USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Frank T Ferrese

Donald D Dalessandro

Donald R Longo

Michael G Zink

Qing Dong

John M Roach

Kevin J Brown

The condition of a fluid piping system is monitored by multiple intercommunicative smart valves, each executing a computer algorithm that designates smart valves as critical or non-critical, compares measurement data versus simulation data, and makes decisions based on the critical-or-noncritical designations and the measurement-versus-simulation comparisons. Initial measurement-versus-simulation comparisons are made for downstream pressure, flow rate, and temperature. If a measurement-versus-simulation discrepancy is found in either the downstream pressure or the flow rate, then the algorithm compares a measurement rupture determinant versus a simulation rupture determinant; if a measurement-versus-simulation discrepancy is found in the rupture determinant, then the smart valve is closed. If a measurement-versus-simulation discrepancy is found in the temperature, then the smart valve, if non-critical, is closed; however, if the smart valve is critical, then the nearest upstream non-critical smart valve is closed. Any measurement-versus-simulation discrepancy results, at least, in an alarm or warning.

Thermal management smart valve with rupture detection and isolation

Interdependencies between pairs/groups of individual systems are evaluated in determining the composition of a universal system of interdependent systems. Data tables reflecting the interdependencies are contained in a central database resident in a server's memory. Plural/multiple computers are connected to the server, each computer having running thereon at least one simulation program, each simulation program being associated with at least one individual system and being characterized by individual time steps. In each individual time step, the simulation program updates (reads data from and writes data to) the central database, and displays updated information. In each universal time step (characterizing the simulation of the universal system), all simulation programs are temporally coordinated so that each simulation program's individual time step takes place once; no universal time step is perfected until every individual time step has completed its updating of pertinent data in the central database.

Dynamic simulation of a system of interdependent systems

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Haddon Heights, PA, United States of America

Frank T Ferrese