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Dynamic Production
Control Simulation
 VisSim/DPCS
is a Windows-based software program that allows process control engineers
and plant managers/foremen to easily monitor current plant conditions
and perform predictive, what-if, dynamic process simulations. VisSim/DPCS
can also be used for monitoring and managing plant/in-process inventories
from a production control perspective and for planning maintenance
operations on plant components (e.g. what is the impact on overall
production when I shut down a plant component?). The simulations will
predict potential trouble spots, such as storage tank levels being
too high/low, and generate predictive alarms for user-defined process
parameters. Users can then implement corrective production control
procedures to eliminate the problem(s) before they occur.
VisSim/DPCS can be used to simulate any process plant/mill operation
that involves unit operations, storage elements, process delays and
logic.
Why Do I Need It?
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Using VisSim/DPCS to simulate your process will significantly improve
your production control planning by predicting inventory problems
before they occur. The simulation will identify potential downtime
due to storage levels, inventory mix, production rates or other
user-defined process parameters and automatically produce a predictive
alarm (typically a few hours to a few days before the predicted
event). The foreman/process engineer can then take corrective actions
before being forced to make unplanned shutdowns or creating problems
for other production units. Using VisSim/DPCS to help manage your
production control process will reduce the number of unplanned shutdowns
and decrease the number of production rate changes. The results
– better utilization of plant capacity, higher quality and
improved yield.
How Does It Work?
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The first step is to model the process. In order to simplify the
process modeling task, templates/blocks, are provided for storage
elements and process delays. A VisSim logic block makes it easy
to define the process logic. Consulting services are available from
Visual Solutions, if required, for cooperative model development.
After the model is developed, it’s easy to access real-time
plant data (the start point for the simulation) by using the VisSim/RT-PDI
(real-time plant data interface) which reads and writes tag information
from/to your data historian (e.g. PI from OSI Software), SCADA program
(e.g. Fix DYNAMICS from Intellution) or your DCS (e.g. Foxboro IA,
Honeywell TPS ).
Once the model is operational, a simple control panel is the primary
interface (please refer to the control panel example on page 1).
You can run the simulation for any defined time period (hour/shift/days/weeks)
and it will automatically produce predictive alarms whenever an
alarm condition occurs (e.g. storage tank level too low). The foreman
can then review the alarm condition, change production rates or
inventory mixes, re-run the simulation and repeat the process until
no alarm conditions occur. Alternatively, the simulation can be
set to run at specified intervals (e.g. every hour) using actual,
real-time plant data as the inputs. Sliders or knobs on the control
panel enable users to dynamically change parameters such as storage
tank minimums/maximums, production rates or inventory mix and immediately
view the effects of the change(s).
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Benefits
- Fewer unplanned shutdowns
result in:
– Better utilization of plant capacity
– Increased production
– Less waste & lower energy consumption
- Fewer production rate changes result in higher quality
and improved yield.
- Improved inventory management /utilization
- Better understanding of the plant process dynamics in
general
- Better understanding of the impact of changes to one production
unit on another production unit
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Applications
- Pulp & Paper
- Oil & Gas
- Chemical
- Pharmaceutical
- Food & Beverage
- Power
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