Technological Information Infrastructure for Batch Process Operation Management.

This paper presents a systematic study on the homogeneously catalyzed reactive distillation (RD) process operated in both batch and continuous mode for the synthesis of ethyl acetate. In the first part, the fundamental model has been developed incorporating the reaction term within the model structure of the nonreactive distillation process. In case of batch rectifier, the process operation is simulated at the startup phase under total reflux condition for reaching the steady state. The open-loop process dynamics are also examined running the batch process at production phase under partial reflux condition.The concerned batch rectifier has the ability to provide high purity product. On the other hand, the continuous RD column exampled at the beginning of the second part produces relatively low quality product. In the present study, an attempt has been made to configure a feasible continuous column with improved product quality. In order to propose a RD setup, several simulation experiments have been performed for sensitivity analysis. An interesting phenomenon, the input multiplicity, is observed for both the batch as well as continuous column.

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Dynamic and Statistical Operability of an Experimental Batch Process

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9030441 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 441

Author(s):

Willy R. de Araujo ◽

Fernando V. Lima ◽

Heleno Bispo

Keyword(s):

Continuous Process ◽

Batch Process ◽

Information Management System ◽

Batch Processes ◽

Primary Data ◽

Time Step ◽

Worst Case ◽

Fully Integrated ◽

Analysis Process ◽

Process Operation

The operability approach has been traditionally applied to measure the ability of a continuous process to achieve desired specifications, given physical or design restrictions and considering expected disturbances at steady state. This paper introduces a novel dynamic operability analysis for batch processes based on classical operability concepts. In this analysis, all sets and statistical region delimitations are quantified using mathematical operations involving polytopes at every time step. A statistical operability analysis centered on multivariate correlations is employed for the first time to evaluate desired output sets during transition that serve as references to be followed to achieve the final process specifications. A dynamic design space for a batch process is, thus, generated through this analysis process and can be used in practice to guide process operation. A probabilistic expected disturbance set is also introduced, whereby the disturbances are described by pseudorandom variables and disturbance scenarios other than worst-case scenarios are considered, as is done in traditional operability methods. A case study corresponding to a pilot batch unit is used to illustrate the developed methods and to build a process digital twin to generate large datasets by running an automated digital experimentation strategy. As the primary data source of the analysis is built in a time-series database, the developed framework can be fully integrated into a plant information management system (PIMS) and an Industry 4.0 infrastructure.

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