Methods to improve online diagnostics of valve assemblies on a process line and implementation thereof

#The subject matter disclosed herein relates to device diagnostics, namely, in industrial process facilities, with particular discussion on techniques that improve efficiency of data collection for diagnostic testing of valve assemblies on a process line.

#Industrial factories and like facilities operate process lines that may include many varieties of flow controls. Examples of these flow controls include pneumatic and electronic valve assemblies (also “control valves”) that regulate a flow of process fluid (e.g., gas and liquid). In conventional configurations, these valve assemblies have a number of components that work together to regulate flow of process fluid through the valve assembly. These components include a stem, a plug, a seat, and an actuator that couples with the stem to change the position of the plug relative to the seat. The components can also include various linkages and springs that ensure proper movement, e.g., of the stem and/or the plug. In some constructions, the valve assembly incorporate a valve positioner with electrical and/or electro-pneumatic components. During operation, the valve positioner instructs the actuator to change the position of the plug relative to the seat. Often, the valve positioner issues the instructions in response to control signals from a controller, e.g., that is part of a process control system (also “distributed control system” or “DCS”). The process control system manages operation of, inter alia, the valve assemblies to achieve the process parameters for the process line.

#Problems with the valve assemblies may disrupt the process and/or prevent the process line from achieving the necessary process parameters. The resulting disruptions can lower yields and reduce quality. In large refineries, chemical plants, and power plants, disruptions can also lead to significant expense from process downtime that is necessary to troubleshoot and repair the problematic devices. Thus, plant operators have an interest to detect problems before the problems manifest in ways that can hinder sustainable operation of the process line. On the other hand, plant operators are adverse to allow diagnostic techniques that would take valve assemblies offline or permit interactions with the valve assembly that induce and/or adjust the settings of the valve assembly outside of those settings prescribed for the process.

#Reference is now made briefly to the accompanying figures, in which:

#FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system that can collect data from devices on a process line;

#FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method to prioritize valve assemblies in a process facility for data collection;

#Where applicable, like reference characters designate identical or corresponding components and units throughout the several views, which are not to scale unless otherwise indicated.

#The embodiments in the discussion below address data collection issues that can frustrate, or reduce the efficacy of, efforts to perform online diagnostics of control valve assemblies during operation in a process plant. The embodiments use data that reflects operation of the valve assemblies in order to arrange the valve assemblies in a listing that allocates bandwidth on the network. The resulting listing allows the embodiments to collect data from control valve assemblies more efficiently. In one embodiment, the order identifies and prioritizes valve assemblies that are likely to yield data that relates to movement of components in the valve assembly. In this way, the embodiments improve diagnostic techniques that identify potentially problematic control valve assemblies without the need to induce movement, e.g., by issuing specific commands to the valve positioner that moves the components of the valve assembly.

#FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary system 100 that represents the components in a process facility or plant. The system 100 embodies, in a relatively high-level example, a process control system that manages, monitors, and operates processes in manufacturing and industrial settings (e.g., refining, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, etc.). The system 100 includes a network 102 that may deploy various wired and wireless constructions, as desired, to facilitate the exchange of data and information. These constructions in many facilities, for example, use HART®, FOUNDATION® Fieldbus, and like communication protocols.