JP7160560B2 - Fault diagnosis system and fault diagnosis method - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a fault diagnosis system and fault diagnosis method.

Conventionally, a technique for remotely monitoring the status of equipment is known.

For example, in US Pat. No. 5,200,000, a parameter to be monitored and an allowable tolerance for the parameter are determined, the parameter is synchronized between the machine system and the monitoring system, and the machine is operated under the direction of a diagnostic system. Techniques for monitoring conditions are disclosed. In the monitoring system of Patent Literature 1, when the predefined tolerance differs from the parameter, the mechanical system notifies the fact.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-202916

However, simply diagnosing a device abnormality based on the above parameters acquired via a sensor tends to cause many false detections due to sensor failure or individual differences in devices. Different from erroneous detection due to communication failure, erroneous detection due to sensor failure or individual differences in devices is often not eliminated even if diagnosis is performed after a certain period of time.
In this respect, Patent Literature 1 does not disclose any specific configuration for solving the above problems.

In view of the problems described above, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure aims to suppress erroneous detection in device abnormality diagnosis.

(1) A fault diagnosis system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure,
a sensor for detecting a state quantity relating to the operating state of the thermal fluid device;
a diagnostic unit for diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the detection result of the sensor;
When diagnosing that the thermal fluid device has the possibility of an abnormality, the diagnosis unit outputs a signal for minutely changing the state quantity to at least one of the direction of change and the quantity of change of the state quantity acquired. Based on this, it is configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor.

According to the above configuration (1), when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the detection result of the sensor, the diagnostic unit outputs a signal for minutely changing the state quantity of the thermal fluid device. The presence or absence of an abnormality in the sensor can be determined based on the change direction or change amount of the state quantity that is output and obtained thereby. If the change direction or change amount of the state quantity obtained after the output of the signal is different from the contents indicated by the signal, it is determined that the sensor is abnormal. obtain. By performing the internal check of the sensor in this manner, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection in the abnormality diagnosis of the thermal fluid device due to sensor failure or the like. Therefore, it is possible to improve the prediction accuracy of abnormality diagnosis of the thermal fluid device.

(2) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in (1) above,
The signal may include a command for changing the state quantity in a predetermined direction according to the type of the state quantity.

According to the configuration (2) above, the state quantity can be changed in a predetermined direction according to the type of the state quantity. That is, for example, by slightly changing the state quantity to the safe side, it is possible to diagnose the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor. Possible anomalies can be diagnosed.

(3) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in (1) or (2) above,
The diagnostic unit may be configured to output the signal via a controller for controlling the operating state of the thermal fluid device.

According to the above configuration (3), when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the detection result of the sensor, a signal for slightly changing the state quantity is sent from the diagnosis unit to the thermal fluid via the controller. output to the device. By transmitting the signal via the controller in this way, for example, it is possible to diagnose the presence or absence of an abnormality in the sensor based on the control conditions of the thermal fluid device by the controller.

(4) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in any one of (1) to (3) above,
The diagnosis unit diagnoses the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. may be configured to

According to the above configuration (4), the presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device is diagnosed by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. . In other words, if the state quantity detected by the sensor exceeds the threshold so as to deviate from the normal range of the state quantity, it can be determined that the thermal fluid device may be abnormal. In this way, by comparing with the threshold of the range of the state quantity in the normal state, it is possible to improve the accuracy of diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the input from the sensor.

(5) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in any one of (1) to (4) above,
The diagnosis unit
having individual initial data for each of the thermal fluid devices with respect to the state quantity;
At least one of the change direction and the change amount of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal is compared with the initial data, thereby diagnosing whether the thermal fluid device or the sensor is abnormal. may

According to the above configuration (5), the change direction or change amount of the state quantity obtained by trying to make a small change in the state quantity, and the initial data (for example, data at the time of shipment) unique to each thermal fluid device regarding the state quantity ), it is possible to eliminate the individual difference of the thermal fluid device and improve the detection accuracy of the abnormality of the thermal fluid device or the sensor.

(6) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in any one of (1) to (5) above,
The fault diagnosis system includes a storage unit,
The diagnosis unit
When the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality, outputting the signal to acquire the change direction or the amount of change of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal and store it in the storage unit,
The change direction or change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal when the thermofluid device is diagnosed as having the possibility of an abnormality, and the change direction or change amount of the state quantity stored in the storage unit The presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor may be diagnosed by comparing the amount of change.

According to the configuration (6) above, even when there is no possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device, that is, even when it is diagnosed as normal, the state quantity is intentionally changed slightly and the reaction is stored in the storage unit. It is possible to periodically grasp the sensitivity of the sensor. As a result, it is possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device by excluding changes in the sensor output over time, thereby further improving the detection accuracy of whether or not there is an abnormality.

(7) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in (6) above,
The diagnosis unit
determining whether or not a predetermined cycle has elapsed since the previous comparison with the change direction or the amount of change in the normal state of the thermal fluid device when the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality;
The comparison with the direction of change or the amount of change in the normal state may be performed when it is determined that the predetermined cycle has passed.

With configuration (7) above, the step of grasping the sensor sensitivity in the normal state and storing it in the storage unit can be periodically and repeatedly executed. Therefore, it is possible to store the latest information about the sensitivity of the sensor in consideration of changes over time in the storage unit. As a result, when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device, the change direction or change amount acquired by slightly changing the state quantity is information reflecting the latest sensor sensitivity stored in the storage unit. , it is possible to further improve the accuracy of determining the presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device.

(8) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in any one of (1) to (7) above,
The thermal fluid equipment may include any one of an engine, a boiler, or a gas turbine.

According to the configuration (8) above, it is possible to enjoy any of the benefits described above in a failure diagnosis system that includes any one of an engine, a boiler, and a gas turbine as thermal fluid devices.

(9) In some embodiments, in the configuration according to any one of (1) to (8) above,
When diagnosing that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the change direction or the amount of change of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal, the diagnosis unit specifies the type of the state quantity indicating the abnormality. It may be configured to output an instruction for resolving the abnormality of the site.

With configuration (9) above, when the diagnosis unit diagnoses that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device, an instruction for resolving the abnormality is output. For example, depending on the content of the abnormality of the part diagnosed as abnormal, the diagnosis department can timely order parts for replacement or repair, arrange workers for maintenance work such as cleaning, etc. can be done. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly deal with the abnormality while reducing the burden of the initial response when the abnormality occurs.

(10) In some embodiments, in the configuration described in any one of (1) to (9) above,
The fault diagnosis system includes:
A notification unit may be provided that, when the diagnosis unit diagnoses that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor, notifies the fact.

According to the above configuration (10), when it is diagnosed that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor, the notifying section notifies the fact. Therefore, the operator of the thermal fluid device can quickly grasp that an abnormality has occurred in the thermal fluid device or the sensor, so that a smooth initial response to the abnormality can be urged.

(11) A failure diagnosis method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes:
a step of detecting a state quantity relating to the operating state of the thermal fluid device with a sensor;
a step of diagnosing whether there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the detection result of the sensor;
a step of outputting a signal for minutely changing the state quantity when the possibility of abnormality is diagnosed in the thermal fluid device in the step of diagnosing;
acquiring a direction or amount of change of the state quantity according to the output of the signal;
diagnosing whether there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor based on at least one of the obtained change direction and change amount;
It has

According to the method (11) above, as described in (1) above, by performing the internal check of the sensor, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device due to a failure of the sensor or the like. Therefore, it is possible to improve the prediction accuracy of abnormality diagnosis of the thermal fluid device.

(12) In some embodiments, in the method of (11) above,
In the step of diagnosing the presence or absence of the possibility of abnormality,
The presence or absence of the possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device may be diagnosed by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. .

According to the method (12) above, as described in (3) above, by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor with the threshold value that defines the range of the state quantity in the normal state of the thermal fluid device, Abnormalities in thermal fluid equipment are diagnosed. In other words, if the state quantity detected by the sensor exceeds the threshold so as to deviate from the normal range of the state quantity, it can be determined that the thermal fluid device may be abnormal. In this way, by comparing with the threshold of the range of the state quantity in the normal state, it is possible to improve the accuracy of diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the input from the sensor.

(13) In some embodiments, in the method of (11) or (12) above,
In the step of diagnosing whether the thermal fluid device or the sensor is abnormal,
By comparing at least one of the direction of change or the amount of change of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal with initial data for each of the thermal fluid devices regarding the state quantity, the thermal fluid device or The presence or absence of an abnormality in the sensor may be diagnosed.

According to the method of (13) above, as described in (5) above, the direction or amount of change in the state quantity obtained by attempting a minute change in the state quantity, and each thermal fluid device with respect to the state quantity By comparing with the initial data (for example, data at the time of shipment) unique to the thermal fluid device, it is possible to eliminate the individual difference of the thermal fluid device and improve the detection accuracy of the abnormality of the thermal fluid device or the sensor.

(14) In some embodiments, in the method according to any one of (11) to (13) above,
The failure diagnosis method includes:
a step of outputting the signal when the thermofluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality, acquiring the change direction or the change amount of the state quantity when the thermofluid device is normal, and storing the change in a storage unit; prepared,
In the step of diagnosing whether the thermal fluid device or the sensor is abnormal,
The change direction or the change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal when the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having the possibility of an abnormality, and the change of the state quantity stored in the storage unit The presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor may be diagnosed by comparing the direction or the amount of change.

According to the method (14), as described in (6) above, even if the thermal fluid device has no possibility of abnormality, that is, even if it is diagnosed as normal, the state quantity is intentionally changed slightly. By storing the reaction in the storage unit, the sensitivity of the sensor can be grasped periodically. As a result, it is possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device by excluding changes in the sensor output over time, thereby further improving the detection accuracy of whether or not there is an abnormality.

(15) In some embodiments, in the method according to any one of (11) to (14) above,
The failure diagnosis method includes:
When it is diagnosed that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the change direction or the amount of change of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal, the part specified from the type of the state quantity indicating the abnormality A step of outputting an instruction for resolving the abnormality may be provided.

According to the method (15) above, as described in (9) above, when the diagnosis unit diagnoses that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device, an instruction for resolving the abnormality is output. For example, depending on the content of the abnormality of the part diagnosed as abnormal, the diagnosis department can timely order parts for replacement or repair, arrange workers for maintenance work such as cleaning, etc. can be done. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly deal with the abnormality while reducing the burden of the initial response when the abnormality occurs.

According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection in device abnormality diagnosis.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fault diagnosis system according to one embodiment; FIG. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fault diagnosis system according to another embodiment; 4 is a flowchart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in the failure diagnosis system according to one embodiment; 9 is a flowchart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in a failure diagnosis system according to another embodiment; 9 is a flowchart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in a failure diagnosis system according to another embodiment; 9 is a flowchart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in a failure diagnosis system according to another embodiment;

Several embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, unless there is a specific description, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in the following embodiments are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative examples. It's nothing more than

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fault diagnosis system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
As non-limitingly illustrated in FIG. 1 , the fault diagnosis system 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sensor 30 for detecting a state quantity related to the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5 and a detection and a diagnosis unit 10 for diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the result.

The thermal fluid device 5 is a device in which at least a thermal fluid flows, and may include, for example, an internal combustion engine such as an engine, as well as plant equipment such as a combustion device including a boiler or a gas turbine. That is, the actions and effects described in the present disclosure can be enjoyed in the fault diagnosis system 1 including the engine, boiler, or gas turbine as the thermal fluid device 5.

The sensor 30 detects various state quantities related to the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5 and outputs the detection signal to the diagnosis section 10 . A plurality of such sensors 30 may be provided according to the number of parameters to be monitored. For example, if an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5, the parameters to be monitored may include, for example, the pressure or temperature of each of supply air, exhaust, or lubricating oil, or engine speed. That is, the sensor 30 includes, for example, a supply pressure sensor, an exhaust pressure sensor, a lubricating oil pressure sensor, a supply air temperature sensor, an exhaust temperature sensor, a lubricating oil temperature sensor, an engine speed sensor, an in-cylinder pressure sensor, an in-cylinder temperature sensor, or the like. can include

The diagnosis unit 10 diagnoses whether or not there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred in the thermal fluid device 5 . Examples of such a diagnostic unit 10 include a remote monitoring center that remotely monitors whether there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, or an abnormality diagnosis system that is installed locally (for example, a factory-installed type or a vehicle-mounted type). monitoring system.
In the case of a monitoring system using a remote monitoring center, it is possible to prevent failures by detecting some symptoms as abnormalities before serious failures occur and changing the control of the equipment. In this case, even if an abnormality is detected, it is not necessary to stop the operation immediately. On the other hand, it is possible that on-site maintenance may be necessary because it cannot be dealt with simply by changing the control of the equipment. In addition, the remote monitoring center only obtains equipment information at regular intervals, and it may be difficult to control the equipment in real time.

Subsequently, details of the diagnosis unit 10 in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.
As non-limitingly illustrated in FIG. 1, the diagnosis unit 10 may be, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU 11, various programs executed by the CPU 11, and a storage unit for storing data such as reference tables. In addition to ROM (Read Only Memory) 13, RAM (Random Access Memory) 12 that functions as a work area that is a development area and a calculation area when executing each program, a communication unit 50 (communication interface) for connecting to a communication network I/F), a hard disk drive (HDD) as a large-capacity storage device (not shown), and an access section to which an external storage device is mounted. All of these may be connected via bus 14 .

The diagnostic unit 10 may include various databases 17 as a storage unit, and the database 17 may store various tables 18 for performing abnormality diagnosis of the thermal fluid device 5, for example. Further, the diagnosis unit 10 may be connected to an input unit (not shown) such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display unit (not shown) such as a liquid crystal display device for displaying data.

A detection signal of a state quantity relating to the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5 may be transmitted to the diagnostic unit 10 from a sensor 30 provided in the thermal fluid device 5 .

The ROM 13 stores an abnormality diagnosis program for the diagnosis unit 10 to diagnose an abnormality (for example, including diagnosis of the presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 itself or the presence or absence of an abnormality in the sensor 30 described later) in any embodiment of the present disclosure. 15 may be stored. In some embodiments, the CPU 11 reads the abnormality diagnosis program 15 from the ROM 13, develops it in the RAM 12, and executes it, thereby realizing the abnormality diagnosis processing described in the present disclosure.

Furthermore, the diagnostic unit 10 in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, when diagnosing that the thermal fluid device 5 may be abnormal, outputs a signal for slightly changing the state quantity regarding the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5. The presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 is diagnosed based on at least one of the direction of change and the amount of change of the state quantity obtained by the above. Such processing can be realized, for example, by having the CPU 11 read out and execute the abnormality diagnosis program 15 .

In some embodiments, the controller 2 may be configured to control the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5 (see FIG. 1). In this case, the controller 2 can be configured to centrally control the operation of each thermal fluid device 5 . For example, when an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5, such a controller 2 may include an ECU (Engine Control Unit) that controls the operating state of the engine in accordance with a user's request.
The diagnostic unit 10 can then be configured to output a signal via the controller 2 . Further, the diagnosis unit 10 may acquire from the controller 2 or directly from the sensor 30 the change direction or change amount of the state quantity after the minute change.

According to the above configuration, when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the detection result of the sensor 30, a signal for slightly changing the state quantity is sent from the diagnosis unit 10 to the thermal fluid via the controller 2. Output to device 5 . By transmitting the signal via the controller 2 in this manner, for example, it is possible to diagnose whether or not the sensor 30 is abnormal, based on the control conditions of the thermal fluid device 5 by the controller 2 .

For example, when an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5, the above-described state quantities, that is, parameters to be changed (targets of minute changes) include, in addition to the above-described boost pressure, plug ignition timing, fuel injection timing, EGR ( Exhaust gas recirculation rate, variable geometry (VG) turbocharger opening, or waste gate (WG) valve opening may be included.

Such minute parameter changes can utilize the functions originally provided in the controller 2 as functions for controlling the thermal fluid device 5 . Therefore, not only can the cost be reduced, but the diagnostic unit 10 does not need to directly control the thermal fluid device 5 in real time.

In some embodiments, when executing the abnormality diagnosis process described above, first, the diagnosis unit 10 determines whether the sensor 30 is abnormal or not. It may be configured to diagnose the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 by comparing it with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity. Such processing can be realized, for example, by having the CPU 11 read out the abnormality diagnosis program 15 and execute the abnormality diagnosis processing. Note that the threshold in this case is appropriately determined by presetting or acquiring the range of various state quantities during normal operation of the thermal fluid device 5, and is stored in a storage unit such as the ROM 13 or the database 17. good too.

For example, when an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5 and the state quantity detected by the sensor 30 exceeds a predetermined threshold value and there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred in the thermal fluid device 5, the diagnostic unit 10 detects that the engine is rotating. By outputting a signal that slightly changes the operating state while maintaining the range that satisfies the user's request for the number and engine output, the direction and amount of change in the output of the sensor 30 can be intentionally grasped. It can be configured to check whether an abnormality actually occurs in the thermal fluid device 5 or whether the sensor 30 is out of order.

In some embodiments, the signal for slightly changing the state quantity may include a command for changing the state quantity in a predetermined direction according to the type of the state quantity.

For example, when an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5 and ignition timing of a spark plug is adopted as a parameter to be changed, the diagnostic unit 10 outputs a signal for slightly retarding (retarding) the ignition timing. If the ignition timing is advanced (advance), for example, there is a risk that the maximum pressure in the cylinder will exceed the maximum pressure in the cylinder due to knocking, or that the engine will be damaged. It is a thing that makes a minute change to In addition, a change in the direction of observance of exhaust gas regulations by avoiding an increase in NOx when the timing is advanced is adopted. A state quantity change detected by such a minute change (that is, the output of the sensor 30) may include, for example, an increase in exhaust gas temperature, an increase in supercharger rotation speed, or an increase in supply air pressure.

Further, when an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5 and, for example, the VG opening of the supercharger is adopted as the parameter to be changed, the diagnostic unit 10 outputs a signal for changing the VG opening in the direction of opening. . If the VG opening is changed in the closing direction, the parameter to be changed is slightly changed to the safe side in order to avoid the risk of engine damage due to exceeding the maximum pressure in the cylinder due to a sudden increase in the supply air pressure. It is. A state quantity change (output of the sensor 30) detected by such a minute change may include, for example, a decrease in supercharger rotation speed, a decrease in supply air pressure, and the like.

In this way, according to the configuration in which the state quantity is changed in a predetermined direction according to the type of the state quantity, for example, even if the abnormality itself cannot be eliminated by slightly changing the state quantity to the safe side, Possible anomalies in either the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 can be safely diagnosed.

In some embodiments, the diagnosis unit 10 may include a database 17 as a storage unit and have individual initial data for each thermal fluid device 5 regarding state quantities (see FIG. 1, for example).
For example, when an engine is applied as the thermal fluid device 5, such initial data may include various data included in individual operating data of the engine at the time of shipment.
Then, the diagnosis unit 10 compares at least one of the change direction and the change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal for the minute change with the initial data, thereby determining whether the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 is abnormal. may be configured to diagnose Such processing can be realized, for example, by having the CPU 11 read out and execute the abnormality diagnosis program 15 .

In this way, according to the configuration in which the diagnosis unit 10 has individual initial data for each thermal fluid device 5, the change direction or amount of change of the state quantity obtained by trying a small change in the state quantity, and the state quantity By comparing each thermal fluid device 5 with individual initial data (for example, data at the time of shipment), the individual difference of the thermal fluid device 5 is eliminated and the abnormality detection accuracy of the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 is improved. can be made

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fault diagnosis system according to another embodiment.
As non-limitingly illustrated in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the diagnosis unit 10 determines that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the change direction or change amount of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal. If a diagnosis is made, it may be configured to output an instruction to eliminate the abnormality of the portion specified from the type of state quantity indicating the abnormality (see FIG. 6). Such processing can be realized, for example, by having the CPU 11 read out and execute the abnormality diagnosis program 15 .

Further, the diagnosis unit 10 may include a notification unit 40 that notifies the sensor 30 when the diagnosis unit 10 diagnoses that the sensor 30 is abnormal (see FIG. 2).
According to the configuration including the notification unit 40 in this way, when it is diagnosed that the sensor 30 has an abnormality, the notification unit 40 notifies that effect. In the case of an abnormality in the sensor 30, it may be possible to recover by a simpler response than in the case of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, so that the operator of the thermal fluid device 5 can quickly grasp that an abnormality has occurred in the sensor 30, Since it is possible to determine whether it is possible to resolve the abnormality of the sensor 30 by itself, it is possible to prompt an appropriate initial response to the abnormality.

Furthermore, the diagnosis unit 10 outputs the above signal when it is diagnosed that there is no possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, acquires the change direction or the amount of change of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device 5 is normal, and uses it as a storage unit. database 17 may be updated. That is, when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, the change direction or change amount of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal, and the change direction or change of the state quantity updated in the storage unit (database 17) The presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 may be diagnosed by comparing the amount. Such processing can be realized, for example, by having the CPU 11 read out and execute the abnormality diagnosis program 15 .

According to the configuration for updating the database 17 as described above, even when there is no possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, that is, even when it is diagnosed as normal, the state quantity is intentionally changed slightly and the reaction is stored. By storing it in the database 17 as a part, the sensitivity of the sensor 30 can be grasped periodically. As a result, it is possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 by excluding changes in the output of the sensor 30 over time.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a failure diagnosis method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, which is an abnormality diagnosis process by the diagnosis unit 10 executing the abnormality diagnosis program 15, will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in the fault diagnosis system according to one embodiment. As non-limitingly illustrated in FIG. 3 , the failure diagnosis method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a step of detecting a state quantity related to the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5 with the sensor 30 (step S10); A step of diagnosing whether or not there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the detection result of 30 (step S20); YES), the step of outputting a signal for slightly changing the state quantity (step S30), the step of acquiring the change direction or change amount of the state quantity according to the output of the signal (step S40), and the acquired change and a step of diagnosing whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 based on at least one of the direction and the amount of change (step S50).
Then, in the diagnosis unit 10, if the change direction or amount of change in the state quantity detected in response to the minute change is a normal change as intended by the signal output from the diagnosis unit 10 (step S50: YES) It is determined that the thermal fluid device 5 is abnormal (step S60). On the other hand, if the change direction or change amount of the state quantity according to the minute change is not a normal change as intended by the signal output from the diagnosis unit 10 (step S50: NO) determines that the sensor 30 is abnormal (step S70), and terminates the process.
In this manner, the diagnostic unit 10 can detect an abnormality in the sensor 30 as well as an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 .
If no abnormality is diagnosed in step S20 (step S20: NO), the process proceeds to step S10 and the process of monitoring (detecting) the state quantity relating to the operating state of the thermal fluid device 5 is repeatedly executed.

According to the above method, when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the detection result of the sensor 30, the diagnostic unit 10 generates a signal for slightly changing the state quantity of the thermal fluid device 5. is output, and the presence or absence of an abnormality in the sensor 30 can be determined based on the direction or amount of change in the state quantity obtained thereby. If the change direction or change amount of the state quantity acquired after the output of the signal is different from the instruction content of the signal, it is determined that the sensor 30 is abnormal. It can be judged as abnormal. By performing an internal check of the sensor 30 in this manner, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 due to a failure of the sensor 30 or the like. Therefore, the prediction accuracy of abnormality diagnosis of the thermal fluid device 5 can be improved.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing abnormality diagnosis processing (fault diagnosis method) in a fault diagnosis system according to another embodiment. As non-limitingly illustrated in FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, in step S20 of diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, the state quantity detected by the sensor 30 and the thermal fluid device 5 The presence or absence of the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 may be diagnosed by comparing it with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity in the normal state (step S21).
Then, if the detected state quantity is equal to or greater than the threshold (step S22: YES), the diagnosis unit 10 diagnoses that there is a possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 (step S23), and if the detected state quantity is less than the threshold If (step S22: NO), it may be determined that there is no possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 (step S24), and the process of diagnosing the possibility of abnormality may be terminated.

According to the above method, the presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 is diagnosed by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor 30 with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device 5 is normal. . In other words, if the state quantity detected by the sensor 30 exceeds the threshold so as to deviate from the normal range of the state quantity, it can be determined that the thermal fluid device 5 may be abnormal. In this way, by comparing with the threshold value of the state quantity range in the normal state, it is possible to improve the accuracy of diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the input from the sensor 30 .

In some embodiments, the failure diagnosis method outputs a signal for the minute change when it is diagnosed that there is no possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 (step S20: NO), thereby confirming that the thermal fluid device 5 is normal. A step of acquiring the change direction or change amount of the state quantity at the time and updating the storage unit may be provided.
Then, in the step of diagnosing whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 or the sensor 30 (step S50), if it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 (step S20: YES), the signal for the minute change is output (step S30) and obtained (step S40), and the direction or amount of change in the state quantity stored in the storage unit (database 17) is compared with the direction or amount of change in the state quantity. The presence or absence of an abnormality in the device 5 or the sensor 30 may be diagnosed (step S50).

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in a failure diagnosis system according to another embodiment.
As non-limitingly exemplified in FIG. 5, in the above configuration, when the diagnosis unit 10 diagnoses that there is no possibility of abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 (step S20: NO), the change in the normal state of the thermal fluid device 5 It is determined whether or not a predetermined cycle has passed since the previous comparison with the direction or the amount of change (step S81). It may be configured to perform a comparison (step S50).
The cycle may be determined, for example, based on the time since the last comparison (eg, once/week, once/month, etc.). Alternatively, determination may be made based on the number of times the diagnosis of the possibility of an abnormality (step S20) has been performed from the previous comparison (for example, 1/100 times).

According to such a configuration, the step of grasping the sensitivity of the sensor 30 in the normal state and updating it in the storage unit (step S84) can be repeatedly executed at regular intervals. Therefore, it is possible to store the latest information about the sensitivity of the sensor 30 in consideration of changes over time in the storage unit. As a result, when it is diagnosed that there is a possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5, the direction or amount of change obtained by slightly changing the state quantity is reflected in the latest sensitivity of the sensor 30 stored in the storage unit. Since the information can be compared with the information obtained from the thermal fluid device 5, the accuracy of determining whether the thermal fluid device 5 is abnormal can be further improved.

On the other hand, since there is a possibility that the change data will be updated as a normal value even though an abnormality has occurred in the sensor, the update may be performed only for a certain number of times or for a certain period of time.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing abnormality diagnosis processing in a failure diagnosis system according to another embodiment. As non-limitingly illustrated in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device 5 based on the change direction or change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal for the minute change. When the diagnosis is made, a step (step S62) of outputting an instruction to eliminate the abnormality of the part specified (step S61) from the type of state quantity indicating the abnormality may be provided.

Instructions for resolving the abnormality can be realized by transmitting a wanted signal from the diagnosis unit 10 to various destinations 60 according to the content or part of the abnormality.
Details of the abnormality obtained from the monitored state quantity and measures to resolve the abnormality include the following items.
That is, if the content of the detected abnormality is, for example, excessive variation in exhaust gas temperature between cylinders (difference in exhaust gas temperature between cylinders), the diagnosis unit 10 sends a part (for example, a spark plug ) may be sent to direct the arrangement or replacement of In addition, when the content of the grasped abnormality is, for example, an increase in bearing temperature or an increase in the temperature of lubricating oil at the outlet of the bearing, the diagnosis unit 10 instructs the supplier 60 to arrange or replace parts (for example, bearing metal). may send a signal to Further, when the detected abnormality is, for example, a decrease in air supply pressure, the diagnosis unit 10 sends a signal requesting dispatch of a service person (for example, for cleaning the blades of the supercharger) to the service provider 60. You may send. Furthermore, if the detected abnormality is abnormal combustion (knocking), for example, the diagnostic unit 10 requests the dispatch of a service person to the service provider 60 (for example, to clean the pistons and cylinders and remove combustion residues). may send a signal to

According to the above configuration or method, when the diagnosis unit 10 diagnoses that the thermal fluid device 5 has an abnormality, the diagnosis unit 10 automatically outputs an instruction (signal) for resolving the abnormality. For example, depending on the content of the abnormality in the part diagnosed as having an abnormality, it is possible to order parts for replacement or repair, arrange for workers to perform maintenance work such as cleaning, etc. It can be executed by the unit 10 in a timely manner. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly respond to the abnormality while reducing the burden and time lag of the initial response at the time of occurrence of the abnormality.

Note that the fault diagnosis system 1 according to some of the embodiments described above may include a plurality of information processing apparatuses, and these information processing apparatuses may perform each process in a distributed manner.
In addition, by recording a program for executing each process of the above-described several embodiments in a computer-readable recording medium, and causing a computer system to read and execute the program recorded in the recording medium, , the various processes described above may be performed.

Note that the “computer system” referred to here may include hardware such as an OS (Operating System) and peripheral devices. Also, the "computer system" includes a home page providing environment (or display environment) if the WWW (World Wide Web) system is used. In addition, "computer-readable recording medium" means flexible disk, magneto-optical disk, ROM (Read-only Memory), writable non-volatile memory such as flash memory, portable such as CD (Compact Disc)-ROM It refers to a storage device such as a hard disk built into a medium or computer system.

Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" means a volatile memory (e.g., DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)), which holds a program for a certain period of time. Further, the above program may be transmitted from a computer system storing this program in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by a transmission wave in a transmission medium. Here, the "transmission medium" for transmitting the program refers to a medium having a function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line. Further, the program may be for realizing part of the functions described above. Further, it may be a so-called difference file (difference program) that can realize the above-described functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure described above, erroneous detection in abnormality diagnosis of the thermal fluid device 5 (device) can be suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes modifications of the above-described embodiments and combinations of these embodiments.

1 failure diagnosis system 2 controller (ECU)
5 Thermal fluid device (controlled object)
10 Diagnosis Department (Remote Monitoring Center/On-site Abnormality Diagnosis System)
11 CPUs
12 RAMs
13 ROM (storage unit)
14 bus 15 abnormality diagnosis program 17 database (storage unit)
18 table 30 sensor 40 notification unit (alarm)
50 Communication department 60 Arrangement destination (nearby service base/inventory management place)

Claims (14)

a sensor for detecting a state quantity relating to the operating state of the thermal fluid device;
a diagnostic unit for diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor with a threshold value that defines the range of the state quantity in a normal state;
a storage unit;
with
When diagnosing that the thermal fluid device has the possibility of abnormality, the diagnosis unit outputs a signal for slightly changing the state quantity, and at least one of the change direction and the change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting is It is configured to diagnose whether there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor based on whether the change is normal,
The diagnosis unit outputs the signal as the normal change when the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality, and the direction or amount of change of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. and store it in the storage unit,
The diagnosis unit
determining whether or not a predetermined cycle has elapsed since the previous comparison with the change direction or the amount of change in the normal state of the thermal fluid device when the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality;
When the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality, and when it is determined that the predetermined cycle has passed, the signal is output to indicate the direction or amount of change of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. A fault diagnosis system configured to update the normal change acquired and stored in the storage unit. 2. The fault diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein said signal includes a command for changing said state quantity in a predetermined direction according to the type of said state quantity. 3. The failure diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosis section is configured to output the signal via a controller for controlling the operating state of the thermal fluid device. 4. The fault diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the threshold defines a range of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. The diagnosis unit
having individual initial data corresponding to the normal change in each of the thermal fluid devices with respect to the state quantity;
It is configured to diagnose whether or not the thermal fluid device or the sensor is abnormal by comparing at least one of the change direction and the change amount of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal with the initial data. 5. The fault diagnosis system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The change direction or change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal when the thermofluid device is diagnosed as having the possibility of an abnormality, and the change direction or change amount of the state quantity stored in the storage unit 6. The failure diagnosis system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the failure diagnosis system is configured to diagnose whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor by comparing the amount of change. The fault diagnosis system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the thermal fluid device includes any one of an engine, a boiler and a gas turbine. When it is diagnosed that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the change direction or the amount of change of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal, the abnormality in the portion specified from the type of the state quantity indicating the abnormality 8. The failure diagnosis system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is configured to output an instruction for resolving the problem. 9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a notification unit that, when the diagnosis unit diagnoses that the thermofluid device or the sensor has an abnormality, notifies that effect. Fault diagnosis system. a step of detecting a state quantity relating to the operating state of the thermal fluid device with a sensor;
a step of diagnosing the possibility of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device by comparing the state quantity detected by the sensor with a threshold that defines the range of the state quantity in a normal state;
a step of outputting a signal for minutely changing the state quantity when the possibility of abnormality is diagnosed in the thermal fluid device in the step of diagnosing;
acquiring a direction or amount of change of the state quantity according to the output of the signal;
a step of diagnosing whether or not there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor based on whether at least one of the obtained change direction and change amount is a normal change;
When the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality, the signal is output as the normal change, and the direction or amount of change of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal is acquired and recorded . a step of storing in a storage unit;
a step of determining whether or not a predetermined cycle has elapsed since the previous comparison with the direction or amount of change in the normal state of the thermal fluid device when the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality;
When the thermofluid device is diagnosed as having no possibility of abnormality, and when it is judged that the predetermined cycle has passed, the signal is output to indicate the direction or amount of change of the state quantity when the thermofluid device is normal. updating the normal changes obtained and stored in the storage unit;
A failure diagnosis method, comprising: 11. The failure diagnosis method according to claim 10, wherein the threshold defines a range of the state quantity when the thermal fluid device is normal. In the step of diagnosing whether the thermal fluid device or the sensor is abnormal,
At least one of the change direction and the change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal is compared with individual initial data corresponding to the normal change in each of the thermal fluid devices regarding the state quantity. 12. The failure diagnosis method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising diagnosing whether or not there is an abnormality in said thermal fluid device or said sensor. In the step of diagnosing whether the thermal fluid device or the sensor is abnormal,
The change direction or the change amount of the state quantity obtained by outputting the signal when the thermal fluid device is diagnosed as having the possibility of an abnormality, and the change of the state quantity stored in the storage unit The failure diagnosis method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the presence or absence of an abnormality in the thermal fluid device or the sensor is diagnosed by comparing the direction or the amount of change. When it is diagnosed that there is an abnormality in the thermal fluid device based on the change direction or the amount of change of the state quantity acquired by outputting the signal, the part specified from the type of the state quantity indicating the abnormality 14. The failure diagnosis method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising the step of outputting an instruction for resolving the abnormality.

Images