IMPROVISE - Improved process operation via rigorous simulation models

Improved daily operations of important chemical processes in the Dutch chemical industry through operation technology based on detailed physical models.

Incentive

Being able to anticipate what a chemical process is going to do next allows you to make the right decisions. By doing so, you can produce better products, save energy, reduce waste and make processes safer. TU/e and industrial partners have demonstrated the benefits of the dynamic physical models for process control and process monitoring over a wide range of processes including whey separation process, resin production in a reactive batch distillation column and crystallization.

Activities & results

This work has been undertaken as part of IMPROVISE, a research project, within the cluster Industry 4.0 of ISPT. It has demonstrated that dynamic simulation models play a significant role in the reduction of operational costs by use of the model based operation technology and decision making. Led by Dr Leyla Özkan of TU/e, the project consortium involved Royal FrieslandCampina, Corbion and DSM.

For each of the case studies, the project has delivered dynamic physical models, developed and tested several advanced control and monitoring strategies in simulation. In certain cases, the process operation strategies have already been taken up by the industrial partner and implemented in the pilot scale.

The collaboration continues

The IMPROVISE project has thus far been so successful that the consortium partners will continue their collaboration together in a new project called: INSPEC. This project will also welcome one new academic partner Radboud University and one new industrial partner, chemical producer Huntsman. This follow-up project aims to combine sensor based process monitoring with advanced process control technologies.

More info on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejteDluSR1k