Real-time analysis of process plant alarms using a mini-computer

Abstract Many process plants are equipped with alarm systems. In most cases the operator is left to perform an overall diagnosis from a pattern of alarms. He is expected to perform this analysis in real time, while under considerable stress, even though the fault sequence which has caused the pattern of alarms may be one which he has never seen before. The objective of the work reported here is to investigate the use of a digital computer to assist the operator in diagnosing the basic fault from a pattern of alarms.