摘要:
Exemplary methods and systems for a distributed control system (DCS) in an industrial environment such as a plant. The DCS includes sensors for monitoring plant processes, and controllers for controlling plant processes. The sensors and controllers each have an associated communication protocol. The DCS also includes an interface that receives data from the sensors, translates the data into a common protocol, and generates control signals based on the translated data to the controllers over a network. The interface communicates with each sensor and controller based on their respective communication protocols.
摘要:
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling a level in a receptacle capable of storing a fluid. The apparatus includes a first valve governing ingress of the fluid to the receptacle, a second valve governing egress of fluid from the receptacle, wherein the second valve is positioned below the first valve. The apparatus also includes a first switch deployed between the first valve and the second valve, wherein the first switch is capable of providing a first signal indicative of fluid at the first switch and a second switch deployed between the first switch and the second valve, wherein the second switch is capable of providing a second signal indicative of an absence of fluid at the second switch. The apparatus also includes a controller capable of controlling a fluid level in the receptacle by opening and closing the first and second valves responsive to the first and second signals.
摘要:
An apparatus and method for producing a hydrogen-enriched reformate. The apparatus includes a fuel processor for converting a fuel to a reformate having fluctuations in pressure and or flow rate, means for reducing the fluctuations, a compression unit for compressing the reformate and one or more of a purification unit and a storage unit downstream of a compression unit. Means for reducing the fluctuations in the reformate can include one or more of a buffer and a conduit for providing a controlled flow of a supplemental fluid to an inlet of the compression unit. The supplemental fluid can include the compressed reformate, a hydrogen-enriched reformate, and mixtures thereof. The apparatus can include means for regulating power to the compression unit that can incrementally increase power to the compression unit particularly during start up. The purification unit can include one or more of a hydrogen selective membrane and a pressure swing adsorption unit. Methods for producing hydrogen are also disclosed.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for use in controlling the reaction temperature of a fuel processor are disclosed. The apparatus includes a fuel processor reactor, the reactor including a water gas shift reaction section; a temperature sensor disposed within the reaction section; a coolant flow line through the reaction section; and an automated control system. The automated control system controls the reaction temperature by determining a first component for a setting adjustment for the actuator from the measured temperature and a setpoint for the measured temperature; determining a second component for the setting adjustment from a hydrogen production rate for the fuel processor; and determining the setting adjustment from the first and second components.
摘要:
An apparatus and method for producing a hydrogen-enriched reformate. The apparatus includes a fuel processor for producing a reformate having fluctuations in a pressure and/or flow rate and means for reducing the fluctuations. The reformate comprises impurities that are removed by a purification unit having a plurality of adsorbent beds. A valve assembly controls the flow of reformate to the adsorbent beds based upon sensed product data generated by a product sensor. A compression unit optionally compresses the reformate prior to entering the purification unit. Means for reducing fluctuations in the pressure and/or flow rate include a buffer and/or a conduit for providing a controlled flow of a supplemental fluid to an inlet of the compression unit. A product valve can control the flow of hydrogen-enriched reformate out of the purification unit. A controller can control the valve assembly, the flow of supplemental fluid and the product valve among other apparatus components to maintain a stable pressure within the purification unit and to produce a desired hydrogen-enriched reformate.
摘要:
A method for start-up and shut down of a fuel processor including an autothermal reformer employing a non-pyrophoric shift catalyst is disclosed. Also disclosed are a computer programmed to start-up or shut down a fuel processor including an autothermal reformer employing a non-pyrophoric shift catalyst or a program storage medium encoded with instruction that, when executed by a computer, start-up or shut down a fuel processor including an autothermal reformer employing a non-pyrophoric shift catalyst.
摘要:
A method and apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a store of at least one historical sensor measurement, a store of potential cut-off frequencies, and a filter. Each potential cut-off frequency is associated with a respective potential difference between a sensor measurement and the stored historical sensor measurement. The filter has a cut-off frequency dynamically selected from the stored potential cut-off frequencies on the basis of a difference between the stored historical sensor measurement and a current sensor measurement. The method includes determining a difference between a current sensor measurement and a historical sensor measurement; and dynamically selecting a cut-off frequency for a filter for the current sensor measurement from the difference.
摘要:
An apparatus and a method for use in controlling the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a purified hydrogen generator; at least one of a compression unit, a storage unit, and a dispensing unit; and a system controller. The system controller is capable of monitoring the operation of the hydrogen generator and the compression unit, storage unit, or dispensing unit at a system level and shutting down at least one of hydrogen generator and the compression unit, storage unit, or dispensing unit upon the detection of a dangerous condition. The method includes monitoring the generation of a purified hydrogen stream from a system level; monitoring the at least one of a compression, a storage, and a dispensing of the purified hydrogen gas stream from the system level in concert with monitoring the purified hydrogen gas stream generation; and shutting down at least one of the purified hydrogen gas stream generation and the compression, the storage, or the dispensing upon the detection of a dangerous condition at the system level.
摘要:
A control technique for use in a fuel processor is disclosed. In one aspect, a control system includes a subsystem manager controller the operation of a respective physical subsystem for each of a plurality of physical subsystems in the fuel processor. The subsystem managers take their direction from a master control manager. In a second aspect, the subsystem managers collectively form a layer operating in conjunction with a second layer capable of interfacing the subsystem managers to their respective physical subsystems, a third layer capable of interfacing the subsystem managers with the second layer. In a third aspect, master control manager manages the operation of each physical subsystem through a respective subsystem manager, directs state transitions of the subsystem managers, and routs interaction between the subsystem managers from the master control manager.
摘要:
An apparatus and method for producing hydrogen. The apparatus includes a fuel processor, a purification unit and a system controller. The controller determines a calculated flow of reformate from the fuel processor and operates the purification unit based on the calculated flow. The calculated flow is derived from a process model of the fuel processor and known feed(s) to the fuel processor. The calculated flow of reformate is used to control the flow of reformate to adsorbent beds within the purification unit and can be used to control other materials flows within the apparatus. Means for reducing fluctuations in the pressure and/or flow rate of reformate flowing from the fuel processor to the purification unit are also disclosed. The purity of the hydrogen produced can be maintained by adjusting the operation of the purification unit in response to changes in reformate composition, pressure and/or flow rate.