Process Plant Control Hierarchy for Real-Time APC Limit Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing process plants face challenges in optimizing operations due to unplanned downtime, equipment failures, and suboptimal conditions, leading to increased energy consumption, waste, and lower product quality, with conventional methods struggling to effectively integrate real-time data and predictive models across multiple process units.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving a primary controller connected to secondary controllers via conjoint variables, utilizing plant-wide optimizer (PWO) and advanced process control (APC) limits, to determine optimal targets and adjust limits in real-time, enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing lost opportunities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plant-wide optimizer (PWO) and advanced process control (APC) are integrated to optimize process plant operations, then productivity and operational efficiency are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of detecting and measuring performance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the control architecture into multiple hierarchical levels: plant-wide optimizer (PWO) at the top level for overall optimization, area controllers at intermediate levels for regional coordination, and process control loops at the bottom level for specific process parameters. This segmentation allows complex optimization tasks to be distributed across manageable modules, improving productivity while controlling system complexity through structured division of functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary performance tracking system that acts as a mediator between the complex PWO/APC integration and the users. This intermediary layer captures, analyzes, and presents performance data in an understandable format, bridging the gap between complex system operations and user comprehension. It translates complex controller interactions into meaningful performance metrics without requiring users to understand the underlying system complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If real-time monitoring and limit adjustment between PWO and APC are implemented, then manufacturing precision and product quality are improved, but measurement precision and difficulty of detecting and measuring constraints increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback mechanisms where the performance tracking module monitors APC limits and PWO constraints in real-time, captures actual versus target performance data, and feeds this information back to automatically adjust limits and setpoints. This closed-loop feedback ensures manufacturing precision by continuously comparing actual process parameters against optimized targets and making real-time corrections to maintain product quality while accurately detecting constraint boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and setting optimal APC limits and PWO constraints based on historical data, process models, and predicted operating conditions before actual production occurs. The system proactively adjusts limits in anticipation of changing conditions, ensuring manufacturing precision is maintained without requiring complex real-time measurement of every constraint. This predictive approach simplifies constraint detection by establishing limits in advance based on thorough analysis.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple controllers and conjoint variables are integrated across process units, then adaptability and operational flexibility are improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a standardized performance tracking and limit management system that can be applied across all process units, controllers, and control levels uniformly. The same architectural framework, data structures, and optimization algorithms are used whether controlling a single process variable or coordinating multiple controllers across different process units. This universal approach enables operational flexibility through consistent multi-functional capability while simplifying ease of operation by eliminating the need to learn and manage different systems for different functions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method of enhancing an operation of a process plant. The method comprises configuring a primary controller to be connected to one or more secondary controllers via conjoint variables and sending at least one optimization call to the one or more secondary controllers, where the conjoint variables in the primary controller has a PWO limit and conjoint variables in the one or more secondary controllers has an advanced process control (APC) limit. A proxy limit is received from the one or more secondary controllers in response to the at least one optimization call and the APC limit and received proxy limit is analysed to determine an optimal target. The optimal target is sent to the one or more secondary controllers, which are instructed to adjust the APC limit to the optimal target.