(741c) Virtual Plant Environment Incorporating Data for Predictive Modeling and Control in Bio-Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

A virtual plant environment which incorporates data-driven models was developed for bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing. The objective of the virtual plant is replicate the control strategies implemented at bio-pharmaceutical plants in a virtual operating environment. This enables application and testing of data-driven model-based process simulation to gain insight into process and control system design while minimizing the number of wet experiments required. A DCS system was used as the platform to build the virtual plant, and Matlab was used to develop data-driven models. Data used in Matlab was taken from first principles simulations as well as empirical data. Bi-directional data communication was established between the DCS system and Matlab via OPC connection. A nested model scheme was developed to work within virtual plant. A case study was performed on a chromatography unit operation for drug substance manufacturing. The plug-and-play modular design of the virtual plant gives it the flexibility to simulate existing automation setups at many bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing plants.