CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
4 June 2007
Implementation Investments
Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Achieves 'Phenomenal' Results With AspenTech's aspenONE® for Polymers Advanced Control Solution
Aspen Technology, Inc . announced that Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co. ( SPC ) has realized significant financial and operational benefits by using the aspenONE Advanced Process Control for Polymers solution. The solution, which enables polymers manufacturers to automate and optimize even their most complex transitions strategies, has allowed SPC to increase capacity, reduce product variability, and significantly cut transition times.
"We are very pleased with the improved operational performance delivered by the aspenONE Advanced Process Control for Polymers solution both for in-grade operation and during transitions," said Mr Guo Xiaojun, Director of Integrated Polyolefin Plant for Sinopec SPC. "With an average 70% reduction in process variability and full product quality control and optimization during transitions, the performance of the controller has been phenomenal. Automating our transitions has given SPC a significant competitive advantage."
The aspenONE Advanced Process Control for Polymers solution is based on AspenTech's non-linear control technology coupled with recipe and transition management applications, providing a comprehensive polymer production control system that can optimize even the most challenging of product grade transitions. Since finishing implementation of the solution in 2006, SPC has realized significant performance benefits:
• Increased production capacity by 3.4%
• Decreased reactor variability by an average of 70%
• Reduced transition times by average of 50%.
The Sinopec SPC advanced control project was presented at the 2006 World Polypropylene Congress in Zurich where Mr. Guo of Sinopec SPC described how the aspenONE solution can uniquely:
• Automate and optimize even the most complex of transition strategies
• Provide reduced cost of ownership because the solution only needs one model for each controlled variable; the non-linear models are valid and accurate across different product grades, catalysts and different reactor configurations
• Perform full product quality control and optimization during in-grade operation and transitions; unlike other non-linear APC solutions, the AspenTech product quality controllers can remain active during transitions
• Model product qualities accurately with little or no reliance on laboratory feedback during transitions, resulting in faster transitions than with alternative technologies.
"By deploying this innovative advanced process control technology so successfully, Sinopec stands to positions itself as a true market leader in the growing polymer industry," said Antonio Pietri, Senior Vice President APAC, AspenTech. "The major financial and operational benefits delivered by aspenONE Advanced Process Control for Polymers are creating significant new demand for the application from polymer companies worldwide."
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