Method and system for determining steam trap data using machine learning

A system, comprising:

• a steam generator;
• a steam header coupled to the steam generator;
• a condensate return network;
• a computer network at a plant facility;
• a first steam trap comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the first steam trap is coupled to the steam header, wherein the outlet is coupled to the condensate return network that is coupled to the steam generator;
• a second steam trap that is different from the first steam trap;
• a control system coupled to one or more valves within a steam network;
• a camera device disposed in a steam area comprising the first steam trap;
• and
• a steam trap manager coupled to the camera device, the computer network, and the control system, the steam trap manager comprising a computer processor and a machine-learning model,
• wherein the steam trap manager is configured to determine a plurality of temperature values across the first steam trap using thermal image data from the camera device,
• wherein the steam trap manager is further configured to determine predicted steam trap data using the machine-learning model, plant steam data, and the plurality of temperature values, and
• wherein the steam trap manager is further configured to transmit over the computer network at the plant facility a command to the control system based on the predicted steam trap data, and
• wherein the control system is configured to reroute an amount of steam from the first steam trap to the second steam trap using the one or more valves in response to receiving the command.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions comprising functionality for:

• obtaining, from a camera device, thermal image data for a steam area of a plant facility,
• wherein the steam area comprises a steam trap for a steam network,
• wherein the steam trap comprises an inlet and an outlet,
• wherein the inlet is coupled to a steam header that is coupled to a steam generator,
• wherein the outlet is coupled to a condensate return network that is coupled to the steam generator, and
• wherein the camera device is disposed in the steam area;
• obtaining plant steam data regarding the steam trap;
• determining pixel data regarding the steam trap using the thermal image data;
• determining a plurality of temperature values across the steam trap using the pixel data;
• determining first predicted steam trap data using the plurality of temperature values, the plant steam data, and a machine-learning model;
• and
• transmitting a command to a control system in the steam network based on the first predicted steam trap data
• wherein the control system reroutes an amount of steam from a steam trap to a different steam trap using one or more valves within the steam network in response to receiving the command.