Workshop I
Title: Are you setting up your control system to manage vessel levels correctly?
Abstract: Process Level controllers often fail to be optimized correctly for the use cases in our processes. This workshop will explain why level control is different from other control loops. We will share some strategies to overcome common level loop behavior problems. Majority of level control loops are tuned incorrectly when one considers process design aspects. Level controller tuning adjustments can be made to achieve the vessels purpose in the production process. Demonstration of these techniques will be presented.
Bio: Steve Obermann, Metso
Steve Obermann is the Sr. Product Manager overseeing the Expertune family of software products. He has worked in the process automation field for 30+ years. Steve has extensive experience in the refining and petrochemicals sector; having been employed by Texaco, WR Grace, UOP, Honeywell, and Texas Petrochemicals. His expertise includes process modeling, advance control, optimization, software development, process and control system performance evaluation/benchmarking, project financial analysis and management.
Workshop II
Title: Process Design and Validation of Plant Operation Using Principles of Probabilistic Data Analysis and Six Sigma Methodologies
Abstract: After a chemical process has been developed, designed, and started-up at commercial scale, it is usually desired to validate the actual plant operation performance against design assumptions. However, the engineer usually encounters factors that affect the quality of the data collected at a plant, both from a variability standpoint as well as from data availability or lack thereof. This workshop presentation will describe simplified Six Sigma and probabilistic methodologies that can be used for reducing uncertainty in future operation and ensure that successful validation plans, data collection strategies, and methods for data analysis are reliable for predictions and risk assessment going forward. The strategies will be illustrated using examples of system-wide and subsystem plant operations using the aforementioned error-reducing strategies.
Bio: Raul E. Ayala Ph.D., Senior Engineering Leader, REA Technology Consultants
Raul is currently an Engineering Leader and Consultant with extensive experience leading New Technology, Process Engineering, and Research and Development (R&D) teams in programs in the Energy, Specialty Materials and Polymers, and Fuels applications. Prior to consulting, he worked at the General Electric Co. for over twenty years as Technology Leader, Consulting Engineer, and R&D Engineer in the GE Power and Water division in Houston, TX, and GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY. Raul is a certified Six-Sigma Master Black Belt, a holder of 17 US-issued patents, and an author of over 50 technical publications and two book chapters on power generation and gas treatment. He holds an MS and PhD degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and a BS from the University of Nevada at Reno, all in chemical engineering. He can be contacted at reayala07@gmail.com.
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