Device and method for detection and/or diagnosis of faults in a processes, equipment and sensors

Abstract

Device and method for the detection and/or diagnosis of faults in a process, equipment and sensors used to measure and control variables of a process, either for single faults or multiple faults. The detection and/or diagnosis are performed on the basis of residual calculation between measured values and values calculated by a plurality of parallel linear models, built up from the existing correlations between the measured variables by the process sensors and by different equations that rule the process, such as mass and heat balances, quality relationships, etc. A fault in a model (i.e. the obtainment of a residual anomaly high by comparing the model estimation and the measurement), increases the probability that some of the parameters or faults associated to that model are failing. When all models in which a participating parameter fail or show a high probability of failure, the anomaly rate of said parameters is maximum. Using said rates and a description of cause-consequence relationship between the parameters a fault probability is obtained, where the root cause of the problem is indicated, indicating the consequences produced in the process. The device comprises data storage means; pre-processing means for filtering data; means for generation and storage of multiple behavior models; residual calculation means for calculating the difference between the measured and the predicted values of the variables; analysis means for determining the need to communicate an anomalous situation; communication means for presenting a process status report.