Learn Advanced Process Control with Industrial Exposure

Description

Module 1 gives an overview of the importance of advanced process control (APC) in chemical process industries in the context of today’s competitive business environment. The benefits of implementing APC over normal Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID)‐type regulatory control and how APC brings this benefit in real commercial chemical plant are explained in detail.

Module 2 deals with theoretical foundation of APC. Different features of APC controller with the relevance of APC in chemical process industry in today’s business environment is elaborated emphasizing on the industries which are struggling to reduce operating cost, maximize profit margin, and waste reduction.

Module 3 deals with elaborate case study highlighting the concept of process interactions through a distillation column (debutanizer column). The impact of feed rate increase on the various parameters of distillation column with respect to single loop controller and multiloop controller is depicted in detail with comparative study of APC over PID at the closure.

Module 4 deals with the advantages and application part widespread in oil refinery, petrochemical, fertilizer, and chemical plants across the globe and how they are incurring huge amount of profit. The module ends with various extraction methods which can dramatically change the process interactions using APC application

Module 5 gives an overview about the various stages of APC implementation starting from an assessment of existing regulatory control, functional design of APC, model building and final APC implementation stages. It starts with preliminary cost–benefit analysis to evaluate approximate payback period. Assessment of base control loop and strengthening it is a basic requirement to build a solid foundation upon which APC works.

Module 6 explains in detail about various aspects and practical considerations of functional designs of APC controller in actual commercial plants. This step starts with understanding of process opportunity and process constraints. Process control’s objective, controller scope, and identification of CV–MV–DV list is done in this step. Exploring the potential optimization opportunity is a key job in functional design stage. Identification of any scope to implement the inferential calculations or soft quality estimators is also done in this stage. Conceptualization of economic objective of controller and form of linear program (LP) and quadratic program (QP) objective function is finalized in this step.

Module 7 describes cost–benefit analysis procedures before APC implementation. Preliminary cost–benefit analysis is usually carried out before starting APC project. The purpose is to estimate the actual benefit after APC implementation. A scouting study of process analysis and economic opportunity analysis is done to know the potential areas where APC can bring profit. By its model‐based predictive capability APC stabilizes the process and reduces variability of key process parameters. This reduction of variability enables operators to shift the set point closer to the constraints. Operation closer to constraints translated into more profit. By statistical analysis, this increase of profit due to APC implementation is calculated. Finally, a scientific cost–benefit analysis is done to evaluate the payback period. The results of the cost–benefit analysis help the plant management to take economic decision to implement APC in plant. An example with practical case study is also given to explain the cost–benefit analysis procedure.

Module 8 highlights the historical developments of different APC technology. The module describes development history and features of three major APC players, namely, Aspen Tech DMC‐plus, Shell Global Solutions SMOC, and Honeywell’s RAPCT. The discussion revolves around the brief history of the development of each APC technology, product offerings of each vendor with some of their uncommon features, and distinctive feature of their respective technology with current advancement.

Module 9 gives an idea about the various available commercial APC vendors and their applications. A comparative study of various APC software available in market such as Aspen, Honeywell, and Shell was mentioned in detail. Viewers will get a flavor of commercial APC applications in chemical process industries across the globe. APC is a matured but constantly evolving technology. Although there is no breakthrough development in core APC algorithm in the past five years, the commercial APC vendors comes up with more software packages, which helps to implement and monitor APC technology in shop floor. These APC vendors are now offered a full range of software package that comprises some basic modules such as data collection module, APC online controller, operator/engineer station, system identification module, PC‐based off‐line simulation package, control performance monitoring and diagnostics software, and soft sensor module (also called quality estimator module).

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