Tool Chain to Extract and Contextualize Process Data for AI Applications

Summarizing a key use case of a research workstream of the German publicly funded KEEN project, methods and tool chains are demonstrated to extract and to contextualize process data in an automated way based on engineering information. The contextualized process data serves as a high-quality data source for machine learning methods. The article covers the applied basic methodical approaches, design decisions and the results of a successful pilot installation of the developed tool chain.     

Graph Learning in Machine-Readable Plant Topology Data

Digitalization shows that data and its exchange are indispensable for a versatile and sustainable process industry. There must be a shift from a document-oriented to a data-oriented process industry. Standards for the harmonization of data structures play an essential role in this change. In engineering, DEXPI (Data Exchange in the Process Industry) is already a well-developed, machine-readable data standard for describing piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID). In this publication, industry, software vendors, and research institutions have joined forces to demonstrate the current developments and potentials of machine-readable P&IDs in the DEXPI format combined with artificial intelligence. The aim is to use graph neural networks to learn patterns in machine-readable P&ID data, which results in the efficient engineering and development of new P&IDs.     

Towards further internal heat integration in design of reactive distillation columns—Part III: Application to a MTBE reactive distillation column

According to the principle introduced in the first two papers of this series, seeking further internal heat integration between reaction operation and separation operation during the synthesis, design, and operation of a reactive distillation column synthesizing methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from methanol and isobutylene is investigated. Although the MTBE reactive distillation column is characterized by complicated thermodynamic properties and multiple steady states, a substantial reduction of energy requirement and capital investment can still be achieved with the consideration of further internal heat integration between the reaction operation and the separation operation in the two existing steady states. Dynamics and operation of the resultant process designs are then examined in terms of static and dynamic analysis and sharp improvement in process dynamics and controllability is clearly identified through intensive comparison against the simple process design without the consideration of further internal heat integration between the reaction operation and the separation operation involved. It is demonstrated that the more synergistic relationship evolved during the reinforcement of internal heat integration should account for the dramatic improvement in process dynamics and controllability.     

数据校正技术在流程工业企业物料平衡中的应用

介绍数据校正技术的基本原理,并以某石化企业为背景,分析数据校正系统的总体结构和功能模块。经校正的物流平衡数据可支持MES层中的多项应用,达到了很好的应用效果。     

ENPRO Data Integration: Extending DEXPI Towards the Asset Lifecycle

Chemical plants are engineered to yield high output, while also complying to regulations. In initial R&D phases, experts gather large amounts of information to ensure an optimal design. Here, the influence of the optimization of the process on planning and operation of the plant is important. However, during operation of the facility, little of the information required for R&D work is available in electronic and interoperable form. It is described how this challenge can be overcome by a systematic data integration approach using international standards, centered around the DEXPI working group.     

Towards further internal heat integration in design of reactive distillation columns—Part IV: Application to a high-purity ethylene glycol reactive distillation column

In the first three papers of this series, it has been shown that strengthening internal heat integration within a reactive distillation column involving reactions with high thermal effect is really effective for the reduction of utility consumption and capital investment besides the improvement in process dynamics and operation. One important issue that remains unstudied so far is the influences of reaction selectivity upon the reinforcement of internal heat integration, since the reaction operation is often accompanied by side-reactions and the maintenance of a high selectivity is extremely necessary in process synthesis and design. A reactive distillation column synthesizing high-purity ethylene glycol through the hydration of ethylene oxide is chosen and studied in this work. Because of the unfavorable physicochemical properties of the reacting mixture separated (e.g., the fairly large volatility between the reactants and the existence of a consecutive side-reaction), the process represents a challenging problem for the reinforcement of internal heat integration. Intensive comparison is conducted between the process designs with and without the consideration of further internal heat integration between the reaction operation and the separation operation involved, and it has been found that seeking further internal heat integration still leads to a substantial reduction of energy requirement, in addition to a further abatement in capital investment. Moreover, a favorable effect is again observed upon the process dynamics and operability. These striking outcomes manifest evidently that seeking further internal heat integration should be considered in process synthesis and design irrespective of what a reaction selectivity has been assigned.     

人工智能在陶瓷工业中的应用探讨

通过对人工智能在陶瓷工业配方设计、窑炉工况监控、图案设计、专家咨询等方面的应用实例的简单介绍,阐述了人工智能技术的概念与意义,并指出其在陶瓷工业中的广阔应用前景。     

Principles and Design Strategies for Ultra-efficient Production Systems in the Process Industry

A sustainable design of production systems, both within and beyond company boundaries, is essential for the future viability of the process industry. In this context, the concept of ultra-efficiency has recently been developed, aiming at achieving holistic improvements in the fields of action energy and material efficiency, emission reduction, organization, human and staff, with the goal of establishing a positive impact factory. In this paper, the concept developed mainly for the discrete manufacturing industry is transferred to the process industry. It is put into the scientific sub context and elementary approaches, methods and strategies for factory planning and design of production processes in the process industry are summarized.     

并行工程在化工中的应用研究

分析化学工业及其过程设计的特点,提出通过运用在离散制造业中得到成功应用的并行工程理论和方法,进行化工过程的开发和设计,可以缩短开发设计时间、改进开发设计质量、降低开发设计成本。说明并行工程在化学工业中的研究内容及方法。     

Artificial Intelligence-based Module Type Package-compatible Smart Sensors in the Process Industry

Image analysis presents a set of powerful methods to receive additional information about multiphase processes. It enables the development of advanced applications for process monitoring and optimization or, so-called, soft sensors. However, the integration of advanced smart sensor systems based on image analysis into the process control system presents a complex task. To address this challenge, a modular automation concept offers a standardized interface to integrate modules. This paper presents an integration profile as a service specification that allows a plug-and-measure integration of smart visual sensors into modular plants. To verify the concept, we applied it to three different use cases. At the end, we discuss open challenges in the integration of complex analysis systems with multidimensional data streams into modular plants.     

CIMS在流程工业中的应用

介绍了流程工业中CIMS发展的历史、现状，以及流程工业与离散加工工业的异同。讨论了流程工业中MES（Manufacturing Execution System)作用、功能，给出了当前CIM用于流程工业的一些技术，并集中探讨在线优化、专家系统，指出了流程工业企业应有选择、有步骤地逐渐实现CIMS。     

Incorporation of Mass and Energy Integration in the Optimal Bioethanol Separation Process

A techno‐economic analysis for the separation process in bioethanol production is presented. Optimized azeotropic separation processes in conjunction with process integration (mass and energy) are considered to simultaneously enhance the results from economic and environmental points of view. Process integration improves significantly the separation process because it helps to reduce the overall energy required in the reboilers based on energy integration and additionally to diminish the amount of required solvent based on mass integration. The SYNHEAT optimization model was applied for energy integration whereas a direct recycle strategy was implemented for the mass integration process. The best separation processes obtained correspond to an integrated conventional separation sequence with energy integration to ethanol‐water mixture III and integrated optional separation sequences with energy integration to ethanol‐water mixture III, with significant savings in utility costs and possible recycling of nearly all solvent.     

Supply chain planning and scheduling integration using Lagrangian decomposition in a knowledge management environment

The integration of planning and scheduling decisions in rigorous mathematical models usually results in large scale problems. In order to tackle the problem complexity, decomposition techniques based on duality and information flows between a master and a set of subproblems are widely applied. In this sense, ontologies improve information sharing and communication in enterprises and can even represent holistic mathematical models facilitating the use of analytic tools and providing higher flexibility for model building. In this work, we exploit this ontologies’ capability to address the optimal integration of planning and scheduling using a Lagrangian decomposition approach. Scheduling/planning sub-problems are created for each facility/supply chain entity and their dual solution information is shared by means of the ontological framework. Two case studies based on a STN representation of supply chain planning and scheduling models are presented to emphasize the advantages and limitations of the proposed approach.     

化学镀工艺在电子工业中的应用现状

综述了化学镀镍、镀铜、镀锡、镀钴工艺和镀贵金属工艺在电子工业中的应用现状。除电子器件和设备的表面防护和表面金属化均借助化学镀工艺实现外,化学镀在提高电子产品和印制板的性能,包括导电性、导磁性及可焊性等方面均起到不可替代的作用。电子器件和设备趋向微型化与集成化发展,化学镀工艺所发挥的作用愈发凸显,复合化学镀和制备特殊性能的多元化学镀将成为发展趋势。     

ANN Analysis of a Roller Compaction Process in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Dry granulation via a roller compactor was simulated based on the artificial neural network (ANN) methodology. Two process parameters, including roll force and screw speed, were considered as input of the simulation whereas ribbon density was considered as output. Experimental work was carried out using an industrial‐scale roller compactor. The results showed an excellent agreement between simulation and experiments. The findings were compared as well with the results obtained in a previous study employing the Johanson model, which is the predominant model for the simulation of a roller compaction process. The overall deviation observed for the developed ANN model was found to be significantly improved in comparison with the deviation obtained for the Johanson model. The results demonstrated a very good capability and robustness of the developed ANN model in design and optimization of the roller compaction process.     

Energy Efficiency Hierarchy Evaluation Based on Data Envelopment Analysis and its Application in a Petrochemical Process

A novel energy evaluation framework of petrochemical industrial processes based on a data envelopment analysis (DEA)‐integrated analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model is proposed. An improved AHP method is brought up based on the differences of data themselves to build fusion matrices among energy consumption data. Then the fractional DEA model is solved by the linear programming method. The integrating evaluation method can overcome the usual shortcomings of the DEA model and is also able to reflect the effectiveness of decision‐making units among different levels. A small number of such units are analyzed using the DEA model, and a multilevel integration of DEA efficiency values is disposed by the improved AHP method. The approach is firstly applied to the energy efficiency analysis of the ethylene production process in petrochemistry to improve energy consumption and efficiency.     

Systematic retrofit design with Response Surface Method and process integration techniques: A case study for the retrofit of a hydrocarbon fractionation plant

This paper demonstrates the Retrofit Design Approach (RDA) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for the retrofit of industrial plants in which assessment of design options for improving existing processes in a site-wide and integrated manner is not straightforward, due to complex design interactions in the process. The design methodology applied in this study is based on the systematic use of a process simulator which is used to identify promising variables through sensitivity analysis. Hence, the most important factors are determined and a reduced model is constructed based on RSM. An optimization framework is then built using the reduced model based on key selected variables, which is optimized to find optimal conditions and performance of the process. This design methodology provides strategic guidelines for determining the most cost-effective design options. The retrofit of a hydrocarbon fractionation plant is presented as an industrial case study. This includes a large number of design options with different process configurations and operating conditions due to the interconnection of distillation columns in sequence and the integrated heat recovery within the plant. The case study results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach which is able to effectively deal with a large retrofit problems. This is possible with the aid of process simulation and RSM producing a reduced model which requires considerably less computational effort to solve.     

Towards further internal heat integration in design of reactive distillation columns—part I: The design principle

The thermodynamic efficiency of a reactive distillation column involving reactions with a highly thermal effect could sometimes be improved substantially through seeking further internal heat integration between the reaction operation and separation operation. Prudent arrangement of the reactive section and deliberate determination of feed location are the two effective methods that can complement internal heat integration within a reactive distillation column. The reactive section is suggested to properly superimpose onto both the stripping section for exothermic reactions and the rectifying section for endothermic reactions. Feed location should be determined so that the effect of internal heat integration can be maximized between the reaction and separation operations. Two reactive distillation systems, involving a highly exothermic reaction and a highly endothermic one, are employed to evaluate the proposed design philosophy and the results obtained confirm its feasibility and effectiveness. In addition, sensitivity analysis is conducted with respect to the amount of catalyst employed, relative volatilities of reacting mixtures, and thermal condition of feeds. The applicability and potentials of the design principle proposed are highlighted.