Process model construction system and process model construction method

Abstract

An objective of the present invention is to support construction of a process model for predicting a physical quantity in a process. A process model construction system for constructing a process model for predicting a physical quantity in a process comprises: a storage unit for storing a unit model, which is a mathematical model corresponding to each of a plurality of phenomena related to the process, and information about a plurality of element blocks respectively corresponding to a plurality of components constituting the process; and a calculation unit which, on the basis of information about the unit model related to the plurality of element blocks related to a target process and combination information indicating relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process, outputs a process model for predicting a physical quantity in the target process.

Description

Process model construction system and process model construction method

[0001] The present invention relates to a process model construction system and a process model construction method.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a technique for reducing the workload when constructing an initial plant model by constructing a system that automatically generates a prototype of the plant model by extracting a required model from a plant model / unit library prepared in advance. For example, there is a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-109711.

[0003] JP 2013-109711 A

[0004] The above-mentioned conventional technologies allow for the combination of individual equipment units. However, the above-mentioned conventional technologies do not assume the storage of models for each physical phenomenon as data or the combination of these models when multiple physical phenomena exist inside equipment. When building a process model with automatic plant operation in mind, it is necessary to quickly build a process model that can grasp the general shape of dynamic characteristics. While individual models for reactions, heat transfer, etc. are known, integrating these models to build a process model requires specialized knowledge and there are limitations on the number of human resources available. Therefore, there is a need for technology to support the building of process models for predicting physical quantities in processes.

[0005] To achieve the above object, one representative process model construction system of the present invention is a process model construction system for constructing a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process, comprising: a memory unit that stores unit models, which are mathematical models corresponding to each of a plurality of process-related phenomena, and information on a plurality of element blocks corresponding to each of a plurality of constituent elements that make up the process, and a calculation unit that outputs a process model for predicting physical quantities in the target process based on information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process and connection information indicating the relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process. Also, one representative process model construction method of the present invention is a process model construction method for constructing a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process, comprising the steps of: storing, in a memory unit, unit models, which are mathematical models corresponding to each of a plurality of process-related phenomena, and information on a plurality of element blocks corresponding to each of a plurality of constituent elements that make up the process, constructing a process model for predicting physical quantities in the target process based on information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process and connection information indicating the relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process, and outputting the constructed process model.

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to support the construction of a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

[0007] Explanatory diagram of process model construction in an embodiment Specific examples of screens displayed on a user terminal Configuration diagram of a process model construction system (part 1) Configuration diagram of a process model construction system (part 2) Flowchart showing processing procedures related to model construction Flowchart showing details of model construction processing Specific example of data (part 1) Specific example of data (part 2) Variant of display (part 1) Variant of display (part 2)

[0008] Representative embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings as appropriate. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the construction of a process model in an embodiment. The system disclosed in the embodiment stores mathematical model data 55 in a storage unit. The mathematical model data 55 is a mathematical model corresponding to each of a plurality of process-related phenomena. The plurality of process-related phenomena are physical and chemical phenomena that occur in the process. The physical and chemical phenomena that occur in the process include reactions, heat transfer, mass transfer, and the like. The model construction unit 43 included in the system disclosed in the embodiment constructs a model of the target process by combining unit models of phenomena that occur in the target process, using mathematical models corresponding to the phenomena as unit models.

[0009] A user operates the user terminal 20 to input the specifications of the target process and the connection state of the components. The process specifications include detailed settings for equipment, materials, and processes. The process components include components related to hard conditions. The process components can be treated as element blocks. That is, information about one component is treated as a set, and the relationships between the components are managed as the connection state of the element blocks. It is preferable that the element blocks correspond to spatial elements, which are physical components that occupy a predetermined range in real space. For example, the process material and the reactor jacket that contains the material can each be treated as element blocks, and the presence of the material in the jacket can be represented by the connection of the element blocks. Furthermore, a graphic user interface that associates icons with the element blocks, displays the icon arrangement, and accepts changes to the icon arrangement allows for simple manipulation of the relationships between the components.

[0010] 1 illustrates a jacket and a liquid phase material as spatial elements. The model construction unit 43 associates icons with the liquid phase and the jacket, and when an operation of dragging the liquid phase onto the jacket is received, the model construction unit 43 indicates that the liquid phase will enter the jacket and combines the element block of the jacket with the element block of the liquid phase.

[0011] 1, a mathematical model of a reaction and a mathematical model of heat transfer are associated with the element block of the liquid phase. Also, a mathematical model of heat transfer is associated with the element block of the jacket. If the liquid phase and the jacket are coupled, the model construction unit 43 constructs a process model assuming that heat transfer in the liquid phase and heat transfer in the jacket are the same phenomenon, i.e., heat transfer occurs between the liquid phase and the jacket.

[0012] Fig. 2 is a specific example of a screen displayed by the user terminal 20. In the example of Fig. 2, the user terminal 20 displays a process specification input field, a list of process elements, a model construction execution button, a reactor configuration diagram, and a model formula.

[0013] The process specification input field displays the process specifications entered by the user. Specific examples of process specifications will be described later. The process element list displays a list of the components of the process. This list display includes a number indicating the row in the list, the name of the spatial element, an icon of the spatial element, the name of the phenomenon, the components of the phenomenon, and a check box for the modeling target.

[0014] For example, in row number "1," the spatial element name is "liquid phase," the phenomena are "reaction" and "heat transfer," and the components are "component i" and "component m." Similarly, in row number "2," the spatial element name is "jacket," the phenomenon is "heat transfer," and the component is "none."

[0015] The check boxes for modeling targets are used by the user to specify whether or not to consider them when modeling. Checked components are incorporated into the process model. Unchecked components are not incorporated into the process model. In the list of process elements, the phenomena, components, and modeling target check boxes are the items entered by the user.

[0016] The reactor configuration diagram shows the connections between the components. The user can drag an icon from the list of process elements and drop it into a display area that shows the connections between the components. The system then accepts operations to change the relative positions of multiple icons within the display area, and the relative positions of the icons indicate the relative positions of the element blocks in real space, generating connection information that shows the relationships between the components. In other words, the user can indicate the relative positions of the element blocks in real space by manipulating the icons, and connection information is generated from the relative positions of the element blocks.

[0017] When the user terminal 20 accepts the operation of the model construction execution button, the model construction unit 43 constructs a process model. The constructed process model is displayed as a model formula. In FIG. 2, the model formulas for the concentration of component i, the concentration of component m, the liquidus temperature, and the jacket temperature are displayed. Here, the model formula for the liquidus temperature and the model formula for the jacket temperature contain the term UrcArc(Tr-Tc). By including this term in both model formulas, it is possible to express the heat transfer occurring between the liquidus and the jacket.

[0018] 3 and 4 are configuration diagrams of a process model construction system. The process model construction system includes a server 30. The server 30 is connected to a plant 10 and a user terminal 20.

[0019] The server 30 includes a model construction system 40 and a plant control system 60. The model construction system 40 includes a user collaboration unit 41, a mathematical model acquisition unit 42, a model construction unit 43, and a storage unit 50.

[0020] The storage unit 50 is, for example, a hard disk drive, and stores process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, element block connection information data 53, space element icon image data 54, mathematical model data 55, and process model data 56.

[0021] The process specification data 51 is data indicating the specifications of the process for which a model is to be constructed. The reaction specification data 52 is data indicating the specifications of various reactions that occur in the process. The element block connection information data 53 is connection information indicating the connections between element blocks. The space element icon image data 54 is image data used as an icon for a space element. The mathematical model data 55 is a mathematical model of a physical phenomenon or a chemical phenomenon, and is a unit model used to construct a process model. The process model data 56 is a process model constructed from the process specifications and connection information.

[0022] The functions of the user linking unit 41, the mathematical model acquiring unit 42, and the model constructing unit 43 are realized by, for example, a computing unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit) executing a predetermined program.

[0023] The user collaboration unit 41 communicates with the user terminal 20 to send and receive data. The user collaboration unit 41 receives process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, and element block connection information data 53 from the user terminal 20 and stores them in the storage unit 50. The user collaboration unit 41 also transmits spatial element icon image data 54 related to the process to the user terminal 20. When the target process is determined, the user collaboration unit 41 outputs the process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, and element block connection information data 53 to the mathematical model acquisition unit 42.

[0024] When generating a process model, the mathematical model acquisition unit 42 performs processing to acquire a mathematical model included in the target process. The mathematical model acquisition unit 42 receives process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, and element block connection information data 53 from the user collaboration unit 41, identifies mathematical model data 55 included in the target process, and acquires it from the storage unit 50. The mathematical model acquisition unit 42 outputs the process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, element block connection information data 53, and mathematical model data 55 to the model construction unit 43. In other words, the mathematical model acquisition unit 42 identifies information on unit models related to multiple element blocks related to the target process based on information on phenomena related to the input element blocks.

[0025] The model construction unit 43 outputs a process model for predicting physical quantities in a target process. The model construction unit 43 generates a model of the target process using process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, element block connection information data 53, and mathematical model data 55, and stores the model in the storage unit 50 as process model data 56. Specifically, the model construction unit 43 constructs a process model for each element block by adding, to a unit model corresponding to a phenomenon occurring in the element block, a term of a unit model that indicates a phenomenon that interacts between connected element blocks.

[0026] The plant control system 60 includes a simulation execution unit 61, a control input calculation unit 62, a plant cooperation unit 63, and operation data 64. The simulation execution unit 61 executes a simulation using the process model data 56 to predict a change in the state of the plant 10. The control input calculation unit 62 calculates a control input signal to be provided to the plant 10 based on the result of the simulation and the current state of the plant 10 acquired from the plant cooperation unit 63. The plant cooperation unit 63 transmits and receives data to and from the plant 10. Specifically, the plant cooperation unit 63 provides the state of the plant 10 acquired from the plant 10 to the control input calculation unit 62, and transmits the control input signal calculated by the control input calculation unit 62 to the plant 10. In addition, the control input calculation unit 62 accumulates the control input signal transmitted to the plant 10 and the control history acquired from the plant 10 in the operation data 64.

[0027] The user terminal 20 has a server collaboration unit 21, an input unit 22, and a display unit 23. The server collaboration unit 21 communicates with the server 30 to send and receive data. The server collaboration unit 21 transmits process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, and element block connection information data 53 to the server 30. The server collaboration unit 21 also receives spatial element icon image data 54 related to the process from the server 30.

[0028] The input unit 22 is a pointing device and a keyboard, etc., and the display unit 23 is a liquid crystal display, etc. The input unit 22 and the display unit 23 work together to accept input operations such as changing the position of an icon.

[0029] The input unit 22 accepts input of process specification data 51, reaction specification data 52, and element block connection information data 53. The display unit 23 displays the screen shown in Figure 2. This screen includes a process specification input unit, a process element input unit, a component connection unit, a model construction execution instruction unit, and a result display unit. The process specification input unit corresponds to the process specification input field in Figure 2. The process element input unit corresponds to the process element list in Figure 2. The component connection unit corresponds to the reactor configuration diagram in Figure 2. The model construction execution instruction unit corresponds to the model construction execution button in Figure 2. The result display unit corresponds to the model formula in Figure 2.

[0030] The plant 10 has a server linkage unit 11, a sensor 12, a control input command unit 13, a control mechanism 14, and plant equipment 15. The server linkage unit 21 transmits the state of the plant equipment 15 identified by the output of the sensor 12 to the server 30 as the state of the plant 10. The server linkage unit 21 also receives a control input signal from the server 30 and passes it to the control input command unit 13. The server linkage unit 21 also transmits a control history by the control input command unit 13 to the server 30.

[0031] The sensor 12 detects the state of the plant equipment 15. The plant equipment 15 includes any equipment such as a reactor, piping, valves, a transport mechanism, etc. The state of the plant equipment 15 includes any indicator such as temperature or flow rate.

[0032] The control input command unit 13 performs processing to provide a control input signal received from the server 30 or a control input signal operated by a plant manager to the control mechanism 14. The control mechanism 14 is a valve or the like, and controls the plant equipment 15 based on the control input signal.

[0033] 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for model construction. The model construction system 40 sequentially executes the following steps S101 to S106.

[0034] Step S101: The user collaboration unit 41 accepts input of process specifications via the user terminal 20. Then, proceed to step S102. Step S102: The user collaboration unit 41 accepts input of physical phenomena, components, and modeling target items for each spatial element via the user terminal 20. Then, proceed to step S103.

[0035] Step S103: The user linking unit 41 accepts a combining operation of the spatial element icons via the user terminal 20 and registers the combining information. Then, the process proceeds to step S104. Step S104: The model building unit 43 accepts a model building execution operation. Then, the process proceeds to step S105.

[0036] In step S105, the model construction unit 43 executes the model construction process. Then, the process proceeds to step S106. The model construction unit 43 displays the constructed process model and ends the process.

[0037] 6 is a flowchart showing the details of the model construction process. The model construction process includes the following steps S201 to S203. Here, the following variable group is used and a specific example of the model will be described: t: time C ｒ : Heat capacity of the solution C ｃ : Heat capacity of the refrigerant T ｒ : Solution temperature T ｃ : Refrigerant temperature x ｉ : Initiator concentration x ｍ : Monomer concentration U ｒｃ : Overall heat transfer coefficient between reactor and jacket A ｒｃ : Contact area between reactor and jacket H: Reaction heat coefficient Δx ｍ : Decrease in monomer c ｃ : Specific heat capacity of the refrigerant f ｃ : refrigerant flow rate T ｃｉ : Jacket inlet temperature T ａ : Rectification tower internal temperature

[0038] Step S201: The mathematical model acquisition unit 42 reads the modeling target from the process element list information. Then, the process proceeds to step S202. In FIG. 6, the liquid phase temperature and the temperature inside the jacket are the modeling targets. Step S202: The mathematical model acquisition unit 42 reads the mathematical model that defines the physical phenomenon in each spatial element. Then, the process proceeds to step S203. In FIG. 6, the liquid phase temperature and the temperature inside the jacket are as follows: Liquid phase temperature dT ｒ / dt=1 / C ｒ (HΔx ｍ ) Liquidus temperature dT ｃ / dt=1 / C ｒ (-2c ｃ f ｃ (T ｃ -T ｃｉ ))

[0039] Step S203: The model construction unit 43 adds an interaction term to the model according to the connection state of the spatial element icons, and ends the model construction process. In FIG. 6, the liquidus temperature and the temperature inside the jacket are as follows: Liquidus temperature dT ｒ / dt=1 / C ｒ (HΔx ｍ -U ｒｃ A ｒｃ (T ｒ -T ｃ )) Liquidus temperature dT ｃ / dt=1 / C ｒ (U ｒｃ A ｒｃ (T ｒ -T ｃ )-2c ｃ f ｃ (T ｃ -T ｃｉ ))

[0040] 7 and 8 are specific examples of data. Process specification data 51 associates items and descriptions with process specification data IDs. The items are a list of items used in the target process. A value can be set for the description as needed. For example, if the item is reactor volume, the volume value is set as the description. Also, if the item is a constant, the value of the constant is set. The description is not required, and may not be set depending on the item.

[0041] The reaction specification data 52 associates an item and a description with a reaction specification ID. The item is a list of items related to the reaction. A value can be set for the description as needed. For example, "components a, b" can be set as the description for the raw material item. Also, "radical polymerization reaction" can be set as the description for the reaction type item.

[0042] The element block combination information data 53 associates a combination information ID with a combination target (1), a combination target (2), and a mathematical model ID. This indicates that the combination target (1) and the combination target (2) are combined, and the mathematical model indicated by the mathematical model ID is applied.

[0043] The spatial element icon image data 54 associates image data and process specification data IDs with icon image IDs. The mathematical model data 55 associates mathematical model functions and mathematical model contents with mathematical model IDs. The process model data 56 associates process model functions with process model IDs.

[0044] Next, a modified example of the display will be described. In FIG. 9, when the term corresponding to heat transfer in the model formula of the jacket temperature is pointed to, the display mode of the heat transfer terms at both the jacket temperature and the liquid phase temperature is changed. Furthermore, in the reaction formula diagram, a display is provided that schematically shows that heat transfer is occurring between the liquid phase and the jacket. In this way, by changing the display mode of the terms indicating interactions and providing a schematic display in the diagram, it becomes easier to understand the interactions occurring in the target process.

[0045] 10, in the reaction formula diagram, the liquid phase icon and the jacket icon are displayed so that they touch when heat exchange is present, and a gap is provided between the liquid phase icon and the jacket icon when heat exchange is not present. In this way, by displaying a schematic representation of whether or not interactions between spatial elements are taken into consideration, it becomes easier to understand the assumptions on which the process model was constructed.

[0046] As described above, the system disclosed in the embodiments is a process model construction system that constructs a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process. The system includes a memory unit 50 that stores unit models, which are mathematical models corresponding to each of a plurality of process-related phenomena, and information on a plurality of element blocks corresponding to each of a plurality of constituent elements that make up the process. The system also includes a calculation unit (a user interaction unit 41, a mathematical model acquisition unit 42, and a model construction unit 43) that outputs a process model for predicting physical quantities in a target process based on information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process and connectivity information indicating the relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process. This configuration and operation can assist in the construction of a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process. Therefore, even users without specialized knowledge can construct a process model that takes into account interactions between the constituent elements.

[0047] As an example, the plurality of components constituting a process include at least components related to the hard conditions of the target process. The plurality of phenomena include physical and / or chemical phenomena occurring in the process. The physical and / or chemical phenomena include at least reactions, heat transfer, and mass transfer. With this configuration and operation, the process model construction system can easily construct a process model that takes into account the hard conditions of the process and various reactions occurring in the process.

[0048] The process model construction system further includes an input unit that accepts input of information regarding the relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process. Information on phenomena related to the element blocks is input to this input unit, and the calculation unit identifies information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process based on the input information on phenomena related to the element blocks. This configuration and operation allows a process model to be easily constructed based on input from a user. The input unit may be provided, for example, in a terminal connected to the calculation unit via a network, allowing a user to remotely input various information.

[0049] The input unit receives input of information on the arrangement of the element blocks and corresponding icons, and the calculation unit generates the connection information based on the input information on the arrangement of the icons. The element blocks correspond to components occupying a predetermined range in real space, and the connection information indicates the positional relationships of the element blocks in real space. The calculation unit constructs the process model by adding, for each of the element blocks, a term for a unit model that indicates an interacting phenomenon between connected element blocks to a unit model that corresponds to a phenomenon occurring in the element block. This configuration and operation allows a user to intuitively specify relationships between elements, and the calculation unit can easily construct a process model from the relationships between elements.

[0050] The system may further include a control input calculation unit that calculates a control input for the plant based on the process model constructed by the calculation unit and information indicating the state of the plant. With this configuration, automatic control of the plant can be achieved using the process model.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, the above-described examples have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, configurations can be replaced or added, not just deleted. In the above-described examples, a check box for the modeling target is provided for each spatial element. However, if multiple phenomena are associated with a spatial element, a check box can be provided for each phenomenon. Furthermore, the spatial elements can include any element, such as a fractionator or a catalyst.

[0052] 10: Plant, 11: Server linkage unit, 12: Sensor, 13: Control input command unit, 14: Control mechanism, 15: Plant equipment, 20: User terminal, 21: Server linkage unit, 22: Input unit, 23: Display unit, 30: Server, 40: Model construction system, 41: User linkage unit, 42: Mathematical model acquisition unit, 43: Model construction unit, 50: Storage unit, 51: Process specification data, 52: Reaction specification data, 53: Element block connection information data, 54: Space element icon image data, 55: Mathematical model data, 56: Process model data, 60: Plant control system, 61: Simulation execution unit, 62: Control input calculation unit, 63: Plant linkage unit, 64: Operation data

Claims

1. A process model construction system that constructs a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process, comprising: a memory unit that stores unit models, which are mathematical models corresponding to each of a plurality of phenomena related to the process, and information on a plurality of element blocks corresponding to each of a plurality of components that make up the process; and a calculation unit that outputs a process model for predicting physical quantities in the target process, based on information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process and connection information that indicates the relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process.

2. A process model construction system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of components constituting the process includes at least a component related to the hard conditions of the target process.

3. A process model construction system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of phenomena includes physical phenomena and / or chemical phenomena occurring in the process.

4. A process model construction system according to claim 3, wherein the physical and / or chemical phenomena include at least a reaction, a heat transfer, and a mass transfer.

5. A process model construction system according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit that receives input of information relating to the relationships between a plurality of element blocks related to the target process.

6. A process model construction system as described in claim 5, wherein the input unit receives input of information on phenomena related to the element blocks, and the calculation unit identifies information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process based on the input information on phenomena related to the element blocks.

7. A process model construction system according to claim 5, wherein the input unit receives information on the arrangement of icons corresponding to the element blocks, and the calculation unit generates the connection information based on the input information on the arrangement of the icons.

8. A process model construction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element blocks correspond to components occupying a predetermined range in real space, the connection information indicates the positional relationships of the element blocks in real space, and the calculation unit constructs the process model by adding, for each of the element blocks, a term for a unit model that indicates a phenomenon that interacts between connected element blocks to a unit model that corresponds to a phenomenon that occurs in that element block.

9. A process model construction system according to claim 1, further comprising a control input calculation unit that calculates a control input for the plant based on the process model constructed by the calculation unit and information indicating the state of the plant.

10. A process model construction method for constructing a process model for predicting physical quantities in a process, comprising the steps of: storing, in a memory unit, unit models, which are mathematical models corresponding to each of a plurality of phenomena related to the process, and information on a plurality of element blocks corresponding to each of a plurality of components that make up the process; constructing a process model for predicting physical quantities in the target process based on information on the unit models related to the plurality of element blocks related to the target process and connection information indicating the relationships between the plurality of element blocks related to the target process; and outputting the constructed process model.

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