Facility Emission Control via Asset Set Point Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing process control systems in facilities do not integrate emission management, leading to excessive emissions that violate regulatory limits, resulting in compliance issues, penalties, and negative environmental and health impacts.
Innovation Solution
A method that integrates emission management with process control systems by identifying set points for assets, determining associated emission levels, correlating these levels, and taking corrective actions when thresholds are exceeded, using an IoT platform for real-time data analysis and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If process control systems operate assets based on throughput set points, then productivity is improved, but emission levels exceed regulatory limits
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors emission levels from multiple assets and feeds this information back to the process control system. When emission thresholds are exceeded, the system automatically adjusts asset set points to reduce emissions while maintaining acceptable throughput levels, creating a closed-loop control system that balances productivity and environmental compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operating parameters (set points) of assets based on real-time emission data. When emissions exceed regulatory limits, the control system modifies parameters such as production rates, temperature, or pressure of specific assets to reduce emission levels while attempting to maintain overall facility throughput within acceptable ranges.
2Productivity
If process control systems focus on throughput optimization, then productivity increases, but compliance with emission regulations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates real-time emission monitoring with automatic feedback to the control system. When emission levels indicate potential non-compliance, the system responds by adjusting asset operations to bring emissions back within regulatory limits, ensuring continuous compliance while minimizing impact on throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively monitors emission trends and takes corrective action before regulatory violations occur. By detecting when emission levels are approaching threshold limits, the system adjusts asset set points in advance to prevent non-compliance, rather than reacting after violations have occurred.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If emission management is integrated with process control, then environmental sustainability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a unified control platform that handles both traditional throughput optimization and emission management functions. The same control system that manages production also monitors and controls emissions, eliminating the need for separate dedicated emission control systems and reducing overall system complexity despite the added functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines emission monitoring and control functions with existing process control systems into a single integrated platform. By merging these functions rather than operating separate systems, the patent reduces communication overhead, simplifies data management, and creates a more cohesive control architecture that manages both productivity and emissions through unified asset set point adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods for managing emissions in a facility. In this regard, a set point at which each asset of a plurality of assets is operating in the facility is determined. An emission level associated with each asset of the plurality of assets is determined as well. The emission level associated with each of the plurality of assets is correlated to determine if the correlated emission level exceeds a predefined threshold. If the correlated emission level exceeds the predefined threshold, one or more corrective actions for at least one asset is identified. Also, the one or more corrective actions are rendered on a display. An input is received from an operator that corresponds to a selection of one of a corrective action. Based on the corrective action, the at least one asset is operated at a first set point different from the set point.