"Overall,
we have been able to achieve a very fast project payback
on our APC projects with the GMAXC controller because of
low initial investment and the ability to install and maintain
these controllers with in-house staff."
"We
believe that GMAXC offered a very competitive license price
while still providing all the features of MVPC control"
We offer advanced process control solutions
for chemical, petrochemical and refining
process units.
In choosing advanced process control techniques,
there is a wide variety of available
control methods
and software packages - PID, feedforward,
cascade, deadtime compensation, model based
control, constraint control, optimal control,
adaptive control, etc. We make a judicious
choice and match the controller cost and
technology level with the process control
requirements. The issues of in-house technical
resources available for implementing and
maintaining the APC application are also
considered to ensure the longevity and high
service factor of the applications.
In designing and implementing advanced
control applications, we consider the following
control objectives:
Maintain operations within safe limits
(constraints)
Maintain product qualities within specifications
Maximize yield of more valuable products
Maximize throughput
Minimize energy consumption
Stabilize operations
Assist operators
Monitor performance
Some of our
recent APC/MVPC applications are:
LPG – The GMAXC multivariable
predictive controller was implemented on
a cryogenic
LPG plant in Assam, India.
The software, resident on the ABB Advant
IMS downloaded new setpoints to the MOD
300 system. Client reported performance
audit shows the application exceeded the guaranteed
improvement in feed rate increase.
Air Separation Plants:
Several implementations of the GMAXC multivariable
predictive controller have been completed
on Air Separation Units. These projects
have been completed in relatively short
time periods of 4 to 8 weeks compared with
industry averages of over 4 months. Based
on a PC Windows system, these applications
use an OPC/DDE interface for interfacing with
the DCS. Client reported improvements have
been seen in product recoveries and product
quality control to result in a payback period
of as low as 1 to 2 months.
Terephthalic Acid:GMAXC
based MVPC control of TA/PTA process Oxidation
Reactors. produced immediate benefits of
feed increase, reduced acetic acid consumption
and product quality control. GMAXC’s
simplified dynamic modeling, and its
fill-in-the-blanks type OPC/DDE interface led to early completion
of projects
Delayed Coker - Intelligent Control
(Details):
A Delayed Coker was controlled in its Normal,
Drum Warmup, Drum Switch and Steam Out modes
using the Intelligent Controller, I-GMAXC.
The Controller automatically reformulates
online the technology mix between MVPC,
heuristics and nonlinear controls, such
that each mode of this multi-mode process
is controlled optimally. Neural Network
models were integrated with I-GMAXC to control
the drum outage and product properties tightly
at their targets.
Maintain operations within safe limits
(constraints) 