An integrated diagnostics system utilizes online and offline diagnostics techniques to evaluate control valves found in process plant environments. The integrated diagnostics system improves on existing diagnostic systems, which typically rely exclusively on online diagnostics or offline diagnostics.

Provided are a control method, a control system and an electric valve. The control method includes steps described below. An actually measured setting parameter curve is acquired. A required setting parameter curve is acquired. Both the actually measured setting parameter curve and the required setting parameter curve represent a corresponding relationship between a position of the electric valve and a setting parameter. The actually measured setting parameter curve and the required setting parameter curve are fitted to acquire a position mapping curve. A setting required position is obtained according to a required setting parameter and the required setting parameter curve, and a setting actual position is acquired according to the setting required position and the position mapping curve. The electric valve is controlled to run toward the setting actual position of the electric valve.

System for diagnosing pneumatic control valve online include a sensor set having sensors, attached to a pneumatic control valve, for measuring the state of the pneumatic control valve, a smart data analyzer for processing sensor signal acquired in real time from the sensor set and generating pneumatic control valve state information for online automatic diagnosis of the pneumatic control valve, a data server for transmitting, to an online analysis server, the pneumatic control valve state information received in real time from the smart data analyzer and storing the pneumatic control valve state information for predetermined time period, the online diagnostic server for, by comparing the pneumatic control valve state information with pre-stored normal state data of the pneumatic control valve, determining whether the pneumatic control valve is in abnormal state and generating diagnostic information, and a client computer for displaying the diagnostic information received from the online diagnostic server.

Methods and apparatus to detect and/or recover from failures in valve control devices. An apparatus includes an input signal generator to provide a digital input signal to a first converter. The first converter corresponds to one of a supply converter or an exhaust converter. The supply converter controls actuation of a supply relay to deliver pressurized fluid to an actuator operatively coupled to a valve in a process control system. The exhaust converter to control actuation of an exhaust relay to exhaust the pressurized fluid from the actuator. The digital input signal triggers application of a current to the first converter to open the first converter. The apparatus further including a failure detector to: determine a difference in at least one of a pressure in the actuator or a position of a flow control member in the valve; and detect a failure when the difference satisfies a failure threshold.

A method for processing operating data (e.g., position, setpoint, and pressure) for a valve assembly. The method is configured to associate characteristics of operation for the valve assembly with a root cause and/or a contributing factor. In one embodiment, the method can assign a first amplitude with a value that quantifies movement or jump of the valve stem that results from stick-slip on the valve assembly. The method can also assign a second amplitude with a value that quantifies a change in the data for the setpoint. The method can further ascertain the relationship or position of the first amplitude relative to the second amplitude, or vice versa. The method can use the relationship between the first amplitude and the second amplitude to indicate the root cause of the operation of the valve assembly.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor health information of a valve are disclosed. An example system includes a field device in a process control network to monitor a valve, and a valve health monitor to be communicatively coupled to the field device to obtain operational health information from the field device when the valve is commanded to move from a first position to a second position, the first position opposite the second position, identify a condition of the valve based on the operational health information, and send an alert via the process control network based on the condition of the valve.

A method for operating a fluid system including the steps: receiving or determining a set value for a stroke of the working valve, determining an actual value for the stroke of the working valve using a sensor signal of a position sensor, determining a deviation value of a working valve in dependence on sensor signals of a supply pressure sensor and a working pressure sensor and a position sensor and a sensor system, and performing a processing of the set value for the stroke of the working valve, the actual value for the stroke of the working valve and the deviation value to a control signal for driving the working valve.

A method for performing quality control on a diagnostic analyzer includes receiving control measurement values from each of a plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A quality control measurement value is received from a target diagnostic analyzer. The quality control measurement value is compared with statistical criteria associated with the plurality of quality control measurement values received from the plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A comparison result is communicated to a user interface associated with the target diagnostic analyzer.

A method for performing quality control on a diagnostic analyzer includes receiving control measurement values from each of a plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A quality control measurement value is received from a target diagnostic analyzer. The quality control measurement value is compared with statistical criteria associated with the plurality of quality control measurement values received from the plurality of diagnostic analyzers. A comparison result is communicated to a user interface associated with the target diagnostic analyzer.

An actuator of a process control device continuously monitors actuator force and records high force values at each position point by continuously executing a routine in a processor of the actuator. The routine includes receiving from a position sensor a current position value indicating a position of a valve element in the valve, and from a force sensor a current force value indicating a force applied by the actuator. The routine also includes retrieving, from a memory device coupled to the processor, a previous force value measured at the current position, and comparing the current force values for the current position with the previous force value for the current position. If the current force value for the current position exceeds the previous force value for the current position, the routine replaces the previous force value for the current position with the current force value for the current position in memory.