WO2006123367A1

WO2006123367A1 - System and method of monitoring ship performance automatically and reporting of vital parameters and statistics

Info

Publication number: WO2006123367A1
Application number: PCT/IN2006/000164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Venkataraman Srinivasan
Original assignee: Venkataraman Srinivasan
Priority date: 2005-05-18
Filing date: 2006-05-12
Publication date: 2006-11-23

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for continuous status monitoring of ship / vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics. The invention is also directed to a method of analyzing the performance of ship and reporting vital parameters utilizing the above system and a computer program in respect of the above system. It would thus be possible by way of the system of the invention to transmit the true condition as found on any ship / vessel to managers ashore including every minor and major machinery status and providing reports based thereon to convenient locations and also for possible further analysis to improve life and efficiency.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MONITORING SHIP PERFORMANCE AUTOMATICALLY AND REPORTING OF VITAL PARAMETERS AND

STATISTICS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system for continuous status monitoring of ship / vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics. Importantly, the system would favour collecting specific and particular data from an array of sensors and devices that are attached to various machineries and systems on-board a ship/vessel and further compiling, digitizing and encrypting the data for transmission to a central server location remote from the vessels for further display of the results locally. The invention is also directed to a method of analyzing the performance of ship and reporting vital parameters utilizing the above system and a computer program in respect of the above system. It would thus be possible by way of the system of the invention to transmit the true condition as found on any ship / vessel to managers ashore including every minor and major machinery status and providing reports based thereon to convenient locations and also for possible further analysis to improve life and efficiency.

BACKGROUND ART

It is well known that apart from the simplest unpowered watercrafts, most ships comprise a plurality of systems for operating and propelling the ship as well as additional system for providing a comfortable and safe environment for the passengers and cargo. The control and monitoring of various systems is critical to the safe, efficient and comfortable operation of the ship. Therefore, it is important to monitor the various system conditions during operation and also while the vessel is docked. All ships include a plurality of devices for monitoring (sensing) and controlling various vessels systems. Exemplary sensing devices provide operational parametric information to the ship operator including the speedometer, tachometer, depth finder and various pressure and temperature sensors. Output control signals are required to operate the vessels propulsion and navigation system, for example, an engine control unit provide signals for controlling the vessel engine and the propulsion system in response to command supplied by the vessel operator or provided by automatic control mechanisms.

Various methods have been tried to monitor efficiency independently. The current state of performance monitoring on board vessels comprises only of manual reading of counters and meters to calculate the desired results and report the same. This arrangement is limited by existing instruments which can vary in design and application and the operator's competency and reliability. Conventional techniques include manual and / or instrumented data gathering of sensed variables at fixed intervals. This data is recorded on to charts and forms and transmitted usually in printed form to the fleet management.

Translation and interpretation of data is performed usually by a staff of operators and engineers. Processing of amended data containing numerous correction factors is performed to place the data in suitable form for analysis. The data is then analyzed using empirical methods and intuitive judgment. The findings are then distributed to various departments within the management frame work including the operation managers, maintenance manager, the finance department etc.

The findings are interpreted by each department and decisions to remedy a given situation are made if the effects of the situation on operations have survived the point in time in which the data manipulation process has been completed. However, by the time this analysis process has been completed, the cost of the previously undetected inefficiencies is usually quite high and additional inefficiencies may have developed. Another major deficiency in the present arrangement for the lack of it is that the owners of the vessels can be kept in dark about actual condition that prevails on the ship. Such a breakdown in the main propulsive and or auxiliary machinery of a ship or a below par performance of machineries may go unreported until the operator chooses to report the same. It would be clearly apparent from the above that the existing conventional technique for management are more than historical, after the fact attempts at information gathering and are not directed to solving immediate real world problems at the time they exist.

Efforts have been made in the past to improve such conventional management techniques but such methods largely center on the use of computers to speed up the data gathering process. Such input methods are thus known to include recording a variety of data such as pressure, temperature etc and then recording the data on a hard copy printout. There are also wellknown methods / applications wherein analog data is collected from sensors, converted to digital signals, stored in a memory and then displayed.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is the basis object of the present invention to provide for a system and method for continuous status monitoring of ship / vessel's performance automatically and further adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics which would avoid the afore discussed limitations and drawbacks of the conventional techniques of data managements of ships / vessels operation / performance and allow uninterrupted data collections processing and time reporting of the accurate state of the vessels at sea or in port.

Another object of the present invention is directed to avoid the limitation of traditional technique of data management of ship / vessels which are no more than historical, after the fact attempts at infoπnation gathering and would enable solving immediate, real world problem at the time they exist.

Yet the further object of the present invention is directed to a system and the method for continuous status monitoring of ship / vessel's performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameter and statistics, which would be effective for monitoring and reporting of vital parameters of operation / performance or its environmental conditions to meet the diverse and challenging needs of today's marine engineers as well as others concerned.

A further object of the present invention is directed to monitoring of performance of key components, machineries and systems simultaneously and in real time without interruption and down time with digital outputs for independent reading and as fit for data processing.

A further object of the present invention is directed to a central server based system for continuous status monitoring of ship / vessels performance and reporting which would enable capturing data from various stand alone measurement devices in a power plant for a merchant ship and thereby favour management to get the true picture on the state of the ship. A further object of the present invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring of ship performance automatically and reporting of vital parameter and statistics concerning live condition including environmental condition, main engine condition and auxiliary engine / machinery condition.

Yet further object of the present invention is directed to a system and method of monitoring ship performance automatically and reporting of vital parameter and statistics everyday, noon to noon for a 24 hour period.

Yet another object of the present invention is directed to a system and method of monitoring ship performance automatically and reporting of vital parameter and statistics vis-a-vis through charter status graph, which can be generated daily covering speed power and fuel parameters.

A further object of the present invention is directed to a system which would be adapted to monitor and report ship / vessels conditions for user defined periods and parameters including machinery overhaul hours matrix for which the running hours of machineries and components can be updated automatically, favour providing stock components for the user defined items such as for which the fuel consumption is directly from the respective flow meters and also favour comparing the values to the actual values and display graphs and issue caution notices whenever necessary.

Another object of the present invention is directed to a system and a method wherein plurality of processors adapted to receive relevant inputs from operating machineries can be provided and suitably networked using TCP/IP protocol for monitoring an reporting purposes. A further object is directed to a computer program adapted to carry out the above server based system and operative method of monitoring ship performance automatically and reporting of vital parameters and statistics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus according to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics comprising:

On board sensors/devices to sense/generate status data selectively operatively connected to (a) main engine components/gadgets (b) auxiliary components/systems; and (c) sense/catch environmental condition data;

Means for compiling, digitizing and encrypting the data for transmission to at least one central location remote from the ship/vessel preferably ashore;

Each said central location having atleast one central server means adapted to receive inputs transmitted from said sensor/devices for processing for status monitoring and reporting of vital parameters.

Preferably, the system comprises local display means for displaying the processed output .The system is adapted to allow for uninterrupted data collection processing and timely reporting of the accurate state of the vessel at sea or in port. The individual sensors/devices are adapted to be provided in any selective and/ or various parts of the ship without interruption or downtime. The system can include individual sensors/devices with digital outputs for independent readings and as feeds for data processing. For such purpose the central server is provided with input from said sensors/devices through processor means.

1. In accordance with an aspect in the system as above the processor is adapted to receive inputs that are both digital and analogue in nature from various measuring devices that are attached to machineries on board. These various inputs that are handled, include the following type:

Voltage; Current ,4 -20 mA; pulse counters; digital signal formats such as RS232, RS485, RS422, RS422, NMEA, TCP/IP, PS/2, USB, 8 bit parallel port, etc.,

In accordance with another aspect of the invention the system comprises plurality of processors networked involving TCP/IP protocol based on the machineries/components to be monitored.

In accordance with a preferred aspect the system comprises synchronization of the data with the clock time such as to update every minute or micro second for computation, using the micro controller of the processor.

In particular, the said central server is adapted to process the data and give out preferably the following particulars for live condition: (a) environmental conditions including weather: wind speed, relative, sea condition, ambient temp/Humidity, ship draught, position: lat/long, speed over ground, ship heading; (b) main engine performance parameters including : RPM, Torque, Power, Fuel consumption In/Out, Running Hours (c) auxiliary unit performance parameters including : Auxiliary Engine Power, Fuel in/Out, Auxiliary Boiler Fuel in/out, Machinery running hours Advantageously, the system is adapted to transmit data everyday

Noon to Noon for a twenty four hour period preferably based on monitoring and reporting of anyone or more of Log distance, GPS distance, Draught, Weather- Winds/sea, RPM, Power, Fuel on Main Engine, Fuel on Ancillary Engine, Fuel on Boiler, Running hours of main and auxiliary machineries.

It is also possible using the above system to provide a report on the ship performance vis-a-vis through chartered status graph generated daily covering, speed, and power and fuel parameters.

The system is preferably programmed to selectively carry out:

(a) comparing the design values to the actual values and display graphs and issue caution notices wherever necessary;

(b) machinery overhaul hour's matrix, for which the running hours of machineries and components will be updated automatically; (c) Maintain a stock component for the user defined items for which the fuel consumption will be directly taken from the respective flow meters, with all such data exported to a database format file.

The system is further adapted to archive and encrypt the data collated from various parts of the ship for reference. It is built to transmit the processed data in the form of a report, which can be encrypted to any remote/central facility in any predetermined time interval, said remote/central facility adapted to read and compute/process to obtain the desired results. A data storage means is selected provided from hard copy, hard disk or flash drive. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics comprising:

obtaining input data from on board sensors/devices adapted to sense/generate status data selectively operatively connected to (a) main engine components/gadgets (b) auxiliary components/systems; and (c) sense/catch environmental condition data;

Compiling, digitizing and encrypting the data and transmission to atleast one central location remote from the ship/vessel;

Processing in each said central location having atleast one central server means the received inputs transmitted from said sensor/devices and status monitoring and reporting of vital parameters.

Preferably in accordance with the above method it includes displaying in a local display means the processed output.

The above disclosed method of the invention thus favours uninterrupted data collection processing and timely reporting of the accurate state [5] of the vessel at sea or in port. As discussed hereinbefore, the method basically comprises receiving digital outputs from individual sensors/devices for independent readings and using as feeds for data processing.

In accordance with another aspect there is provided plurality of processors networked involving TCP/IP protocol based on the machineries/components to be monitored. Importantly, it is also possible by way of the invention to synchronize the data with the clock time such as to get update every minute or micro second for computation, using the micro controller of the processor.

In accordance with a preferred aspect in the above method the data is processed to give out preferably the following particulars for live condition:

(a) environmental conditions including weather: wind speed, relative, sea condition, ambient temp/Humidity, ship draught, position: lat/long, speed over ground, ship heading; (b) main engine specifications including : RPM, Torque, Power, Fuel consumption In/Out, Running Hours (c ) auxiliary unit specifications including : Auxiliary Engine Power, Fuel in/Out, Auxiliary Boiler Fuel in/out, Machinery running hours

Preferably, the method can include transmitting data everyday noon to noon for a twenty four hour period preferably based on monitoring and reporting of anyone or more of Log distance, GPS distance, Draught, Weather- Winds/sea, RPM, Power, Fuel on Main Engine, Fuel on Ancillary Engine, Fuel on Boiler, Running hours of main and auxiliary machineries. Also, the method is adapted to provide a report on the ship performance vis-a-vis through chartered status graph generated daily covering, speed, power and fuel parameters.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a method comprising selectively carrying out:

Importantly also, the method as above comprises archiving and encrypting the data collated from various parts of the ship and transmitting to any remote/central facility in any predetermined time interval, said remote/central facility adapted to read and compute/process to obtain the desired results.

Thus the method of the invention would favour the much required transmitting of the true condition as found on the ship/vessel to managers ashore. Also the method enables availability of data at convenient channels, depending on peculiarity of installation and the devices that are thereof, and report with vital statistics of performance parameters sent out used by management ashore to initiate further analysis/studies to improve life and efficiency.

In accordance with yet further aspect the method of the invention can comprise providing for

Web access, TCP/IP protocol to achieve connectivity and flexibility.

In accordance with yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer readable information recording medium which records a program for controlling a server based receiving, storage and forwarding continuously the status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics using the system as discussed above. The above computer readable information recording medium is adapted to record a program for controlling a server based method for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics as discussed above.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The details of the invention, its object and advantages are explained hereunder in greater detail in relation to non-limiting exemplary illustrations as per the following accompanying figure 1 :

Figure 1: illustrates an overview of the proposed system and method for monitoring ship performance in accordance with the present invention.

As illustrated in said figures the system of monitoring ship performance automatically and reporting of vital parameters and statistics basically comprises of processor [2] having an I/O card for receiving various inputs from machineries/ systems [1] and components that are on board a ship or a vessels. In particular, as represented in the figure such input in the processor [2] via the I/O card can include data concerning A/B Flow meter, Anemometer, Draught gauge, ambient temperature, A/E Flow meter. IN, GPS lat/long, UTC time Eng Room Temp., Ship heading, M/E RPM, Clock feed from bridge, M/E torque, M-E POWER, M-E flow meter out, M/E Flow Meter IN, AlE flow meter out, etc [I]. Also inputs from electronic indicator of the main engine and the auxiliary engine are also provided in the processor [2]. The processor [2] is also operatively connected for user input [4] constant and to archive [8] means. Finally, the processor [2] output can be by way of transmitting custom report [6], instantaneous state [5] and daily reports [7] as per the end user requirement.

The system is therefore adapted to also record Auxiliary Engine performance - Fuel, KW, Running hours of all aux. m/c, rudder angle. Above will enable teleporting true picture of ship state [5], which will help in deducing efficiency and also enable managers to question/probe the performance.

Moreover, the possibility of web access, TCP/IP protocol renders connectivity and flexibility, making the system adaptable to existing measuring instruments to share data.

Advantageously, selective and innovative A/D converters are used to capture data from existing devices and the system effectively favours integrating all such devices.

Advantageously, it is also possible by the system of the invention to store as hard copy, hard disk or flash drive.

Thus the data captured from other measuring device can be stored and effectively utilized favouring the real time data logging, processing and reporting.

It is thus possible by way of the above system of the invention to avoid the limitations and disadvantages of the conventional ship/vessel data acquisition techniques. One or more of the problems of the conventional prior art may be overcome by various possible embodiments of the system and method of the present invention. The present invention advantageously utilizes selective and special sensors/ devices, attached to various machineries, systems and components that are onboard a ship. Also suitable hardware -processor- incorporating several ICs are provided to meet the various end user requirements. Thus the entire device will log and process the data that is acquired from various sources. The system would enable monitoring the performance of the key components, machineries and systems [1] simultaneously and in real time and apply the individual sensors/devices to any and or various parts of the ship without interruption or downtime. The individual sensors/devices with digital outputs for independent readings and as feeds for data processing are used.

Importantly the system requires feed a central server [3] with the data output from the sensors/devices through the processor [2].

In accordance with a preferred specific aspect the processor [2] is adapted to receive inputs as listed below:

Voltage; Current ,4 -20 mA; pulse counters; digital signal formats such as RS232, RS485, RS422, NMEA, TCP/IP, PS/2, USB, 8 bit parallel port, etc.,

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided multiples of the above mentioned processor [2] to be networked using TCP/IP protocol wherever necessary to include more machineries as needed.

Advantageously, it is possible to receive the data and clock synchronized to update every minute or micro second for computation, using the micro controller of the processor. The system is programmed by suitable software means installed in the central server [3] to process the data and give out preferably the following particulars for live condition: 1. Environment: Weather: Wind speed, relative, Sea condition, ambient temp/Humidity, Ship Draught, Position: Lat/long, Speed over ground, Ship heading. 2. Main engine: RPM, Torque, Power, Fuel consumption In/Out, Running Hours

3. Auxiliaries: Auxiliary Engine Power, Fuel in/Out, Auxiliary Boiler Fuel in/out, Machinery running hours

It is thus possible by way of the above system adapted to be suitably programmed to calculate the following and packages the data for transmittal, everyday, Noon to Noon for a twenty four hour period:

1. Log distance,

2. GPS distance,

3. Draught, 4. Weather- Winds/sea

5. RPM,

6. Power

7. Fuel on Main Engine

8. Fuel on Ancillary Engine 9. Fuel on Boiler

10. Running Hours of main and auxiliary machineries

Accordingly to yet another aspect the system provides a report on the ship performance vis-a-vis through chartered status graph which can be generated daily covering, speed, and power and fuel parameters. Thus the above system and method is adapted to calculate the data for any user designed period. The system integrates software that can be enhanced further by having a feature to compare the design values to the actual values and display graphs and issue caution notices wherever necessary. The software can additionally feature to have a complete new section for machinery [1] overhaul hour's matrix, for which the running hours of machineries [1] and components will be updated automatically. The software can have a stock component for the user defined items for which the fuel consumption will be directly taken from the respective flow meters. All data can be exported to a database format file.

The invention also contemplates to archive and encrypt the data [8] collated from various part of the ship which can be then transmitted to any remote/central facility in any predetermined time interval. The data then on the remote/central facility can be read and computed/processed to obtain the desired results.

The results can be used to generate reports from the data collected from various sensors/devices fitted to the components, machineries and systems [I].

The above system further enables performance trial and to generate reports for user defined periods. Importantly, the system is adapted to encrypt and transmit the final processed report arising from the above mentioned hardware/software stream automatically. Also, the system enables archiving a copy of the encrypted data for future evaluation /retrieval.

It is thus possible by way of the present invention to capture data from various standalone measurement devices in a powered plant of merchant ships. The data captured is processed and report generated and issued for management to get the true picture on the state [5] of the ship. This platform to capture data is adapted to be flexible to capture all types of digital and analogue signals that emanate from the measurement devices. Thus by way of fully automating the entire process including the sending of report it eliminates delay and achieves the objective

Of transmitting the true condition as found on the ship to managers ashore and the possible including any major or minor machinery in this system enhances the picture.

The system can be suitably configured and programmed in such a manner to adapt to the availability of data at convenient channels, depending on peculiarity of installation and the devices that are thereof. The report with vital statistics of performance parameters sent out may be used by management ashore to initiate further studies in defined areas to improve life and efficiency.

Claims

We CLAIM:

1. A system for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics comprising:

Means for compiling, digitizing and encrypting the data for transmission to atleast one central location remote from the ship/vessel preferably ashore; each said central location having atleast one central server means adapted to receive inputs transmitted from said sensor/devices for processing for status monitoring and reporting of vital parameters.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising local display means for displaying the processed output .

3. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 adapted to allows for uninterrupted data collection processing and timely reporting of the accurate state of the vessel at sea or in port.

4. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3 wherein the individual sensors/devices are adapted to be provided in any selective and/ or various parts of the ship without interruption or downtime.

5. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4 comprising individual sensors/devices with digital outputs for independent readings and as feeds for data processing.

6. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5 wherein the central server is provided with input from said sensors/devices through processor means.

7. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 6 wherein the processor is adapted to receive input Voltage; Current ,4 -20 niA; and include pulse counters; digital signal formats preferably RS232, RS485, RS422, RS 422, NMEA, TCP/IP, PS/2, USB, 8 bit parallel port.

8. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 6 or 7 comprising plurality of processors networked involving TCP/IP protocol based on the machineries/components to be monitored.

9. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8 comprising synchronization of the data with the clock time such as to update every minute or micro second for computation, using the micro controller of the processor.

10. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 9 wherein the said central server is adapted to process the data and give out preferably the following particulars for live condition:

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 adapted to transmit data everyday

12. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 11 adapted to provide a report on the ship performance vis-a-vis through chartered status graph generated daily covering, speed, power and fuel parameters.

13. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 12 wherein the system is programmed to selectively carry out : (a) Comparing the design values to the actual values and display graphs and issue caution notices wherever necessary;

(b) Machinery overhaul hour's matrix, for which the running hours of machineries and components will be updated automatically;

(c) Maintain a stock component for the user defined items for which the fuel consumption will be directly taken from the respective flow meters, with all such data exported to a database format file.

14. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 13 adapted to archive and encrypt the data collated from various parts of the ship and transmit to any remote/central facility in any predetermined time interval, said remote/central facility adapted to read and compute/process to obtain the desired results.

15. A system as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 14 comprising data storage means selected from hard copy, hard disk or flash drive.

16. A method for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics comprising:

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising displaying in a local display means the processed output.

18. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 16 or 17 comprising uninterrupted data collection processing and timely reporting of the accurate state of the vessel at sea or in port.

19. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 18 comprising receiving digital outputs from individual sensors/devices for independent readings and using as feeds for data processing.

20. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 19 comprising using plurality of processors networked involving TCP/IP protocol based on the machineries/components to be monitored.

21. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 20 comprising synchronizing of the data with the clock time such as to get update every minute or micro second for computation, using the micro controller of the processor.

22. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 21 wherein the data is processed to give out preferably the following particulars for live condition:

(a) environmental conditions including weather: wind speed, relative, sea condition, ambient temp/Humidity, ship draught, position: lat/long, speed over ground, ship heading; (b) main engine specifications including : RPM, Torque, Power, Fuel consumption In/Out, Running Hours (c) auxiliary unit specifications including : Auxiliary Engine Power, Fuel in/Out, Auxiliary Boiler Fuel in/out, Machinery running hours

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein data to transmit everyday

24. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 23 to provide a report on the ship performance vis-a-vis through chartered status graph generated daily covering, speed, power and fuel parameters.

25. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 24 comprising selectively carrying out:

26. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 25 comprising archiving and encrypting the data collated from various parts of the ship and transmitting to any remote/central facility in any predetermined time interval, said remote/central facility adapted to read and compute/process to obtain the desired results.

27. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 25 comprising transmitting the true condition as found on the ship/vessel to managers ashore.

28. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 25 comprising providing for availability of data at convenient channels, depending on peculiarity of installation and the devices that are thereof, the report with vital statistics of performance parameters sent out used by management ashore to initiate further analysis/studies to improve life and efficiency.

29. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 15 to 28 comprising providing for Web access, TCP/IP protocol to achieve connectivity and flexibility.

30. A computer readable information recording medium which records a program for controlling a server based receiving, storage and forwarding continuously the status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics using the system as claimed in claim 1.

31. A computer readable information recording medium which records a program for controlling a server based method for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics as claimed in claim 16.

32. A system for continuous status monitoring of ship/vessel performance automatically and adapted for reporting of vital parameters and statistics and a method for such monitoring and reporting of ship/vessel performance using the system substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying figure.