Empowering Operators to Drive Sustainable Savings

Abstract

CEPSA operates a complex steam, fuel gas and hot oil network at its chemical complex that produces Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) at San Roque (Spain). The site also contracts with neighboring industrial facilities for the exchange of steam, water and fuel gas. The operation of such a complex energy network presents a significant challenge for operators to minimize cost. Handles with which the challenge was addressed included manipulation of boiler steam production, the export/ import of steam, fuel gas import and the management of hot oil/ steam trade-off for process heating. Real time management in consideration of these factors presents an overwhelming challenge for the operator. An online model which considers plant control strategies and system reaction to changes in the utilities was developed and deployed in order to give the operators direct advice about minimum cost utility operation. The following will describe key aspects important to the implementation of a viable solution.