IoT enabled predictive maintenance allows companies in the energy sector to identify potential problems in the production devices far before the failure occurs. In this paper, we propose a method for early detection of faults in boiler feed pumps using existing measurements currently captured by control devices. In the experimental part, we work on real measurement data and events from a coal fired power plant. The main research objective is to implement a model that detects deviations from the normal operation state based on regression and to check which events or failures can be detected by it. The presented technique allows the creation of a predictive system working on the basis of the available data with a minimal requirement of expert knowledge, in particular the knowledge related to the categorization of failures and the exact time of their occurrence, which is sometimes difficult to identify. The paper shows that with modern technologies, such as the Internet of Things, big data, and cloud computing, it is possible to integrate automation systems, designed in the past only to control the production process, with IT systems that make all processes more efficient through the use of advanced analytic tools.

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Appropriate maintenance of industrial equipment keeps production systems in good health and ensures the stability of production processes. In specific production sectors, such as the electrical power industry, equipment failures are rare but may lead to high costs and substantial economic losses not only for the power plant but for consumers and the larger society. Therefore, the power production industry relies on a variety of approaches to maintenance tasks, ranging from traditional solutions and engineering know-how to smart, AI-based analytics to avoid potential downtimes. This review shows the evolution of maintenance approaches to support maintenance planning, equipment monitoring and supervision. We present older techniques traditionally used in maintenance tasks and those that rely on IT analytics to automate tasks and perform the inference process for failure detection. We analyze prognostics and health-management techniques in detail, including their requirements, advantages and limitations. The review focuses on the power-generation sector. However, some of the issues addressed are common to other industries. The article also presents concepts and solutions that utilize emerging technologies related to Industry 4.0, touching on prescriptive analysis, Big Data and the Internet of Things. The primary motivation and purpose of the article are to present the existing practices and classic methods used by engineers, as well as modern approaches drawing from Artificial Intelligence and the concept of Industry 4.0. The summary of existing practices and the state of the art in the area of predictive maintenance provides two benefits. On the one hand, it leads to improving processes by matching existing tools and methods. On the other hand, it shows researchers potential directions for further analysis and new developments.

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