U.S. patent application number 17/293080 was filed with the patent office on 2021-12-23 for exhaust gas purification system and method and data processing system for monitoring at least one exhaust gas pufication system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Durr Systems AG. Invention is credited to Lars EBINGER, Gerhard GRUNWALD, Lars MAST, Sven MEYER.
Application Number | 20210394115 17/293080 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005881804 |
Filed Date | 2021-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210394115 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MAST; Lars ; et al. |
December 23, 2021 |
Exhaust Gas Purification System and Method and Data Processing
System for Monitoring at least One Exhaust Gas Pufication
System
Abstract
The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method
for monitoring at least one exhaust gas purification system for
purifying an exhaust gas stream to be purified of an industrial
system or an industrial process. The method comprises retrieving
system data of the exhaust gas purification system from a data
cloud. The system data stored in the data cloud were at least
partially received beforehand by the data cloud from the exhaust
gas purification system. The system data relate to at least
measurement data of at least one sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system and/or data about at least one adjustable
parameter of the exhaust gas purification system. The method
further comprises determining at least one quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system based on the retrieved system
data.
Inventors: |
MAST; Lars; (Kornwestheim,
DE) ; MEYER; Sven; (Sachsenheim, DE) ;
EBINGER; Lars; (Bietigheim-Bissingen, DE) ; GRUNWALD;
Gerhard; (Bretten, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Durr Systems AG |
Bietigheim-Bissingen |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005881804 |
Appl. No.: |
17/293080 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
November 14, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE2019/100981 |
371 Date: |
May 12, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2258/0258 20130101;
B01D 53/002 20130101; B01D 2257/504 20130101; B01D 53/30 20130101;
B01D 2257/704 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B01D 53/30 20060101
B01D053/30; B01D 53/00 20060101 B01D053/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 15, 2018 |
DE |
10 2018 128 739.9 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring at least one
exhaust gas purification system for purifying an exhaust gas stream
to be purified of an industrial system or an industrial process,
the method comprising: retrieving system data of the exhaust gas
purification system from a data cloud, wherein the system data
stored in the data cloud were at least partially received
beforehand by the data cloud from the exhaust gas purification
system, and wherein the system data relate to at least measurement
data of at least one sensor of the exhaust gas purification system
and/or data about at least one adjustable parameter of the exhaust
gas purification system; and determining at least one quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system based on the
retrieved system data.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing information about the quantity characterizing the exhaust
gas purification system for retrieval by an application executed on
a terminal device of a user.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the
information about the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system is provided on a web site with access
restricted to a predetermined user group.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
storing information about the quantity characterizing the exhaust
gas purification system in the data cloud.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining
the at least one quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system is carried out continuously.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is a quantity
directly measurable at the exhaust gas purification system, which
is not measured at the exhaust gas purification system.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is a
concentration of at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas stream
to be purified which is fed into the exhaust gas purification
system.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the
concentration of the at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified is determined from one of the following
subsets of the retrieved system data: a) measurement values of a
carbon dioxide sensor of the exhaust gas purification system which
measures a carbon dioxide concentration in a purified exhaust gas
stream which is transmitted from the exhaust gas purification
system; b) measurement values of an explosimeter of the exhaust gas
purification system that measures a concentration of potentially
explosive gases in the exhaust gas stream to be purified; or c)
measurement values of a mass flow sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system that measures a mass flow of a fuel used for a
thermal oxidation of the exhaust gas stream to be purified.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:
determining a pollutant balance of the exhaust gas purification
system for a predetermined period of time based on the determined
concentration of the at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the
pollutant balance is further based on an individual measurement
value, which is comprised in the retrieved system data, of a
concentration of the at least one pollutant in a purified exhaust
gas stream that is transmitted from the exhaust gas purification
system.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the at
least one pollutant is one or more solvents.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is an
energy consumption of the exhaust gas purification system for a
predetermined period of time and/or a predetermined operation mode
of the exhaust gas purification system.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein
determining the energy consumption comprises the following:
deriving from at least a part of the retrieved system data a
quantity directly measurable at the exhaust gas purification
system, which is not measured at the exhaust gas purification
system; and determining the energy consumption based on the
quantity derived.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is an
amount of process heat that is generated or may be generated by the
exhaust gas purification system in a predetermined period of
time.
15. The computer-implemented method of any of claim 1, wherein the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
characterizes a separation process in the exhaust gas purification
system in which at least one pollutant contained in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified is separated.
16. The computer-implemented method according to any of claim 1,
wherein the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system characterizes a concentration process in the exhaust gas
purification system in which a concentration of at least one
pollutant contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified is
increased.
17. The computer-implemented method of any of claim 1, wherein the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
characterizes a condensation process in which at least one
pollutant contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified is
condensed.
18. The computer-implemented method of any of claim 1, further
comprising: outputting a message to at least a terminal device of a
user when the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system is outside a predetermined value range.
19. The computer-implemented method of any of claim 1, further
comprising: retrieving system data of a further exhaust gas
purification system from the data cloud; determining the
characterizing quantity for the further exhaust gas purification
system based on the retrieved system data of the further exhaust
gas purification system; and determining comparative information
based on the characterizing quantity for the exhaust gas
purification system and the characterizing quantity for the further
exhaust gas purification system.
20. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising a program
code for performing the computer-implemented method of claim 1,
when the program code is executed on a processor or a programmable
hardware component.
21. A data processing system for monitoring the state of at least
one exhaust gas purification system for purifying an exhaust gas
stream to be purified of an industrial system or an industrial
process, wherein the data processing system comprises at least one
processor which is configured to: retrieve system data of the
exhaust gas purification system from a data cloud, wherein the
system data stored in the data cloud were at least partially
received beforehand by the data cloud from the exhaust gas
purification system, and wherein the system data relate to at least
measurement data of at least one sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system and/or data about at least one adjustable
parameter of the exhaust gas purification system; and determine a
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system based
on the retrieved system data.
22. The data processing system of claim 21, wherein the data
processing system is part of the data cloud.
23. An exhaust gas purification system for purifying an exhaust gas
stream to be purified of an industrial system or an industrial
process, comprising: an inlet for feeding the exhaust gas stream to
be purified into the exhaust gas purification system; an outlet for
releasing a purified exhaust gas stream from the exhaust gas
purification system; and a communication interface which is
configured to send system data generated in the exhaust gas
purification system to a data cloud, the system data relating to at
least measurement data of at least one sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system and data about at least one adjustable
parameter of the exhaust gas purification system.
24. The exhaust gas purification system of claim 23, further
comprising at least one of the following devices: a concentration
device configured to increase a concentration of at least one
pollutant contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified; a
condensation device configured to condense at least one pollutant
contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified; and a
separation device configured to separate at least one pollutant
contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to monitoring of exhaust gas
purification systems. In particular, the present invention relates
to a computer-implemented method and a data processing system for
monitoring at least one exhaust gas purification system and to an
exhaust gas purification system itself.
[0002] Exhaust gas purification systems are used for purifying an
exhaust gas stream or an exhaust air stream. During operation of an
exhaust gas purification system, a variety of data points are
collected or generated by the exhaust gas purification system
itself. These data points are analyzed or evaluated in order to
enable a monitoring or characterizing of the exhaust gas
purification system. For this purpose, the data are conventionally
stored on a local storage medium (e.g., memory card, portable hard
disk or USB stick) coupled to the exhaust gas purification system
and then evaluated manually by qualified personnel. For example,
recorded measurement data may be visualized by qualified personnel
by means of special software, or quantities of interest may be
calculated or estimated by means of partly extensive
calculations.
[0003] The legacy evaluation of the data points generated by the
exhaust gas purification system substantially limits the
determination of the state of the system to the current and/or past
state. Likewise, the evaluation of the data points is only possible
with appropriate specialist knowledge and at a considerable
expenditure of time. Also, the data points are usually only
available locally at the system, so that a direct access to the
system is required for the evaluating qualified personnel.
[0004] In view of the above, one object of the present invention is
to provide an improved possibility for monitoring exhaust gas
purification systems.
[0005] The object of the invention is solved by a
computer-implemented method and a data processing system for
monitoring at least one exhaust gas purification system as well as
an exhaust gas purification system according to the independent
claims. Further aspects as well as further developments of the
invention are described in the dependent claims, the following
description and in the figures.
[0006] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a
computer-implemented method for monitoring at least one exhaust gas
purification system. An exhaust gas purification system is a system
that removes impurities or one or more pollutants from a fed
exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream so that a purified exhaust
gas stream may be transmitted from the exhaust gas purification
system. The purified exhaust gas that is transmitted from the
exhaust gas purification system is often also referred to as
purified (clean) gas. The exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream
to be purified, which is fed into the exhaust gas purification
system, may originate from an industrial system or an industrial
process of the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical or solvent
processing industries, for example. A pollutant may be understood
in this context as a substance that harms plants, animals, humans
and/or the environment when occurring in a specific quantity or
concentration (e.g., defined as mass of the pollutant per unit
volume of the exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream or as number
of pollutant particles per unit volume of the exhaust gas stream or
exhaust air stream). Accordingly, the purification of the exhaust
gas stream or exhaust air stream may include, e.g., a
detoxification, denitrification, deacidification, desulfurization,
dedusting or a combination thereof. For example, organic and/or
inorganic pollutants may be removed from the exhaust gas stream or
exhaust air stream by the exhaust gas purification system. An
exhaust gas purification system may be used for removing, e.g.,
solvents, nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x), sulfur oxides (SO.sub.x),
hydrogen fluoride (HF), ammonia (NH.sub.3), hydrogen chloride
(HCl), dioxins, furans or pollutants of the basic structure
C.sub.xH.sub.yO.sub.z (C denotes carbon; H denotes hydrogen; O
denotes oxygen; x, y, and z are natural numbers) from the exhaust
gas stream or exhaust air stream.
[0007] The exhaust gas purification system may use various methods
to purify the exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream. For
example, the exhaust gas purification system may use known
concentration methods (e.g., by means of absorption, adsorption or
membranes), condensation methods, catalytic methods,
non-catalytic-chemical methods, methods using a non-thermal plasma
(cold oxidation), biological methods (e.g., bioscrubbers,
biofilters), mechanical methods, electromechanical methods, thermal
methods or a combination of several of the abovementioned methods.
Concentration methods may be used in combination with another
method, in particular methods for exhaust gas purification. For
example, concentration methods may be used together with a
condensation method (e.g., for solvent recovery) and/or an
oxidative method for pollutant conversion (e.g., thermal and/or
catalytic oxidation for pollutant disposal). An exhaust gas
purification system using a catalytic method may, for example,
comprise monolithic catalyst elements and/or catalytically
activated filter elements (e.g., ceramic filter cartridges or
fabric filters) for purifying the exhaust gas stream or exhaust air
stream. An exhaust gas purification system using a thermal method
may purify the exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream, e.g., via
recuperative thermal oxidation (Germ. TNV=thermische
Nachverbrennung), regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO),
direct-fired thermal oxidation with subsequent waste heat
utilization or by substituting the oxidation air of a process heat
generation facility with the exhaust gas stream or exhaust air
stream. Alternatively or in addition, the exhaust gas purification
system may also use separation processes in cyclone separators,
filtering devices, electrostatic precipitators and/or scrubbers for
(further) exhaust gas purification.
[0008] The inventive method comprises retrieving of system data of
the exhaust gas purification system from a data cloud (cloud
storage or cloud computing). A data cloud denotes the provision of
IT infrastructure, such as memory space, computing power or
application software as hosted services over the Internet and/or at
least an intranet. According to embodiments, the data cloud may in
this context also be built up from several instances of (sub-) data
clouds or comprise several instances of (sub-) data clouds. For
example, the data cloud may include an intranet data cloud at the
location of the exhaust gas purification system or a cross-site
intranet data cloud of an operator of the exhaust gas purification
system as well as a further data cloud on the Internet (into which,
for example, a manufacturer of the exhaust gas purification system
may also enter data).
[0009] The system data stored in the data cloud were at least
partially received beforehand by the data cloud from the exhaust
gas purification system. For example, the exhaust gas purification
system may transmit the system data continuously, periodically
(e.g., hourly or daily) or in an event-triggered manner via the
Internet to the data cloud. In some embodiments, subsets of the
system data may have been, for example, entered manually into the
data cloud by an operator or manufacturer of the exhaust gas
purification system. Likewise, subsets of the system data may also
have been received by the data cloud from other systems (e.g.,
exhaust gas purification system(s) similar or identical to the
monitored exhaust gas purification system; industrial systems
and/or further exhaust gas purification systems coupled to the
monitored exhaust gas purification system).
[0010] The system data relate to at least measurement data of at
least one sensor of the exhaust gas purification system and/or data
about at least one adjustable parameter of the exhaust gas
purification system. The system data may in general include all
data recorded by the exhaust gas purification system or data
derived from the recorded data by the exhaust gas purification
system. Likewise, the system data may include, for example,
measurement data of at least one sensor of the industrial
system(s), the exhaust gas or exhaust air of which is purified by
the exhaust gas purification system. Measurement data from sensors
of the industrial system(s) are sometimes forwarded at least in
part to the connected exhaust gas purification systems so that
these are also present at the exhaust gas purification system and
may be understood as data recorded by the exhaust gas purification
system. For example, the system data relating to the measurement
data of the at least one sensor may be the actual measurement data
of the sensor or data derived therefrom by the exhaust gas
purification system. Accordingly, the system data relating to the
at least one adjustable parameter of the exhaust gas purification
system may be, e.g., a value of the adjustable parameter or data
derived therefrom by the exhaust gas purification system. In some
embodiments, the system data stored in the data cloud may be
identical to the data received from the exhaust gas purification
system. In other words: In some embodiments, the system data in the
data cloud are not further processed before they are fed into the
inventive method. In alternative embodiments, the data received
from the exhaust gas purification system may also be modified by
the data cloud before being stored. For example, the data format of
received system data may be changed before being stored. In order
to save memory space, data received continuously by the data cloud
(e.g., a parameter of the exhaust gas purification system) may only
be stored if the data change (e.g., parameters of the exhaust gas
purification system change), or only information relating to the
change of the data may be stored (e.g., the value by which a
parameter of the exhaust gas purification system has changed), for
example.
[0011] Furthermore, the system data may also include supplementary
data from other sources (see examples above). For example, the
supplementary data may be data characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system, data from an operating history of the exhaust
gas purification system, data from identical or similar exhaust gas
purification systems--in particular also data on or about their
operating history and/or operating states, data from systems in the
same emission line (e.g., for a cascade of various exhaust gas
purification systems at the end of at least one production
process), etc.
[0012] In other words: the system data of the exhaust gas
purification system stored in the data cloud may include
unprocessed raw data of the exhaust gas purification system in
particular, data pre-processed by the exhaust gas purification
system, supplementary data from further sources or a combination
thereof.
[0013] The type as well as the number of the quantities measured at
the exhaust gas purification system may vary depending on the type
of exhaust gas purification system. For example, other quantities
may be measured at an exhaust gas purification system that operates
according to the TNV principle than at an exhaust gas purification
system that uses electromechanical methods for exhaust gas
purification. Some possible measures are listed below, wherein it
must be considered that these are chosen merely as examples and
that other and/or further (physical) quantities may also be
measured at the exhaust gas purification system according to
embodiments of the invention.
[0014] A sensor of the exhaust gas purification system may, for
example, measure a temperature such as a temperature of a
combustion chamber or an exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream.
It is also possible to measure, for example, a position of a flap
of the exhaust gas purification system. For example, an open or
closed position or a relative opening angle of the flap may be
measured binarily. Likewise, for example, a volume flow of an
exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream, a pressure of an exhaust
gas stream or exhaust air stream or an instantaneous frequency of a
frequency converter of a fan driving an exhaust gas stream or
exhaust air stream may be measured. Likewise, one or more mass
flows may be measured at the system. For example, the mass flow of
the natural gas used for oxidation may be measured via a gas meter.
In some embodiments, the mass flow of compressed air or also the
mass flow of a heat transfer medium (e.g., water, pressurized
water, thermal oil or molten salt) may be measured, for example.
Likewise, concentrations of one or more substances may be measured,
for example. The concentration measurement may, for example, be
carried out directly by means of a flame ionization detector or via
an explosimeter measuring a concentration of potentially explosive
gases. For example, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2)
in an exhaust gas stream to be purified and/or a purified exhaust
gas stream may be measured. In some embodiments, the specific
calorific value of a solvent contained in an exhaust gas stream to
be purified may also be measured, for example. In exhaust gas
purification systems using filter methods, for example, particle
numbers may be measured in an exhaust gas stream to be purified
and/or a purified exhaust gas stream. Likewise, on/off information
describing the on or off state of an element of the exhaust gas
purification system may be measured. For example, it may be
measured at an exhaust gas purification system working according to
the RTO principle, whether natural gas is injected into the
combustion chamber or not. On/off information may, for example, be
collected or stored as digital values or binary values (e.g., 0/1)
in order to save memory space.
[0015] Likewise, the data about the at least one adjustable
parameter of the exhaust gas purification system may vary depending
on the type of exhaust gas purification system. For example, the
data about the at least one adjustable parameter of the exhaust gas
purification system may include information about an operation mode
in which the exhaust gas purification system is operated at the
moment or was operated in the past. The data about the at least one
adjustable parameter of the exhaust gas purification system may
also include, for example, target positions for a flap of the
exhaust gas purification system, target temperatures in a
combustion chamber of the exhaust gas purification system, target
temperatures of an (e.g., purified) exhaust gas stream or exhaust
air stream, target volume flows of an (e.g., purified) exhaust gas
stream or exhaust air stream or also deviations of an actual value
from a target value of the adjustable parameter. The examples
recited above for the adjustable parameter of an exhaust gas
purification system are again chosen merely as examples. Other
and/or further adjustable parameters of the exhaust gas
purification system may also be recorded according to embodiments
of the invention.
[0016] In addition to retrieving the system data of the exhaust gas
purification system from the data cloud, the inventive method
further comprises determining at least one quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system based on the retrieved system
data. The quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system describes an operating characteristic of the exhaust gas
purification system. The quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system may describe both an instantaneous
characteristic of the exhaust gas purification system and a
characteristic of the exhaust gas purification system over a longer
period of time. The quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system may be varied and depend, for example, on the
type of exhaust gas purification system. It is to be understood
that, according to embodiments, not only a single quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system may be
determined from the system data, but (in parallel or sequentially)
a variety of quantities characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system may also be determined. For example, several of the
quantities characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
described below may be determined in parallel or sequentially
according to the inventive method.
[0017] The quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system may be, for example, a status of the exhaust gas
purification system. For example, it may be determined from the
system data, whether the actual operation of the system deviates
from a given or predetermined target operation. The quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system may also be, for
example, an energy index (e.g., energy consumption, fuel
consumption, etc.) or a material index (e.g., pollutant balance,
amount of exhaust gas processed, etc.) describing an instantaneous
operation of the exhaust gas purification system or the operation
of the exhaust gas purification system over a longer period of
time. The quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system may also describe a trend or a development of the exhaust
gas purification system (e.g., an operating parameter or
measurement parameter of the exhaust gas purification system
changes over a longer period of time).
[0018] The automated determination of the quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system according to the inventive
computer-implemented method may enable an automated, time-efficient
and thus less extensive monitoring of the exhaust gas purification
system. Calculation routines or algorithms only need to be stored
once and may then evaluate the system data stored centrally in the
data cloud. A manual evaluation of the system data by suitably
qualified personnel may therefore be omitted. The monitoring of the
exhaust gas purification system may therefore also be carried out
more cost-effectively. For example, one or more quantities
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system may be
identified for a user or operator of the exhaust gas purification
system and automatically determined or derived from the system data
by means of the inventive computer-implemented method. In addition
to quantities that are conditioned, for example, by the type of
exhaust gas purification system (e.g., RTO or TNV), quantities of
individual interest to the user or operator may also be
automatically determined by means of the inventive
computer-implemented method, for example.
[0019] Due to the storage of the system data in the data cloud, the
system data may be accessed from any location and at any time. The
evaluation of the system data or the determination of the quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system may thus take
place, for example, in the data cloud itself or in a data
processing system coupled to the data cloud. For example, an
operator or a manufacturer of the exhaust gas purification system
may maintain a data processing system to retrieve the system data
from the data cloud and evaluate it locally in the data processing
system.
[0020] In comparison to conventional data collection approaches for
exhaust gas purification systems, the data storage in the data
cloud not only allows access to current system data, but also to
system data of any point in time or period of time. Accordingly, it
is not only possible to characterize the exhaust gas purification
system based on current system data, but it is substantially
possible to evaluate any points in time or periods of time. Due to
the storage of the system data in the data cloud, redundant data
storage also takes place, so that the risk of data loss is reduced
compared to conventional data collection approaches for exhaust gas
purification systems.
[0021] The inventive computer-implemented method may enable an
operator or manufacturer of the exhaust gas purification system to
monitor the operation of the exhaust gas purification system more
easily via a central means and to track the functioning of the
exhaust gas purification system.
[0022] According to some embodiments, the computer-implemented
method includes, in addition, providing information about the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system for
retrieval by an application executed on a terminal device of a
user. In this way, the user may easily retrieve the information
about the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system and monitor or trace the operation of the exhaust gas
purification system via the application. The terminal device of the
user may be, for example, a mobile terminal device, such as a
smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer, or a
stationary terminal device, such as a computer. The application may
be, for example, an application specifically provided for
monitoring the exhaust gas purification system. Alternatively, the
application may also be a universal application (e.g., an Internet
browser). The information about the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system may be provided, for example, as a
value or series of values retrievable via the application or as a
graphic retrievable via the application. Accordingly, the
information about the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system may be provided in a format that is easy to
understand for the user.
[0023] In some embodiments, the information about the quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is provided on a
web site with access restricted to a predetermined user group. The
provision of the information about the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system on a web site enables access at any
time and place to the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system by the user, and thus a flexible monitoring of
the exhaust gas purification system. For example, the output of the
information via a web site may also enable the user to create
individual notifications using appropriate configuration options on
the web site. In addition, the access restriction enables the
system monitoring to be secured against access by unauthorized
third parties. Access may be restricted, for example, by a
password, a security certificate, or local access restrictions.
[0024] In addition to the system data, the quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system may also be stored in the data
cloud according to some embodiments. In other words: the
computer-implemented method may further include storing of
information about the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system in the data cloud. In this way, the information
about the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system may also be stored redundantly in the data cloud, such as to
enable access to the information about the quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system flexible as to time and place
with a minimized risk of data loss.
[0025] In some embodiments, the determination of the at least one
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is
carried out continuously. This means that the quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system is determined
steadily (constantly) by the computer-implemented method. In this
way, a user may be permanently provided with current values for the
characterizing quantity for retrieval. In addition, the continuous
determination of the characterizing quantity enables determining
temporal courses or temporal changes of the characterizing
quantity, which in turn may themselves characterize the exhaust gas
purification system or the operating behavior thereof.
[0026] In alternative embodiments, the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system is determined discontinuously--for
example, periodically or as a result of the occurrence or detection
of the occurrence of a predetermined event. If, for example, a
specific quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification
system is required only once a year to prepare a legally required
report, it may be sufficient to determine this quantity only once a
year from the system data. In this way, calculation effort may be
saved for unnecessary determinations (e.g., calculations) of the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system.
[0027] According to some embodiments, the quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system is a quantity directly
measurable at the exhaust gas purification system, but which (in
reality) is not measured at the exhaust gas purification system.
The term "directly measurable" is to be understood in such a way in
this context that the quantity considered would (theoretically) be
directly measurable at the respective element of the exhaust gas
purification system via a suitably configured sensor if a suitable
sensor was installed at the exhaust gas purification system or a
sensor installed at the exhaust gas purification system was, for
example, functional or calibrated. For example, the volume flow of
exhaust gas coming into the exhaust gas purification system could
be measured directly via a volume flow sensor at the inlet of the
exhaust gas purification system. The direct recording of a quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system by means of a
dedicated sensor at the exhaust gas purification system may be very
cost-intensive due to the sometimes high acquisition costs for the
sensor. In many cases, it is possible to derive a quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system from other
measurement data that are recorded as well. For example, a quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system may be derived
from other recorded measurement data by means of thermodynamic
correlations or oxidation calculations. In the above example, the
volume flow may be calculated or determined from the difference of
pressures measured along the exhaust gas stream, for example. The
inventive method may thus determine quantities characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system without direct measurement and
without the use of sometimes high-priced sensors. This is made
clear once again in the following example.
[0028] A quantity of interest may, for example, be the efficiency
of the exhaust gas purification system, which indicates which
portion of one or more pollutants fed into the exhaust gas
purification system is removed from the exhaust gas stream or
exhaust air stream by the exhaust gas purification system. The
efficiency .eta..sub.Pollut may be defined as follows:
.eta. P .times. o .times. llut = c Input - c output c Input = 1 - c
Outp .times. u .times. t c Inpu .times. t ( 1 ) ##EQU00001##
[0029] In the mathematical expression (1) c.sub.input denotes the
concentration of the at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified which comes into the exhaust gas purification
system and c.sub.Output the concentration of the at least one
pollutant in the purified exhaust gas stream which is discharged
from the exhaust gas purification system. The two pollutant
concentrations characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
could be measured continuously and directly (immediately) in the
exhaust gas stream to be purified or in the purified exhaust gas
stream by means of suitable sensors. However, appropriate sensors
are high-priced, which is why it is desirable to install as few
such sensors as possible or no such sensors in the exhaust gas
purification system. Instead of the concentration of the pollutant
in the exhaust gas streams, e.g., the respective number of
pollutant particles in the exhaust gas stream to be purified and
the purified exhaust gas stream may alternatively be measured. The
level of particle separation and, hence, the efficiency
.eta..sub.Pollut of the exhaust gas purification system may be
determined analogously to the above mathematical expression (1)
based on the number of particles in the exhaust gas stream to be
purified and the number of particles in the purified exhaust gas
stream.
[0030] In the present case, the concentration of the at least one
pollutant in the exhaust gas stream to be purified that is fed into
the exhaust gas purification system may be determined, according to
the invention, from the system data as the quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system. For this purpose, various
approaches are possible, wherein three approaches are described
below merely as examples.
[0031] For example, the pollutant sensor for direct measurement of
the concentration of the at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified may be omitted and the concentration may be
determined from measurement values of an already present carbon
dioxide sensor of the exhaust gas purification system, which
measures a carbon dioxide concentration in a purified exhaust gas
stream, which is transmitted from the exhaust gas purification
system. The carbon dioxide concentration in the purified exhaust
gas stream corresponds to the sum of the carbon dioxide comprised
in the exhaust gas stream to be purified and to the carbon dioxide
generated during the conversion of the pollutant (e.g., by TNV).
The concentration of the at least one pollutant (e.g., measured as
organically bound carbon by means of a flame ionization detector)
correlates with the amount converted into carbon dioxide.
[0032] When determining the concentration of the at least one
pollutant in the exhaust gas stream to be purified, it may
optionally also be taken into account that, for example, the
oxidation of the exhaust gas stream to be purified results in
different volume flows for the exhaust gas stream coming into the
exhaust gas purification system or the exhaust gas stream
discharged from the exhaust gas purification system. Such dilution
effects may be taken into account, e.g., via one or more correction
terms (of the same or different order).
[0033] Alternatively, the concentration of the at least one
pollutant in the exhaust gas stream to be purified may also be
determined, for example, from measurement values of an explosimeter
of the exhaust gas purification system which measures a
concentration of potentially explosive gases in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified. Such concentration meters, also referred to
as LEL (lower explosive limit) sensors, are partly already present
at the exhaust gas purification system for safety reasons (e.g., in
the collector at the inlet of the exhaust gas purification system).
The concentration of the at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified may then be determined from the measurement
values of the explosimeter, taking into account the calibration of
the explosimeter.
[0034] Likewise, the concentration of the at least one pollutant in
the exhaust gas stream to be purified may also be determined, for
example, from measurement values of a mass flow sensor of the
exhaust gas purification system measuring a mass flow of a fuel
used for a thermal oxidation of the exhaust gas stream to be
purified. A higher concentration of the at least one pollutant in
the exhaust gas stream to be purified correlates with a lower
amount of fuel needed, since the fuel is substituted by the
increased pollutant rate in the exhaust gas stream to be
purified.
[0035] The concentration of the at least one pollutant in the
purified exhaust gas stream may, for example, be measured once when
putting the machine into service or during periodically recurring
measurements in line with legal provisions (e.g., in accordance
with .sctn. 28 of the Federal Immission Control Act
(Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz) in Germany) in a representative
operation mode of the exhaust gas purification system and assumed
to be substantially constant. The measurement value for the
concentration of the at least one pollutant in the purified exhaust
gas stream may be, e.g., automatically sent to the data cloud by
the exhaust gas purification system or manually entered into the
data cloud by an operator of the exhaust gas purification system,
for example.
[0036] In some embodiments, the inventive computer-implemented
method may further include determining a pollutant balance of the
exhaust gas purification system for a predetermined period of time
based on the determined concentration of the at least one pollutant
in the exhaust gas stream to be purified. The pollutant balance of
the exhaust gas purification system balances the amount of the at
least one pollutant fed into the exhaust gas purification system
and the amounts of the at least one pollutant discharged from the
exhaust gas purification system. In other words: The pollutant
balance of the exhaust gas purification system indicates which mass
flow of the at least one pollutant was disposed of by the exhaust
gas purification system and which mass flow of the at least one
pollutant was discharged into the atmosphere as a purified gas
emission in the predetermined period of time. The amount of
pollutants fed into the exhaust gas purification system in the
predetermined period of time results from the data of the volume
flow of the exhaust gas fed into the exhaust gas purification
system and the associated concentration of the at least one
pollutant.
[0037] The pollutant balance may further be based on an individual
measurement value of the concentration of the at least one
pollutant in the purified exhaust gas stream discharged from the
exhaust gas purification system comprised in the retrieved system
data. As stated above, the concentration of the at least one
pollutant in the purified exhaust gas stream may be assumed to be
substantially constant so that, for example, this value may be
balanced via the amount of exhaust gas fed into the exhaust gas
purification system in the predetermined period of time in order to
determine the amount of pollutants emitted by the exhaust gas
purification system into the atmosphere in the predetermined period
of time. In other words: the individual measurement value may be
regarded as a reference measurement value that is measured only
once.
[0038] With reference to the embodiment above, the efficiency of
the exhaust gas purification system may also be determined via the
amount of exhaust gas fed into the exhaust gas purification system
in the predetermined period of time in order to determine the
amount of pollutants detoxified in the exhaust gas purification
system in the predetermined period of time.
[0039] The pollutant balancing with respect to the exhaust gas
purification system may enable a user to monitor the proper
functioning of the exhaust gas purification system. In addition,
pollutant balancing with regard to the exhaust gas purification
system may make it easier for the user to comply with legal
regulations and reporting obligations.
[0040] For example, the at least one pollutant may be one or more
organic or inorganic solvents. In Germany, users of solvents are
obliged to prepare an annual solvent balance in accordance with the
Federal Immission Control Act. In the balance, the user lists the
solvent masses used and their fate (recovery, remaining in
products, disposal, fugitive emissions).
[0041] For example, the user demonstrates by means of his inventory
management that 500 tonnes of ethyl acetate per year are used as
solvent for printing a flexible packaging. Furthermore, it may be
determined via measurements and/or estimations that the exhaust air
contains 4 g of ethyl acetate per m.sup.3 before the exhaust gas
purification. The exhaust air purification system is operated, for
example, at 3,500 h per year with a volume flow of 30,000 m.sup.3/h
(corresponds to 420 t/a). The exhaust gas purification system
achieves a purification to 20 mg/m.sup.3 (e.g., known from
individual measurement). This corresponds to about 2 t/a of solvent
emissions into the atmosphere. This results in a balance sheet
deficit of 80 t/a. The user may exclude (e.g., postulate for the
example case) that solvent remains in the product. Furthermore, in
this example, no solvents are recovered from the exhaust air, so
that the rest leaves production as so-called "fugitive emissions
from undocumented sources" (e.g., hall ventilation is to be named
here).
[0042] The solvents fed into the exhaust air purification system
generally do not represent a constant mass flow. The concentration
in the exhaust air as well as the exhaust air volume flow vary in
part considerably.
[0043] A continuous recording of the concentrations before and
after the exhaust gas purification system, as it would be necessary
for an accurate balancing, is often not given due to the high costs
associated therewith. While the purified gas values tend to
fluctuate less (see above), the values of the solvent concentration
in the exhaust gas stream to be purified and the exhaust gas volume
flow represent a considerable mathematical (balance sheet)
uncertainty. By means of the indirect determination of the
concentration of the at least one pollutant in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified and the volume flow from the system data of
the exhaust gas purification system described above, the quantities
required for the balancing may be determined with little effort and
automatically. This results in a significant simplification as well
as time and thus cost savings for the user.
[0044] According to some embodiments, the quantity characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system may also be, for example, an
energy consumption of the exhaust gas purification system for a
predetermined period of time and/or a predetermined operation mode
of the exhaust gas purification system. Accordingly, the energy
consumption of the exhaust gas purification system may be recorded
by means of the inventive computer-implemented method. In this
connection, the energy consumption of the exhaust gas purification
system may be both the total energy consumption of the exhaust gas
purification system and an energy consumption related to a specific
energy source or a specific energy type. For example, the
electrical energy consumed by the exhaust gas purification system
or the energy consumed by the exhaust gas purification system in
the form of fuels (e.g., natural gas or biogas) may be determined
from the system data. The determined energy consumptions may, for
example, be analyzed with regard to energy saving potentials and
thus be used to increase the energy efficiency of the exhaust gas
purification system. The automatically determined energy
consumption may also make it easier to comply with reporting
obligations (e.g., DIN EN ISO 50001), since an extensive and
labor-intensive manual data evaluation by qualified personnel may
substantially be omitted. The energy consumptions may also be used
for conclusions about a proper operation of the exhaust gas
purification system.
[0045] The energy consumption may be derived from various
quantities measured at the exhaust gas purification system. For
example, the amount of fuel consumed (e.g., natural gas), a volume
flow of the exhaust gas stream to be purified (e.g., incl.
solvents), the electrical energy consumed to drive fans and pumps
or the electrical energy consumed to generate or conduct compressed
air may be measured and the energy consumption of the exhaust gas
purification system may be determined therefrom. Exhaust gas
losses, process heat generated by the exhaust gas purification
system or transmission heat losses may also be taken into account,
for example. In this connection, it should be noted again that the
above-mentioned quantities are chosen merely as examples and other
or more or less quantities may also be considered.
[0046] According to the invention, for a predetermined period of
time and/or a predetermined operation mode of the exhaust gas
purification system, the amount of energy required for the
purification or treatment of a predetermined volume of exhaust gas
or exhaust air may be determined, for example. If the amount of
exhaust gas or exhaust air generated during the manufacturing of a
product is known, the amount of energy required for the
manufacturing of a specific amount or a specific volume of the
product may also be determined for the exhaust gas purification or
exhaust air purification. For example, if the exhaust gas
purification system provides process heat, the amount of energy
required to generate or provide a predetermined amount of process
heat may also be determined. An operator or manufacturer of the
exhaust gas purification system may thus be enabled to characterize
the exhaust gas purification system in a variety of ways with
regard to the consumption of energy.
[0047] In some embodiments of the inventive method, the determined
energy consumption of the exhaust gas purification system may also
be compared with one or more planned energy consumptions. In this
way, an actual consumption may be compared with a target
consumption, for example. In the same way, it may also be shown,
for example, to an operator of the exhaust gas purification system
how much of the energy consumed was consumed for the basic
operation of the exhaust gas purification system (e.g., system
ready for operation but idling) and how much energy was consumed
depending on the load. In this way, for example, energy
consumptions may be compared between several years--irrespective of
the production tonnage, i.e., the actual amount of exhaust gas or
exhaust air treated.
[0048] When determining the energy consumption, it is in turn
possible to use quantities derived from the system data instead of
directly measured quantities. For example, determining the energy
consumption may include deriving, from at least a part of the
retrieved system data, a quantity directly measurable at the
exhaust gas purification system that is not measured at the exhaust
gas purification system. For example, a volume flow may be derived
from existing pressure measurements according to the principles
described above instead of being measured directly at the exhaust
gas purification system. Determining the energy consumption then
includes a corresponding determination of the energy consumption
based on the quantity derived. As already mentioned above, the
energy consumption may thus be determined without the use of
sometimes high-priced sensors. The monitoring of the exhaust gas
purification system with regard to its energy consumption may thus
be carried out more cost-effectively.
[0049] In addition to the energy consumption, an energy balance of
the exhaust gas purification system may also be determined from the
system data according to some embodiments, which indicates how much
energy was fed into the exhaust gas purification system and how
much energy was released again from the exhaust gas purification
system.
[0050] In some embodiments, the quantity characterizing the exhaust
gas purification system may also be, for example, an amount of
process heat that is generated or may be generated by the exhaust
gas purification system in a predetermined period of time. The
determination of the amount of process heat that is generated or
may be generated may enable an operator of the exhaust gas
purification system to be able to better classify the exhaust gas
purification system with regard to his energy management concept.
The exhaust gas purification system may also be monitored to
determine whether the planned amounts of process heat were actually
provided by the exhaust gas purification system.
[0051] The amount of process heat that is generated or may be
generated may be derived from various quantities measured at the
exhaust gas purification system. Some examples are described in
more detail below.
[0052] The amount of process heat that may be generated may be
determined, e.g., for an exhaust gas purification system for RTO
with hot bypass in above-autothermal operation (without heat use),
from the measured position of the hot gas flap (as an estimate for
the volume flow of the purified exhaust gas) and the measured or
given temperature (adjustable parameter) of the heat transfer
medium.
[0053] With the same approach, the amount of process heat actually
generated may also be determined or estimated for an exhaust gas
purification system that operates according to the RTO principle
with heat use in above-autothermal operation. Alternatively, the
process heat actually generated may also be determined, for
example, from the measured flow rate of the heat transfer medium
through the heat transfer apparatus and the associated temperature
difference (between outlet and inlet of the heat transfer medium
into/out of the heat transfer apparatus).
[0054] The amount of heat recovered from the exhaust gas or the
exhaust air that could be reused during operation may thus be
presented to an operator of the exhaust gas purification system.
For example, it is further possible to determine the amount of
process heat generated and the amount of solvents used for this in
above-autothermal operation of the exhaust gas purification system.
The operator of the exhaust gas purification system may thus better
characterize the exhaust gas purification system and integrate it
into his energy management concept. The operator of the exhaust gas
purification system may also verify whether the exhaust gas
purification system generates process heat in accordance with the
requirements (e.g., in accordance with the design).
[0055] The generation of process heat may be energetically
advantageous in the exhaust gas purification system irrespective of
the operation mode, for example, even if natural gas is used in the
combustion chamber at the same time. In this context, the amount of
solvent that was consumed up to the autothermal operating point of
the exhaust gas purification system and the amount of solvent that
may be additionally used in the exhaust gas stream or exhaust air
stream to be purified may be taken into account, for example. An
operator of the exhaust gas purification system may thus see from
the balance the amount of process heat generated and the amount of
solvent and fuel used for this. The operator of the exhaust gas
purification system may thus better characterize the exhaust gas
purification system and integrate it into his energy management
concept. The operator of the exhaust gas purification system may
also verify whether the exhaust gas purification system generates
process heat in accordance with the requirements (e.g., in
accordance with the design).
[0056] When determining the amount of process heat that is
generated or may be generated, it is in turn possible to use
quantities derived from the system data instead of directly
measured quantities. For example, determining the amount of process
heat that is generated or may be generated may include deriving a
quantity directly measurable at the exhaust gas purification
system, which is not measured at the exhaust gas purification
system, from at least a part of the retrieved system data. For
example, a volume flow may be derived from existing pressure
measurements according to the principles described above instead of
being measured directly at the exhaust gas purification system.
Determining the amount of process heat that is generated or may be
generated then accordingly comprises determining the amount of
process heat that is generated or may be generated based on the
quantity derived. As already mentioned above, the amount of process
heat that is generated or may be generated may thereby be
determined without the use of sometimes high-priced sensors.
[0057] In some embodiments, the quantity characterizing the exhaust
gas purification system may be, for example, an amount of fuel
consumed in a predetermined period of time and/or in a
predetermined operation mode. In this way, the consumption of
operating materials by the exhaust gas purification system may be
easily monitored. For example, the amount of natural gas consumed
at an exhaust gas purification system operating according to the
TNV principle, or an amount of injected urea in a DeNOx stage, or
an amount of acid or base used in a scrubber may be monitored.
[0058] As already indicated above, exhaust gas purification systems
may also comprise one or more separation devices (e.g., cyclone
separator, filtering device, wet or dry electrostatic precipitator)
for separating at least one pollutant contained in the exhaust gas
stream to be purified. Accordingly, the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system may be a quantity characterizing
the separation process in the exhaust gas purification system,
according to embodiments. The quantity characterizing the exhaust
gas purification system may be, for example, an electrical energy
requirement of an electrostatic precipitator depending on
properties of the exhaust gas stream to be purified (i.e., raw gas
properties) or an energy used for the electrostatic precipitator
depending on an efficiency of the electrostatic precipitator. The
quantity characterizing the separation process in the exhaust gas
purification system may be determined, for example, from
measurement data of at least one sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system which measures a property of the exhaust gas
stream to be purified, a sensor of the exhaust gas purification
system which measures a property of the purified exhaust gas
stream, and/or control data for the at least one separation device
(e.g. data about an adjustable parameter of the separation device
or an operating parameter of the separation device).
[0059] Likewise or alternatively, exhaust gas purification systems
may also comprise one or more concentration devices for increasing
a concentration of at least one pollutant contained in the exhaust
gas stream to be purified. In some embodiments, the quantity
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system may accordingly
be a quantity characterizing the concentration process in the
exhaust gas purification system. The quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system may also be, for example, a
concentration of the pollutant in the exhaust gas stream to be
purified or in the purified exhaust gas stream depending on the
rotational speed of an adsorption wheel of the exhaust gas
purification system.
[0060] Also, exhaust gas purification systems (e.g., together with
at least one concentration device) may comprise one or more
condensation devices for condensing at least one pollutant
contained (and possibly concentrated) in the exhaust gas stream to
be purified. In some embodiments, the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system may accordingly be a quantity
characterizing the condensation process. The quantity
characterizing the condensation process may be, for example, an
electrical energy input per amount of pollutant recovered (e.g., a
solvent) or a characteristic (e.g., temperature) of one of several
condensation stages of the condensation device depending on a
composition of the condensate obtained.
[0061] As already indicated in the examples discussed above,
further characteristics or indexes may also be derived from the
quantities characterizing the exhaust gas purification system. In
some embodiments, the inventive computer-implemented method thus
further includes determining a characteristic of the exhaust gas
purification system based on the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system.
[0062] In some embodiments, the inventive computer-implemented
method further includes issuing a message to at least one terminal
device of a user if the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system is outside a predetermined value range.
Accordingly, the user may be informed about an operation of the
exhaust gas purification system outside the given specifications so
that the user may react accordingly. For example, a message or an
e-mail may be sent to the at least one terminal device of the user.
Accordingly, the inventive computer-implemented method may also
include outputting a message to a terminal device of a user if the
measurement data of the at least one sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system included in the system data are outside a
predetermined value range.
[0063] According to the invention, the computer-implemented method
may also be used to monitor several exhaust gas purification
systems coupled to the data cloud. For example, several exhaust gas
purification systems may be compared with each other. Accordingly,
the inventive computer-implemented method comprises, according to
some embodiments, a retrieval of system data of a further exhaust
gas purification system from the data cloud. The system data of all
exhaust gas purification systems are the same with regard to their
type and structure, respectively. According to the principles
described above, the method further includes determining the
characterizing quantity for the further exhaust gas purification
system based on the retrieved system data of the further exhaust
gas purification system. In addition, the method includes
determining comparative information based on the characterizing
quantity for the exhaust gas purification system and the
characterizing quantity for the further exhaust gas purification
system. The comparative information describes a relation or a ratio
between the characterizing quantity for the exhaust gas
purification system and the characterizing quantity for the further
exhaust gas purification system. For example, the comparative
information may be a ratio of the characterizing quantity or a
graphical comparison of the characterizing quantity for both
exhaust gas purification systems. A user may thus be enabled to
directly compare the exhaust gas purification systems. From the
comparison, the user may, for example, draw conclusions about the
performance or necessary changes to the one exhaust gas
purification system in comparison to the other exhaust gas
purification system. The inventive computer-implemented method may
thus enable, for example, an operator or a manufacturer of the
exhaust gas purification systems to monitor several exhaust gas
purification systems more easily.
[0064] Embodiments of the invention further also relate to a
non-transitory machine-readable medium on which a program is stored
with a program code for executing the inventive method for
monitoring at least one exhaust gas purification system when the
program is executed on a processor or a programmable hardware
component. The non-transitory machine-readable medium may be
implemented, for example, as a ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH
memory or as another magnetic, electrical or optical memory having
electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which
cooperate or are capable of cooperating with the processor or the
programmable hardware component such that the respective method is
performed. A programmable hardware component may be formed, e.g.,
by a processor, a computer processor (CPU=Central Processing Unit),
an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an Integrated
Circuit (IC), a System on Chip (SOC), a programmable logics
element, a Field Programmable Gate Array comprising a
microprocessor (FPGA=Field Programmable Gate Array), a back end or
a data cloud. The program code may among others be present as a
source code, machine code or byte code or any other intermediate
code.
[0065] In addition, embodiments of the invention also relate to a
program comprising a program code for executing the inventive
method for monitoring at least one exhaust gas purification system
when the program is executed on a processor or a programmable
hardware component.
[0066] According to a further aspect, the invention further relates
to a data processing system for monitoring the state of at least
one exhaust gas purification system (e.g., for purifying an exhaust
gas stream of an industrial system or an industrial process). The
data processing system comprises at least one processor configured
to retrieve system data of the exhaust gas purification system from
a data cloud. The system data stored in the data cloud were at
least partially received beforehand by the data cloud from the
exhaust gas purification system. The system data relate to at least
measurement data of at least one sensor of the exhaust gas
purification system and/or data about at least one adjustable
parameter of the exhaust gas purification system. In addition, the
system data may include one or more of the above-mentioned further
subsets of system data. Additionally, the at least one processor is
configured to determine a quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system based on the retrieved system data.
[0067] As already described above in connection with the inventive
computer-implemented method, the inventive data processing system
may also make it possible to monitor the operation of the exhaust
gas purification system simply and centrally and to track the
function of the exhaust gas purification system.
[0068] For example, the data processing system may be part of the
data cloud and the at least one processor may thus be a virtual or
physical processor of the data cloud. Accordingly, the entire
monitoring of the exhaust gas purification system may take place in
the data cloud, so that a local provision of an accordingly
powerful data processing system by, e.g., an operator or a
manufacturer of the exhaust gas purification system is unnecessary.
Instead, the system monitoring in the data cloud may be easily
accessed as a service. In other words: The steps of the inventive
computer-implemented method described herein may all be executed in
the data cloud or via the data cloud.
[0069] In some embodiments, the data processing system may
alternatively also be, for example, a computer, a server, a server
system or a back end that may access the data cloud and may be
operated, for example, by an operator or a manufacturer of the
exhaust gas purification system. According to further embodiments,
the data processing system may further be a terminal device of a
user which may access the data cloud.
[0070] In one aspect, the invention additionally also applies to an
exhaust gas purification system for purifying an exhaust gas stream
to be purified of an industrial system or an industrial process
(e.g., of the chemical or pharmaceutical industry). The inventive
exhaust gas purification system comprises at least one inlet for
introducing the exhaust gas stream to be purified into the exhaust
gas purification system and one outlet for transmitting a purified
exhaust gas stream from the exhaust gas purification system.
Furthermore, the inventive exhaust gas purification system includes
a communication interface configured to send system data generated
in the exhaust gas purification system to a data cloud, the system
data relating to at least measurement data of at least one sensor
of the exhaust gas purification system and data about at least one
adjustable parameter of the exhaust gas purification system.
[0071] The inventive exhaust gas purification system may enable a
redundant storing of the system data in the data cloud, so that the
risk of data loss is reduced compared to conventional data
collection approaches for exhaust gas purification systems. Due to
the storage of the system data in the data cloud, the system data
may additionally be accessed from any location and at any time.
[0072] The communication interface may, for example, be coupled to
the data cloud wirelessly or wired via the Internet or a local
network. According to embodiments, not only a data transfer from
the exhaust gas purification system to the data cloud may take
place, but also vice versa. For example, the communication
interface may be configured to receive configuration data or
software updates for the exhaust gas purification system from the
data cloud. Accordingly, a programmable hardware component of the
exhaust gas purification system may be configured to process the
configuration data or software updates.
[0073] The system data of the exhaust gas purification system sent
to the data cloud may include unprocessed raw data of the exhaust
gas purification system, data pre-processed by the exhaust gas
purification system, or a combination thereof.
[0074] Depending on the type of treatment (e.g., catalytic,
mechanical or catalytic) of the exhaust gas stream to be purified,
the exhaust gas purification system may have one or more purifying
devices for purifying the exhaust gas stream to be purified (e.g.,
combustion chamber, filter, etc.). For example, the exhaust gas
purification system may comprise a concentration device configured
to increase a concentration of at least one pollutant contained in
the exhaust gas stream to be purified. Alternatively or
additionally, the exhaust gas purification system may comprise a
condensation device configured to condense at least one pollutant
contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified. According to
embodiments, the exhaust gas purification system may also comprise
a separation device configured to separate at least one pollutant
contained in the exhaust gas stream to be purified.
[0075] Embodiments of the present invention are explained in more
detail below with reference to the accompanying figures, in
which:
[0076] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a monitoring system for an
exhaust gas purification system;
[0077] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a graphical user
interface in which various quantities characterizing an exhaust gas
purification system are illustrated;
[0078] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of operation modes of an
exhaust gas purification system;
[0079] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a monitored exhaust gas
purification system comprising a separation device; and
[0080] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a monitored exhaust gas
purification system comprising a concentration device and a
condensation device.
[0081] FIG. 1 shows a monitoring system 100 for an exhaust gas
purification system 110, which is shown schematically and in a very
simplified manner. The exhaust gas purification system 110
comprises an inlet 111 for feeding in an exhaust gas stream 101 to
be purified of an industrial system such as a printing machine (not
illustrated). Furthermore, the exhaust gas purification system 110
comprises at least one purifying device 114 for purifying the
exhaust gas stream 101. For example, the purifying device 114 may
purify the exhaust gas stream 101 according to one of the methods
described above. The exhaust gas purification system 110 further
includes an outlet 112 for transmitting a purified exhaust gas
stream 102 from the exhaust gas purification system 110. The
exhaust gas purification system 110 also includes at least one
sensor 115 to measure a quantity of interest (e.g., a pressure or a
concentration of one or more substances) at an element of the
exhaust gas purification system 110.
[0082] Furthermore, the exhaust gas purification system 110
includes a (wireless or wired) communication interface 113 for
connecting the exhaust gas purification system 110 to a data cloud
120. Via the communication interface 113, the exhaust gas
purification system 110 may exchange data with the data cloud 120.
In particular, the communication interface 113 is configured to
send system data generated in the exhaust gas purification system
to the data cloud 120. The communication interface 113 may thereby,
for example, send the system data continuously, periodically or in
an event-triggered manner to the data cloud 120. The system data
may include both unprocessed raw data from the exhaust gas
purification system 110 and preprocessed data from the exhaust gas
purification system 110.
[0083] The system data are stored in a storage means 122 of the
data cloud 120 (e.g. one or more hard disks), so that the system
data may be accessed locally and at any time. Likewise, data loss
may be omitted due to the data storage in the data cloud 120.
Furthermore, further system data may be entered, for example,
manually into the data cloud 120 or received from further systems
(e.g. exhaust gas purification system identical or similar to
exhaust gas purification system 120--not shown).
[0084] Furthermore, the data cloud 120 comprises at least one
(virtual or physical) processor 121, which executes the inventive
analysis of the system data for monitoring the exhaust gas
purification system 110.
[0085] For this purpose, the processor 121 is set up to retrieve
the system data of the exhaust gas purification system 110 from the
storage means 122 of the data cloud 120 and to determine the
quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system 110
based on the retrieved system data.
[0086] Using the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system 110, the current or a past state or the
behavior of the system may be described and thus presented to an
operator or manufacturer of the exhaust gas purification system
110. Likewise, further characteristics of the exhaust gas
purification system 110 may be derived by the processor 121 from
the quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
110. The determination of one or more quantities or characteristics
characterizing the exhaust gas purification system 110 is carried
out according to the principles described above. For example, the
processor 121 may be configured to determine an energy consumption
or a solvent balance of the exhaust gas purification system 110
according to the principles described above.
[0087] The information about the quantity characterizing the
exhaust gas purification system 110 may also be stored in the data
cloud 120.
[0088] Information about the one or more quantities characterizing
the exhaust gas purification system may be displayed to a user, for
example, via a graphical user interface generated by the processor
121, which the user may access via a terminal device 130 (e.g., a
smartphone or a tablet computer). An example of a graphical user
interface 200 is shown in FIG. 2. The graphical user interface 200
may, for example, be output via a dedicated application or as a web
site on the terminal device 130 of the user.
[0089] In the upper right area of the graphical user interface 200,
measured temperatures of the exhaust gas purification system 110,
such as the temperatures of the exhaust gas stream to be purified,
the purified exhaust gas stream, a bed (e.g., lower bed) of the
exhaust gas purification system 110 or the combustion chamber, are
illustrated as bars or bar charts. Alternatively, other quantities
measured at the exhaust gas purification system 110 or the course
of a quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
110 derived from the system data may also be illustrated. For
example, volume flows (measured directly or determined, for
example, from the converter frequency of a fan), flap positions
(e.g., hot gas flap), measurement values of LEL sensors or loading
states or the state of a fuel injection may be displayed.
[0090] Below, a trend display for interesting quantities of the
exhaust gas purification system 110 is integrated into the
graphical user interface 200. Here, the course of a quantity
measured at the exhaust gas purification system 110 or the course
of a quantity characterizing the exhaust gas purification system
110 derived from the system data may be illustrated, for
example.
[0091] In the lower area, an illustration of the operating hours of
the exhaust gas purification system 110 for the individual
operation modes is further integrated into the graphical user
interface 200.
[0092] For example, the graphical user interface 200 may be
configured individually for a user. Depending on the sensor
equipment of the exhaust gas purification system 110, various
quantities or parameters characterizing the exhaust gas
purification system 110 may thereby be automatically determined or
calculated from the system data and displayed to the user. The user
may also use these quantities or parameters for required reports,
for example. The output of the respective quantities or values for
reports is conducted automatically and thus time-efficiently due to
the stored calculation routines.
[0093] Furthermore, an event list relating to the various possible
operation modes of the exhaust gas purification system 110 is
illustrated in the upper left area of the graphical user interface
200. The operating states of the exhaust gas purification system
110 may be determined from the analyzed system data of the exhaust
gas purification system 110.
[0094] An example for a hierarchical structure of a plurality of
operation modes of an exhaust gas purification system for RTO is
illustrated in FIG. 3. The exhaust gas purification system may
generally be in either an off-mode operation 300, an on-mode
operation 305, or a failure-mode 310.
[0095] While the exhaust gas purification system is in the on-mode
operation 305, the exhaust gas purification system may be in a
start-up-mode operation 315, in which the exhaust gas purification
system heats up, or in a shutdown-mode operation 325, in which the
exhaust gas purification system is switched off "normally" and
flushed with fresh air (mode 326) or cooled after a failure (mode
327). During the on-mode operation 305, the exhaust gas
purification system may also be in a purifying-mode operation 330,
in which the exhaust gas purification system is purified, or a
regular-mode operation 320, in which the exhaust gas stream is
purified.
[0096] In the regular-mode operation 320, the exhaust gas
purification system may be in a below-autothermal-mode operation
335, in which the exhaust gas is purified by means of RTO with an
injection of a fuel to ensure a minimum combustion chamber
temperature. Alternatively, the exhaust gas purification system may
be in a stand-by-mode in the below-autothermal-mode operation 335,
in which the combustion chamber temperature is maintained above a
minimum temperature with minimum air supply.
[0097] Likewise, the exhaust gas purification system may be in an
autothermal-mode operation 340 in the regular-mode operation 320,
in which the exhaust gas is purified by means of RTO without the
addition of further fuel, but hot gas cannot yet be dissipated for
process heat recovery.
[0098] In the above-autothermal-mode operation 345, the exhaust gas
is purified by means of RTO without adding further fuel and the hot
gas flap in the exhaust gas purification system is set such as to
dissipate the hot gas via a hot bypass for process heat
recovery.
[0099] In the forced-cooling-mode operation 350, the exhaust gas is
purified by means of RTO without the addition of further fuels and
the maximum amount of hot gas is dissipated for process heat
recovery. In order to protect the exhaust gas purification system
from too high oxidation temperatures due to the exothermic nature
of the solvent in the exhaust gas, cold air is additionally fed
into the combustion chamber.
[0100] In the intentional-extraction-mode operation 355, the
exhaust gas is purified by means of RTO with an injection of a
fuel. At the same time, heat is extracted via the hot bypass of the
exhaust gas purification system (controlled by the position of the
hot gas flap).
[0101] The table below is an overview of the specifications for
various adjustable parameters in some of the operation modes
mentioned above. The actual values of the parameters may be
measured via sensors of the exhaust gas purification system. The
measurement values as well as the target values are stored in the
data cloud by the exhaust gas purification system and are thus
available for the inventive monitoring of the exhaust gas
purification system.
TABLE-US-00001 combustion chamber natural gas hot mode temperature
injection bypass below autothermal less than T1 Yes No autothermal
between T1 and T2 No No above autothermal greater than T2 No Yes
forced cooling greater than T3 No Yes intentional extraction any
Yes Yes
[0102] Accordingly, it may be determined from the system data,
according to the invention, whether the system behaves according to
the specifications for the individual parameters during operation,
for example. This allows an automated and efficient monitoring of
the exhaust gas purification system.
[0103] FIG. 4 shows the monitoring of an exhaust gas purification
system 400 with a separation device in the form of an electrostatic
precipitator 410 (also referred to as an electrical separator, an
electric separator, or an electrostatic separator). It should be
noted that the electrostatic precipitator 410 is purely exemplary
to illustrate a separation device for separating particles from an
exhaust gas stream or exhaust air stream. As an alternative to the
electrostatic precipitator 410, a cyclone separator or other
filtering device may be used as a separation device, for
example.
[0104] The exhaust gas purification system 400 comprises an inlet
for feeding in an exhaust gas stream 401 to be purified of an
industrial system. The electrostatic precipitator 410 is used to
purify the exhaust gas stream 401. After purification by the
electrostatic precipitator 410, the purified exhaust gas stream 402
is transmitted from the exhaust gas purification system 400 via an
outlet.
[0105] The electrostatic precipitator 410 is used to separate
particles (i.e., a coherent mass of solid or liquid matter) of, for
example, a pollutant from the exhaust gas stream 401 to be
purified. The functioning of an electrostatic precipitator is known
per se and is described, for example, in the guideline VDI 3678
sheet 1 of the Association of German Engineers (VDI; Verein
Deutscher Ingenieure). For a better understanding, some aspects of
exhaust gas or exhaust air purification by means of electrostatic
precipitators are highlighted again below.
[0106] The electrostatic precipitator 410 comprises a so-called
spray electrode, which generates gas ions in the exhaust gas stream
401 to be purified by means of corona discharge. The pollutant
particles contained in the exhaust gas stream 401 to be purified
are charged by the ionized gas components and therefore perform a
directed movement in the electric field of the electrostatic
precipitator 410 towards one or more collecting electrodes
(separation electrodes) of the electrostatic precipitator 410. In
other words: The charged pollutant particles "migrate" to the
collecting electrode(s). The collecting electrode(s) is/are
purified and the pollutant particles are thus discharged from the
exhaust gas stream.
[0107] In a dry electrostatic precipitator 410, the purification of
the collecting electrode(s) is accomplished by (e.g., periodically)
mechanically tapping the collecting electrode(s) such that the
particle layer formed on the collecting electrode(s) is knocked
off. In a wet electrostatic precipitator, the separated drops run
down quasi-continuously (if applicable, assisted by rinsing with a
liquid).
[0108] In general, various setups of the electrostatic precipitator
410 are possible. For example, the electrostatic precipitator 410
may be configured as a plate electrostatic precipitator or a tube
electrostatic precipitator.
[0109] The effectiveness of the separation (i.e., the degree of
separation) in the electrostatic precipitator 410 may be adjusted
or influenced via a variety of parameters. In addition to the
construction or design of the electrostatic precipitator 410 and
the regulation of the electric field, for example, a volume flow of
the exhaust gas stream 401 to be purified, a composition of the
exhaust gas stream 401 to be purified (e.g., depending on the water
or acid dew point), a temperature of the exhaust gas stream 401 to
be purified, a pressure of the exhaust gas stream 401 to be
purified, a particle concentration in the exhaust gas stream 401 to
be purified (e.g. a raw gas dust concentration), a specific
resistance of the particles (e.g., a specific dust resistance), a
grain size distribution of the particles in the exhaust gas stream
401 to be purified, a number of particles in the exhaust gas stream
401 to be purified, a composition of the particles in the exhaust
gas stream 401 to be purified (e.g., a dust composition), or a
particle concentration to be achieved in the purified exhaust gas
stream 402 may influence the effectiveness of the separation.
[0110] The raw gas 401 fed into the separator in the form of the
electrostatic precipitator 410 is purified as previously described
(i.e., the particulate load is reduced), so that the sufficiently
purified clean gas 402 may be discharged.
[0111] At least one sensor 420 of the exhaust gas purification
system 400 may collect (e.g., continuously, discontinuously, or
aggregated over time) data regarding the exhaust gas stream 401 to
be purified that is relevant for the separation process. Purely by
way of example, the sensor 420 may measure, for example, one of the
aforementioned parameters of the exhaust gas stream 401 to be
purified.
[0112] In addition, data regarding the purified exhaust gas stream
402 may be collected by at least one further sensor 430. The second
measuring point in the form of the at least one further sensor 430
is optional.
[0113] The measurement data of the sensors 420 and 430 are sent
from the exhaust gas purification system 400 as system data to the
data cloud 440, where they are analyzed according to the invention.
If the sensors 420 and 430 determine, for example, particle numbers
in the exhaust gas stream 401 to be purified and in the purified
exhaust gas stream 402, the efficiency of the electrostatic
precipitator 410, for example, may be determined therefrom in the
data cloud 440. A user may access the data or analysis (e.g., using
the graphical user interface illustrated in FIG. 2) via a terminal
device 450.
[0114] Other data that may be sent as system data from the exhaust
gas purification system 400 to the data cloud 440 is data present
in a controller 460 (e.g., a Programmable Logic Controller, PLC) of
the exhaust gas purification system 400. Accordingly, this data may
also be used for characterization of the separation process in the
electrostatic precipitator 410. The further data of the controller
460 may be, for example, a frequency of purification of the
collecting electrode(s) (e.g., a frequency of "tapping" in a dry
electrostatic precipitator 410), a quantity or mass of separated
particles (may be derived or determined from a sensor measurement
value, for example), an electrical energy requirement of individual
components or aggregated to complete assemblies, a quantity or mass
of a cleaning liquid used for purifying the collecting electrode(s)
in the case of a wet electrostatic precipitator, a quantity or mass
of the separated drops in the case of a wet electrostatic
precipitator (may be derived or determined from a sensor
measurement value, for example) or a number of flashovers in the
electrostatic precipitator. It is to be noted that the
aforementioned characteristics are chosen merely as examples and
for illustration purposes. According to embodiments, the further
data may also display additional, less, or different
characteristics.
[0115] Some or several of the system data is used to monitor the
exhaust gas purification system 400 or analyze the separation
process in the electrostatic precipitator 410 after being received
by the data cloud 440. For this purpose, one or more quantities
characterizing the separation process may be determined by the data
cloud 440. For example, an energy used for the electrostatic
precipitator 410 may be determined depending on an efficiency of
the electrostatic precipitator 410, a tapping interval of the
collecting electrode(s) of the electrostatic precipitator 410 may
be determined depending on an efficiency of the electrostatic
precipitator 410, an electrical energy requirement of the
electrostatic precipitator 410 may be determined depending on
properties of the exhaust gas stream 401 to be purified, a current
flow in the electrostatic precipitator 410 may be determined
depending on properties of the exhaust gas stream 401 to be
purified (e.g., tracking a temporal change trend) or an adjustment
or readjustment for the field strength regulation of the electric
field in the electrostatic precipitator 410 may be determined to
avoid flashovers. The above-mentioned quantities characterizing the
separation process are chosen merely as examples and for
illustration purposes. According to embodiments, additional, less
or other characterizing quantities may also be determined in the
data cloud 440 based on the system data received from the exhaust
gas purification system 400.
[0116] FIG. 5 illustrates the monitoring of an exhaust gas
purification system 500 with solvent recovery. Solvents (e.g.,
organic solvents such as ethyl acetate, ethanol or isopropanol) are
used in various production processes. The solvents sometimes
represent a significant resource (costs in part considerably higher
than 1 /kg) so that a solvent recovery may be reasonable for
technical and economic reasons.
[0117] In this context, an exemplary and very simplified industrial
production system 560 is shown in FIG. 5 (e.g., a printing system
or a coating system). In addition to the material to be processed
(e.g., to be printed or coated), solvent is also fed into the
production system 560 (e.g., bound in a printing ink). The solvent
input into the production system 560 may be determined, e.g., from
measurement values of a sensor 545 (which measures, e.g., the
amount of ink in which the solvent is bound). In addition,
information regarding the solvents or other relevant system
parameters may be collected via one or more further sensors 547 at
the production system 560 itself. In a printing system, the solvent
is released and transmitted together with the exhaust gas stream
501 upon application of the ink, or at the latest upon drying. For
reasons provided by the immission control law, for example, a
release of the solvents into the environment is not permissible.
Therefore, an exhaust gas purification is carried out by means of
the industrial exhaust gas purification system 500.
[0118] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the solvent recovery may be
carried out by means of various procedural steps. For example, the
exhaust gas stream 501 to be purified may first be subjected to a
concentration process and subsequently to a desorption process
(e.g., by means of water vapor, hot gas or inert gas), before the
desorbate generated by this (i.e., the concentrated exhaust gas
stream) is fed into a condensation process in order to separate the
solvent from the exhaust gas stream by means of condensation. This
form of solvent recovery is illustrated in FIG. 5 by the
concentration device 520 and the condensation device 510. The
exhaust gas stream 501 to be purified is first fed into the
concentration device 520 that increases the concentration of at
least one pollutant contained in the exhaust gas stream 501 to be
purified by means of a concentration method (e.g., adsorption,
absorption or membranes). The desorbate 521 generated by this is
subsequently fed into a condensation device 510 that condenses the
at least one pollutant and thus removes it from the desorbate 521.
Accordingly, a purified exhaust gas stream 502 or 502' is provided
by the concentration device 520 and the condensation device 510,
respectively.
[0119] The concentration may be carried out, for example, by means
of a bed adsorber or a concentrator wheel (e.g., with zeolite
and/or activated carbon).
[0120] Alternatively, the condensation may also be carried out
without a previous concentration by the concentration device 520.
As indicated in FIG. 5, the exhaust gas stream 501 to be purified
may also be directly fed into the condensation device 510. For
example, a pollutant of a dryer in the exhaust gas stream 501 to be
purified may also be directly condensed by the condensation device
510 (a concentration of the pollutant in the exhaust gas stream 501
to be purified may, for example, be already carried out by a
circulation air operation in the dryer itself). Likewise, a
condensation of the exhaust gas stream 501 to be purified with a
subsequent adsorptive concentration of the residue may be carried
out in the condensation device 510 in order to achieve the desired
or required maximum pollutant content of the purified exhaust gas
stream 502'.
[0121] As may be seen from the preceding explanations, the solvent
recovery may be carried out using various approaches that may be
chosen depending on the process requirements and the type of
pollutant or pollutants, for example.
[0122] The solvents obtained in the condensation device 510 may be
subsequently optionally treated in a solvent treatment device 530
and again fed into the production process or the production system
560. According to embodiments, the treatment may also be omitted.
Alternatively, the recovered solvents may also be gathered and
further processed externally (i.e., they are not directly fed again
into the production process or the production system 560). The
purified exhaust gas stream or exhaust gas streams 502 and 502' may
be fed into the environment or again fed into the production
process or the production system 560.
[0123] Data relating to the individual exhaust gas streams or
solvent streams may be collected via one or more sensors 540, 541,
542, 543, 544 or 546. The measurement data of the sensors 540, 541,
542, 543, 544 or 546 are sent as system data to a data cloud 550 by
the exhaust gas purification system 500 and analyzed there
according to the invention. Furthermore, as indicated in FIG. 5,
data of one or more of the sensors 545 and 547 of the industrial
production system 560 may also be received by the data cloud 550
and included in the analysis. It is to be noted in this context
that the sensors illustrated in FIG. 5 are chosen merely as
examples and for illustration purposes. According to embodiments,
also more, less or differently placed sensors may be used.
[0124] By means of suitable sensors or the recording of suitable
parameters or characteristics, an analysis, evaluation or balancing
of the entire system or selected sub-processes may be carried out
via the data cloud 550. Since the exhaust air purification is aimed
at recovery, a direct coupling of the exhaust gas purification
system 500 to the production process is given.
[0125] Like in the preceding embodiments, sensor information may be
evaluated or combined before and/or after a process step or a
sub-step (volume flow, pressure, temperature, concentration--e.g.,
LEL concentration, humidity content, etc.) alone or together with
information from the respective process in the data cloud 550 in
order to determine one or more characterizing quantities of the
exhaust gas purification system 500 and provide it for retrieval by
a terminal device 570 of a user.
[0126] For the concentration sub-process, a concentration of one or
more pollutants in the exhaust gas stream 501 to be purified, in
the purified exhaust gas stream 502 or in the desorbate 521, for
example, may be determined from the transmitted system data
depending on the rotational speed of a adsorption wheel or
depending on an inlet temperature of the exhaust gas stream 501 to
be purified or the desorption temperature.
[0127] In the condensation sub-process, a switching time for a
2-line-condensation may be determined depending on the operating
temperature and the gas properties at the inlet of the condensation
device. "2-line" means a redundancy of the aggregates in this
connection, as one line always freezes during condensation while
the other line thaws. Likewise, indexes on individual condensation
stages (e.g., temperatures) may be determined as characterizing
quantity depending on the condensate composition. A condensation in
several stages means in this connection that various enriched
fractions are separated separately such as to facilitate a
subsequent treatment. According to some embodiments, a respective
pumping power for individual condensation levels for monitoring
(balancing) individual fractions (e.g., amount of pumped condensate
amount depending on input quantities) may also be determined as the
characterizing quantity, for example.
[0128] Likewise, a balancing of the entire system (production and
exhaust gas purification=solvent recovery) may be carried out in
the data cloud 550 with regard to the solvent use or a tracking of
an enrichment of solvents in a procedural step (in order to avoid
the risk of condensation). Likewise, an electrical energy input per
unit mass of recovered solvent may be determined as characterizing
quantity, for example.
[0129] Thus, an automated, efficient and targeted monitoring of the
exhaust gas purification system may be carried out.
* * * * *