selectively individually or in groups. This makes it possible to take a close look at the behavior of individual plant components.

Thus, in the comparisons of the recorded current and voltage waveforms even within a group of similar plant components a specific plant component can be customized, it may be useful to record the commissioning of a plant component, the current and voltage signature and this of the respective plant technology Assign component. Thus, for example, a difference in the start-up of turnout motors can be customized, so that any deviating at most from the usual current and voltage curve for turnout engines course is not fundamentally already be assessed as a mistake, but just a certain deviating from the beginning plant technical component, here another point motor or identical point motor, but special switch configuration / situation, can be assigned.

Likewise, it may be provided in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention that the system components connected to the supply line can be gradually or individually isolated or grouped together from the supply line. So it is possible on suspicion To isolate a faulty system component by isolating individual equipment component in an expert mode the cause of a different current and voltage profile.

Furthermore, it may also be provided for reasons of a higher evaluation speed of the recorded current and voltage profiles and / or more specific evaluation that the evaluation of the current and voltage values supplied by the measuring transducer is carried out in a predefinable frequency band. Especially by this spectral analysis of the recorded current and voltage curves can be derived in the comparison with the current and voltage signatures of the new state even before the failure of an equipment component statements about their condition with respect to aging and / or wear.

For the environment of rail-bound traffic, it is typical when used as equipment components railway track side arranged electronic units, with the railway track side arranged components components of the train protection and / or train control, such as signals, balises, track magnets, track circuits, axle, switches, line conductors , Railway barriers and the like, are controlled and / or supplied with power.

Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention can be taken from the remaining subclaims.

Figur 1

in schematischer Ansicht eine Stellwerkarchitektur mit einem Datenbus und einem Energiebus gemäss dem Stand der Technik;

Figur 2

in schematischer Ansicht eine Netzknoteneinheit zur Verbindung einer dezentralen Funktionseinheit mit dem Datenbus und Energiebus gemäss dem Stand der Technik; und

Figur 3

in schematischer Ansicht eines Schaltbildes der für das Verfahren zur Diagnose von räumlich verteilt angeordneten dezentralen Stellteilen in einem Eisenbahnnetzwerk.

Advantageous embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic view of an interlocking architecture with a data bus and a power bus according to the prior art;

FIG. 2

a schematic view of a network node unit for connecting a decentralized functional unit with the data bus and power bus according to the prior art; and

FIG. 3

in a schematic view of a circuit diagram of the method for the diagnosis of spatially distributed distributed control parts in a railway network.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a modern interlocking architecture with a system SYS, inter alia, has a signal box STW, a redunant built data backbone NB1, NB2, a data bus CB and an energy bus EB with two feed points PS1 and PS2. The interlocking STW controls the train traffic on a track section G, in which here, for example, signals S, points W, a level crossing Bue and axle counter AC are arranged. These train protection and influencing components each connect to a decentralized functional unit - also called element controller unit E - on the data bus CB and the power bus EB. The decentralized functional units E are connected to the annular data bus CB in such a way that access to the data backbones NB1 and NB2 is given via each side of the annular data bus CB. The data bus CB coupled with corresponding routers / switches SW to the respective data backbone NB1, NB2.

FIG. 2 now shows schematically the data and power supply connection of the Element Controller Unit E of a train control component, here for example a switch W, to the data bus CB and the power bus EB. Such an attachment point comprises a network node unit SND, a communication unit SCU and the actual element controller EC. The communication unit SCU is for data exchange used over both branches of the data bus CB. Energy side, the network node unit SND is designed so that it couples to both branches of the power bus EB. The network node unit SND controls and monitors the power bus EB, detects current violations within the power bus EB and the connected consumer (SPU with EC). In redundant manner, it is always supplied from two sides with electrical energy and therefore has in a switching module S via a left switch S1 and a right switch S2 and a load switch S3 to the supply unit SPU of the element controller EC. In the present exemplary embodiment, the switching module S also includes a control and / or evaluation logic SL that is used, for example, for measuring the voltages and / or currents at the inputs of the power bus EB in the network node unit SND.

The network node unit SND also supplies the communication unit SCU with voltage and can also exchange data with it via an Ethernet connection and is thus integrated in the data bus CB (eg for activating the manual operation of the SND via remote access and actuation of the switches S1 to S3, for delivery of diagnostic data to the interlocking or to a higher-level service and Diagnoseosesyt, query the current voltages, currents, energy and power values, parameterization of the SND, for delivery and / or receipt of data for charging / energy management of an energy storage not shown here or for the registration of a future power requirement). In the network node unit SND here the supply unit SPU is integrated via the switch S3, which converts the voltage of the power bus EB to the input voltage required for the element controller EC. In addition, a data connection between the switching module S of the network node unit SND and the supply unit SPU, eg in the form of a serial RS 422, provided. Energy-technically typical here is, for example, a three-phase connection with 400 VAC. The element controller EC controls and supplies in FIG. 2 In the present case, the switch W receives the element controller EC data telegrams from a higher-level interlocking CPU via an Ethernet connection from the communication unit SCU and are via this communication unit SCU feedback to the interlocking computer CPU. The interlocking computer CPU here also represents a corresponding evaluation module that evaluates the received data as intended.

These embodiments described above are thus valid for a system of the latest type, in which the decentralized functional units are no longer monitored on the power and power consumption side of the circuit. Rather, this happens now on the network node units SND itself. All the exchange of results for checking the current and voltage curve during the exercise of the intended function is carried out via the data bus CB. It is easily apparent that the effort to be driven per functional unit is relatively high for the monitoring tasks shifted out of the interlocking into the field.

In order to be able to monitor a large number of decentralized functional elements (system components) electrically with regard to the current and voltage curve, the present invention proposes a method which is comparatively simpler than the system SYS. This method is also expedient if the monitoring and control solutions currently used as standard interlocking technology with conventional relay interlockings and / or electronic interlockings is used.

The procedure now provides that - as in FIG. 3 shown - several electrical loads (= plant components) V1 to Vn are connected to a supply line L. The supply line L itself is connected to a power supply unit PS and obtains from there the electrical power required for the consumers V1 to Vn. In the supply line L, an ammeter 2 and a voltmeter 4 are connected, which measure the current and voltage waveform and transmitted to a diagnostic device 6. In this case, the ammeter 2 and the voltmeter 4 are switched into the supply line L in such a way that the current I flowing between a power supply unit PS and the consumers closest to the power supply unit PS and the voltage U are measured.

The diagnostic unit 6 evaluates the current and voltage values supplied by the ammeter 2 and voltmeter 4 by comparing these actual consumption values with the current and voltage signature recorded for the consumers V1 to Vn in the undisturbed state during the intended function. If a predetermined deviation is achieved, a diagnostic signal is sent to a service point 8 and / or a maintenance person. In this way, entire supply areas can be monitored with a large number of consumers V1 to Vn arranged therein with little effort with this method. Therefore, this method requires neither arranged at the individual consumers diagnostic means nor a point-to-point wiring from the interlocking to the consumers V1 to Vn. It can basically all types of electrical loads are monitored with the diagnostic unit 6, if for each of them a characteristic pattern of the consumption values of voltage and current (current and voltage signature) can be determined. The diagnostic procedure is therefore in Essentially, on the basis of the known patterns of the current and voltage profiles, to identify those consumers whose actual measured values for the current and the voltage differ in their characteristics from the characteristic recorded for normal operation.

Due to the central arrangement of the diagnostic unit 6 in such a power supply infrastructure, it may also be necessary to provide further possibilities for the localization of detected faulty consumers. This localization can also take place, for example, by the gradual targeted actuation or isolation of individual consumers or consumer groups (for this purpose, see the indicated switches in FIG FIG. 3 ). By observing the current and voltage profiles which change as a result of this actuation or insulation, and thus the diagnostic results derived therefrom, it is possible to conclude that a consumer affected by a malfunction can be detected. Furthermore, the signatures for the current and voltage curve can also be recorded during commissioning by the diagnostic unit 6, which can thus be assigned to the individual consumers V1 to Vn. In the course of operation, the diagnostic unit 6 can track the changes in the current current and voltage curves and clearly identify the affected consumer as defective if the limit values are exceeded.

Claims (6)

Method for the diagnosis of spatially distributed system components (V1 to Vn), in particular components of the train protection and train control, which consume electric power (I) to fulfill its intended purpose; comprising the following method steps: a) connecting a plurality of system components (V1 to Vn) to an electrical power supply line (L); b) connecting a voltage (4) and current (2) transducer to the supply line (L) between a supply source (PS) and a plant component (V2, V3) connected next to the supply source (PS); c) evaluating the current and voltage values supplied by the measuring transducer (2, 4) by comparing the current and voltage waveform recorded in a measuring interval with current and current recorded for the system components (V1 to Vn) in the undisturbed state when the intended function is performed voltage signature; and d) upon reaching a predetermined deviation, a diagnostic signal is issued. Method according to claim 1,
characterized in that
the system components (V1 to Vn) connected to the supply line (L) can be actuated stepwise or selectively individually or in groups. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that
during commissioning of a plant component (V1 to Vn) the current and voltage signature is recorded, which is assigned to the respective plant component. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that
the system components (V1 to Vn) connected to the supply line (L) can be isolated step by step or selectively from the supply line (L) individually or in groups. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that
the evaluation of the current and voltage values supplied by the measuring transducer (2, 4) is carried out in a predeterminable frequency band. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that
components of the train protection and / or train control, such as signals, balises, track magnets, track circuits, axle counters, switches, line conductors, railway barriers and the like, are controlled by the trackside components and / or voltage supplied.

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