JP2006099219A - Method and apparatus for range management - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for range management, capable of properly managing the range of field equipment controlled by a plant control system. <P>SOLUTION: A terminal unit for equipment management reads in a range set data stored in a valve memory, and also reads in the range set data for the valve registered in the plant control system, and stores the above two data into the memory. Next, the terminal unit for equipment management compares the two range set data stored in the memory, and displays the comparison result onto a display. Thus, inconsistency therebetween can be found out easily, and engineering time required when modifying the settings to the field equipment can remarkably be shortened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a range management method and a range management apparatus for managing a range of a field device controlled by a plant control system, and in particular, a range recognized in a plant control system and a range actually set in a field device. The present invention relates to a range management method and a range management apparatus that can prevent inconsistencies between the two.

  There is known a plant control system that integrally controls field devices arranged in a plant. As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the plant control system executes the control of the whole plant and enables the monitoring by the operator, and the field which is appropriately distributed according to the scale of the plant. And a controller 2. The terminal device 1 and the field controller 2 are connected to each other by a communication line 3. Connected to the controller 2 are valves 21, 23, sensors 22, 24, and the like, which are field devices provided in the plant.

  On the other hand, various HART devices proposed by the HART communication association as field devices are sold by various companies. The HART device can communicate with the outside by a signal obtained by superimposing a digital signal on an analog 4-20 mA signal, which has been an industry standard for a long time.

  When such a HART device is used as a field device, it can be controlled by connecting the HART device to a plant control system as shown in FIG. However, the plant control system does not have a function to set and manage data such as ranges for HART devices. When handling such data, a tool different from the plant control system is used. This is the current situation.

  FIG. 4B shows an example in which data of a HART device is handled using a device management system including the device management terminal device 5. The equipment management system is for performing maintenance management and monitoring such as failure prediction, maintenance schedule, confirmation of equipment status, etc. of field equipment arranged in a plant (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-41139 A

Hiroshi Mori and three others “Equipment Management Package“ PRM ””, Yokogawa Technical Report, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, 2001, Volume 45, No. 3, p. 153-156

  Therefore, when setting a range for a HART device, it is necessary to set the range using the device management system for the HART device itself and register the range set for the device to the plant control system. There is. If the range set in the HART device is different from the range registered in the plant control system, a correct process value cannot be recognized by the plant control system, and correct control cannot be performed.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a range management method and a range management device that can appropriately manage the range of field devices controlled by a plant control system.

The range management method of the present invention is a range management method for managing a range of a field device controlled by a plant control system. In the range management method, the step of reading a range set in the field device, A step of reading a range recognized in the plant control system and a step of comparing the two read ranges are provided.
According to this range management method, the range set in the field device is compared with the range recognized in the plant control system as being set in the field device, so it is easy to check whether the two match or not. Can reduce engineering costs.

You may provide the step which shows the comparison result which compared the said range to a user.
Alternatively, the two ranges may be matched by executing processing according to the range comparison result.

The range management apparatus of the present invention is a range management apparatus for managing a range of a field device controlled by a plant control system, wherein the first range reading means for reading the range set in the field device and the setting in the field device A second range reading means for reading a range recognized in the plant control system, a comparison means for comparing the two ranges read by the first and second range reading means, It is characterized by providing.
According to this range management device, the range set in the field device is compared with the range recognized in the plant control system as being set in the field device, so it is easy to check whether the two match or not. Can reduce engineering costs.

You may provide the display means which shows the comparison result by the said comparison means to a user.
Also, a means for matching the ranges of both may be provided by executing processing according to the range comparison result.

  The first range reading means may collectively read ranges set in all field devices handled by the range management apparatus.

A device management system that manages the field device may be connected to the plant control system, and the range management device may be provided in the device management system.
In this case, the ranges can be compared using the device management system. The range recognized in the plant control system can be read through a line connecting the equipment management system and the plant control system.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the range set to the field apparatus and the range recognized in the plant control system as what was set to the field apparatus can be compared. For this reason, it is possible to easily confirm the coincidence and disagreement of the ranges of both, and the engineering cost can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a range management method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a configuration of a plant control system to which the range management method of the present embodiment is applied. As shown to Fig.1 (a), the plant control system 100 is distributed suitably suitably according to the scale of the plant control terminal device 1 which performs the control of the whole plant and enables an operator to monitor. A field controller 2. The terminal device 1 and the field controller 2 are connected to each other by a communication line 3. Connected to the controller 2 are valves 21, 23, sensors 22, 24, and the like, which are field devices provided in the plant.

  In the plant control system 100, automatic operation of the plant can be performed by controlling field devices arranged in each part of the plant via the field controller 2. Further, the field device data is transferred to the terminal device 1 via the controller 2, and the operator can monitor the state of the field device in the entire plant via the terminal device 1. Furthermore, the field device in each part of the plant can be manually controlled by an operation on the terminal device 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the plant control system 100 is connected to a device management terminal device 5 constituting a device management system via a communication line 3. FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the device management system. As shown in FIG. 1B, the device management terminal device 5 is connected to all of the field devices including the valves 21 and 23 and the sensors 22 and 24 via the communication line 3 to form a device management system 200. Yes. The device management system 200 is for performing maintenance management and monitoring such as failure prediction, maintenance schedule, device status confirmation and the like of field devices arranged in a plant. The device management system 200 stores and manages maintenance information including a maintenance schedule for field devices, history information including events related to field devices and operation history for the devices, and the like.

  The device management system 200 has a function of setting and managing setting data for field devices. The setting data includes range setting data for field devices. The range setting data indicates the correspondence between the value of the instrumentation signal used by the field device and the process value given to the field device or the process value indicated by the field device. For example, when the input value to the valve, which is a field device, is an analog current (instrumentation signal) in the range of 4-20 mA, the lower limit and upper limit of the valve opening are set to 0% and 100%, respectively. The opening degree 0-100% can be made to correspond to an analog current (instrumentation signal) in the range of 4-20 mA. An analog current in the range of 4-20 mA is called a unified signal. Further, for example, the lower limit and the upper limit of the valve opening can be set to 0% and 30%, respectively, and the valve opening 0-30% can correspond to an analog current (instrumentation signal) in the range of 4-20 mA. . Furthermore, the range can be set by defining the unit of the process value. Other parameters for setting the range may be used as the range setting data. Thus, by setting the range of the field device, the correspondence between the value of the instrumentation signal and the process value can be arbitrarily set.

  The device management terminal device 5 has a function for executing the range setting of each field device, and the range setting of an arbitrary field device can be executed by operating the device management terminal device 5. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1B, each field device is provided with a storage unit for holding range setting data. For example, the valve 21 includes a storage unit 21a, the sensor 22 includes a storage unit 22a, the valve 23 includes a storage unit 23a, and the sensor 24 includes a storage unit 24a. For example, when the range of the valve 21 is set, the range setting data is stored in the storage unit 21 a of the valve 21.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the range setting can also be performed using the mobile terminal device 6. In this case as well, range setting can be executed in the same manner as when the device management terminal device 5 is used, and the range setting data is stored in the storage unit of the field device, for example, the storage unit 21a of the valve 21.

  As described above, the plant control system 100 controls field devices via the field controller 2. In the plant control system 100, the registration of the range setting of each field device is executed separately from the device management system 200. In registering the range setting in the plant control system 100, by performing necessary operations on the process control terminal device 1, the field device address (the field controller 2 to which the field device is connected and the connection port, etc. are specified). Information) and the range setting data stored in the field device are stored in the storage unit 11 in association with each other. For example, when registering the range of the valve 21, the range setting data stored in the storage unit 21 a of the valve 21 may be input to the process control terminal device 1 together with the address of the valve 21. The range setting table in which the field device address and the range setting data are associated with each other is stored in the storage unit 11 of the plant control terminal device 1 as a part of the database storing the field device information. By correctly registering the range setting in the plant control system 100, the instrumentation signal handled by the field device and the process value handled by the plant control system 100 can be correctly converted.

  Next, the range comparison process executed in the device management system 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a diagram functionally illustrating the configuration of the device management terminal device 5 according to the range comparison process. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the range comparison process.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the device management terminal device 5 includes a first range reading means 101 that reads an actual range set in a field device such as a valve 21, and a plant control that is set in the field device. The second range reading means 102 for reading the range recognized in the system 100, that is, the range registered in the plant control system 100, and the two ranges read by the first and second range reading means 101 and 102. And a display unit 104 that indicates a comparison result by the comparison unit 103 to the user.

  Hereinafter, the procedure of the range comparison process will be described by taking the case of comparing the ranges of the valves 21 as an example.

First, prior to a series of processing in the device management terminal device 5, by operating the plant control terminal device 1, the address and range setting data of the valve 21 stored in the storage unit 11 are output, and the device management device The terminal device 5 is in a state in which it can access the range setting data of the valve 21 (processing in step S2 described later). As described above, the range setting data output here is the range setting data registered in the plant control system 100.
Thereafter, a series of processing in the device management terminal device 5 is executed.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, in the range comparison process, first, in step S1, management data including range setting data is collectively uploaded from all field devices managed by the device management system 200. By this processing, comparison based on the latest data is always possible. The management data is read from the storage unit of each field device and stored in the storage unit 51 of the device management terminal device 5. At this time, the latest range setting data of the valve 21 is read from the storage unit 21 a of the valve 21 and stored in the storage unit 51 of the device management terminal device 5. This processing corresponds to the function of the first range reading unit 101 described above, and the storage unit 51 constitutes a part of the function of the first range reading unit 101.

  Next, in step S2, range setting data of the valve 21 registered in the plant control system 100 is read. The range setting data is stored in the storage unit 51 of the device management terminal device 5. This processing corresponds to the function of the second range reading means 102 described above, and the storage unit 51 constitutes a part of the function of the second range reading means 102.

  Next, in step S3, the range setting data read from the storage unit 21a of the valve 21 is compared with the range setting data registered in the plant control system 100. This processing corresponds to the function of the comparison unit 103.

  In step S4, the comparison result in step S3 is displayed on the display unit 52 and notified to the operator. This processing corresponds to the function of the display means 104.

  By displaying such a comparison result, the operator can recognize a mismatch between the range set in the field device such as the valve 21 and the range registered in the plant control system 100, and can cope with this. . For example, normal control can be performed by matching the range setting data registered in the plant control system 100 with the range setting data set in the field device. The case of mismatch includes not only the case where the ranges set for both are different, but also the case where either range is not set or not registered. Range setting is performed for the field device by the device management system 200, but registration is not performed in the plant control system 100, and registration is performed in the plant control system 100. There is a case where range setting by the device management system 200 is not performed for the device. If range setting is not performed for the field device, the range of the field device remains the default, and as a result, there is a case where the two do not match.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the range set in the field device by the device management system 200 is compared with the range registered in the plant control system 100, and the comparison result is displayed. It is possible to easily avoid inconvenience in the case of mismatch. Further, since both can be easily compared, the engineering time required when a new field device is introduced or when the setting for the field device is changed can be greatly reduced.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the range setting data stored in the field device and the range setting data registered in the plant control system 100 are compared has been described. Any method can be adopted. For example, by outputting a predetermined output value (analog current value) from a field device and reading a process value recognized by the plant control system 100 at that time, it is determined whether or not the ranges set and registered in the two match or do not match. You can also

  In the above-described embodiment, the range comparison result is only displayed. However, when the ranges do not match, a process for matching both may be executed. For example, when the ranges do not match, a process of changing the range setting data registered in the plant control system 100 to the contents of the range setting data set in the field device may be executed.

  The scope of application of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be applied to various plant control systems. The present invention is not limited to the case where the device management system is used.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the plant control system and apparatus management system to which the range management method of this embodiment is applied, (a) is a block diagram which shows the structure of a plant control system, (b) is the structure of an apparatus management system. FIG. It is a figure which shows functionally the structure of the terminal device for apparatus management concerning a range comparison process. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a range comparison process. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional plant control system and an equipment management system, (a) is a block diagram which shows the structure of a plant control system, (b) is a block diagram which shows the structure of an equipment management system.

Explanation of symbols

5 Device management terminal device (first range reading means, second range reading means, comparison means, display means)
51 storage unit (first range reading means, second range reading means)
52 Display section (display means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Plant control system 101 1st range reading means 102 2nd range reading means 103 Comparison means 104 Display means 200 Equipment management system

Claims (6)

In a range management method for managing a range of field devices controlled by a plant control system,
Reading a range set in the field device;
Reading the range recognized in the plant control system as set in the field device;
Comparing the two read ranges;
A range management method comprising: The range management method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of showing a comparison result obtained by comparing the ranges to a user. In the range management device that manages the range of field devices controlled by the plant control system,
First range reading means for reading a range set in the field device;
Second range reading means for reading a range recognized in the plant control system as set in the field device;
Comparing means for comparing the two ranges read by the first and second range reading means;
A range management device comprising: The range management apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising display means for indicating a comparison result by the comparison means to a user. 5. The range management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first range reading unit collectively reads ranges set in all field devices handled by the range management apparatus. The device control system for managing the field device is connected to the plant control system, and the range management device is provided in the device management system. Range management device.

Images