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Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Yokogawa) has announced the release of Dynamic Real Time Optimiser – a solution in the OpreX^TM Asset Operations and Optimisation family.

Using a combination of first principles simulation and multivariable predictive control technology, the Dynamic Real Time Optimizer software helps to optimise plant operations.

This integrated solution is based on Yokogawa’s advanced process control technologies and industry knowledge and simulation technologies developed by KBC Advanced Technologies Limited (KBC, CEO: Andrew Howell), a UK-based Yokogawa subsidiary.

This solution enables plants to quickly respond to dynamically changing oil market and product market conditions and improve both productivity and profitability.

Development Background

Advanced process control systems improve product yield and reduce energy consumption by maintaining temperature, flow rate, pressure, and other process variables within a set range and keeping them as close as possible to their optimal values, even for production processes whose parameters are not easily controlled by conventional control systems.

Such advanced control systems are increasingly used in facilities such as oil refineries, petrochemical plants, chemical plants, and natural gas liquefaction trains. Advanced control solutions are attracting considerable interest due to their high economic value.

Multivariable advanced control systems determine the optimal value for plant independent variables. The optimal values are calculated based on information such as feedstock quality and prices, product specifications and prices, and energy costs.

In a dynamically changing market, an advanced control system optimises the operation of a plant in real time based on changes in raw material properties, product demand, and operating conditions.

Using their advanced control technology and KBC’s industry knowledge and simulation technology, Yokogawa is able to perform highly accurate dynamic real-time optimisation using rigorous models, in response to dynamically changing plant and market conditions.

Features

Dynamic Real Time Optimizer calculates the optimal values for plant independent variables with a high level of accuracy and was developed based on KBC’s Petro-SIM^TM process simulation platform, which includes functions for online use.

This solution acquires data through online connections to control systems and plant information management systems (PIMSs) and carries out case study simulations to generate rigorous models and calculate additional inferred properties.

Based on these models and operating conditions, the optimal values are calculated by applying mathematical programming^*1, and implemented online by the advanced control system.

1. Multi-unit optimisation based on simulations performed using rigorous models

With large-scale applications, advanced control systems need to be able to quickly process huge amounts of data.

Advanced control and optimisation systems must have the processing speed needed to calculate the optimal values for such large applications.

However, commercially-available products today are only suitable for small- to medium-size applications and can only optimise the control of individual process units.

Yokogawa’s Platform for Advanced Control and Estimation^*2 is capable of high-speed processing and can collectively control large-scale applications across processes.

Using this suite as its operating platform, Dynamic Real Time Optimizer achieves multi-unit optimisation and control. Also, as it makes use of KBC’s simulation technologies, the Dynamic Real Time Optimizer software can obtain optimal values with high accuracy even with reaction processes that demonstrate non-linear characteristics.

1. Integrated solution with improved maintainability

The performance of advanced control and optimisation systems tends to degrade over time due to changes in operating conditions, catalyst activity changes, and the aging of facilities.

Dynamic Real Time Optimizer is designed to maintain advanced control performance even as a plant changes, by using an online Petro-SIM model.

The structure of this solution makes it easy to maintain advanced control and optimisation systems, thus enabling operators to achieve optimal performance with nearly no change in maintenance workload.

^*1 A method for determining the appropriate approach within a given range of rules, using mathematical models and computers

^*2 A software suite with the following functionality:

– Multivariable model predictive control (the control of multiple variables based on predictions made using models of the dynamic characteristics of plant responses)

– Soft sensing for estimating quality in real time based on temperature, flow rate, pressure, and other process values

– Customisation of calculations

For more information, please visit:

yokogawa.com/solutions/solutions/oprex/oprex-transformation/oprex-asset-operations-and-optimization/dynamic-real-time-optimizer-rt-op

*Above image: operating window of Dynamic Real Time Optimizer, graphic credit: Yokogawa Electric Corporation