U.S.
Regulatory, Advanced, Multivariable Control, PLC/ESD Systems, Process Hazard Analysis, Project Management
U.S. Process Control, L.L.C. is a firm specializing in Regulatory Process Control, Advanced Process Control, Multivariable Process Control, Process Hazard Analysis, PLC/ESD Systems, and related Project Management for the process industry. Most of our clients are operating plants in the refining, chemical, power, and related industries located worldwide. U.S. Process Control's emphasis is on meeting the economic and/or control objects in a way that also satisfies the ultimate end user, THE OPERATOR. This approach has resulted in superior designs, fast acceptance, low maintenance, and long life.
PHILOSOPHY
PROCESS AND CONTROL EXPERIENCE
WHAT CAN U.S. PROCESS CONTROL DO FOR
YOU?
WHY USE U.S. PROCESS CONTROL?
DO YOU NEED TO IMPROVE PROCESS
CONTROL?
ON-LINE MAINTENENCE AND MONITORING
SERVICES
CONTACT INFO
The solution to a problem is usually distributed in the minds of the personnel at the plant . The objective of our organization is to talk to key people in the clients organization acting as a catalyst to promote good open discussion. Then we add our expertise to the information obtained and design a control strategy that will work in that particular plant's environment. We validate the resulting design with plant personnel (especially the operators), commission the application, and stay with it, making changes if necessary, until it is hardened.
The implemented solution should always be the simplest. For example consider the progression of techniques listed below:
- Can the objectives be achieved with changes to the regulatory control and tuning only?
- Can the objectives be achieved with traditional advanced control and/or sequence programming?
- Can the objectives be achieved with multivariable constraint control?
- Can the objectives be achieved with optimization?
Using this methodology we ensure that our clients get the "biggest bang for the buck". Another way of explaining our philosophy is that we attempt to get 80% of the benefits by incurring only 20% of the costs.
DO YOU NEED TO IMPROVE PROCESS CONTROL?
The short answer is yes. If your facility hasn't already implemented at least some advanced control, your at a competitive disadvantage right now. Take a look at the estimated annual benefits of implementing advanced and multivariable control for some selected units:
- FCCU 70,000 BPSD, $4,000,000.00 to $11,000,000.00
- Crude Unit 150,000 BPSD, $2,000.000.00 to $4,500,000.00
- Cat Reformer 50,000 BPSD, $1,500,000.00 to $4,500,000.00
- Alkylation 30,000 BPSD, $1,250,000.00 to $3,000,000.00
- Delayed Coker 40,000 BPSD, $1,000,000.00 to $4,500,000
- Light Ends Units 40,000 BPSD, $1,000,000 to $2,300,000
- Isomerization 30,000 BPSD, $500,000 to $1,500,000
- Hydrocracker 50,000 BPSD, $2,150,000.00 to $ 4,200,000.00
One can expect anywhere from 5% to 15% profit improvements for any given unit by implementing advanced and multivariable control. If your facility has already implemented some advanced control, and it was designed correctly, you're aware of the benefits and should be busy expanding installations, maintaining applications, and/or implementing on-line optimization projects. On-line optimization projects could improve unit profitability by an additional 15%.
WHAT CAN
Here's a partial list:
- Regulatory Control Modifications and Troubleshooting
- Expert Tuning. - You have to start here. Too many APC applications are built on top of poor regulatory control!
- Traditional Advanced Control
- Sequence/Control Language Programming (There's more benefit in this area than most realize)
- Multivarible Control
- On-line Optimization.- Bidding and Managing Third Party Venders. There's a lot of hype out there. We know the products, the costs, and how to get the best performance from the venders. We can put that knowledge to work for you!
- Master Plans for Advanced Control Implementation
- Maintenance Contracts
- On-line Monitoring/Troubleshooting Services
- HAZOP/PSM Studies
- Process Design/ P&ID
Development
- Process Control Training
- Project Management
Consider the following points:
- The success of a project, no matter what kind of organization executes it, is mainly dependent on the quality of the engineer doing it.
- A smaller consulting firm has more to gain and more to lose and is therefore more responsive to the customer's needs. You don't have to deal with multiple layers of management to reach the real decision-maker.
- We involve plant personnel to the fullest extent possible. This may seen like a disadvantage especially now that plants are being run with leaner staffs, but USPC recently implemented an multivarable control project with the support of only the plant operators and a part time DCS technician. Operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there's the added benefit of "real world" design feedback that might otherwise be missed. If operator involvement is carefully planned and supervised, they can be one of the most valuable and cost effective resources to use.
ON-LINE MAINTENENCE AND PRODUCTIVITY SERVICES
Most DCS systems now have the capability for a remote user to log on and have access to most of the information available to the operators. With the advancements in the Internet and telecommunications in general, it is now possible to monitor advanced control applications in great detail remotely. Advanced control applications require expert maintenance periodically and this is a very cost effective way to supplement, and even replace in some cases, on-site visits. Even more importantly is the ability to have frequent interaction with plant operators and engineers concerning real time operating problems. This results in applying expert advise on a timely and cost effective basis thereby improving margins.
U.S. Process Control believes the future is now. As an example, consider the situation where an operator is unable to connect a multivariable control application on a unit. It is known that the application saves a lot of money every day. In fact the operator is more comfortable running the MVC than not which is usually the case when the MVC is properly designed. With a maintenance and productivity agreement, the operator or engineer can call U.S. Process Control at which point a live data connection would be initiated and trouble shooting would begin. In addition to accessing DCS data, a PC based video conference could also take place between the parties further enhancing the cooperative environment. All of this is available now at reasonable cost!
This service is not limited to APC applications only, general regulatory control problems, tuning, and process problems can be addressed also. Isn't this at the heart of the information revolution? Information and advice when it's needed. The result is increased profits.
Concerned about security? Get over it. If the world banking system can transfer billions of dollars electronically every day, a suitable security system can be put in affect. Typically read-only access with modem callback and password protection is sufficient.