Implementation of knowledge maintenance modules in an expert system for fault diagnosis of chemical process operation

Based on the authors previous work of developing an expert system for fault diagnosis of chemical processes, this paper presents principles and approaches of the knowledge base maintenance in the expert system. Development and implementation of maintenance modules for the knowledge base in the expert system for fault diagnosis of fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) are reported in detail. Algorithms are proposed for integrality verification of five inconsistencies among heuristic rules: contradiction, redundancy, subsumption, circulation, and reclusion. The modules ensure the knowledge base and the expert system to work stably and efficiently. DELPHI and SQL SERVER are adopted in developing the modules. Application in FCCU fault diagnosis expert system shows that the modules work rationally and efficiently with user-friendly interface, besides its strong interactive feature and better performance of the expert system. The modules have been in continuous use in the expert system of fault diagnosis of FCCU installation in a refinery for the last two years. q 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.