Abstract:
An outfit for the construction of several complex industrial installations for the treatment of industrial fluids includes several assemblies of several functional modules, each adapted to perform an elementary operation. Each functional module includes at least one input and at least one output, as well as a local guide unit of the functional module provided with a communication interface. All the functional modules have the same assembly to carry out the same elementary operation and are standard. The functional modules are adapted to be associated functionally with each other in installations. The outfit moreover includes, for each industrial installation, a single central guide unit, adapted to guide the functional modules of the associated industrial installation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an outfit for the construction of several complex industrial installations for the processing of fluids. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ARTS 
   At numerous industrial production sites, there are provided local production means for gases having predetermined compositions and pressures. 
   Thus, production equipment, constituting together a complex industrial installation, installed on site to process gases, generally from air, and to send the latter to the user installation. 
   When the user installation requires the supply of the several separate fluids, the production installation provided upstream is relatively complex, so as to satisfy the needs. In the case of such demand, two types of installation are at present proposed. 
   In a first solution, various equipment each adapted for the production of a fluid, are juxtaposed so as to supply the fluids necessary to the user installation. Thus, for example, an air compressor unit, an impure nitrogen generator and a pure nitrogen generator are disposed side by side. 
   This solution has the drawback of uselessly duplicating certain functions that are performed redundantly in various pieces of equipment. For example, the function of compression or drying of air is needed not only in the air compression unit but also in the nitrogen generators. 
   This duplication of functions gives rise to unnecessary cost of construction and operation. Moreover, in such installations, the piece of equipment adapted for the production of each of the gases is often over-dimensioned so as to be able to respond at any time to a variable demand. 
   A second solution consists in using an “as needed” installation developed specifically to respond optimally to the needs of the user installation. 
   This solution leads to an optimization of the production unit installation. However, it involves high design cost and renders difficult its industrial use, because of the uniqueness of the installation. Moreover, subsequent changes of such an installation are difficult to manage if the requirements of the consuming installation change. Finally, such an installation is difficult to be used in another context. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention has for its object to provide means for the creation of complex industrial installations permitting, with minimum investment, creating a wide range of industrial installations. 
   To this end, the invention has for its object an outfit for the construction of several complex industrial installations for the treatment of fluids, characterized in that it comprises:
         several assemblies, the functional modules being adapted each to carry out an elementary operation on at least one fluid of an industrial installation, in which:   each functional module comprises at least one input and at least one output for the passage of a fluid, as well as a local management unit of the functional module controlling the operation of the functional module for carrying out the associated elementary operation, the local management unit comprising a communication interface,   all the functional modules of a same assembly are adapted to carry out the same elementary operation on a fluid, and are of standard construction, such that the specific characteristics of the inputs, the outputs and the communication interfaces of all the functional modules of a same assembly are analogous, and   the functional modules are adapted to be associated functionally with each other by their inputs and outputs in the industrial installations, so as to ensure successive elementary operations on the fluid,
 
which output comprises moreover, for each industrial installation, a unique central guide unit, adapted to guide the associated industrial installation, by addressing guide orders to the local management units of the standard functional modules of the industrial installation, via communication interfaces connected to the central guide unit by a communication network.
       

   According to particular embodiments, the construction outfit comprises one or several of the following characteristics:
         the local management unit of each standard functional module is adapted to address information messages to the central guidance unit of the installation, which information messages are representative of the state of operation of the functional module, or the state of the fluid on which the functional module acts;   the central guidance unit of each installation comprises means for correcting the requirements of the user equipment connected to the output of the installation, through a data transfer network;   it comprises an assembly of standard supply modules adapted to ensure the supply of energy to a portion of the functional modules of each installation under the control of the guidance unit of the installation;   it comprises an assembly of standard control modules adapted to record information on the fluid circulation in an installation and to transmit this information to the central guidance unit of said installation; and   it comprises an assembly of standard electrical energy generation modules adapted to ensure the production of electricity from energy supplied by other standard modules of the installation.       

   The invention also has for its object a process for the construction of several complex industrial installations for the processing of fluids, characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in:
         A) producing assemblies, the functional modules being adapted each to carry out an elementary operation of an industrial installation, in which:
           each functional module comprises at least one input and at least one output for the passage of a fluid, as well as a local management unit of the functional module controlling the operation of the functional module for performing the associated elementary operation, the local management unit comprising a communication interface, and   all functional modules of a same assembly are adapted to carry out the same elementary operation on a fluid, and are of standard construction, such that the details of the inputs, the outputs and the communication interfaces of all the functional modules of a same assembly are analogous;   
           B) producing for each industrial installation, a central guidance unit adapted to guide the associated industrial installation, by addressing the guidance orders to the local management units of each standard functional module of the installation, via communication interfaces connected to the central guidance unit by a communication network;   C) functionally associated, in its industrial installation, the functional modules with each other by their inputs and outputs, so as to ensure successive elementary operations on the fluid of each complex industrial installation; and   D) installing in each industrial installation a central guidance unit connected to the communication interfaces of all the standard functional modules of the installation by a communication network.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood from a reading of the description which follows, given solely by way of example, with respect to the drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an example of a construction outfit according to the invention, whose functional modules are used in two industrial installations or disposed in a stock; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view of another industrial installation that can be produced with the help of the outfit according to the invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The construction outfit shown in  FIG. 1  comprises a plurality of standard functional modules arranged as a function of their type in several assemblies. The functional modules of a same assembly are all adapted to carry out the same operation or elementary step leading to an important transformation of a fluid. 
   The expression elementary operation designates a transformation of a given type which can be carried out on a fluid, such as for example modification of its temperature, its pressure, its composition and/or all other variables of condition. 
   In practice, a transformation of the fluid is carried out by application of an important function with which can be associated one or several connected functions adapted to promote the carrying out of the principal function. 
   For example, the principal function of a compression module is to increase the pressure of a gas, for example by the action of a screw. An associated function in this case is the cooling of the resulting gas. Another associated function is for example the filtration carried out downstream of the compressor screw and which takes impurities out of the gas. 
   The functional modules of the construction outfit shown in  FIG. 1  are arranged in two installations for the production of gas, indicated at  1 ,  2  and in a stock of functional modules indicated by the overall reference numeral  3 .  FIG. 2  shows another installation  4  made from the outfit according to the invention. 
   In the drawings, the standard functional modules of a same assembly of functional modules are designated by three-digit reference numerals, whose two last digits are identical and representative of the assembly to which they belong and whose first digit is equal to 1, 2 or 4 according to whether it is the installation  1 ,  2  or  4  into which they are incorporated, or is equal to the digit 3 if the functional modules are in the stock  3 . 
   The installation  1  is adapted to produce, from atmospheric air, impure nitrogen, dry air, low pressure nitrogen and high pressure nitrogen. These gases are sent to pieces of consumer equipments designated  1 A,  1 B,  1 C and  1 D, respectively. 
   The installation of  FIG. 1  comprises, at its inlet, a standard compression module  110 . This comprises three compressors mounted in parallel. 
   As all functional modules of the outfit according to the invention, the module  110  comprises a local management unit, designated ULG. This is adapted to control the operation of the functional module to practice the associated elementary operation. In the present case, the local management unit ULG is adapted to manage locally the operation of the three compressors mounted in parallel. 
   The local management units ULG of all the functional modules of the outfit according to the invention comprise a communication interface, designated E/S, adapted to transmit data from and to the corresponding functional module. 
   Preferably, the local management unit ULG is constituted by a PC type computer or a programmable robot using a suitable program. 
   At the output of the compression module is disposed a drying module  115  comprising two adsorption cylinders mounted in parallel. 
   The output of the drying module  115  directly supplies the consuming equipment  1 B with dry air. 
   On a branch supplying the consumer equipment  1 A with impure nitrogen are arranged in series an air treatment module  120  and a permeation module  125 . 
   The air treatment module  120  comprises filters, whilst the permeation module  125  comprises one or several membranes selectively permeable by nitrogen and oxygen. 
   The output of the drying module  115  is connected by means of a second branch conduit, to several other functional modules supplying the consumer equipment  1 C and  1 D with low-pressure nitrogen and high-pressure nitrogen. 
   In this branch is disposed first of all a drying decarbonating module  130 . This comprises two adsorption cylinders mounted in parallel. 
   At the output of the drying decarbonation module is provided a distillation module  135  and a control module  140 . The distillation module  135  comprises a distillation column, whilst the control module  140  comprises an assembly of pressure detectors. 
   The output of the control module  140  is connected to the consumer equipment  1 C and supplies the latter with low-pressure nitrogen. 
   The output of the control module  140  is also connected to a supercharging module  145  comprising a supercharger. The supercharging module  145  supplies the consumer equipment  1 D with high-pressure nitrogen. 
   Moreover, the installation comprises a storage module  150  connected to the input of the designation-decarbonation module  130  for the supply of this latter. Outputs of the storage module  150  are also connected, on the one hand, to the distillation module  135 , and on the other hand, to the supercharging module  145 . 
   As indicated above, all the functional modules of the outfit of the invention each comprise a local management unit ULG ensuring the management of the associated function of the associated functional module. 
   In each installation, made from the outfit according to the invention, different functional modules are connected to a certain central guidance unit  175  suitable for the installation, by means of a communication network  180 . This network is for example of the ETHERNET, FIP, PROFIBUS or MODBUS type. Each functional module, connected to the network  180  by its communication interface E/S can also, on the one hand, receive control orders from the central guidance unit  175  and, on the other hand, send to these latter information messages relating to its functional condition. 
   The functioning of a given functional module is locally managed by the local management unit as a function only of the control orders received from the central guidance unit. 
   Moreover, each consumer equipment  1 A,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D is connected to the central guidance unit  175  by a data transfer network  185  so as to communicate to the latter its requirements concerning the resource supplied by the installation. 
   The central guidance unit  175  performs the “symphony conductor” function by controlling the operation of each functional module of the installation as a function of the needs of the consumer equipment and taking account of the information communicated by the functional modules, this information relating particularly to their availability. 
   The control orders addressed by the central guidance unit comprise essentially values of standards to be achieved at the output of the functional modules. These can be for example a flow rate of air for a compression module, a degree of moisture for a drying module, or else a minimum composition of a given constituent for a permeation or distillation module. 
   The information messages emitted by each functional module toward the central guidance unit comprise essentially data relative to the condition of the fluid on which the functional module operates and the data relating to the condition or needs of the functional module. 
   The data relative to the condition of the fluid can be broken down into particular variables, such as the temperature, the pressure or the composition of the fluid and into overall variables such as the volume or the mass of the fluid treated. 
   The data relative to the condition or to the needs of the functional module pertain particularly to the actual condition of operation of the module and to its future capabilities to perform the operation for which it is provided. Moreover, these data relate also to the needs as to resources, particularly the available energy, needed for the correct operation of the functional module. 
   According to the invention, the standard functional modules of a same assembly are of standard construction, such that the standards for the inputs, the outputs and the communication interfaces E/S are analogous. 
   Thus, the functional modules of a same assembly are all adapted to carry out the same operation or elementary step on a fluid so as to produce a change of condition of this fluid. 
   The modules are thus all interchangeable among themselves because of the analogy of their inlet and outlet. Moreover, they are adapted to receive control orders from any central guidance unit of an installation from their local control unit ULG. 
   The analogy between the inlets and outlets of the different functional modules of the same assembly is rendered more valuable by their functional similarities, namely to admit or evacuate a fluid of a given nature under predetermined conditions. However, the diameter of the inlets and outlets, or else of the connections which are there provided, can be different, adaptors being then necessary during replacement of a given functional module by another functional module of the same assembly. 
   The installation  2  shown in  FIG. 1  is made from the construction outfit according to the invention. It is adapted, from atmospheric air, to supply dry air to a consumer equipment  2 A and impure nitrogen to a consumer equipment  2 B. 
   According to the invention, installation  2  is made from standard functional modules and a central guidance unit from the construction outfit. 
   The installation  2  comprises, at its input, a compression module  210  mounted in series with a drying module  215 . The output of the drying module  215  is connected directly to consumer equipment  2 A to supply it with dry air. 
   Moreover, a branch ensures the supply of a portion of the dry air obtained at the outlet of the drying module  215 , to a supercharging module  245 . At the output of this latter are arranged successively an air processing module  220  and a permeation module  225 . The output of this latter is connected to the consumer equipment  2 B for its supply with impure nitrogen. 
   Each of the functional modules of the installation  2  is connected to a central guidance unit  275  via a communication network  280 . This connection is effected by means of communication interfaces E/S of each functional module. 
   The consumer equipment  2 A and  2 B is connected to the central guidance unit  275  by a data transfer network  285  permitting the consumer equipment to transmit its needs to the central guidance unit. 
   Moreover, a supply unit  290  is provided for supplying electrical energy to each of the functional modules of the installation  2 . This supply module  290  comprises for example an electrical generating group. It is provided with a local management unit ULG adapted to ensure the guidance of the electrical generating group. The local management unit ULG comprises a communication interface E/S connected to the network  280 . Thus, the supply modules receives control orders from the central guidance unit  275  to set its level of production as a function of the needs of the functional modules that are supplied. 
   The stock  3  contains different functional modules of each assembly. The functional modules are designated as above by a reference numeral whose first digit is 3 and whose two second digits designate the assembly to which the functional modules belong. 
   Thus, the stock  3  comprises two standard compression modules  310 . These compression modules comprise, as to one of them, two compressors, and as to the other, one compressor. 
   Similarly, the stock  3  comprises three drying modules  315 , two air processing modules  320 , a permeation module  325 , two drying-decarbonation modules  330 , two distillation modules  335 , two control modules  340 , two supercharging modules  345  and two storage modules  350 . 
   Moreover, the stock comprises two central guidance units  375 . 
   In  FIG. 2  is shown an installation for the co-generation of steam and electricity, made from a construction outfit according to the invention. 
   Thus, the functional modules used in this installation are standard and each is adapted to perform one elementary operation. The functional modules are controlled by a central guidance unit. 
   The installation shown in  FIG. 2  is adapted to produce both electrical energy and steam from atmospheric air and natural gas. The electrical energy is supplied to a consumer equipment  4 A and the steam is supplied to a consumer equipment  4 B. 
   The installation  4  comprises a combustion module  455  comprising a combustion chamber whose operation is managed by the local management unit ULG belonging to the functional module. 
   The combustion module  455  comprises an inlet for introduction of natural gas and an inlet for introduction of combustion gas comprised by compressed air. These inlets supply the burner to establish a flame. 
   The installation comprises a compression module  445 , receiving at its input atmospheric air, and whose output supplies the combustion module  455  with compressed air. 
   The output of the combustion module  455  is connected to an expansion module  460  comprising a gas turbine. The gas turbine of the expansion module  460  is connected mechanically by means of a shaft  461  to the compressor of the compression module  455 , to drive the latter. 
   Moreover, the turbine or expansion module  460  is mechanically connected to a module for the production of electrical energy  465  by a shaft  462 . The module for the production of electrical energy  465  comprises an alternating driven by the shaft  462 . 
   Thus, under the action of combustion gases from the combustion module  450 , the turbine of the expansion module  460  drives the compressor of the compression module  445  and the alternator of the module for the production of electrical energy  465 . 
   The outlet of the expansion module  460  is connected to an input of a steam production module  470 . This latter comprises a coil disposed in a burner. The coil receives at its inlet water and produces at its outlet steam. For the vaporization of the water, under the action of the heat of a flame, the burner receives at its input natural gas, air and combustion residues from the combustion module  455 , after they have passed through the expansion module  460 . 
   As in all installations made from the outfit according to the invention, the installation  4  comprises a central guidance unit  475  connected by a network  480  to the communication interfaces E/S of the local management units of each of the functional modules. 
   The user equipment  4 A and  4 B is connected to the central guidance unit  475  by a network  480  to indicate to the latter the needs for the resources produced at the output of the modules  465  and  470  respectively. 
   As in all installations made from the outfit according to the invention, the installation is managed by the central guidance unit  475 , which sends to each of the functional modules control orders and receives from these latter information messages. 
   The standardization of the inlets, the outlets and the communication interfaces permits reduction of the overall cost of production and use of several installations for treating fluid, whilst satisfying the needs of the consumer equipment disposed downstream. 
   The presence in each functional module of a local management unit ensuring the management of the operation of the module from control orders received by the central guidance unit, permits a simple and rapid arrangement of the installation, only the central guidance unit having to be configured and programmed to respond to the needs of the user equipment. 
   The installations described here are adapted for the processing essentially of gases. However, the outfit according to the invention could comprise functional modules permitting the treatment of liquids or of pulverulent materials. 
   Moreover, the installation described here permits the management of the malfunctions of the functional modules, thanks to the return of the conditions of these latter to the central guidance unit. 
   A construction outfit as described here is particularly useful for the treatment of gases, particularly the separation of gases from air.