FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved device for monitoring and control
of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) controllers. More particularly, this invention
relates to an improved device that enables simultaneous monitoring and control
of electrostatic precipitator controllers assigned to multiple boiler units. The
invention further relates to an improved device that is configurable to suit the
simultaneous monitoring and control of ESP controllers of several boiler units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrostatic precipitation is one of the most effective ways to control air
pollution generated by industrial emissions. This technique which has proven
highly effective in controlling air pollution, has been used for removal of
undesirable matter from a gas stream by electrostatic precipitation. Electrostatic
precipitator (hereafter referred to as ESP) is an air pollution control device
designed to electrically charge and collect particulates generated from industrial
processes such as those occurring in power plants, cement plants, pulp and
paper mills and utilities etc. The electrically charged particles are attracted
towards electrode plates, viz., discharge electrode and collection plate . ESP is

divided into a plurality of fields depending on the dust load. During continuous
operation of an electrostatic precipitator, the dust from collector piates and
discharge electrodes must be periodically removed for further conveying of the
collected dust.
In the ESP, the electrostatic precipitation is achieved by controlling the
transformer rectifier set by a dedicated ESP controller. An ESP installation
consists of a plurality of fields, each field being controlled by a dedicated ESP
controller.
In a power generating utility, there are multiple boilers. The combustion of coal
occurring in each of the boilers generated steam to drive the power generating
equipment. Each of the boilers has an ESP unit with in-built controllers for
removal of undesirable matter from the gaseous exhaust of the boilers. Each of
the boilers has an independent system for monitoring and control of the
respective ESP controllers.
In the present invention, each advanced device communicates with the ESP
controllers of an individual boiler using CAN communication. The said advanced
devices also communicate among themselves using TCP/IP protocol. Thus
simultaneous monitoring and control of ESP controllers belonging to multiple
boiler units is achieved.

US 6,360,680 teaches methods for control of furnace/boiler operation based on
monitoring of ESP operating conditions. However the invention does not
describe means to monitor and control the ESP controllers assigned to multiple
furnace/boiler units.
US 3,893,828 discloses a system for emission monitoring and control from an
ESP having means to monitor the emission of the ESP along with various
operating parameters like voltage, current and the dust disposal system.
However, the system is not equipped to simultaneously monitor and control ESP
controllers belonging to multiple furnace/boiler.
Thus, the prior art devices are not equipped to provide simultaneous control of
the electrostatic precipitator controllers belonging to multiple boiler units, while
maintaining the integrity of the operating parameter data.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers assigned to multiple boiler units.
Another object of the invention is to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator

controllers assigned to multiple boiler units in which multi-level control allows a
lowest level of control to control ESP controllers assigned to each single boiler
unit while enabling higher levels of control to control the ESP controllers
belonging to multiple boiler units.
A still another object of the invention is to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers assigned to multiple boiler units, which ensures maintaining integrity
of the operating data during operating of the device at various levels.
Yet another object of the invention is to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers assigned to multiple boiler units, which is inter connectable to each
other through TCP/IP protocol.
Another object of the invention is to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers assigned to multiple boiler units, which is connectable to the ESP
controllers through Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol.
A further object of the invention is to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator

controllers assigned to multiple boiler units, which is enabled to display the ESP
operating data in a graphical format to the user through a Graphical user
interface (GUI).
Yet a further object of the invention is to propose an improved device for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers assigned to multiple boiler units, which is further capable to monitor
and control the rapper controllers of ESPs belonging to multiple boiler units.
A still further object of the invention is to propose an improved device that is
configurable to suit the simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of ESP -
Controllers corresponding to the number of boiler units.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, there is provided an improved device for simultaneous monitoring
and multi-level control of electrostatic precipitator controllers assigned to
multiple boiler units.
The invented device comprises hardware structures and associated software for
receiving, and decoding the operating parameter data from various ESP
controllers belonging to different boiler units. The received data is displayed to

the user through a graphical user interface to enable the user to monitor the
various operating parameters. The device is enabled to transmit the various
control information to several ESP controllers belonging to different boiler units.
The various control signal received from the user through the graphical user
interface is encoded and sent to the ESP controllers belonging to different boiler
units. This enables the user to control the various operating parameters.
The invented device has the hardware circuits and associated software to
transmit and receive message/data in TCP/IP protocol. Thus the invented devices
can be interconnected to each other through TCP/IP protocol.
The invented device has both the hardware circuit and associated software for
sending and receiving data using a Controller Area Network (CAN)
communication protocol. The invented device communicates with the ESP
controllers of various boiler units over CAN protocol.
The inter-connection of the invented devices using TCP/IP communication
protocol and the communication of the devices with the ESP controllers over CAN
communication network ensures that the integrity of operating data and status
parameters is maintained across all devices.

The invented device has hardware circuit and associated software for retrieval,
decoding and graphical representation of the operating parameters of various
ESP controllers of multiple boiler units. The data in graphical format is presented
through a Graphical user interface (GUI).
The invented device has hardware circuit and the associated software for
retrieval, decoding and graphical representation of the rapping parameters of
various ESPs of multiple boiler units. The device facilitates both monitoring and
control of the rapping motor parameters through a Graphical user interface
(GUI).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is hardware block diagram of the improved device according to the
invention.
Figure 2 is software logic diagram of the improved device.
Figure 3 is an interface diagram of the improved device with
1. Controller Area network (CAN) protocol based ESP controllers at field level,
and
2. TCP/IP protocol based improved devices at Plant level.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
The hardware block diagram of the invented improved device (01) for
simultaneous monitoring and multi-level of control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers assigned to multiple boiler units is shown in figure 1.
In the hardware block diagram block, there is shown a central processor (02)
which executes the soft ware instructions. The central process executes the
steps for executing a communication protocol, for processing of received data,
sending the output to a printing device and also implements the display of data
on the graphical user interface. The block (04) provides power supply to the
central processor (02.).
The block (03) is the hardware memory for storage. The storage location is used
for storage of both data as well as the software instructions that are executed by
the central processor. The central processor can both write as well as read data,
to and from the memory.
Block (07) has the hardware for the communication protocols. The improved
device uses communication protocol for exchange of data with the ESP
controllers as well as other improved devices. The block (08) has the hardware

for the CAN communication protocol. CAN protocol is used for receiving status as
well as sending commands, to and from, the ESP controllers. The CAN
communication hardware acts as an interface between the ESP controllers and
the improved device. The block (09) has the hardware for the TCP/IP based
communication protocol. The TCP/IP based hardware is used for communication
between the advanced devices at plant level. Thus the devices, that
independently monitor and control the ESP controllers of a particular boiler unit,
can be interfaced together for monitoring and control of electrostatic precipitator
controllers belonging to multiple boiler units.
The main processor is interfaced with an input device hardware (10), which
serves as an interface for providing inputs by the user. The input hardware can
be a keyboard or mouse or a track ball and is used by the user for giving inputs
for both monitoring and control.
The main processor (02) is interfaced with a graphical interface unit (05), which
serves as the user-interface. The display unit (05) is controlled directly by the
main processor and serves as an output interface for the user.
The main processor (02) is interfaced with a printing device (06), which serves
as an interface for providing printed data to the user. The contents as well as the
interval for printing of the data are configurable by the user.

Figure 2 shows the software logic diagram of the present invention.
Software logic is shown in block (11). It consists of a main block (12), a
communication driver block (13), a TCP/IP communication handling block (14), a
printing function block (15), a data storage and trending block (16), a Graphical
user interface block (17), a startup block (18) and a shutdown block (19).
Main block (12) initializes the default values and the tasks to be performed
during the operation of the device. The main block then starts the various tasks
that are performed during the device operation.
The communication driver block (13) receives and transmits CAN protocol based
message/data frames, to and from the ESP controllers. The communication
driver block arranges data and message as per the communication frame format
of CAN protocol.
The TCP/IP communication handling block (14) has software for coding and
decoding of the TCP/IP protocol based messages. TCP/IP protocol based
messages are used for communication among the advanced devices.
The printing function block (15) provides instructions for printing of various data
from the device onto a printer. The parameters to be printed can be configured
by the user. The user can also schedule the printing to occur at pre-defined
intervals.

The data and trending block (16) provides the instructions for storage of data
that are received from various ESP controllers. The trending block (16) has
means to create trend graphs of the various ESP controller parameters. The
trends provide information on variation of data over a period of time. The user
can also select the time interval of data selected for trending.
The Graphical user interface block (17) consists of various graphical screens
which provide the user interface for monitoring and control of ESP controllers
belonging to multiple boiler units. The access to the various screens is restricted
based on the user privileges.
The start up block (18) has means for initialization of related hardware and
software when the device is powered up. The startup block performs the start up
tasks that include receiving data relating to operating parameters of the ESP
controllers. The data collected from the various ESP controllers are then stored
internally by the device.
The shut down block (19) has means to shut down the related hardware and
software when the device is shut down.
Figure 3 is the interface diagram of the invented improved device with

1. CAN communication protocol based ESP controllers at the field level, and
2. Similar improved devices using TCP/IP based protocol at Plant level.
The invented improved devices (21), (22) and (23) are connected to the ESP
controllers at the field level. Blocks (24), (25), (26) represent the ESP controllers
of a boiler that are connected using CAN communication protocol with the
improved device (21). Similarly blocks (27), 28), (29) represent the ESP
controllers of a second boiler that are connected using CAN communication
protocol with the improved device (22). Blocks (30), (31), (32) represent the ESP
controllers of a third boiler that are connected using CAN communication
protocol with the improved device (23). Thus at the field level, the invented
improved device are connected to the ESP controllers belonging to different
boiler units.
The invented improved devices (20), (21), (22) and (23) are interfaced with each
other using TCP/IP based protocol at Plant level. The data collected from the ESP
controllers of individual boiler units is then communicated to the improved
devices at field using TCP/IP protocol. Thus the improved device is able to
simultaneously monitor and control at multi-level the ESP controllers of multiple
boiler units.

WE CLAIM:
1. An improved device for simultaneous monitoring and multi-level control of
electrostatic precipitator controllers assigned to multiple boiler units
comprising:
- a central processor capable of executing the instructions contained in a
soft-ware structure for receiving, processing received data, transmitting
the processed data to a printing device including display of data on a
graphical user interface;
- a power supply source providing power to the central processor;
- a memory device for storage of received, processed and transmitted data,
the processor being enabled to read and write data from and to the
memory device;
- hardware means for communication protocols including Controller Area
Network Communication (CAN), protocol, TCP/IP protocol;
- an input device interfaced with the central processor and acting as an
interface for providing inputs to the device by a user;

a graphical interface unit interfaced with the main processor and acting as
a display unit including output interface for the user; and
- a printing device serving as an interface for providing printed data to the
user,
wherein the software structure comprises means (12) for initialization the
default values and operate the processor to perform the tasks, means (13)
for receiving and transmitting CAN protocol based data, means (14) for
coding and decoding of TCP/IP protocol based communication data, means
(15) for transmitting print-signal to the printing device, means (17) for
viewing data on multiple screens; means (18) for initialization of the software
structure, and means (19) for shutting down the hardware and software
means corresponding to shutting off the device, and wherein means (16) for
data storage and trending allows storage of processed data, creating trend
graphs for the parameters of the ESP controllers including variation of
parameters over a selected period of time.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is enabled to and
receive Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol data for
communication with the ESP controllers.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device is connected to ESP
controllers of a boiler and can further be connected to each other for
monitoring and control of ESP controllers belonging to multiple boilers.


operate the processor to perform the tasks, means (13) for receiving and
transmitting CAN protocol based data, means (14) for coding and decoding of
TCP/IP protocol based communication data, means (15) for transmitting
print-signal to the printing device, means (17) for providing various graphical
user interface screens; means (18) for initialization of the software structure,
and means (19) for shutting down the hardware and software corresponding
to shutting off the device, and wherein means (16) for data storage and
trending allows storage of processed data, creating trend graphs for the
parameters of the ESP controllers including variation of parameters over a
selected period of time.