Process Plant Optimization & Energy Conservation
Energy consumption is the second largest operating expense in a plant (after raw materials). As Energy costs continue to increase sharply, owners of existing plants are under significant pressure to reduce costs and boost revenues. Further, new market participants implementing more advanced technologies have changed the competitive landscape for the early industry movers. These dynamics require plant managers to investigate incorporating new technologies, equipment and methods into existing facilities to optimize yields and, in some instances, create additional revenue streams from new coproducts as well as cut operating costs.
The energy savings potential in process plants remains largely unrealized because it is deeply embedded in industrial operational and management practices.
System optimization cannot be achieved through component standards or typical approaches. A system or plant-wide perspective must be pursued. It is all too common that even when plant engineering and operations staff recognize the importance of optimizing a system and identify system optimization projects, they frequently face difficulty in getting full management support. The main reasons for this are: 1) a management focus on production as the core activity, not energy efficiency and 2) the existence of a budgetary disconnect in industrial facility management between capital projects (incl. equipment purchases) and operating expenses. This is further exacerbated by the emphasis on lowest first cost rather than total life cycle cost purchasing practices, which can further impede system optimization. Moreover, experience has shown that many optimized systems erode their initial efficiency gains over time due to lack of specific sustainable interest and shifts in focus.
Optimum performance of a process plant asset can be achieved when the asset is available to be operated for uninterrupted periods and when it runs close to the maximum levels allowed by the mechanical-structural condition of its components.
Plant optimization can be an effective way to achieve improved profitability without the large investment associated with building a new plant. However, each project is unique and entails potential risks and possible adverse impact on plant integrity and must be scrutinized closely in accordance with effective management of change policies and procedures.
Common industrial processes and systems, such as steam, cooling water, process heating, and electric motors consume most of the energy and offer significant opportunities for savings. Process changes such as advanced controls, new catalysts, and new technologies also present opportunities for plant optimization.
Plant integrity and reliability is the cornerstone of process plant optimization. For optimization benefits to be sustainable, production interruptions must be kept to a minimum. This requires effective management of degradation processes that affect equipment and systems, and effective inspection and maintenance strategies, plans and methods.
This course will provide a comprehensive review of the various aspects of process plant integrity as the essential foundation for sustainable plant profitability and optimization.
Principal emphasis is placed on understanding the elements of plant optimization which involves systematic and coordinated efforts by engineering, operations, and maintenance functions to maximize plant availability and productivity, minimize operating costs, and safeguard plant integrity over its intended life based on total life cycle cost principles.
This course builds on a focused and practical coverage of technical and economic evaluations of performance improvement alternatives and prioritizing them.
- To assist participants in clearly understanding what plant optimization and energy conservation is all about – the drivers, the potential benefits, and how to realize them.
- To enhance the business focus of participants and equip them to make more contributions to sustainable plant profitability.
- Learn how to identify the most attractive opportunities for energy savings.
- To provide participants with practical and effective methods and tools to perform technical and economic evaluations of the alternatives.
This course is particularly valuable for process plant, petroleum refinery, and petrochemical plant technical professionals, engineers, supervisors, operations and maintenance personnel, as well as for project and consulting engineers and engineering and technical personnel involved in improving process plant, petrochemical plant and refinery profitability and energy efficiency.
- Delegates will gain a sound understanding of the main elements of plant integrity and reliability and why this is the cornerstone of sustainable plant optimization and energy efficiency.
- Delegates will improve their understanding of the business aspects of the process plant which will help them focus on improving the economic performance.
- Participants will learn how to perform key project analyses including technical, economic, and environmental evaluations.
- Participants will enhance their competence and productivity thereby enhancing their competence and performance level and making additional value added contributions to their organizations.
- Through effective management of energy use is managed the plant can minimize the overall cost of energy; lessen the risk associated with these operations while realizing direct measurable bottom line savings.
- The company will be able to enhance its plant reliability and integrity by using improved maintenance strategies and methods based on risk-based inspection and maintenance resulting in lower life cycle costs while complying with codes and standards, and other regulatory requirements.
Delegates will enhance their competencies in the following areas:
- Technical and analytical skills necessary for conducting technical evaluations.
- Economics and analytical skills necessary for performing credible economic evaluations.
- Skills necessary to participate in plant energy audits.
- Application of risk-based methodologies in inspection and maintenance.
- The course combines presentations and discussions of topics covered with relevant practical examples.
- It combines sound engineering and economic principles, methods, and best industry practices and enforces the learnings with Case Studies and Question & Answer workshops to maximize the benefits to the participants.
- Participants will be provided with comprehensive course notes and copies of presentation material that will be very valuable for detailed study and future reference.
DAY 1
Process Plant Operation, Integrity and Reliability
- Process Plant Optimization and Energy Conservation – Overview
- Asset Integrity Management (AIM) and Optimization - Integrating operation, inspection, maintenance effort
- Ensure the technical integrity of the installation/ facilities
- Operate within acceptable safety margins and optimized economy throughout the lifetime
- Plant Integrity and Reliability – Cornerstone of Plant Optimization and Energy Management
- Operation and Maintenance Impacts on Plant Integrity and Reliability
- Equipment condition monitoring and assessment
- Upgrading ongoing maintenance practices
- Establishment of Operating Windows (OW) - Maximize throughput within the limits defined by mechanical-structural integrity over the expected life of the asset components
- Effective management of change (MOC) program – On-going link between engineering, operations and maintenance.
- Process Plant Economics
- Economic fundamentals and methodologies - gross margin; net margin
- Operating flexibility - optimizing in a changing product demand, feed quality, and product quality requirements
- Operating costs - feedstock operating costs, non-feedstock operating costs Corrosion and fouling costs
- Impact of processing more corrosive feedstocks
- Workshop 1 - Case studies
DAY 2
Process Plant Optimization
- Process Control Basics
- Regulatory Control Enhancements
- Advanced Process Control
- Elements of Process Plant Optimization
- Analyzing the process for the entire operating range
- Process integration studies
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies
- Components Required To Optimize An Industrial Process
- Process or a mathematical model of the process, and process variables which can be manipulated and controlled
- Economic model of the process
- Optimization procedure
- Application Of Simulation Technology To Plant Optimization And Control - Plant Optimization Models
- Basic plant process flowsheet-linked economic model
- Computer modeling of economic consequences of process configuration and operation alternatives
- The Basics Of Heat Integration
- Pinch technology
- Heat exchanger train optimization
- Workshop 2 - Case Study: Optimization Examples
DAY 3
Industrial Energy Management – Energy Efficiency: Good for Business – Good for the Environment
- Energy Use and Optimization in Process industries
- Understanding where energy is used
- Industrial Energy Management Techniques
- Efficiency improvement of equipment and specific systems
- Heat Recovery
- Power recovery
- Waste minimization – recovery and reuse/recycling of waste material
- Industrial Energy Management and System Standards
- Industrial Standards Framework
- Elements of an Effective Energy Management Standard
- Power recovery
- Typical features of an energy management standard
- Industry Program for Energy Conservation
- Best Practices in Process Plant Energy Management
- Developing Customized Energy Management Program
- Obstacle that Face Energy Management Programs
- Workshop 3 - Examples of energy management programs and standards – CIPEC, UNIDO. Incentives for energy assessment and energy retrofit projects
DAY 4
Energy Conservation Opportunities
- Implementing an Energy Management Program
- Conducting an energy audit
- Identifying energy conservation opportunities
- Disseminating information about energy management initiatives
- Benchmarking Energy Intensity and Usage
- Technology Options - New energy-efficient technologies. Examples include Corrosion analyzer for advanced materials and fabricated components Fiber optic sensor for combustion measurement and control
- Energy Conservation Checklist
- Plant processes, including:
- Cogeneration - Electricity plus Process Heat
- Waste Heat Recovery Systems
- Upgrading insulation systems
- Eliminating or reconfiguring inefficient uses and practices (throttling, open blowing, etc)
- Mechanical Systems
- Implement effective condition monitoring and diagnosis systems utilizing the DCS
- Changing out or supplementing existing equipment (motors, fans, pumps, compressors) to better match work requirements and increase operating efficiency
- Electric Power
- Higher efficiency electric motors
- Variable frequency drives
- Power factor Correction
- Technical and Economic Evaluation of Potential Opportunities
- Energy costing
- Increased production
- Improved operating efficiency
- Workshop 4 - Examples Of Energy Conservation Best Practices and Checklist
DAY 5
The Implications of Plant Optimization Activities
- Relating Energy Efficiency To Business Outcomes
- Impact of optimization activities and technological modifications to the plant:
- Plant integrity and safety
- Technology licenses
- Financing agreements
- Off-take agreements
- Permits and site control issues
- Impact on Human Resources – The human factor
- Operating and emergency procedures
- Operations training and procedural improvements
- Workshop 5 - Case Studies:
- Process Plant Performance Improvement
- Sample of Energy Management Leaders
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John
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