Company Visit
Excellence in recycling is today a huge challenge. In future, waste will no longer exist but will be re‐used as raw material. In the Frisian language, the name Omrin means "cycle". Omrin shows best practices to efficiently sort waste to feed new production processes. Omrin has a new state of the art plastic separation plant for producing plastic variety streams out of plastic waste. Those can be used for producing plastic granules having the same quality as “new” ones. New products are fabricated from recycled waste materials. Chemical companies should also play a role in the continuously expanding circular economy.
Attached is a video impression of the guided plant visit at the Omrin separation plant at Ecopark De Wierde at Heerenveen.
Video file here
By Rene Akkermans, Regional Account Executive EMEA, Rockwell Automation
Process industries represent a significant share of the European industry in terms of energy consumption and environmental impact. Process optimization can lead to significant savings, both economic and environmental. Predictive modeling can prove effective when applied to the optimization of production processes. Predictive models are built using the data obtained from production processes. The operation data are key to business transformation and enable organizations to become a future-ready. However, the application of these techniques is not straightforward.
Rockwell’s Advanced Analytics and Model Predictive Control is an intelligent software layer on top of basic automation systems. This technology continuously drives your plant to achieve multiple business objectives including cost reductions, decreased emissions, consistent quality and production increase.
The patented parametric hybrid modelling technology combines first principles with empirical modelling techniques to provide the most accurate representation of complex, nonlinear processes. These models can be used to provide real-time and predicted measurements for process variables, reducing dependency on lab samples. The advanced multivariable model predictive control (MPC) algorithms provide excellent closed-loop control performance on even the most complex processes.
Presentation file here
By Nico Van Hoorebeke, CEO, Intation
Safety is one of the main topics at each chemical production plant, but this conflicts sometimes with maximized production uptime. In certain circumstances, technical or process related, safety signals (interlocks) need to be bypassed to prevent production downtime. Following the international safety standard IEC 61511, certain actions need to be performed in these situations.
How are these bypasses handled at this time? Is there a way to verify (human errors)?
Is everyone following the instructions? Do you have statistics on these bypasses? Is this information automatically up to date?
Are these bypasses periodic? Should the automation software being adapted?
Time for change!
Presentation file here
Excellence in safety is the key to address the increasing complexity of industrial production processes and the increase of rules and regulations both in Europe and internationally.
Experts in the field of plant operation give an overview of new methodologies and techniques to improve process safety in the chemical industry and related sectors. The 33rd European joint AIChE / Delta Process Academy Seminar is an effective platform for interacting and sharing insights with industry leaders and professionals.
Catalytic processes and process safety requirements, Geert Vercruysse, BASF
On June 3, 2014, two major explosions and subsequently a fire occurred at a SM/PO plant in the Netherlands. The investigation report showed that the root cause of the incident was an unexpected reaction of the catalyst with ethylbenzene. This reaction happened during the commissioning phase of the in-situ activation of the catalyst.
This explosion may have been a trigger to review the commissioning and start up procedures to see if a similar incident could happen. The results of a review (inclusive other catalyst related incidents) will be shown and used as a basis for discussion.
Presentation file here
Smart tag technology, Mathieu Westerweele, Operating Training Solutions
Ideally, in terms of safety and good operation, every valve in a plant or tank terminal should have a position indication that is available in the Control Room. It is, however, common practice that only very few hand valves have an actual position notifier. Mathieu presents a new “Smart Tag Technology” (originally intended for Operator Training) that turned out to be a highly effective and low cost(!) solution to minimize operational risks, by having an overview of the actual valve positions of all (important) hand valves.
Presentation file here
Operational Technology (OT) security, a technical or an organizational challenge? Marcel Kelder, Yokogawa Europe B.V.
Cyber security has become a significant factor in the overall risk management for industrial installations, process plants and other critical assets. With the advent of new technologies such as IIoT Industry 4.0 in the plant automation domain, and the increased interconnectedness of plants, networks and equipment, cyber security vulnerabilities pose real risk for safety and business continuity. Although there is awareness, companies are struggling with implementing a proper cyber security program for the Operational Technology (OT) domain. Is OT security more a technical or an organizational challenge. This is the central question of the presentation plus how to overcome certain barriers.
Presentation file here
Risk management - Practical approach towards safety management, Kristin Boogaerts, Jacobs
Risk management is a key factor in Designing for Safe Operation. Driven by the Seveso Directive and the associated emphasis on prevention of loss of containment, the implementation of an all capping Safety Management system is essential. Both in new design and in assessment of Safety Management in existing installations; a robust analysis and structured project type approach can help to identify and mitigate the risks.
Key success factors in this process is the collaboration of all stakeholders and the continuous maintenance of the systems with special emphasis on Management of Change. We will provide case studies executed by JACOBS where we implemented our tailor-made approach towards Safety Management.
Presentation file here
Excellence in safety is the key to address the increasing complexity of industrial production processes and the increase of rules and regulations both in Europe and internationally.
Ageing infrastructure in process manufacturing industries and changes in operating regimes can adversely affect equipment integrity and reliability. Experts in the field of plant operation will give an overview of new methodologies and techniques to improve process safety in the chemical industry and related sectors.
The 34th European AIChE seminar is an effective platform for interacting and sharing insights
Ageing and Corrosion - Arjen Reinders, McDermott
Many petrochemical plants are past their original design lifetime but are still being operated for many years to come. Whilst these plants are inspected and maintained in various ways, this may impose risks. Depending upon the applicable process conditions involved it may result in specific damage mechanisms. The plant design is based on the damage mechanisms and design life but several damage mechanisms are time dependent and therefore in the light of lifetime extension, it is important to assess the current situation of these plants and to make estimates of residual lifetime. For more than 25 years McDermott has developed and successfully applied a specific methodology called ”Plant Life Expectancy Study”, which is assessing the current situation of a plant asset and evaluating the possibility to extend lifetime. This presentation will outline the plant life expectancy study and the underlying principles as provided by McDermott as a support for investment decisions or future plant operation.
Presentation file here
Normalization of Deviation - Tijs Koerts, Operation Director of the European Process Safety Centre
Many large industrial accidents with hazardous chemicals have in the root cause a contribution from human involvement. Sometimes people deviate for very good reasons from a developed procedure, while not fully understanding the hazard and while not being corrected by pears or leaders. A famous example is the Texas City refinery incident (see the CSB film Anatomy of a Disaster – available on YouTube). This phenomena has obtained its own name: “Normalization of Deviation”. Some examples will be discussed as well as manners how to recognise these and improve behaviour.
Presentation file here
Ageing Operators: Is the best yet to come? - Prof. Dr. Jop Groeneweg, Leiden University
In this presentation various apspects of the influence of ageing on cognitive performance are discussed. In general it is believed that ageing has only negative effects. In this presentation a more nuanced picture is presented.
Presentation file here