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Achieving Profit and Efficiency with On-Line Optimization

When process plant is being designed there is a once off optimization opportunity. The size of the plant and its process efficiency can be balanced against the capital cost to give the best return on the investment. When the plant is in operation production planning ensures that the demand for product is met at minimum cost utilizing the most efficient production units, the lowest cost feedstocks and exploiting any synergy which may exist between energy and products. Once you have optimized the design and planned the production what need is there for an on-line optimizer? The reality is that process plants are complex and continuously changing. Planning models are usually run monthly and are characterized by having a company wide scope using simple plant models. On-line optimization exploits plant characteristics and changes which are not included in the planning models. Profitability can be maximized, by continuously balancing the financial contribution from extra production against the cost of energy and materials used, subject to the physical constraints of the plant. On-line optimizers are characterized by detailed models with a plant wide rather than company wide scope. When plant conditions change on-line optimizers can automatically adjust setpoints to maintain maximum profitability. This paper examines several examples of on-line optimization, ranging from single units such as reactors and distillation columns through to complex systems such as Oil Field Management Systems, Power & Utilities and Ethylene Crackers. The discussion focuses upon how the benefits are generated and quantified in each case. Optimization