Plant Management
In addition, ad-hoc tools linked to plant historians can be a headache for IT to support. Spreadsheets are often inconsistently applied and difficult to keep up to date when the process or historian changes, or when their owner moves jobs. Plus, they may not be well suited to following through on problems once identified. Although the historian itself captures a wealth of vital data, plant optimisation efforts will struggle without feedback from operations to put information on process limits, excursions, upsets, etc, in proper context.
Industry applications Operations monitoring has evolved into an ongoing process employing advanced applications to proactively leverage fewer experts – using better technology – to focus on overall performance, often with the help of external vendors and partners. Today’s virtual environment allows the enterprise to monitor each plant in real time to achieve continuous learning and sustained improvement. In a typical process plant, operations monitoring can be used to monitor measured and calculated process tags against operating, safety and corrosion limits, as well as other indications of reliability. Such engineering limits typically don’t change often and may have safety, environmental or maintenance implications if they are violated.
Another common use for operations monitoring is to evaluate process data and KPIs against planning limits. Planners frequently adjust operating ranges when production strategies, product grades, or feeds change in a process unit. These limits usually change frequently and can have economic implications. Violating planning limits can mean reduced product quality, the wrong production rate, missed shipments to customers, etc. Operations monitoring helps
automate tracking actual process performance every shift. Many plants benefit from improving how routine issues are handled, before they grow into problems. For example:
“Plant owners and operators are under continual pressure to optimise their facilities and processes.”
Chris Stearns Honeywell Process Solutions
n A de-salter in a crude unit is designed to operate at up to 350°, but the corrosion rate increases noticeably when operated above 300°. Systematically tracking excursions above 300° and fixing the root causes of the deviations will extend the life of the equipment. n A reboiler gradually fouls, reducing heat transfer and eventually limiting production. An anti-foulant is available but expensive, and the ideal injection rate is poorly understood. Monitoring the energy efficiency can help determine when an operator should look at the injection rate.
For more information ✔ at
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