Automatic generation of the symptom tree model for process fault diagnosis

The Symptom Tree Model (STM) has been studied extensively as a model for fault diagnosis in chemical processes and has been applied to real processes. In this study, a program to build a model, AUSST (Automatic Synthesis of the Symptom Tree model), which generates the STM automatically is developed. The input information supplied to AUSST includes the process topology and the unit model library. The unit model library is represented in the form of mini-fault trees which can be constructed systematically through qualitative abstraction from the mathematical model or the operation data and experienced operators. AUSST has worked well, the generated symptom trees describe the paths of fault propagation sufficiently and contain all the possible primal faults. AUSST helps to assure the accuracy of the STM as well as managing the STM consistently. It is expected that AUSST reduces the engineering efforts required to develop a fault diagnostic system for a new process.