Submission 2023
| Submitted by: | Harikrishna Rao Mohan Rao |
| Department: | Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| Faculty: | Engineering |
Looking to the stars for guidance isn’t just for sailors – it can also help prevent catastrophic disasters in chemical processes. In my research, we explore the concept of “alarm constellations” – groups of alarms that co-occur and stand out as “guiding stars” in process monitoring.
Alarm systems are essential for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of chemical processes. With digital technology, alarm systems have become complex and overwhelming for operators, resulting in disasters like Chernobyl. Therefore, it is crucial to develop reliable decision support systems.
We draw a parallel between these alarms and constellations, which are prominent stars that stand out among millions of stars and form a specific shape. Analyzing correlated alarms from historical data, we create a visual map or “constellation of alarms” showing abnormality propagation paths. This helps to construct “pathways” for better and safer process operation. In the network graph shown, each node represents an alarm, the bigger the node, the more prominent the alarm; and the arrow represent the abnormality propagation direction.
Join us in our “star (alarm)-gazing” journey to prevent industrial disasters.