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EP-4739837-A1 - METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR SEAL STRIP ZONE MODULE STRIP POSITION DETERMINATION

EP4739837A1EP 4739837 A1EP4739837 A1EP 4739837A1EP-4739837-A1

Abstract

An electronic device for determining a location of a seal strip device in a strip of a papermaking machine includes a seal strip location identification component associated with the seal strip device, a current monitoring circuit configured to measure a current through the seal strip location identification component that is associated with the seal strip device, and a location circuit configured to transmit information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component, and configured to receive an address related to the location of the seal strip device. Related methods and systems are also described.

Inventors

  • SPECKMAN, JACOB

Assignees

  • Stowe Woodward Licensco, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240605

Claims (20)

  1. 1. An electronic device for determining a location of a seal strip device in a strip of a papermaking machine, the electronic device comprising: a seal strip location identification component associated with the seal strip device; a current monitoring circuit configured to measure a current through the seal strip location identification component that is associated with the seal strip device; and a location circuit configured to transmit information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component, and configured to receive an address related to the location of the seal strip device.
  2. 2. The electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the location circuit comprises: a transceiver configured to transmit the information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component to a system coordinator circuit, and configured to receive the address related to the location of the seal strip device from the system coordinator circuit.
  3. 3. The electronic device of Claim 2, further comprising: a common bus that is electrically connected to the seal strip location identification component, wherein the common bus is electrically separate from a power bus of the strip, and wherein the information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component is communicated to the system coordinator circuit via the common bus.
  4. 4. The electronic device of any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the current monitoring circuit comprises a differential monitoring circuit configured to determine a voltage differential across the seal strip location identification component.
  5. 5. The electronic device of any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the seal strip location identification component comprises a passive electrical component.
  6. 6. The electronic device of Claim 5, wherein the passive electrical component comprises a resistor.
  7. 7. The electronic device of any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the location of the seal strip device is configured to be programmed at installation of the strip of the papermaking machine.
  8. 8. The electronic device of any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the location of the seal strip device is based on a value of the seal strip location identification component.
  9. 9. The electronic device of any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the seal strip location identification component comprises an active microcontroller comprising an input configured to receive state information indicating the address related to the seal strip device and an output that is toggled to control addressing of another active microcontroller.
  10. 10. The electronic device of any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the seal strip device comprises a first seal strip device of a plurality of seal strip devices, and the seal strip location identification component comprises a first seal strip location identification component of a plurality of seal strip location identification components, and wherein respective ones of the seal strip location identification components have different values from one another to indicate unique respective locations of respective seal strip devices comprising the seal strip device in the strip.
  11. 11. The electronic device of Claim 10, wherein the seal strip location identification components associated with the respective seal strip devices are electrically connected in series.
  12. 12. The electronic device of Claim 11, wherein respective location circuits comprising the location circuit are associated with the respective seal strip devices and are configured to transmit information related to respective currents through respective ones of the seal strip location identification components to a system coordinator circuit, and wherein the respective location circuits are configured to receive respective addresses from the system coordinator circuit related to respective locations of the respective seal strip devices.
  13. 13. The electronic device of Claim 12, further comprising: a common bus that is electrically connected to ones of the seal strip location identification components, wherein the common bus is electrically separate from a power bus of the strip, and wherein the information related to the current through the seal strip location identification components is communicated to the system coordinator circuit via the common bus.
  14. 14. The electronic device of any of Claims 10 to 13, at power-up the first seal strip device is assigned a first address and then triggers a second seal strip device to obtain a second address.
  15. 15. A method for determining a location of a seal strip device in a strip of a papermaking machine, the method comprising: determining a current through a seal strip location identification component associated with the seal strip device; reporting the current through the seal strip location identification component to a system coordinator device; receiving, from the system coordinator device, an address related to the location of the seal strip device; and determining the location of the seal strip device based on the address that was received from the system coordinator device.
  16. 16. The method for determining the location of the seal strip device of Claim 15, wherein the seal strip device comprises a first seal strip device of a plurality of seal strip devices, and the seal strip location identification component comprises a first seal strip location identification component of a plurality of seal strip location identification components, and wherein respective ones of the seal strip location identification components have different values from another to indicate unique respective locations of respective seal strip devices comprising the seal strip device in the strip.
  17. 17. The method for determining the location of the seal strip device of Claim 16, the method further comprising: at power-up, assigning a first address to the first seal strip device and then triggering a second seal strip device to obtain a second address.
  18. 18. The method for determining the location of the seal strip device of Claims 16 or 17, wherein the seal strip location identification components associated with the respective seal strip devices are electrically connected in series.
  19. 19. The method for determining the location of the seal strip device of Claim 18, wherein respective location circuits are associated with the respective seal strip devices, the method further comprising: transmitting information related to respective electrical properties of ones of the seal strip location identification components to a system coordinator circuit, and receiving, by the respective location circuits, respective addresses from the system coordinator circuit related to respective locations of the respective seal strip devices.
  20. 20. A seal strip location determination circuit for determining a location of a seal strip device in a strip of a papermaking machine, the seal strip location determination circuit comprising: a seal strip identification circuit associated with the seal strip device; a current monitoring circuit configured to determine a current through the seal strip identification circuit that is associated with the seal strip device; and a location circuit configured to transmit information related to the current through the seal strip identification circuit, and configured to receive an address related to the location of the seal strip device.

Description

METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR SEAL STRIP ZONE MODULE STRIP POSITION DETERMINATION Related Application [0001] The present application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 18/347,943, filed July 6, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Field [0002] Various embodiments described herein relate to paper machine suction roll devices, and more specifically to seal strip temperature and wear sensors installed into a seal strip that is used in connection with rollers such as those used in papermaking, steel making, plastics calendering, and/or printing machines. Background [0003] Suction rollers, also referred to as nipped rolls or pinch rolls, are used in a vast number of continuous process industries including papermaking, steel making, plastics calendering, and/or printing. Suction rollers are used to press two or more sheets of a material together. The characteristics of suction rollers are particularly important in papermaking. Two or more suction rollers may press together, exerting force on the paper or types of sheets therebetween. Various sensors may be used to monitor the pressure, temperature, wear, or other characteristics of the suction rollers during operation. The sensors may include a seal strip temperature and wear sensor, sometimes referred to as a zone module, and is installed into a seal strip before power is available to the system. The seal strips inside a suction roll are not visible to the operator of the equipment. Summary [0004] Various embodiments of the present inventive concepts are directed to an electronic device for determining a location of a seal strip device in a strip of a papermaking machine. The electronic device includes a seal strip location identification component associated with the seal strip device, a current monitoring circuit configured to measure a current through the seal strip location identification component that may be associated with the seal strip device, and a location circuit configured to transmit information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component, and configured to receive an address related to the location of the seal strip device. [0005] According to some embodiments, location circuit may include a transceiver configured to transmit the information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component to a system coordinator circuit, and configured to receive the address related to the location of the seal strip device from the system coordinator circuit. The electronic device may further include a common bus that may be electrically connected to the seal strip location identification component. The common bus may be electrically separate from a power bus of the strip. The information related to the current through the seal strip location identification component may be communicated to the system coordinator circuit via the common bus. [0006] According to some embodiments, the current monitoring circuit includes a differential monitoring circuit configured to determine a voltage differential across the seal strip location identification component. The seal strip location identification component may include a passive electrical component. The passive electrical component may be a resistor. The location of the seal strip device may be configured to be programmed at installation of the strip of the papermaking machine. The location of the seal strip device may be based on a value of the seal strip location identification component. The seal strip location identification component may include an active microcontroller that includes an input configured to receive state information indicating the address related to the seal strip device and an output that may be toggled to control addressing of another active microcontroller. [0007] According to some embodiments, the seal strip device includes a first seal strip device of a plurality of seal strip devices, and the seal strip location identification component includes a first seal strip location identification component of a plurality of seal strip location identification components. Respective ones of the seal strip location identification components have different values from one another to indicate unique respective locations of respective seal strip devices includes the seal strip device in the strip. The seal strip location identification components associated with the respective seal strip devices are electrically connected in series. Respective location circuits that include the location circuit are associated with the respective seal strip devices and are configured to transmit information related to respective currents through respective ones of the seal strip location identification components to a system coordinator circuit. The respective location circuits are configured to receive respective addresses from the system coordinator circuit related to respective l