Economic optimization of a thermal cracker via model predictive control technology

2011 19th Mediterranean Conference on Control & Automation (MED), Corfu, 20-23 June 2011, page(s): 819 - 824

Economic optimization of a thermal cracker via model predictive control technology

Savu, A.R.; Muntean, I.; Lazea, G.; Agachi, P.-S.

Dept. of Autom., Tech. Univ. of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania  

Abstract

An ethylene plant is one of the largest chemical plants. Ethylene is obtained through thermal cracking of hydrocarbons. The cracking furnace is the heart of such an installation and the frequent changes in feed mix, quality and prices; and the demand for its olefin products are influencing directly production efficiency. Each reactant in the feed produces a certain distribution of products. In order to satisfy demand constraints at the lowest cost; one needs to optimize the amounts of each reactant.

A structure for an on-line economic optimizer is proposed, providing a set of optimal set-points for the furnace. The software package is composed of a number of modules, consisting of a large scale Model Predictive Controller (MPC) and the optimization system, all built in DeltaV Control Studio and using DeltaV PredictPro technology.

The powerful control applications are designed to be used with any existing control system, connecting either serially or by OPC. A simplified mathematical model is also implemented using the same real-time control environment, based on the fundamental equilibrium equations: material balance, thermal balance and mechanical energy balance.

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