The polymerization of the polymer production is a process to increase molecular weight from hydrocarbon monomer. The manufacturing process includes monomer feeding, catalyst, reactor, and heating/cooling system. To control polymerization and productivity, changing a few degree of temperature or speed of reaction impacts massive production rate and resource consumption. Polymer properties are the criteria for efficient production. A wide variation of molecular weight is not ideal for polymer applications.
Developers built this APC software platform from the ground up unencumbered by past design decisions. By combining the speed of today’s computers and software languages with the knowledge of 30+ years of using APCs, they built the best multi-variable control software available.
i-APC staffs have implemented advanced multivariable control systems on all major polyolefins and polymers licensor technologies.
| Polymer | Process | Reactor Technologies | No. of Successful Projects | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyethylene PE | High Presure LDPE | Tubular | 5 | 71 |
| Autoclave | 8 | |||
| Gasphase | LLDPE | 15 | ||
| HDPE Ziegler Natta | 1 | |||
| HDPE Chromium | 4 | |||
| Slurry | Loop | 10 | ||
| CSTR | 24 | |||
| Solution | Solution PE | 4 | ||
| Polypropylene PP | Gasphase | PP | 10 | 30 |
| Slurry | Loop | 11 | ||
| CSTR | 9 | |||
| Polystrylene | Gasphase | PS | 21 | 21 |
Whether your challenges are High Pressure, Gas-phase, Slurry, or Solution Process, we have extensive experience to support you.
Although overall performance of DCS temperature and pressure control is very good, it does not always perform best with consistency in every batch to maintain PV at ramping setpoint. This result in variability of time to complete batches as per batch end point logic in DCS. From I-APC experience the data always show evidence and gap to improve.
i-APC’s Scope of Supply for Batch Optimal Control Solution specifically designed to overcome process improvement hurdle and operating difficulties to meet the strongly pushed process aims includes two primary components:
As form a Non-linear Process and Heat of Reaction model, the reactor temperature recipe is covered by control horizon. Predictive control considering separate model for Condenser Cooling Control, Jacket Cooling Control, Heat up Control for both Hot water and Chilled water.
The AI algorithm calculates start time or prepare delay time of each batch with operator guidance to complete the task or automatic changes in DCS. To manage resource or raw material constraint and to minimize queuing for total batch time and avoid production constraint that need operator action or decision.
As HPCB will maintain the PV close to setpoint provided by batch programing, IPOES will coordinate the integration between new application and current DCS application seamlessly. Predict and handle abnormal operation for each process step improves productivity and operator workload.