Influence of Design Margin on Operation Optimization and Control Performance of Chemical Processes

• Published in: Chinese journal of chemical engineering 2014, Vol.22 (1), p.51-58
• Main Author: 许锋 蒋慧蓉 王锐 罗雄麟
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bottleneck; Chemical engineering; control performance; Design engineering; design margin; Disturbances; Dynamic tests; Dynamics; Economics; Fluctuation; fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU); operation optimization; Optimization; 化工过程; 控制性能; 操作优化; 流化催化裂化装置; 稳态优化; 经济利益; 设计余量; 设计变量
• ISSN: 1004-9541; 2210-321X
• DOI: 10.1016/S1004-9541(14)60010-0

Operation optimization is an effective method to explore potential economic benefits for existing plants. The m.aximum potential benefit from operationoptimization is determined by the distances between current operating point and process constraints, which is related to the margins of design variables. Because of various ciisturbances in chemical processes, some distances must be reserved for fluctuations of process variables and the optimum operating point is not on some process constraints. Thus the benefit of steady-state optimization can not be fully achied（ed while that of dynamic optimization can be really achieved. In this study, the steady-state optimizationand dynamic optimization are used, and the potential benefit-is divided into achievable benefit for profit and unachievable benefit for control. The fluid catalytic cracking unit （FCCU） is used for case study. With the analysis on how the margins of design variables influence the economic benefit and control performance, the bottlenecks of process design are found and appropriate control structure can be selected.