Production plant and process comprising several treatment steps

Details Production plant and process comprising several treatment steps Production plant and process comprising several treatment steps

1999-10-26

2001-09-18

Spitzer, Robert H. (Department: 1724)

Gas separation: processes

With control responsive to sensed condition

Pressure sensed

C095S022000, C095S047000, C095S130000, C096S004000, C096S114000, C096S421000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06290750

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a plant for producing at least one product stream intended to feed at least one consumer device, of the type comprising, mounted in series, several modules adapted to perform successive and distinct elementary treatments for the production of the product stream, at least two elementary treatment modules each comprising at least two treatment apparatuses mounted in parallel, and each module being adapted so as to carry out the same elementary treatment, the plant furthermore comprising means for controlling the various treatment apparatuses a function of the product stream desired at the outlet of the plant,
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such plants intended in particular for the production of gaseous nitrogen from atmospheric air are known.
The plant generally comprises, in series, three modules adapted for implementing distinct elementary treatments for the production of gaseous nitrogen. In particular, the nitrogen production plant comprises in succession a compression module, downstream of which is disposed a drying and filtering module, which feeds a nitrogen separation module.
The treatment modules frequently comprise at least two treatment apparatuses mounted in parallel. This structure allows continuous production, especially during periods of maintenance of one of the apparatuses, or in the event of a failure of one of them.
In order to provide for the coordinated start-up of the treatment apparatuses of the same module, as well as control of their operating parameters each treatment module comprises control means providing for the control of just the treatment apparatuses of the relevant module as a function of predefined set values.
To ensure compliance with the set values, the control means of each module are connected to sensors disposed immediately at the outlet of the relevant treatment module.
Thus, in a production plant comprising several treatment modules each enclosing at least two treatment apparatuses mounted in parallel, the control means, specific to each treatment module, increase the complexity of the plant. In practice, these control means, which have access only to the readings taken at the outlet of the treatment module associated with them, can only drive the various treatment apparatuses in accordance with simple algorithms, thus limiting the overall performance of the plant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the invention is to provide a production plant which has access to high-performance control means but the implementation of which is simple,
For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a plant of the aforesaid type, characterized in that the control means comprise sensors for measuring at least two variables representative of the product stream, and a fuzzy logic regulator adapted for controlling, in at least two distinct treatment modules, at least two treatment apparatuses of the same module, on the basis of the same measured representative variables.
According to particular embodiments, the plant comprises one or more of the following characteristics;
the control means comprise, for each treatment module, a control unit able to control just the treatment apparatuses of the relevant module, and a central drive unit connected to the control units and to the measurement sensors for the control of the treatment apparatuses from their associated control unit, on the basis of drive commands formulated by the central drive unit as a function of the measured representative variables, by applying fuzzy logic;
the treatment modules are each adapted to the treatment of gases, in particular compressed air and nitrogen, and are disposed in succession on a pipe for transporting the gas to be treated;
the sensors are disposed at the outlets of the plant; and
it comprises at least two outlets for producing distinct product streams, of which at least two of the outlets are equipped with sensors for measuring at least two variables representative of the associated product stream, and in that the fuzzy logic regulator is adapted for controlling the treatment apparatuses, on the basis of the representative variables measured on each outlet.
The subject of the invention is furthermore a process for producing a product stream intended to feed a consumer device implementing, mounted in series, several modules adapted for performing successive and distinct elementary treatments for the production of the product stream, at least two elementary treatment modules comprising at least two treatment apparatuses mounted in parallel, and each apparatus being adapted so as to carry out the same elementary treatment, in which the various treatment apparatuses are controlled as a function of the desired product stream, characterized in that, for the control of the treatment apparatuses, it comprises the following steps:
measuring at least two variables representative of the product stream, and
implementing a fuzzy logic regulator which controls, in at least two distinct treatment modules, at least two treatment apparatuses of the same module, on the basis of the same measured representative variables.


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