# US 2014/0195067 A1 · Method and system for use in controlling a pressure vessel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195067 A1 - Document ID: US20140195067A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,579 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Sidharth Abrol; Maria Cecilia Mazzaro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195067A1 ## CPC - G06F 30/23: using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM] - G05B 17/02: electric - G05D 9/12: characterised by the use of electric means - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A control system for monitoring a pressure vessel includes a pressure sensor coupled to a first pressure vessel component. The system also includes a level sensor coupled to a second pressure vessel component. The system additionally includes at least one computing device including at least one input channel configured to receive data from the pressure sensor and the level sensor and a processor coupled to the at least one input channel. The processor is programmed to populate a level and pressure dynamics model associated with the pressure vessel with data received from the pressure sensor and the level sensor, the processor further programmed to be capable of controlling operation of the pressure vessel based on the level and pressure dynamics model. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for a pressure vessel, said control system comprising: a pressure sensor coupled to a first pressure vessel component; a level sensor coupled to a second pressure vessel component; and at least one computing device comprising: at least one input channel configured to receive data from said pressure sensor and said level sensor; and a processor coupled to said at least one input channel, said processor programmed to populate a level and pressure dynamics model associated with the pressure vessel with data received from said pressure sensor and said level sensor, said processor further programmed to be capable of controlling operation of the pressure vessel based on said level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said level and pressure dynamics model comprises a multi-state drum model wherein the multi-state drum model comprises a model for determining state data including total water volume, drum pressure, steam quality at the riser exit, steam volume below water level, and downcomer exit flow rate based upon level and pressure input. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor uses linear quadratic estimation with data received from said pressure sensor and said level sensor to online calibrate and populate said level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor further comprises an offline simulation of said level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A control system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said offline simulation further comprises an interpolation using a fitted response surface for at least one of the parameterized values for steam residence time and heat input scale factor based upon dynamic values of feedwater flow, feedwater enthalpy, steam flow, gas flow and gas temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to populate a level and pressure dynamics model associated with the pressure vessel with data received from said pressure sensor and said level sensor is further programmed to: calibrate said level and pressure dynamics model to accurately predict level and pressure dynamics across a wide operating region for the pressure vessel, the wide operating region representing plant startup, load swings, and shutdown; and calibrate said level and pressure dynamics model to accurately predict level shrink and swell effects in the wide operating range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel is a boiler steam drum used in a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). ### Claim 8 A method of controlling a pressure vessel, said method comprising: providing a computer-based control system for the pressure vessel; receiving pressure data from a pressure sensor coupled to a first pressure vessel component; receiving level data from a level sensor coupled to a second pressure vessel component; populating a level and pressure dynamics model of the pressure vessel with at least a portion of said pressure data and said level data; and controlling the operation of the pressure vessel using said populated level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein populating said level and pressure dynamics model comprises populating a multi-state drum model wherein the multi-state drum model comprises a model for determining state data including total water volume, drum pressure, steam quality at the riser exit, steam volume below water level, and downcomer exit flow rate based upon level and pressure input. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein populating said level and pressure dynamics model comprises using linear quadratic estimation on pressure data and level data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising generating an offline simulation of said level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein generating an offline simulation further comprises generating an interpolation using a fitted response surface for at least one of the parameterized values for steam residence time and heat input scale factor based upon dynamic values of feedwater flow, feedwater enthalpy, steam flow, gas flow and gas temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein populating a level and pressure dynamics model of the pressure vessel with at least a portion of said pressure data and said level data further comprises: calibrating said level and pressure dynamics model to accurately predict level and pressure dynamics across a wide operating region for the pressure vessel, the wide operating region representing plant startup, load swings, and shutdown; and calibrating said level and pressure dynamics model to accurately predict level shrink and swell effects in the wide operating range. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the pressure vessel is a boiler steam drum used in a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). ### Claim 15 One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media for controlling a pressure vessel, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to: populate a level and pressure dynamics model associated with the pressure vessel based on pressure data received from a pressure sensor coupled to the pressure vessel and level data from a level sensor coupled to the pressure vessel; and control operation of the pressure vessel using said populated level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to populate said level and pressure dynamics model wherein said level and pressure dynamics model comprises a multi-state drum model wherein the multi-state drum model comprises a model for determining state data including total water volume, drum pressure, steam quality at the riser exit, steam volume below water level, and downcomer exit flow rate based upon level and pressure input. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to use linear quadratic estimation to populate said level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to populate said level and pressure dynamics model wherein said level and pressure dynamics model comprises an offline simulation of said level and pressure dynamics model. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 18, wherein said offline simulation further comprises an using a fitted response surface for at least one of the parameterized values for steam residence time and heat input scale factor based upon dynamic values of feedwater flow, feedwater enthalpy, steam flow, gas flow and gas temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to: calibrate said level and pressure dynamics model to accurately predict level and pressure dynamics across a wide operating region for the pressure vessel, the wide operating region representing plant startup, load swings, and shutdown; and calibrate said level and pressure dynamics model to accurately predict level shrink and swell effects in the wide operating range.