Production optimization of complex and dynamic processes

Purpose and goal

The project has studied production optimization based on two different cases; complex processes with many device operations and dynamic grade changes of a process step. Optimization of complex processes is based on a case study at Perstorp, and a preliminary study has already resulted in a 2% increase in production, which means that the project has already paid off. Dynamic processes optimization has focused on batch separation and has had a major international impact. Even a new version of the open source tool JModelica.org has been developed.

Expected results and effects

The project has developed tools and methodologies for process industrial production optimization, which has proven to be very useful, Perstorp has already made a 2% production increase, the next 8-digit revenue per year. The project has been exceptionally productive both in terms of publications and skills building and in the form of successful industrial implementations and verifications. The activities and project results are documented in 11 scientific publications and in 6 reports and dissertations.

Planned approach and implementation

The project has been implemented as three parallel work packages. Work packages 1 and 2 have been based on industrial issues and selected technology thereafter. Package 1 has been taken from ASPEN as a modeling platform and built up an optimization environment around it. Packages 2 and 3 have been based on JModelica.org. This has meant that the project has provided relevant industrial solutions early in the project, and that cooperation between academia and the process industry has been very active. It is only at the end that work packages have been linked together.