JP2005316587A - Plant monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control monitoring cameras based on plant data output from process controllers manufactured by various manufacturers in a wide-range network in which a plurality of plants exist. <P>SOLUTION: The system comprises a process controller DCS which can monitor and control plant conditions, and save and output plant data, and a gateway (GW for brevity) which sends selected plant data from DCS to a monitoring camera system network (NW for brevity). To the monitoring camera system network (NW), an analyzing means which analyses the plant data sent through GW, a plurality of monitoring cameras which monitor the plant, a camera control device which selects a specific monitoring cameras from the plurality of the monitoring cameras based on the analysis result and set the settings of the selected camera, and an image displaying device which displays images of the selected monitoring camera are connected. GW converts the plant data sent from DCS into data suitable for the monitoring camera system network (NW) and sends the data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a plant monitoring system for monitoring the state of a plant.

  As such a plant monitoring system, a system disclosed in Patent Document 1 below is known. In this system, plant data including a plurality of types of failure information is output by a process controller (DCS (Distributed Control System) is generally used), and the plant data is collected in a data server. Also provided are a monitor device for displaying plant data, a monitoring camera for monitoring the plant, a camera control device for controlling the shooting direction and magnification of each monitoring camera, and the like. In addition, the data server includes a correspondence table that stores, for each piece of failure information, a camera number that identifies a monitoring camera that captures a plant failure position, and a preset position that specifies the shooting direction and magnification of the camera. Further, when the failure information is received, the data server is configured to search the table and set the camera number and the preset position in the camera control device based on the search result. The image from the set surveillance camera is displayed on the monitor. In this way, by incorporating the system for monitoring plant data including plant failure information and the system for monitoring the image of the state of each plant position into the same system, it is possible to display images from the occurrence of a fault to the fault location. It is intended to shorten time.

However, the above system has the following problems. That is, process controllers are provided by various manufacturers, and there are generally a plurality of plants in a complex area or factory, and process controllers of various manufacturers are generally used. The control programs incorporated in the process controllers are generally constructed based on a program language uniquely developed by each manufacturer. Therefore, the plant data output from the process controller is also data in a format according to the program language of each company. For this reason, the data server and the camera control device have restrictions on system construction, such as the need to construct a system in combination with the process controller of the same manufacturer.
JP 2001-84031 A (Claims, FIG. 1 etc.)

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the problem is that in constructing a plant monitoring system using a process controller and a monitoring camera network in a wide area system where a single plant or a plurality of plants exist, To provide a plant monitoring system capable of controlling a surveillance camera based on plant data output from process controllers of various manufacturers.

In order to solve the above problems, a plant monitoring system according to the present invention is:
A process controller having the function of monitoring and controlling the state of the plant and storing and outputting the plant data;
A gateway for sending selected plant data from the process controller to the surveillance camera network,
In this surveillance camera network,
Data analysis means for analyzing plant data sent through the gateway;
Multiple surveillance cameras to monitor the plant;
Based on the analysis result by the data analysis means, a camera control device that selects a specific monitoring camera from among a plurality of monitoring cameras and sets the shooting state of the selected monitoring camera;
Connected to an image display device that displays the image of the surveillance camera selected by the camera control device,
The gateway has a function of converting selected plant data transmitted from the process controller into data suitable for the surveillance camera network and transmitting the data.

  In this configuration system, a process controller and a monitoring camera network are configured in the same system via a gateway. From the process controller, the plant data is sent to the surveillance camera network via the gateway, and the data analysis is performed by the data analysis means. The surveillance camera is controlled based on the analysis result by the data analysis means. For example, if it is a failure signal from a specific plant, the shooting state (shooting direction, magnification, color tone, focus, illuminance, resolution, etc.) of the monitoring camera that monitors the plant is set, and the image from the monitoring camera is set. Is displayed on the image display device. The gateway converts the plant data sent from the process controller into data that can be decoded by the monitoring camera network. Therefore, even if various manufacturers' process controllers are used in the same system, data can be converted at the gateway and connected to the surveillance camera network.

<System configuration>
A preferred embodiment of a plant monitoring system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the system. First, a plurality of DCSs (Distributed Control Systems) are provided as process controllers having functions for monitoring and controlling the state of the plant and storing and outputting plant data. In order to monitor the state of each part in the plant, DCS is connected to a gas detection sensor, a self-reporting sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, and the like provided at appropriate locations. DCS is provided by various manufacturers. If it is DCS (1A) of Company A, a control program is written based on a protocol unique to Company A. If DCS (1B) of Company B is used, A control program is written based on the B company specific protocol. Based on the signals output from these sensors, the DCS outputs plant data. Note that a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) can also be used as the process controller.

  The DCS control unit (a1) of the DCS (1A) is connected to the DCS operation unit (a2) via a control bus. This is the same for any manufacturer's DCS. The state of the plant can be monitored via a computer provided in the operation unit (a2), and operation commands for each unit in the plant can be issued. For example, a valve opening / closing command at a specific location, a rotation / stop command for a specific motor, or the like can be issued. These command signals are transmitted to the DCS control unit (a1), and control according to the commands is performed. Note that the DCS operation unit has a data server function, and stores and outputs plant data.

  As the gateway, an OPC (Object Linking & Embedded for Process Control) gateway is used, which has a function of transmitting and receiving data held by the DCS using a general-purpose protocol. In constructing one system by connecting the DCS and the surveillance camera network, it is necessary to be able to interpret the data output from the DCS even in the surveillance camera network. However, the DCS is constructed based on a protocol unique to each manufacturer, and all data output from the DCS cannot be interpreted by the surveillance camera network.

  Therefore, the OPC gateway reads the plant data from the DCS (alarms such as PV, MV, event information, sequence progress, generated messages, etc.) using a protocol unique to each manufacturer and outputs it using a versatile protocol. The OPC gateway is provided for each manufacturer, the OPC gateway (2A) connected to the DCS (1A) of company A is provided by company A, and the OPC gateway (2B) of company B is provided by company B. Will be. That is, each company's OPC gateway exchanges data with each company's DCS using a manufacturer's original protocol, but communicates with the surveillance camera network according to a versatile protocol. As a result, the surveillance camera network and each company's DCS can be connected. For example, when constructing a surveillance camera network, Windows (registered trademark) can be used as the OS, and a standard communication method can be used.

  Next, the surveillance camera network will be described. In the surveillance camera network, a general-purpose Internet is used, and an abnormal signal (an example of plant data) from a plant (DCS) is always linked to a server or a surveillance camera (ITV (industrial television) camera). The surveillance camera and the image display device (4) are controlled by the ITV operation personal computer (3) corresponding to the camera control device. The image display device (4) displays an image displayed by the selected surveillance camera. As the surveillance camera, an analog camera (5) and a network compatible camera (6) are connected. The analog camera (5) is connected to the network via the A / D converter (7). Although the number of surveillance cameras is two in the drawing, the required number is actually connected. With such a surveillance camera network, dedicated wiring from each surveillance camera to the image display device is not necessary, and it may be connected to the nearest network rack. Therefore, there is an advantage that the wiring distance can be shortened.

  The data analysis server (8) corresponding to the data analysis means decodes the data received via the OPC gateway (2) while referring to the automatic expansion table as shown in FIG. The surveillance camera and the image display device (4) are controlled by the ITV operation personal computer (3). For example, gas detector No. When data indicating that the camera No. 1 has been activated is received, 1, position no. 2 (preset setting state), image display device No. 2 3, audio file No. 1, guidance no. It is predetermined that 5 is selected. This series of signals is sent to the ITV operation personal computer (3) to control the surveillance camera and the image display device (4). The link destination can be set so that, for example, the factory manager is automatically contacted (by e-mail or the like). The ITV recording server 9 always records images taken by all the monitoring cameras. When an abnormality occurs in the plant, a place where the abnormality has occurred is photographed by the selected monitoring camera, and the image is continuously recorded. The recording is saved in a predetermined moving image recording file format. The automatic expansion table is stored in the data analysis server (8), but may be stored in another server on the surveillance camera network.

  The file server (10) stores a large number of audio files and character guidance files. When a specific file is designated by the data analysis server (8), audio is played through a specific speaker, or guidance is displayed on the selected image display device (4). The driving support system server (11) stores various data files for driving support that are not directly related to plant control. For example, various manuals, training programs for education, design drawings of parts such as valves, etc. are saved, and when an abnormality occurs, manuals and design drawings related to the process data are displayed on the image display device. And an educational training program can be launched.

<Operation flowchart>
Next, an operation flowchart of the plant monitoring system will be described with reference to FIG. The plant status is constantly monitored by DCS of each company, and the abnormal status is searched by the OPC gateway. Here, when data is transmitted via the OPC gateway, the following method can be considered. For example, there is a method in which the DCS is raised to the OPC gateway at a constant cycle every time an event occurs in the DCS, and the raised state is searched for a flag. That is, it is a method of writing data from the DCS to the OPC gateway at a constant cycle. In this case, since there is a possibility that information not related to the surveillance camera network is also raised, only the flagged data is sent to the surveillance camera network.

  As another example, a method in which only necessary data is requested to the OPC gateway by the surveillance camera network and only necessary data is acquired can be considered. The request to the OPC gateway can be made from the ITV operation personal computer (3) at a constant cycle, for example. In addition, as a system configuration, it is preferable not to employ any one of the methods but to perform both.

  As described above, the data analysis server (8) decodes the data received from the OPC gateway, and searches the automatic expansion table as shown in FIG. The data analysis server (8) collates the contents of the data with the contents of the table, selects a specific surveillance camera, and sets the camera. For example, the self-reporting sensor No. If the data indicates that No. 2 has been activated, no. 1 camera is selected and the camera is set to position no. Set to 1. Such a command signal is sent to the ITV operation personal computer (3) which is a camera control device, and the control signal is transmitted to the corresponding camera via the surveillance camera network to control the camera. The image taken by the camera is No. 1 is displayed on the image display device (4), and the operator can confirm the location of the abnormality on the image. The image taken by the camera is stored in the ITV recording server (9), and the cause of the abnormality is investigated by analyzing the image later.

  Furthermore, the voice No. 17 is generated from the speaker, and the image display device has a guidance number written in text. 10 is also displayed. These pieces of information are acquired from the file server (10). For example, guidance about what kind of countermeasure should be taken is displayed. In addition, a contact mail is transmitted to a location (for example, factory manager) registered in the link destination.

  The monitoring camera is not necessarily activated when an abnormal phenomenon occurs. For example, there may be a case where a signal from an unsteady or routine work automation program is received via an OPC gateway, and the on-site situation of the plant is monitored by a monitoring camera. As a specific example, when the drainage pit is full, a signal is output and the pump is activated, and when water distribution begins, the drainage pit is not over in the monitoring camera image when the fullwater signal is received, or the pump is activated Then, there is an example that confirms how the liquid level gradually decreases. In this case, although an abnormality does not occur, it is necessary to check the state of the plant with a monitoring camera.

  According to the system of the present invention, unlike the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the surveillance camera network and the DCS function are not integrated but connected using an OPC gateway. When there are DCSs of various types and manufacturers in a wide area system where a single plant or a plurality of plants exist, the DCSs of these companies and the surveillance camera network can be connected to form a single system. When connecting using an OPC gateway, it is only necessary to create an OPC interface, so that a system can be constructed without requiring equipment or man-hours. A general-purpose personal computer such as an ITV-operated personal computer (3) can be used, which is advantageous in terms of cost.

  The DCS is usually provided for each plant, but the surveillance camera network is provided across the plants. Therefore, it is possible to monitor two plants with one monitoring camera (for example, the direction may be changed). Therefore, it is possible to monitor the own plant using the monitoring camera of another plant.

Schematic diagram showing the outline of the plant monitoring system Diagram showing an example of the configuration of an automatic expansion table Operation flow chart of plant monitoring system

Explanation of symbols

1 DCS
2 OPC gateway 3 ITV operation personal computer 4 Image display device 5 Analog camera 6 Network compatible camera 7 A / D converter 8 Data analysis server 9 ITV recording server 10 File server 11 Driving support system server

Claims (1)

A process controller having the function of monitoring and controlling the state of the plant and storing and outputting the plant data;
A gateway for sending selected plant data from the process controller to the surveillance camera network,
In this surveillance camera network,
Data analysis means for analyzing plant data sent through the gateway;
Multiple surveillance cameras to monitor the plant;
Based on the analysis result by the data analysis means, a camera control device that selects a specific monitoring camera from among a plurality of monitoring cameras and sets the shooting state of the selected monitoring camera;
Connected to an image display device that displays the image of the surveillance camera selected by the camera control device,
The gateway has a function of converting selected plant data sent from a process controller into data suitable for a surveillance camera network and sending the data.

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