Real-time optimization saves BP site $2.5 million
The BP petrochemical facility at Grangemouth, Scotland, reports $2.5 million annual savings using AMS Suite: Real-Time Optimizer from Emerson Process Management.
BP petrochemical facility at Grangemouth, Scotland.(Photo courtesy of BP Grangemouth.)
The BP petrochemical facility at Grangemouth, Scotland, reports $2.5 million annual savings using AMS Suite: Real-Time Optimizer from Emerson Process Management . This saving is derived from $1.5 million in energy savings from utilities optimization, and $1 million benefit driven by a 4 percent increase in plant throughput from the KG Ethylene optimization application.
The AMS Optimizer, a key component of Emerson’s PlantWeb digital plant architecture, has also enabled BP to achieve consistent plant operation, improve control of daily key performance indicators and enhance the planning process through improved equipment selection. “The optimizer has been instrumental in reducing our energy costs, which is a strategic goal for the site, saving us approximately $1.5M per year and reducing our CO2 emissions by up to 25 kilotons,” says Tim Desmond, utilities optimization engineer, BP.
The utilities optimizer delivers operational benefits by reducing fuel usage and increasing generation of electricity. AMS Optimizer, a component of Emerson’s AMS Suite (an integrated family of applications for predictive maintenance, performance monitoring and economic optimization), provides recommendations for the optimal steam and power generation. The recommended set points are displayed for the operators including the amount of opportunity that is lost (i.e., the difference in cost between current and optimal operation). The cumulative opportunity lost on a shift-by-shift basis is also calculated and used by management at each start-of-day meeting.
The KG Ethylene closed-loop optimizer generates the optimal operating set points based on current operating conditions. These are sent to the DCS controllers. Operators are able to open and close the loop between the optimizer and plant controllers at any time. Engineers also have the facility to use an open-loop optimizer that specifies the operating margin assuming that each variable has moved to its full range of operation.
This optimizer has been upgraded with each plant expansion. This is the third closed-loop optimizer commissioned by Emerson on the KG site and has been instrumental in increasing throughput and improving operational performance.
“The AMS Optimizer has increased plant throughput by 4%, resulting in benefits of over $1M per year on the recently expanded KG ethylene plant,” said Simon Lopez, lead control engineer, Commercial & Optimization Team, BP. “By selecting the loading on each of the operating cracking furnaces, the AMS Optimizer is able to achieve improved product yields from the available feed stocks and, based on the product prices on the day, targets the optimal product spectrum. Since the optimizer is closed loop, we are able to achieve maximum benefit with no delay in the implementation of the set points.”
—David Greenfield, Editorial Director, Control Engineering, dgreenfield@reedbusiness.com
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