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Fluor Technologies Corporation

Fluor Corporation

Flour Technologies Corporation

Stephen G Romero

D Dwight Brayton

Christopher S Ghormley

Mark E Dallas

Darryl Dwight Brayton

Paul G Scharold

Shane R Addleman

Mark Dallas

Howard M Rickard

Eric D Johnson

Methods and apparatus are provided which allow control systems to be tested. Specifically, a test system is coupled to a control system in a manner which allows the test system to communicate with and drive the control system by sending and receiving signals via both the controller-I/O communication channel and the field I/O connectors. In essence, the test system is used to both simulate a plant to be controlled and to monitor, validate, and or modify the internal state of the control system controller and possibly the control system I/O interface. Plant simulation is accomplished by simulating the I/O devices to which the control system is coupled (and hence the plant processes) when installed in its operational environment. In addition to the simulation of I/O devices, the test system takes advantage of the fact that many commonly used controller and I/O interfaces are capable of communication with other devices by using such communications ability to provide instructions to or obtain information from a control system's controller(s) and I/O interface(s).

Simulator cart

A test system () is coupled to a control system () in a manner which allows the test system to communicate with and drive the control system by sending and receiving signals via both the controller-I/O communication channel () and the field I/O connectors (). The test system () is used to both simulate a plant to be controlled and to monitor, validate, and/or modify the internal state of the control system controller and possibly the control system I/O interface (). Plant simulation is accomplished by simulating the I/O devices to which the control system () is coupled (and hence the plant processes) when installed in the operational environment. In addition to the simulation of I/O devices, the test system () takes advantage of the fact that many commonly used controller and I/O interfaces are capable of communication with other devices by using such communications ability to provide instructions to or obtain information from a control system's controller(s) and I/O interface(s).

A requirements database and test generator generates tests for functional and field testing and generates requirements documentation, user manuals, operational procedures, instrument data sheets, instrument indices, instrument loop diagrams, validation reports, and test reports, including exception and passing reports. A portable process control simulator ( ) system which provides control system ( ) users with scenarios that mirror field operation as defined.

Control system simulation, testing, and operator training

The high speed depositor allows the manufacturing plant, e.g., a modern large bakery, to double the production of the batter, filling and icing lines. The depositor is comprised of a food quality positive displacement pump, a high torque stepping motor, a microprocessor based controller and a depositing manifold with individual valves. Other supporting apparatus, which are inputs and outputs of the controller, include a rotary encoder to measure the degrees of revolution of the pump, an air solenoid valve to apply air (motive force) to the stepping motor and an on/off switch to start and stop the depositing operation. Each nozzle on the depositing manifold has a flow control device to equalize the flow and therefore each cup weight of product deposited into the baking pan. A feed tank or hopper supplies a constant flow of product to the suction of the depositor pump. The manifold is typically mounted a few inches above a conveyor which carries baking pans underneath the manifold nozzles. The columns of baking pan cups pass directly underneath the nozzles and the product configuration downloaded to the depositor controller causes it to make accurate deposits into each cup in each row. The stepping motor causes the pump to turn the exact degrees of revolution necessary to deliver the desired cup weight into each of the baking pan cups.

High speed depositor with positive displacement pump and stepping motor

Re-configurable modular food processing cells (10) consisting of rapidly re-configurable functional modules (50) are easily transported to any site for appropriate reconfiguration to process harvested crop material. Each cell (10) provides a shipping container-type enclosure (20), and is therefore highly transportable. Within each modular food processing cell are a plurality of functional modules (50), each module adapted for a specific food processing function, such as cleaning, grinding or filling or labeling containers. Transitional fixtures and fittings (80) allow the output of a first functional module to be input into a second functional module. A computer control system (30), carried by each cell (10), controls the operation of each module (50) by means of control circuitry (40) and video display instructions to the module operator personnel (16). A re-configurable deck flooring (60), and optionally a re-configurable ceiling (70), allows rapid rearrangement and customization of the interior floor plan and associated functionality of the container cell (10). While in a preferred embodiment of the invention the cells are housed within shipping containers, it in an alternate version of the invention the cells can be operated in lines that are within a standard facility, i.e., without a shipping container. In such a facility, the cells can be rapidly reconfigured to provide for relatively low scale production quantities, such as with gourmet or specialty foods.

Growing community of inventors

Richland, WA, United States of America

Stephen G Romero