Improvements in or relating to control of the start-up of machines

摘要

1,197,462. Starting; indicating working conditions; stop gear. HONEYWELL Inc. July 25, 1967 [Aug. 8, 1966], No.34057/67. Headings F1B, F1K. Start-up control and monitoring apparatus for a machine for example, a prime mover or an engine powered compressor comprises a start-up system for performing an automatic sequence of pre-run events that will terminate in the running of the machine, a monitoring system that monitors a plurality of selected machine parameters during running and automatically initiates shut down if any of those parameters exceeds a predetermined limit and disabling means responsive to the startup system and operative to disable the monitoring system during start-up in respect of such of the monitored parameters as may normally be outside the predetermined running limit during start-up whereby the monitoring system cannot initiate shut down during start-up in response to the behaviour of these parameters in respect of which it is disabled but can still do so in respect of those other parameters regarding which it is not disabled. The drawings show the invention as applied in the natural gas industry to a compressor 8. The system is simplified for ease of comprehension to show only four variable parameters being supervised. A typical set of pre-run events necessary to starting the engine is: (1) starting a lubrication pump 4 (2) opening a gas starter valve 5 (3) opening a main gas valve 6 (4) closing an ignition switch 7. Once the engine is running a further function is performed by the system resulting in shutting off the lubrication pump, closing the gas starter valve and shutting off the ignition switch. The system comprises a plurality of fluid amplifier/ relays and the disabling means comprises fluid control coupling between the start-up and monitoring systems. The fluid amplifiers 10, 11, 12, 13 which are the first to sense that a parameter has reached an abnormal value are powered by a fluid amplifier 14 through a main power conduit 72 and sub-conduits 73, 74, 75 and 76 respectively. The start-up system includes delay means for insuring that consecutive pre-run events are sufficiently spaced in time for the monitoring system to perform its function.