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ProNamics Control Inc. |
"Your process and control optimization and troubleshooting professionals" |
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BC Hydro Power Smart Alliance Member June 25, 2010 Home |
ProNamics Celebrates 10 Years
In the past 10 years ProNamics has conducted hundreds of process & control optimization and troubleshooting surveys on boilers, pulp mills, paper mills, petroleum pipelines and natural gas processing plant in more than 7 countries. .
Opportunities for Output Linearization
Highly non-linear process dynamics can severely degrade loop performance. For the majority of control loops, the tuning constants are based on the process dynamics measured at one operating condition . We hope that the tuning will ‘work’ over the entire operating range. All too frequently we get sluggish response in some operating regimes and fast/oscillatory response in others. Improper valve selection is frequently a source of non-linear process dynamics , resulting in an ‘installed’ process gain that varies substantially with valve position. In these cases Output Linearization should be considered as a means of compensating for the non-linear valve response. Please click on Output Linearization to read more about this strategy and to take the quiz. Optimizing Pumping System Performance
Pumping systems are composed of pumps, pipelines, control valves and other process equipment. A program to improve pump system performance needs to consider the entire system - not just the pump. Proposed modifications to the pumping system need to be assessed according to the impact on energy consumption. process variability, control performance and maintenance costs. Please refer to our
Pump System Performance Survey information sheet for further details on ProNamics approach to this important activity.
Click on the November 08 challenge answers to view the answers to our challenge questions posted in the last update. The ProNamics ‘Stock Flow Simulator’ was used to generate the detailed results for each option under consideration. This simulator was designed to assist in pumping system optimization and considers the impact of process modifications on pumping cost, control performance and process variability. Click on the Process Simulator 2009 brochure for more information.
Improving control loop performance by retuning P I D controllers is the 'low hanging fruit' of process optimization surveys. There is minimal capital investment required, yet there is the potential for very substantial economic benefits. The retuned controller may be more capable of attenuating disturbances and keeping a key process variable on target. Alternately, implementing a tuning strategy which is based on optimizing the process objectives may move variability away from key processes. The retuned controller may reduce equipment wear and premature failure of loop elements. Whatever the case, the re-tuning effort can provide economic benefits by improving product quality and process efficiency, and reducing maintenance costs. Home |