A HIERARCHICAL FUZZY NEURAL NETWORK APPROACH FOR MULTIPLE FAULT DIAGNOSIS

J. M. F. Calado(') and J. M. G. Sa da Costa(*)

(') IDMEC / ISEL - Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Portugal (2)IDMEC/ IST - Instituto Superior TBcnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract: A hierarchical structure of fuzzy neural networks for multiple abrupt and incipient fault diagnosis, is presented. It is discussed how to train the fuzzy neural network with single fault symptoms, in order to cope with diagnosis of multiple faults. The f i z z y neural network compresses the on-line measurement data and, hence, training effort is eased. A Continuous Binary Distillation Column is used as test bed of the overall system.
1. INTRODUCTION

explore many competing hypotheses simultaneously using massively parallel networks composed of many computational elements connected by links with variable weights. Among the many interesting properties of an ANN, the property that is of primary significance is the ability of the network to leam from its environment and to improve its performance through learnihg, which is achieved by adjusting the weights quoted above. Thus, ANN can satisfactorily model a complex process whose model is unknown, or whose model is imperfect, at least in the region for which process data are available. Then, since the problem of fault diagnosis can be treated as one of pattem recognition, by making a series of measurements of process variables an A N N can perform the mapping between a measurement space, from which physical input data are received, and a fault space. Moreover, like brains ANN have the ability to recognise pattems that cannot even define. This property is known as recognition without definition that enables systems to generalise. Since an A N N has the ability to generalise on the tasks for which it is trained, fault diagnosis seems to be a promising field for their application. From this point of view, the ability to generalise may enable the A N N to provide the correct answer when presented with a new input pattem that is different from any pattern used during the training procedure. Hence, once the A N N has been trained with symptoms of abrupt faults, it may able to classify the same faults under an incipient faulty scenario, where the fault symptoms will be slightly different from the symptoms used during the training task. The incipient fault detection and diagnosis is a very important aspect of real time applications, that is, detection and diagnosis at the very beginning stages of the occurrence of the fault or faults, hopefilly prior the time the fault might be uncovered by an operator. The current research work focus the problem of diagnosing multiple faults at an early stage quickly and efficiently. With this goal in mind, the approach presented here is based on a hierarchical fuzzy neural networks architecture which is an extension of the macroarchitecture of neural networks pointed out by Watanabe et a1 (1). The aim of this approach is to combine the advantages of both fuzzy reasoning and neural networks. Fuzzy reasoning is capable of handling uncertain and imprecise information while an A N N is capable of learning from examples as quoted above. Furthermore. in contrast with conventional feed forward

Traditionally skilled operators diagnose a process failure. The complexity of modern plants and the availability of inexpensive computer hardware allow us to develop automated fault detection and diagnosis systems. The broad requirements of an automated fault detection and diagnosis system are that it guarantees real time performance so that it can be useful in time critical situations, and that it possess an operator interface capable of displaying and updating results comprehensively. Hence, over the last two decades, the research on fault detection and diagnosis has gained increasing attention world wide. The trend of automation towards more complexity and the growing demand of higher control systems availability and security mainly stimulated this development.
A wide variety of techniques have been proposed to detect and diagnose faults including redundant instrumentation, expert systems, process modelling, statistical tools, digraphs, fault trees, and combination of these. Furthermore, the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) for fault detection and diagnosis purposes has received increasing attention in both research and application. The number of publications about this subject have demonstrated the promise of this new tool, Watanabe et a1 (l), Naidu et al. (2), Himmelblau et a1 (3), Sorsa et a1 (4), Willis et al. ( 5 ) , Sorsa and Koivo (6), Kavuri and Venkatasubramanian (7), Patton et al. (S), Zhang and Morris (9), Calado and Roberts (lo), Calado and Sa da Costa (1 l), etc.

The structure of A N N is based on our understanding of the biological nervous system. Several models have been proposed where all of them attempt to achieve good performance via dense interconnection of simple computational elements. Instead of performing a program of instructions sequentially, ANN models

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ANN, the fuzzy neural network (FNN) used in the current approach has an additional layer which converts the changes in each on-line measurement into three fuzzy sets: increase, steady and decrease. By using these fuzzy sets to describe the process behaviour, training data can be compressed and training effort can be eased. The fuzzy approach also makes the system less sensitive to measurement noise as Zhang and Morris (9) have pointed it out. The paper is organised as follows. Section 2 describes the system architecture based on hierarchical fuzzy neural networks for fault diagnosis purposes. An application of the current fault diagnosis approach to a Continuous Binary Distillation Column (CBDC) is discussed in Section 3. Results of the diagnosis achieved during simulation studies conducted with the CBDC are presented in Section 4. Section 5 presents some concluding remarks.

regions that can be defined for a specific process. Obviously, the input matrix has also a number of rows corresponding to the input patterns associated with the normal process behaviour, each one concerning each operating region. However, by using a FNN with a fuzzification layer coiisisting of three fuzzy sets as mentioned above, the fault symptoms are compressed and, thus, independently of the operation state of the process only one row for each single fault considered, is achieved. Furthermore, after the FNN fuzzification layer the input patterns associated with the normal process behaviour have also been compressed and one fuzzy input pattern can be observed for the normal case. Then, considering the mapping between the fuzzy input matrix and the output decision matrix, this one has a number of rows equal to the number of faults plus the normal case and a number of columns equal to that of faults as shown in Table 1, where the following notation is used: [Ay:], stands for the fuzzy set associated with the change observed in the ith measurement variables under the ntb faulty scenario; Fi, stands for the iti1fault considered. However, in the case (of multiple faults, some changes need to be made in both matrices, as it has been done in the research work carriled out by the authors, Calado and Sa da Costa (1 1). Therefore, let us consider the case of all single and double faults, where the double faults have been achieved through an AND operation in the single fault space. All that faults are given by the following set:

*.

2. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

The concept behind the current hierarchical fuzzy neural network approach is to develop an architecture that cannot only diagnose incipient multiple faults correctly or at least with a minimum misclassification rate, but also can be trained easily. In such architecture measurements or faults act as antecedents from which we can infer a classification of the pattern input, that is a diagnosis. In the present approach changes in the measurement of the process variables are received and then linearly transformed into values in the unit interval. Each output of each FNN is selected to represent a particular fault. The outputs of each network are taking values into the range, 0 to 1, and a fault is indicated when the corresponding FNN output is close to 1. If all FNN outputs are taking values close to 0, this corresponds to the normal operation case. Hence, in training a FNN to diagnose single faults by using deterministic data, which is concerned with abrupt fault symptoms, the input matrix has a number of columns equal to the number of measurement variables used for fault diagnosis purposes and for each fault a number of rows, which depends on the number of operating TABLE 1 - Fuzzy training data for single faults

In this case, considering that the same FNN is used to diagnose both types of faults, single and double simultaneous, as it has been done in previous research work Calado and Sa da Costa (1 l), 1+[n(n+l)/2] fuzzy learning patterns (including the normal case) have to be involved during the FNN training procedure. Then, for the case of double simultaneous faults the relationship between tlhe fault symptoms and the FNN outputs is given in Table 2. By combining Table 1 with Table 2 the overall training matrices can be achieved.

Fuzzy pattern
0 1 2

Net inputs after fuzzification

Net outputs
0 0 .......................... 1 0 .......................... 0 1 .......................... 000 000 000

Diagnosis

[Ay''] ........................... [Ayl'] ........................... [AyI2]...........................

[ A Y ] : [Ay,,']

PYn'l

Normal F1 F2

[Ayl'"]...........................

[AYn"I

0 0 ..........................

00 1

Fm

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TABLE 2 - Fuzzy training data for double faults

[Ay,',3] ........................... [Ay,'.4] ...........................

1 0 1 0 ......................

1 0 0 1 ......................

000 000

mt

1.......................... .........................

rAv..m-','"l

0 0 0 0 ......................

00 1

The output decision matrix would have only Os in the row corresponding to the normal case, one 1 in each row corresponding to a single fault and two 1s in each row corresponding to the double faults. However, previous research work has shown that the fault symptoms concerning the double simultaneous faults are harder to learn than those associated with single faults. Furthermore, the larger set of faults, the larger will be the set of fault symptoms and, hence, the longer and less certain the training outcome. In order to overcome this problem, the current approach has a hierarchical structure of three levels where several FNN are used, as shown in Figure 1. The lower level consists of one FNN where all measurement variables are used as its inputs. In the medium level a number of FNN (structurally identical or different) which is equal to the number of faults considered, are used. Each FNN in the medium level is also fed with all the measurement variables and each one is associated with an output of the FNN in the lower level. The upper level consists of an OR operation on the outputs of the FNN in the medium level. Considering an input matrix after the fuzzification layer for learning purposes, then, m fuzzy training patterns corresponding to m single fault symptoms plus 1 fuzzy training pattern corresponding to the normal case, are used during the learning stage of the FNN in the lower level. However, during the FNNs learning procedures of the medium level only m h z z y training patterns are involved. Considering the it" FNN in the medium layer, the corresponding fuzzy training patterns has been achieved through the following procedure: It is considered the fuzzy training pattern corresponding to the single fault symptoms of Fi. Each set of fault symptoms corresponding to the all other faults considered are added with the fault symptoms of Fi. Thus, training data for double simultaneous faults, were generated. After fuzzification, m-1 training patterns for double simultaneous faults have been generated. The output decision matrix consists of a single 1 in the row for the single fault and two 1s in the rows corresponding to double faults.

Measurement variables Figure 1: Hierarchical structure of FNNs Furthermore, the elements of the set used in the OR operation are decided by the outputs of the FNN in the lower level. Thus, if the ithand jthoutputs of the FNN in the lower level is taking a value close to 1, then, the outputs of the ithand j'" FNNs in the medium level form the set used in the OR operation. However, if only one output of the FNN in the lower level is taking a value close to 1, then, the diagnosis is deemed to be the single fault corresponding to that output. Following this reasoning this hierarchical structure can cope with
situations involving three simultaneous faults.

For instance, let us consider the situation when faults {F1F2F3} occur and the outputs of the FNN in the lower layer taking values close to 1 are {F2F3}.Then, outputs of the 2"d and 3Id FNNs in the medium level form the set used in the OR operation. Thus, the outputs of the 2'ld FNN taking values close to 1 are {F1F2}and the outputs of the 31d FNN taking values close to 1 are {FzF3}.The

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OR operation between {FIF2} and {FZF3}gives the result {F1F2F3} for the fault diagnosis system.

In the simulation of incipient faults in the process under concern, it has been assumed that the component degradation follows a linear law. Therefore, incipient faults are simulated through the following equation,
Mf =Mnx(1+yxt)

where the following notation is used: M, - is the value of a process variable when there is a fault; M,, - is the value of a process variable when there is no fault; y - is a constant which determines the speed of the fault development (sec-?; t - is time (sec).
3. FUZZY NEURAL NETWORKS

The fault diagnosis system based on the hierarchical structure of FNNs, which is described in the last Section, has been aplplied in simulation studies of a CBDC process. Single, double and triple simultaneous incipient faults have been considered during the test task. Furthermore, during these studies, it has been observed that the neural networks generalisation ability has the major importance in the diagnosis of incipient faults, since the training patterns used only include abrupt faults symptoms. A description of some results achieved is given in the next section.

4. CASE STUDY

Both the lower level and the medium level networks are composed of three layers: a fuzzification layer; a hidden layer; and an output layer. The fuzzy neural networks can be trained using a number of methods. During the current studies and for the sake of simplicity, the networks have been trained using an extension of the backpropagation learning algorithm, Calado and Roberts (1 0). The FNNs are achieved by adding a fuzzification layer to a conventional feed forward ANN. The fuzzification layer converts each input into the following quantity space, qf = {decrease, steady, increase}, by association with three types of neurones in the fuzzification layer. The desired membership functions can be located by appropriately selecting the fuzzification layer weights of the fuzzy neural network. The processing elements of the fuzzification layer associated with the fuzzy sets decrease and increase use the Complement Sigmoid function and the Sigmoid function, respectively, as their activation functions. The other processing elements of the fuzzification layer associated with the fuzzy set steady use the Gaussian function as their activation function. The processing elements in the hidden and output layers use the Sigmoid function. Each output of the fuzzy neural networks is used to represent a particular fault. Outputs of the fuzzy neural networks take values in the range zero to one and a fault is indicated when a corresponding network output is close to 1. Therefore, if for a specific input pattern there is no network output in the lower layer taking a value close to 1, then that input pattern does not represent a faulty scenario. However, if more than one output of any FNN in the medium layer takes a value close to 1, this means that more than one fault has occurred in the process under concem.

A simulated Continuous Binary Distillation Column (CBDC), which is described by Ingham et a1 (12), has been used as a test bed of the fault diagnosis system proposed in this paper This process is shown in Figure 2, where a column containing a total of eight theoretical plates plus a reboiler is assumed, with feed entering on plate 5, numbered from the column top. Surge drum and reboiler levels are controlled by feedback control loops.

The fault diagnosis system is based on a hierarchical structure of fuzzy neural networks with the characteristics previously presented. Hence, six measurement variables have been used as input data to the all fuzzy neural networks. These variables are the following: MD,holdup in surge drum; Do, distillate flow rate; Ms, holdup in reboiler; W, bottoms flow rate; F, column feed rate; V , vapour flow rate. Thus, the diagnosis task is performed by presenting the changes in the measurement variables to the f u z z y neural networks, which are propagated in a feed forward manner through the FNNs. Then to loci~te a fault or faults in the process an analysis of the fuzzy neural networks outputs values is carried out as described above. All the fuzzy neural networks used in the hierarchical fault diagnosis structure have the same topology. The FNNs hzzification layers have 18 processing elements arranged in 6 groups corresponding to the 6 information sources, with each group containing 3 processing elements as described in the previous section. The number of processing elements in the hidden layer is determined by the complexities of the relationships between the faults and the fault symptoms. During the current studies, it was found that 15 hidden processing elements could give good performance. Moreover, since 7 single faults have been considered the output layer of each network is constituted by 7 neurones, each one corresponding to a fault. Training data was obtained from previous simulation studies, with the aim of covering all the faulty scenarios being considered and the nominal operational conditions. Thus, 7 single faults have been considered, which are pipe 2 blocked, pipe 3 blocked or pump fails, pipe 4 blocked, pipe 5 lblocked, pipe 6 partially blocked,

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external feedrate too high, external feedrate too low; a selected set of 18 double simultaneous faults achieved through an AND operation in the single fault space; and a selected set of 25 triple simultaneous faults also achieved through an AND operation in the single fault space. Several simulation studies have been performed and it has been considered that a fault exists in the test when the output of a neurone in the output layer was greater than 0.6. In spite of the fact that the current research work is in a very early stage, the results achieved so far have shown that the hierarchical structure of fuzzy neural networks proposed in this paper, is a potential tool for fault diagnosis of single/multiple abrupt and incipient faults. During the simulation studies, under abrupt faulty scenarios a very accurate diagnosis has been obtained. Furthermore, all single faults have been simulated with different fault development speed values and successfully diagnose. It is worth to note that the networks have been trained with larger faults (abrupt fault symptoms) and the tests have been performed with small degrees of fault. A number of tests have also been performed with double and triple simultaneous faults. The results achieved under that kind of faulty scenarios are quite good but further research is needed to obtain exhaustive conclusions. Some instances of misclassification have occurred, which so far are not well understood. The number of misclassification is bigger in the case of tests with triple faults and increases as the fault development speed decreases. However, just now not enough data is
11:43:05

available to provide some reliable statistics and draw some conclusions.

5. CONCLUSIONS

A hierarchical structure of fuzzy neural networks, which can be used for diagnosis multiple simultaneous incipient faults, has been described. The current approach compresses the on-line measurement data into qualitative values whose semantics are represented by fuzzy sets and, hence, the training of the FNNs and the diagnosis of the faults can be carried out more efficiently. According to the results achieved, one can conclude that a diagnosis of multiple simultaneous faults can be achieved from only fault symptoms associated with single faults. Furthermore, the authors experience obtained during the current studies and the previous one mentioned above, allow saying that the training of the hierarchical structure of fuzzy neural networks can be done more easily than a non-hierarchical neural network for the same purpose. Though, this research work is in an early stage the results achieved so far during simulation studies conducted with a CBDC process let predict a great potential for the use of this methodology for supervisory functions in real time applications with the main aim of diagnose faults in the process under concem.

10-1-1998
INTELLIGENT FRULTS DETECTION RND DIRGNOSIS
V.Y1

Pipe 1

Figure 2: Continuous Binary Distillation Column.

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