GB2498396A

GB2498396A - Steam plant wireless monitoring

Info

Publication number: GB2498396A
Application number: GB1200647.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ioannis Tolios; David Organ
Original assignee: Spirax Sarco Ltd
Current assignee: Spirax Sarco Ltd
Priority date: 2012-01-16
Filing date: 2012-01-16
Publication date: 2013-07-17
Also published as: GB201200647D0

Abstract

A steam plant 1 comprises a network of fluid lines 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 for conveying fluid around the plant, a plurality of steam system components 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 40, 42, 44, and a plurality of sensors 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 86, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86 for monitoring various parameters of the steam plant. The steam plant also comprises a steam plant monitoring apparatus comprising a plurality of remote stations 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100. Each remote station comprises a wired sensor hub hard-wired to at least one sensor so as to receive data relating a monitored parameter. The wired sensor hub comprises a data converter for converting the data to a wired protocol. A wireless adapter is hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wired protocol. The wireless adapter converts the data to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmitter transmits the data. A central monitoring station comprises a wireless receiver which receives data signals from the plurality of remote stations.

Description

tM:;: INTELLECTUAL S... * PROPERTY OFFICE Application No. 0B1200M7.4 RTM Date:11 May2012 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: \Yjie1essHART Bluetooth Zig Bee Intellectual Properly Office is an operaling name of Ihe Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk

STEAM PLANT

The invention relates to a steam plant, in particular, to a steam plant comprising a steam plant monitoring apparatus for monitoring the plant.

In an industrial and heating process utilising steam, steam is generated in a boiler and transferred through pipework at high temperature and pressure to various industrial processes where the energy in the steam is utilised.

In order to accurately control the steam plant it is desirable to understand how the steam plant is operating. Therefore, the steam plant is typically provided with a number of sensors that monitor various parameters of the steam plant. For example, parameters such as pressure, temperature and flow rate are often monitored.

In a previously considered arrangement the monitored parameters may be displayed on a display that proximate to the sensor. However, this may be inconvenient since an operator may have to walk around the steam plant in order to obtain the monitored parameters. In another previously considered arrangement the sensors are connected to a central computer by a network of data cables. Whilst this may be satisfactory for some arrangements, a large amount of cabling is required which may make it difficult to expand or modify the monitoring apparatus.

It is therefore desirable to provide an improved monitoring apparatus for a steam plant.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a steam plant, comprising: a network of fluid lines for conveying fluid around the plant; a plurality of steam system components; a plurality of sensors for monitoring various parameters of the steam plant; and a steam plant monitoring apparatus, comprising: a plurality of remote stations, each remote station comprising: a wired sensor hub hard-wired to at least one sensor so as to receive data from the at least one sensor relating a monitored parameter, the wired sensor hub comprising a data converter for converting data received from the at least one sensor to a wired protocol, wherein the wired sensor hub is arranged to output data in accordance with the wired protocol; and a wireless adapter hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wired protocol from the wired sensor hub, the wireless adapter comprising a wired-wireless data converter for converting the data received from the wired protocol to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data using the wireless protocol; and a central monitoring station having a wireless receiver arranged to wirelessly receive wireless data signals from the wireless transmitters of the plurality of remote stations. The monitoling system may monitol specific steam system components, and/or regions of the plant, and/or specific portions of the fluid lines. The monitoring system allows the steam plant to be monitored by a remote central monitoring station.

The central monitoring station may be a generic computer running specific software, or it may be a bespoke device.

The wired sensor hub may be hard-wired to a plurality of sensors. In such an arrangement the wired sensor hub receives a plurality of data streams from the plurality of sensors and combines the data into a single seiial data output. This is then fed to the wireless adapter which wirelessly transmits the combined data as a single signal to the central monitoring station.

The plurality lemote stations may be associated with separate steam system components, and/or separate regions of the steam plant, and/or separate portions of a fluid line. For example, one remote station may be associated with a boiler and a temperature, pressure and TDS sensor (each monitoring the boiler) may be hard-wired to the wiied sensoi hub; a second remote station may be associated with a blowdown vessel and a temperature, pressure and TDS sensor (each monitoring the blowdown vessel) may be hard-wired to the sensor hub; and a third remote station may be associated with a portion of a particular fluid line and a tempelature sensor, pressure sensor and velocity flow meter (each monitoring the fluid line) may be hard-wired to the wired sensor hub. This minimises the amount of cabling required as the remote station can be locate proximate to the part of the plant being monitored, whilst minimising the numbei of wiieless adapters requiied as the data from a numbei of sensois can be transmitted using a single wireless adapter.

The wired protocol may be a serial protocol. The serial protocol may be Modbus and the interface may be RS232 or RS485. Other suitable serial, or indeed wired, protocols 01 interfaces may be used. The wireless protocol may be WiielessHART. Other suitable wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth ®, or ZigBee ® may be used.

Each iemote station may comprise a display aiianged to display data received by the wired sensor hub. This may allow an opeiatoi to check the monitored parameteis at the location of the remote station and also allows data to be viewed in the event that the wireless link to the central monitoring station fails.

The plurality of steam system components may include one or moie components selected from the group consisting of: a boiler, a feedtank, a steam trap, a blowdown vessel, a fluid control valve, a pump, a heat exchanger, an accumulator. It should be appreciated that there may be more than one of some of the components. For example, there may be a single boiler, feedtank and blowdown vessel, but a large numbei of steam traps, fluid contiol valves and pumps. It is not necessary that each steam system component is provided with a remote monitoring station. For example, the boiler and blowdown vessel may be provided with a remote monitoring station yet the feedtank may not be.

The plurality of sensors may include one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a velocity flow rate meter, a mass flow rate meter, a TDS sensor, a dryness sensor, a vibio-acoustic sensor. It should be appreciated that there may be one or more of at least some of the sensors.

For example, there may be a large number of temperature and pressure sensors.

Each lemote station may be piovided with a powei supply for supplying power to the remote station. The power supply may comprise a battery. The power supply may comprise a thermoelectric power source which is coupled to a steam line and which is airanged to generate electricity from energy within the steam. The use of a thermoelectric generator reduces the amount of cabling that would be required and obviates the need for batteries to be replaced.

Accoiding to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a steam plant monitoring apparatus, comprising: a plurality of remote stations, each remote station comprising: a wired sensor hub hard-wired to at least one sensor, which is arranged to monitor a parameter of a steam plant, so as to receive data from the at least one sensor relating a monitored parameter, the wired sensor hub comprising a data converter for converting data ieceived from the at least one sensoi to a wired protocol, wherein the wired sensor hub is arranged to output data in accordance with the wired protocol; and a wireless adapter hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wiied protocol from the wired sensor hub, the wireless adapter complising a wiied-wiieless data conveiter for converting the data ieceived from the wired protocol to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data using the wireless protocol; and a central monitoring station having a wireless receiver arranged to wirelessly receive wireless data signals from the wireless transmitters of the plurality of remote stations.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a remote station for a steam plant monitoring apparatus, comprising: a wired sensor hub hard-wired to at least one sensor, which is arranged to monitor a parameter of a steam plant, so as to receive data from the at least one sensor relating a monitored parameter, the wired sensor hub comprising a data converter for converting data received from the at least one sensor to a wired protocol, wherein the wired sensor hub is arranged to output data in accordance with the wired protocol; and a wireless adapter hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wired protocol from the wired sensor hub, the wireless adapter comprising a wired-wireless data converter for converting the data received from the wired protocol to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data using the wireless protocol.

The invention also concerns a wireless adapter for use with the steam plant or the steam plant monitoring apparatus or the remote station in accordance with any

statement herein.

The invention may comprise any combination of the teatures and/or limitations referred to herein, except combinations of such features as are mutually exclusive.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows a steam plant including a steam plant monitoring apparatus; and Figure 2 schematically shows a remote monitoring unit of the steam plant monitoring apparatus of Figure 1.

With reference to Figure 1, the steam plant 1 comprises a plurality of steam system components including a feedtank 10, a boiler 12, a blowdown vessel 14, three process vessels 16, 18, 20 for utilising steam and a condensate receiver tank 22. The steam system components are interconnected by a network of fluid lines including a feedwater line 24, a blowdown water line 26, a steam supply line 28, three drain lines 30, 32, 34, a common condensate recovery line 36, and a condensate return line 38.

The steam plant 1 also includes further steam system components including three steam traps 40, 42, 44, each provided in between a respective drain line 30, 32, 34 and the common condensate recovery line 36. The steam system 1 may also include other steam system components such as one or more valves and/or pumps, for example. It should be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the steam plant may include any suitable steam system components that may be required.

The steam plant 1 also includes a number of sensors for monitoring various parameters of the steam plant. The sensors are installed in the steam plant 1 such that they can monitor parameters of both the steam system components (including the feedwater tank 10, boiler 12, blowdown vessel 14, process vessels 16, 18, 20, and steam traps 40, 42, 44) and the fluid lines.

In this embodiment, the following parts of the steam plant 1 are provided with the following sensors: -the feedwater tank 10 is provided with a level detector 46, a temperature sensor 48 and a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) sensor 50; -the boiler 12 is provided with a temperature sensor 52, a pressure sensor 54 and a TDS sensor 56; -the blowdown vessel 14 is provided with a temperature sensor 58, a pressure sensor 60 and a flow meter 62 that monitors the flow of waste out of the vessel; -the first process vessel 16 is provided with a temperature sensor 64, a pressure sensor 66 and a flow meter 68 that measures the flow rate of steam being fed to the process vessel 16; -the second process vessel 18 is provided with a temperature sensor 70, a pressure sensor 72 and a flow meter 74 that measures the flow rate of steam being fed to the process vessel 18; -the third process vessel 20 is provided with a temperature sensor 76, a pressure sensor 78 and a flow meter 80 that measures the flow rate of steam being fed to the process vessel 20; and -the condensate return line 38 is provided with a temperature sensor 82, a pressure sensor 84 and a flow meter 86.

It should be appreciated that the steam plant 1 may be provided with any number of sensors in any combination. Any suitable sensors or meters for monitoring parameters may be used as required. The sensors described in this embodiment are merely examples of the types of sensors that may be used.

The steam plant 1 is also provided with a steam plant monitoring apparatus which is capable of remotely monitoring various parameters of the steam plant 1. The steam plant monitoring apparatus comprises a plurality of remote monitoring stations 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100 and a central monitoring station 102. In this embodiment, each remote monitoring station 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100 is associated with a separate steam system component or a separate region of the steam plant and they are located remotely from one another. In this embodiment, the central monitoring station 102 is located remotely from all of the remote monitoring stations, and may be located in a control room, for example.

In this embodiment a first remote monitoring station 88 is associated with and is located proximate to the feedtank 10 and is hard-wired to the level detector 46, temperature sensor 48 and TDS sensor 50. A second remote monitoring station 90 is associated with and is located proximate to the boiler 12 and is hard-wired to the temperature sensor 52, pressure sensor 54 and TDS sensor 56. A third remote monitoring station 92 is associated with and is located proximate to the blowdown vessel 14 and is hard-wired to the temperature sensor 58, pressure sensor 60 and flow meter 62. Fourth, fifth and sixth remote monitoring stations 94. 96, 98 are associated and are located proximate to the first, second and third process vessels 16, 18,20 respectively and are hard-wired to the respective temperature sensor 64, 70, 76, pressure sensor 66, 72, 78, and flow meter 68, 74, 80. A seventh monitoring station is associated with and is located proximate to a part of the condensate return line 38 and is hard-wired to the temperature sensor 82, pressure sensor 84 and flow meter 86. It should be appreciated that any suitable number of remote stations may be used, and that the steam plant may be modified by adding or removing remote stations as required. Further, any suitable number of sensors may be hard-wired to a paiticular remote station. For example, between 1-20 individual sensors may be hard-wired to a particular remote station.

Although it has been described that a separate remote monitoring station is associated with each steam system component, it may be appropriate to use a single remote monitoring station for more than one component. For example, one remote monitoring station may be used for both the boiler 12 and the blowdown vessel 14, or a single remote monitoring station may be used for all three process vessels 16, 18, 20.

Further, a single steam system component may be provided with multiple remote monitoring stations. This may be necessary if, for example, the number of sensors required for the particular steam system component exceeds the number of sensors that a single remote monitoring station can handle.

In this embodiment all of the remote monitoring stations 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100 are substantially identical. However, only the first remote monitoring station 88 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 2.

The remote monitoring station 88 comprises two discrete physical units, namely, a wired sensor hub 104 and a wireless adapter 106. It should be appreciated that in other embodiments the wired sensor hub 104 and wireless adapter 106 may be integral.

The wired sensor hub 104 comprises a plurality of sensor input ports 1 USa-i 05z, a processor 108, a serial data output portllo, a display 112 and a powersupply 114. It should be appreciated that there may be any suitable number of sensor input ports 105. A number of sensors (such as the level detector 46, temperature sensor 48 and TDS sensor 50) are hard-wired to the wired sensor hub 104 by means of the sensor input ports 105 and the data measured by each sensor is fed to the processor 108.

The processor 108 outputs to the display 112 so that the parameters being monitored by the sensors can be viewed by an operator viewing the specific remote monitoring station 88. The processor 108 also converts the data provided by all of the hard-wired sensors to a wired data protocol such as a serial protocol such as Modbus. The combined serial data steam is output from the processor 108 on a serial data line 116 to the serial data output port 110.

The wireless adapter 106 comprises a serial data input port 118, a processor 120, a wireless transmitter 122, a configuration port 124 and a power supply 126. The wired sensor hub 104 is hard-wired to the wireless adapter 106 using a connection cable 128. Specifically, the connection cable 128 is connected between the serial data output port 110 and the serial data input port 118. The processor 120 receives the serial data steam and converts the data from the wired serial protocol to a wireless protocol such as WirelessHART. The data is transmitted by the wireless transmitter 122 using the WirelessHART protocol. The wireless adapter 106 can be configured using the configuration pod 124. In order to commission a particular remote station 88, it may be necessary to configure the wireless adapter 106 by setting the WirelessHART network ID (which should be the same for all remote stations of the steam plant), the WirelessHart network join key, and modbus subdevice setup (band rate, modbus address, number of slaves to poll, modbus registers to poll).

The remote monitoring stations 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100 may either be powered by one or more internal power supplies 114, 126 or may be powered by an external power source. Examples of external power supplies include solar panels or thermoelectric generators. A thermoelectric generator may be coupled to a steam line so as to generate electricity from the steam within the steam line. This may be a particularly convenient way of powering a remote station without requiring complicated cabling or batteries that may need to be replaced.

After all of the remote stations 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100 of the steam plant monitoring apparatus have been configured, the central monitoring station 102 can be used to monitor all of the parameters being monitored by the various sensors. The central monitoring station 102 is provided with a WirelessHart receiver which can receive the data wirelessly transmitted by the remote stations 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100. The central monitoring station 102 is configured to process the wireless signals received and to output on a display the parameters monitored by the sensors. The central monitoring station 102 may be a conventional computer, provided with a wireless receiver, running specific software that is capable of processing and displaying the data received. Alternatively, the central monitoring station 102 may be a bespoke apparatus specifically configured to receive and display sensor data. The central monitoring station 102 may be located remotely from the main pad of the steam plant so that an operator may remotely monitor the plant.

In this embodiment, the steam plant monitoring apparatus can be easily expanded or modified as required. For example, if the steam plant is modified by adding a new steam system component, new sensors can be installed to monitor the component which can then be hard-wired to a new (or in fact an existing) remote monitoring station. The new remote monitoring station can then be configured so as to work with the existing monitoring apparatus (for example by setting the correct network ID and network join key). Similarly, existing remote stations can be removed if they are no longei iequired, or new sensors can be hard-wired to an existing remote monitoring station. Thus, the monitoring apparatus is flexible and adaptable.

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS: 1. A steam plant, comprising: a network of fluid lines for conveying fluid around the plant; a plurality of steam system components: a plurality of sensors for monitoring various parameters of the steam plant; and a steam plant monitoring apparatus, comprising: a plurality of remote stations, each remote station comprising: a wired sensor hub hard-wired to at least one sensor so as to receive data from the at least one sensor relating a monitored parameter, the wired sensor hub comprising a data converter for converting data received from the at least one sensor to a wired protocol, wherein the wired sensor hub is arranged to output data in accordance with the wired protocol; and a wireless adapter hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wired protocol from the wired sensor hub, the wireless adapter comprising a wired-wireless data converter for converting the data received from the wired protocol to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data using the wireless protocol; and a central monitoring station having a wireless receiver arranged to wirelessly receive wireless data signals from the wireless transmitters of the plurality of remote stations.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A steam plant according to claim 1, wherein the wired sensor hub is hard-wired to a plurality of sensors.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A steam plant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality remote stations are associated with separate steam system components and/or separate regions of the steam plant and/or separate portions of a fluid line.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A steam plant according to any preceding claim, wherein the wired protocol is a serial protocol.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A steam plant according to claim 4, wherein the serial protocol is Modbus.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A steam plant according to any preceding claim! wherein the wireless protocol is WirelessHART.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A steam plant according to any preceding claim, wherein each remote station comprises a display arranged to display data received by the wired sensor hub.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A steam plant according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of steam system components includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of: a boiler, a feedtank, a steam trap, a blowdown vessel, a fluid control valve, a pump, a heat exchanger, an accumulator.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A steam plant according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of sensors include one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a velocity flow rate meter; a mass flow rate meter; a TDS sensor, a dryness sensor; a vibro-acoustic sensor.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A steam plant according to any preceding claim, wherein each remote station is provided with a power supply for supplying power to the remote station.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A steam plant according to claim 10, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. A steam plant according to claim 10, wherein the power supply comprises a thermoelectric power source which is coupled to a steam line and which is arranged to generate electricity from energy within the steam.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. A steam plant monitoring apparatus, comprising: a plurality of remote stations, each remote station comprising: a wired sensor hub hard-wired to at least one sensor, which is arranged to monitor a parameter of a steam plant, so as to receive data from the at least one sensor relating a monitored parameter, the wired sensor hub comprising a data converter for converting data received from the at least one sensor to a wired protocol, wherein the wired sensor hub is arranged to output data in accordance with the wired protocol; and a wireless adapter hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wired protocol from the wired sensor hub, the wireless adapter comprising a wired-wireless data converter for converting the data received from the wired protocol to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmifter for transmitting the data using the wireless protocol; and a central monitoring station having a wireless receiver arranged to wirelessly receive wireless data signals from the wireless transmitters of the plurality of remote stations.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. A remote station for a steam plant monitoring apparatus, comprising: a wired sensor hub haid-wired to at least one sensor, which is arranged to monitor a parameter of a steam plant, so as to receive data from the at least one sensor relating a monitored parameter, the wired sensor hub comprising a data converter for converting data received from the at least one sensor to a wired protocol, wherein the wired sensor hub is arranged to output data in accordance with the wired protocol; and a wireless adapter hard-wired to the wired sensor hub so as to receive data using the wired protocol from the wired sensor hub, the wireless adapter comprising a wired-wireless data converter for converting the data received from the wired protocol to a wireless protocol, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting the data using the wireless protocol.</claim-text> <claim-text>15. A wireless adapter for use with the steam plant in accordance with any of claims 1-12, or the steam plant monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 13, or the remote station in accordance with claim 14.</claim-text> <claim-text>16. A steam plant, steam plant monitoring apparatus, remote station or wireless adapter substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>