초록 ▼

A computer system implements a process for gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing data relating to a pump and/or seal or other rotating equipment failure. Data indicating the current state of the equipment is gathered and verified prior to a failure occurring so that accurate information is availabl

A computer system implements a process for gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing data relating to a pump and/or seal or other rotating equipment failure. Data indicating the current state of the equipment is gathered and verified prior to a failure occurring so that accurate information is available. After a failure or problem occurs, data about the problem or failure are methodically gathered to aid in the determination of the root cause of the failure. In particular, visual images of failure modes are provided to the user to ensure that proper and accurate data are obtained. A user also is directed to gather other data about the failure and the system. After data relating to the problem or failure has been gathered, the data are synthesized and an analysis is performed to determine the root cause of the failure or problem. These various methods and apparatus allow a non-specialist to properly identify and diagnose a failure or problem associated with a mechanical seal and pump. After the analysis has determined the root cause of the problem or failure in the system, the system suggests corrective actions and plans for implementing a corrective action. Installation instructions, training and safety information can be provided to the user to ensure proper execution of the selected corrective action. A plant reliability manager also may monitor the progress and verify that installation, maintenance and failure correction are performed correctly. The plant reliability manager also may track problems or failures by each individual or department to determine if additional training is needed.

대표청구항 ▼

A computer system implements a process for gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing data relating to a pump and/or seal or other rotating equipment failure. Data indicating the current state of the equipment is gathered and verified prior to a failure occurring so that accurate information is availabl

A computer system implements a process for gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing data relating to a pump and/or seal or other rotating equipment failure. Data indicating the current state of the equipment is gathered and verified prior to a failure occurring so that accurate information is available. After a failure or problem occurs, data about the problem or failure are methodically gathered to aid in the determination of the root cause of the failure. In particular, visual images of failure modes are provided to the user to ensure that proper and accurate data are obtained. A user also is directed to gather other data about the failure and the system. After data relating to the problem or failure has been gathered, the data are synthesized and an analysis is performed to determine the root cause of the failure or problem. These various methods and apparatus allow a non-specialist to properly identify and diagnose a failure or problem associated with a mechanical seal and pump. After the analysis has determined the root cause of the problem or failure in the system, the system suggests corrective actions and plans for implementing a corrective action. Installation instructions, training and safety information can be provided to the user to ensure proper execution of the selected corrective action. A plant reliability manager also may monitor the progress and verify that installation, maintenance and failure correction are performed correctly. The plant reliability manager also may track problems or failures by each individual or department to determine if additional training is needed. claim 1, further comprising means for entering self-diagnostic or supervisory data into the portable object. 7. The portable object reader terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the value of the datum (Sk) is equal to a first value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) is output to the network. 8. The portable object reader terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the value of the datum (Sk) is equal to a second value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) is output to the printer (2). 9. The portable object reader terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the value of the datum (Sk) is equal to a third value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) is output to the display (3). 10. The portable object reader terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the value of the datum (Sk) is equal to a fourth value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) is written into the non-volatile memory (ZD) of a portable object, at an address "Adr-V". 11. A method for self-diagnosis and supervision of a portable object reader terminal having a memory in which an application program is stored and at least one output (1-4) constituted by at least one of a display (3), a printer (2), or a communications network (1), or a portable object (4), said reader adapted to cooperate with a portable object including a nonvolatile memory area (ZD) containing data including self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk), said method comprising: storing, in said memory, said self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk); and sending data (Dj) of said self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk) to the output (1-4) specified by a data (Sk) as a function of data supplied by the self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk) following execution of at least one task Tt of said application program corresponding with the task (Ti) defined by the self-diagnostic data (Ti, Dj, Sk) of the portable object. 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising entering self-diagnostic or supervisory data into the portable object. 13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising outputting to the network a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal when the value of the data (Sk) is a first value. 14. The method according to claim 6, further comprising outputting to the printer (2) a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal when the value of the data (Sk) is equal to a second value. 15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising outputting to the display (3) a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal when the value of the data (Sk) is equal to a third value. 16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising writing into the non-volatile memory (ZD) of a portable object, at an address "Adr-V", a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal when the value of the data (Sk) is equal to a fourth value. 17. A portable object for use with a terminal equipped with an application program and having at least one output selected from a group of outputs including a display, a printer, a communications network, and said portable object, said portable object also having a non-volatile memory for reading or storing, in said memory, self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk) associated with a task (Ti,) and means for sending a data (Dj) of said self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk) to outputs specified by a data (Sk) as a function of information supplied by the self-diagnostic or supervisory data following execution of at least one task Tt of the application program corresponding to said task (Ti) defined by the self-diagnostic data (Ti, Dj, Sk) of the portable object, the portable object comprising a microprocessor card operating system for said card stored in a first memory part of a non-volatile memory in the card, said non-volatile memory containing at least one triplet (Ti, Dj, Sk) of information stored in a predetermined area (ZD) of said non-volatile memory, the location of which is defined by address fields located in the first memory part used to store the operating system. 18. The portable object according to claim 17, further comprising means for activating the means for sending the self-diagnostic data (Ti, Dj, Sk) a predetermined number of times. 19. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein the means for sending the self-diagnostic or supervisory data comprises means for writing into the portable object connected to the terminal. 20. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein the self-diagnostic or supervisory data are constituted by at least one triplet (Ti, Dj, Sk) of information corresponding, for a first piece of information (Ti), to a predetermined task of the application program, for a second piece of information (Dj), to a data type correlated to the task executed and to be presented to an output, and for a third piece of information, to a value (Sk) for specifying the output to which the data type must be presented among those present in the terminal. 21. The portable object according to claim 17, further comprising means for testing for the presence of self-diagnostic or supervisory data in the portable object and for initiation of reading and storage of said data in a specific area (ZTD) of the memory of the terminal. 22. The portable object according to claim 17, further comprising means for entering self-diagnostic or supervisory data into the portable object. 23. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein when the value of the data (Sk) is a first value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal is output to the network. 24. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein when the value of the data (Sk) is a second value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal is output to the printer (2). 25. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein when the value of the data (Sk) is a third value, a value VAL of the datum (Dj) stored temporarily in the memory of the terminal is output to the display (3). 26. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein when (Sk) is a fourth value, the supervisory data are formed by a quadruplet formed of said triplet (Ti, Dj, Sk) and a fourth field the content of which is initially constituted by the write address (Adr-V). 27. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein the area (ZD) is labeled by its starting address ADD-ZD and its end address ADF-ZD, the two address values ADD-ZD and ADF-ZD being stored in a part (230, 231) of the programmable memory (ZS) allocated to the operating system. 28. The portable object according to claim 17, wherein the location of the area (ZD) can be allocated dynamically by the operating system of the card after correct entry of a code (KD). 29. The portable object according to claim 17, further comprising a secret memory area of the portable object, the secret memory area containing a code (KD) which, after presentation to the card, authorizes the writing of the self diagnostic data into the programmable memory of the card. 30. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein a code (KD) is used by the terminal to execute a procedure for authenticating the card before information contained in the area (ZD) of the card is read. nalysis module coupled to the problem/failure database and querying the problem/failure database for failure mode data corresponding to the input data and receiving a query response of data indicative of a failure mode of the particular mechanical seal; the seal failure analysis module coupled to the equipment data module, and providing the equipment data module with data indicative of the failure mode of the particular mechanical seal to be associated and stored with the particular piece of equipment; a data analyzer coupled to the seal failure analysis module and receiving data from the seal failure analysis module indicative of a failure mode of the particular mechanical seal; and the data analyzer coupled to the problem/failure database and querying the problem/failure database with the failure mode of the particular mechanical seal and receiving a query response data indicative of a root cause of the failure mode of the particular mechanical seal. 2. A The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising, the data analyzer querying the problem/failure database for data indicative of a corrective action associated with the data indicative of the root cause and receives data corresponding to the query indicative of a corrective action, the data analyzer module coupled to the equipment data module and providing the data indicative of the corrective action and the data indicative of the root cause of the failure to the equipment data module to be stored associated with the particular piece of equipment. 3. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: a design deficiency identifier module coupled to the equipment data module and having an input of data indicative of a characteristic of a piece of equipment; the design deficiency identifier module coupled to the problem/failure database, wherein the design deficiency identifier module queries the problem/failure database for a possible design deficiency and receives as query response data indicative of a possible design deficiency; the design deficiency identifier module providing output data indicative of the possible design deficiency. 4. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the design deficiency identifier module provides output data indicative of the possible design deficiency of a particular piece of equipment to the equipment data module to be associated with the particular piece of equipment. 5. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the piece of equipment is a mechanical seal. 6. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the piece of equipment is a piece of rotary equipment. 7. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: a process fluid database containing data indicative of a characteristic of a process fluid; a process fluid analyzer coupled to the process fluid database; the process fluid analyzer coupled to the process fluid database for receiving data indicative of a particular process fluid; the process fluid analyzer coupled to the equipment data module and providing a query to the equipment data module for data indicative of a characteristic of a particular piece of equipment and receiving as response to the query, data indicative of a characteristic of the particular piece of equipment; the process fluid analyzer compares the compatibility of the data indicative of a characteristic of the particular process fluid with the data indicative of a characteristic of the particular piece of equipment and provides output data indicative of a possible incompatibility of the particular piece of equipment and the particular process fluid. 8. The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the process fluid analyzer provides data indicative of the possible process fluid incompatibility of a particular piece of equipment to the equipment data module to be associated with the particular piece of equipment. 9. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a mechanical seal verifier module having an input for receiving data indicative of an identifying characteristic of a par ticular mechanical seal; the mechanical seal verifier coupled to the data equipment module and receives data indicative of a characteristic of a particular piece of equipment; and the mechanical seal verifier module as a function of the data indicative of an identifying characteristic determines a functional characteristic of the particular mechanical seal and compares the compatibility of the functional characteristic of the particular mechanical seal with the data indicative of a characteristic of the particular piece of equipment and provides output data indicative of a possible incompatibility of the particular piece of equipment and the functional characteristic of the particular mechanical seal. 10. The apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the data indicative of a characteristic of a particular piece of equipment includes a manufacturer product number. 11. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the equipment data module comprises an input-output module and a equipment database storing data indicative of a characteristic of a piece of equipment; the input-output module coupled to the equipment database, the input-output module receives as an input new equipment data and provides data representative of the new equipment data to the equipment database; the input-output module receives data indicative of a characteristic of a particular piece of equipment from the equipment database and provides output data representative of the characteristic of the particular piece of equipment. 12. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the seal failure analyzer module comprises a first data gathering module coupled to the problem/failure database and receiving from the problem/failure data base data indicative of a failure mode of a particular mechanical seal; the first data gathering module having an input of an observed failure data and providing a first query as to which of the data indicative of the failure mode of the failure of a particular mechanical seal corresponds to the observed failure data an and receives input data corresponding to the first query; the first data gathering module providing output data indicative of the data indicative of the failure mode of the particular mechanical seal; a second data gathering module that provides a second query as to a condition extant in the failure of the mechanical seal and receives data corresponding to the second query results; the second data gathering module providing output data indicative of the condition extant in the failure of the mechanical seal; and a system analyzer that receives the data corresponding to the first and second queries and associates the data corresponding to the first and second query; the system analyzer selecting data indicative of a failure mode of the particular mechanical seal that corresponds to the association of the first and second query results. 13. The apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the seal failure analyzer module further comprises a cross reference module receiving as an input the first and second query results and determining a cross referenced relationship between the first and second query results to validate the data contained therein. 14. The apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the seal failure analyzer further comprises a data analyzer coupled to the system analyzer that receives the data indicative of a failure modality of the failure of the mechanical seal; the data analyzer coupled to the problem/failure database and accesses the problem/failure database and receives data corresponding to the failure modality that is indicative of a root cause of the failure modality of the failure of the mechanical seal. 15. The apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the data analyzer accesses the problem/failure database and receives data corresponding to the root cause of the failure modality that is indicative of a corrective action with respect to the root cause of the failure of the mechanical seal. 16. The apparatus as in claim 14 wherei