Abstract:
A method for generating an on-line trip signal when a measured one (p1') of a plurality of operating parameters (p1, p2, p3, ...pN) which define a limit surface on a multidimensional reactor operating space, exceeds a limit value (*p1) on the limit surface. The method includes the steps of storing in an array having at least three dimensions, a set of discrete limit surface values *p1(r) of parameter p1 in ordered triplets, [*p1(r), p2(r) and p3(r)] under reference conditions in which parameters p2 and p3 vary discrtely and parameters p4 ...pN are deemed constant. While operating the reactor, the on-line values p1', p2', p3' of the parameters p1, p2 and p3 are measured. An interpolation is made among the selected triplets to estimate the surface limit value *p1' corresponding to the measured values of p2' and p3'. Preferably, the method includes measuring the operating parameters p4, p5 to obtain values p4' and p5'. The storage means includes a second array defining a quantitative relationship among the values in triplets [*p1(a), p4(a), and p5(a)]. The estimated value of *p1' is then adjusted by the step of interpolating between values of p4(a) and p5(a) based on the measured values p4', p5' to arrive at an adjsuted estimate of the power, *p = *p1' + *p1'(a) or *p1 = (*p1')(*p1'(a)).