石化行业的先进控制、优化、信息技术

AdvancedProcessControl,OptimizationandInformationTechnologyintheHydrocarbonProcessingIndustries—ThePast,PresentandFutureByGeorgeS.Birchfield,BirchfieldConsulting,LLCFOREWORDIwritethisperspective,notasapractitioner,butfromthepointofviewofabusinessresearcherwhohastriedtobenchmarkprogress,levelsofapplication,criticalsuccessfactorsandtheimpactonbusinessprofitability.Perspectiveswilldifferbycompany,bydisciplineandbyindividual.Bynomeans,doIclaimtohavetheabsolutelycorrectperspective.HoweverIwouldliketosharemyperspectiveinthehopeoflearningmorefromotherpointsofview.Ahistoricalperspectivedoesheightenrespectforthetruepractitionersandtheirongoingsagatomasterarapidlyadvancingtechnologicalwavefortheeconomicbenefitoftheircompaniesandallstakeholders.TheEarlyYearsInstrumentationImprovesComputerControlSpreadsTheMicroprocessorEraAdvancesinthe1980’sand1990’sOn-streamAnalyzersWhatis“Advanced”ControlNow?OptimizationEvolutionofInformationSystemsTheRiseofERPOutsourcingConvergenceofTechnologiesSustainableCompetitiveAdvantageTheFutureManagingKnowledgeWhattodoAboutAspenTech2234566691112121313141516Copyright©2002.ApenTechandtheaspenleaflogoaretrademarksorregisteredtrademarksofAspenTechnology,Inc.,Cambridge,MassachusettsUSA.Allrightsreserved.Allothermarksaretrademarksoftheirrespectiveowners.TABLEOFCONTENTSHeadquarters[worldwideweb]www.aspentech.comworldwideheadquartersAspenTechnology,Inc.TenCanalParkCambridge,MA02141-2201USA[phone][phone][fax][phone][e-mail][e-mail]hnology,Inc.1293EldridgeParkwayHouston,TX77077USA[phone][phone][fax][phone][e-mail][e-mail]/middleeast/africaheadquartersAspenTechEuropeSA/NVAvenueReineAstrid921310LaHulpeBELGIUM[phone][phone][fax][phone][e-mail][e-mail]32,8thfloorBankofAmericaTower12HarcourtRoadCentralHONGKONG[phone][phone][fax][phone][e-mail][e-mail]nTechJapanCo.,Ltd.KojimachiShimuraBldg.1-5,Kojimachi4-chome,Chiyoda-kuTokyo102-0083JAPAN[phone][phone][fax][phone][e-mail][e-mail]©Copyright2002AspenTechnology,Inc.APRIL20022AdvancedProcessControl,OptimizationandInformationTechnologyThehistoryofautomationinthehydrocarbonprocessingindustrycombinestheexperiencesofmany.Processoperatorssawthecomputerasasourceofbetterinformationandoperationaladvice.Instrumentengineerssawthepotentialforbettercontrolloopperformance.Processengineersrealizedthatthecomputermightbeabletodealwiththecomplexitiesofeconomicoptimizationandconcurrentlypushagainstmultipleconstraints.Astheknowledgeandapplicationsexpanded,specialistsemerged.Processcontrolapplicationengineersfocusedonmoresophisticatedalgorithms,simulationmodelsandsoftwareapplicationpackages.Systemshardwareengineersconcentratedonthecomputers,operatingsystems,andinterconnectednetworks.Allthewhile,mathematiciansthroughoutacademia,militaryandaerospace,computervendors,andthehydrocarbonprocessingindustriesmadesteadyprogressinresolvingtheenormousmathematicalcomplexities.Whilealmosteverythinghaschangeddramatically,oneconstantlessonneverchanges.Thatlessonisthatsuccessfulapplicationandsustainableon-goingperformanceimprovementdependsonateameffortofthepeoplewithallthecriticalskillsandknowledge.Truecollaborationmuststartattheverybeginningandlastaslongastheapplicationremainsinuse.Fromtheearlypioneeringtothepresent,“disuse”causedbylackofunifiedsupportorlackoftechnicalcompetence,isthebigriskforthiscomplextechnology.Unfortunately,toooftenthisisnota“lessonlearned”.Rather,itisalessonthatseemstobelearnedoverandoveragain.Sincemanagement’sjobisallaboutmanagingrisk,theriskofdisuseistheriskthatmanagementmustmanageandbeaccountablefor.Anotherconstantwithinthisseaofchangeisthatthegainsfrombetterknowledgeoftheprocess,theequipment,andtheimprovedtechnicalsupportmaymatchthesavingsattributeddirectlytocomputercontrol.Ittakesa“learningorganization”thatseesthetruepotentialaswellasthechallengestocapturethefullvalueofthistechnology.TheEarlyYearsTherefiningindustryhasbeenapioneerinautomatingitsprocessingoperations.Manytechnicalmilestoneshavebeenattainedtobringtheindustrytothestateofcontrolthatexiststoday,especiallyamongtheprocesscontrolleaders.Changesbroughtaboutbymodernprocesscontrolhavealsohadprofoundeffectsontheplantoperatingculture,frommanagementandtechnicalstaffstoshiftoperators.Processcontrolhasalwaysbeenanecessarypartofrefining.Astheearlyindustrymovedfrombatchstillstocontinuousprocessingoperations,controlhouseswerealreadyanintegralpartoftheprocessunit.Theseearlycontrolhousesoftencontained“lookboxes”asmajorelementsofcontrol.These“boxes”weresimplywidespotsintheproductrundownlines,locatednearthecontrolroomandfittedwithglasscovers.Theoperatorcouldjudgethevolumeofhisproduct,seeitscolor,takeitstemperatureorjustfeelthepipe.Hecouldevenopentheboxesandfeelorsmelltheproductifhewanted.Theoperatorscouldreacttoobviouschange,buthadlimitedabilitytoactuallycontroltheprocess.Fromthesesimplebeginnings,processsensorsandcontrolsprogressedrapidly.Ins