Cloud-Mediated Plant Control Using External Data Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant simulation technologies rely solely on internal data for setting values, which may not be appropriate due to external factors like environmental conditions, demand, and material price changes, leading to suboptimal plant operation.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based system that acquires both internal and external information to determine and transmit setting values and conditions for optimal plant operation, considering factors both within and outside the plant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If setting values are determined using only internal plant data, then the system complexity is reduced, but the appropriateness and optimality of setting values deteriorate due to ignoring external factors
Solution Approach 1:
A cloud server acts as an intermediary between the plant's internal control system and external information sources. The cloud server collects internal plant data, integrates it with external information (environmental conditions, demand, material prices), and provides optimized setting values to the plant, thereby resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and decision accuracy
2Reliability
If setting values are determined considering external factors, then the appropriateness of setting values is improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional data acquisition and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud server serves as a mediator that handles the complexity of collecting, integrating, and analyzing both internal plant data and external information sources. This allows the plant to benefit from comprehensive data-driven setting values without bearing the complexity burden, as the cloud infrastructure absorbs the processing complexity
3Speed
If setting values are reflected immediately in plant operation, then the responsiveness is improved, but the appropriateness deteriorates when external conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where the cloud server monitors both internal plant data and external information sources in real-time. When external conditions change (environmental factors, demand shifts, material price changes), the system automatically detects these changes and updates setting values accordingly, ensuring both responsiveness and appropriateness through ongoing adaptation
Data Source
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AI summary
A CI server 10 includes an acquisition unit that acquires first information from a plant 5 and acquires second information from a source other than the plant 5, a determination unit that determines a setting value of the plant 5 and a first condition for reflecting the setting value in the plant 5 based on the first information and the second information, and a transmission unit that transmits the setting value and the first condition to the plant 5. The plant 5 operates based on the setting value and the first condition.