Modular Chemical Production Plant with Autonomous Process Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
The construction and dismantling of production plants for chemical and pharmaceutical products is time-consuming and expensive, necessitating a solution to reduce the effort involved in producing various products.
Innovation Solution
A modular production plant with interconnected process modules and a communication network, allowing for automatic information exchange and independent operation, enabling easy transport and reuse of process modules with standardized couplings and supply networks for autonomous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a production plant is customized for a specific chemical or pharmaceutical product, then the production process can be optimized for that product, but the plant must be dismantled and rebuilt for different products, which is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The production plant is divided into modular process modules that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each module performs a specific process step and can be reconfigured for different products without dismantling the entire plant, thus maintaining production optimization while reducing setup time
Solution Approach 2:
The plant configuration is made dynamic and reconfigurable through standardized couplings and interfaces between modules. This allows the production line to be quickly adapted for different products by rearranging modules rather than complete dismantling, balancing customization needs with setup efficiency
2Ease of operation
If process modules are designed for independent operation, then each module can be controlled autonomously, but communication and coordination between modules become complex
Solution Approach 1:
A universal communication protocol and standardized interfaces are implemented across all modules, enabling autonomous operation while simplifying inter-module communication. The standardized coupling allows modules to automatically negotiate and coordinate, reducing communication complexity despite independent operation capabilities
3Adaptability or versatility
If process modules are made transportable for reuse at different locations, then resource utilization improves, but the structural design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The plant is segmented into self-contained transportable modules with integrated housings that encapsulate process equipment, controls, and utilities. This segmentation enables easy transport and relocation while the standardized housing design minimizes structural complexity despite the versatility requirement
Solution Approach 2:
Universal standardized couplings and interfaces are designed for all modules, allowing the same coupling structure to serve multiple functions: mechanical connection, electrical connection, and data communication. This universality enables module reuse at different locations without increasing structural complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a production installation (1) for the production of a chemical and/or pharmaceutical product. In order to provide a novel installation concept that can be used to significantly reduce the involvement associated with the production of various chemical and/or pharmaceutical products in comparison with the conventional approach, the invention proposes that the production installation (1) has at least two process modules (P1,..., Pn) that can be connected to one another for production engineering purposes and a communication network (2), wherein each process module (P1,..., Pn) has an electronic device (5), particularly a control and/or regulatory device, by means of which the respective process module (P1,..., Pn) can be connected to the communication network (2) for communications engineering purposes and that is set up to control and/or regulate the respective process module (P1,..., Pn ) to independently carry out a particular process section of the production, wherein the electronic devices (5) are set up such that process modules (P1,..., Pn) connected to the communication network (2) for communications engineering purposes can automatically communicate with one another such that at least one process module (P1,..., Pn) automatically requests information from at least one further process module (P1,..., Pn), wherein the requestable information comprises at least information in the form of given and/or expected process parameters for the process section carried out or needing to be carried out by the process module (P1,..., Pn) that provides this information, wherein each electronic device (5) of a process module (P1,..., Pn) is set up to use the information obtained from a further process module (P1,..., Pn) to control and/or regulate the process module (P1,..., Pn) associated with said electronic device.