Ammonia Process Simulator

Using a new ammonia process simulator, operators can be trained inhandling

emergencies, startups, shutdowns, and normal operation without
jeopardizing personnel or equipment
S. Madhavan, M. W. Kellogg Co., Houston, Texas 77046

The word "simulation" means various things to different process, the simulator can be programmed to simulate the
people. Simulation, as applied to a process plant, can be actual control system itself that the plant uses.
broadly categorized into two types: 1) a simulator that Hazardous procedures can be slowed down and re-
models the mathematics of a process accurately, taking peated, depending on the trainee response time and learn-
into account the equipment age and other instantaneous ing ability. Difficult operating steps can be practiced re-
conditions; and 2) a simulator for training operators. The peatedly. Start-up and shutdown sequences can be
first type is used for engineering studies and for practiced before the plant ever starts up. Simulator train-
optimization purposes. However, the second type is de- ing is inexpensive in relation to:
signed to model the plant in a general fashion, but its main • Lost production due to down time.
purpose is to train operators and teach them the process • Lost production and high utilities consumption due
principles as well as responses to plant problems and other to improper operations.
malfunctions that are programmed into the system. This • Potential danger to equipment or personnel due to in-
model is mathematically somewhat less complex than the adequate operator training.
model for optimization. This paper strictly deals with a
training simulator with the emphasis on a microcomputer-
based process simulator. NEED FOR SIMULATOR TRAINING
Training simulators have been around for at least two The need for training operators of process plants arises
decades now. The major thrust has been in space flight due to one or more of the following factors:
training, in training for commercial and military pilots, in a) Plants built in quick succession without manpower
war i Barnes, in business games, and in training for nuclear development keeping pace with it. A simulator can
and fossil fuel power plant operators. More recently, train- accelerate the training process, enabling the gradua-
ing of petrochemical plant operators using simulators has tion of a large number of trainees in a short time.
been on the rise. b) High turnover of personnel. Simulation training pro-
duces replacement personnel rapidly.
c) Need for experienced operators to keep their skills
current. Simulation training will help avoid em-
MODES OF TRAINING
ployee obsolescence.
Process plant training can be accomplished using one or d) Plant revamp incorporating advanced features.
more of the following training techniques: These revamps could be aimed at saving energy or at
• Classroom training. improving product yield. The process features of the
• Host plant training. revamp can be readily demonstrated to a trainee by
—Observation of plant operation (hands-off) using a simulator.
—Hands-on training. e) New generation of plants with computer control. It is
• On-the-job training (OJT). mandatory for operators with experience only with
• Videotaped training modules. conventional panel board mounted controllers to get
• Simulator training. training using a simulated control system, so that the
Classroom training is usually a pre-requisite for all other operators are effective during the start-up and subse-
types of training. The videotaped training module can be quent operation of the plant.
fitted into a classroom training program if required. Host f) Promote plant safety by training operators to re-
plant training could be either "hands-on" or 'hands-off," spond to emergencies correctly. Operators hardly
depending on the host plant's philosophy, as well as on the ever receive the opportunity to train for responding
reimbursement arrangements. Due to the high risk of po- to emergency conditions, since these occur very in-
tential damage to equipment and personnel, as well as lost frequently in the actual plant environment. The sim-
production due to trainee mistakes, most host plants do not ulator permits the trainee to practice emergency
allow any hands-on training in their plants. The same risks techniques without any danger to himself, his fellow
are associated with on-the-job training in the client's own workers, or the expensive equipment before being
plant. Consequently, hands-on training tends to proceed exposed to hazardous situations in a real plant.
very slowly. g) Improve plant efficiency by training the operators
All these factors point to simulator training as an ex- to control the plant within tight limits. Quantitative
tremely viable alternative. With the advent of distributed effects of minor changes to process conditions on
control systems and CRT-based control rooms, it is even efficiency and product yield are not readily obvious
more imperative that the operators get proper training be- to a trainee. Simulator training would make them
fore the plant is started up. In addition to simulating the readily understand these interrelationships.
Kellogg Ammonia Simulator Description is designed for training in normal operating procedures,
The Kellogg Ammonia Simulator System, developed plant start-up and shutdown, and a number of abnormal
with the cooperation of Atlantic Simulation, Inc., uses a and emergency conditions.
microcomputer, two cathode-ray tube screens (CRT), two The ammonia simulator program consists of four
keyboards, and a printer. One CRT is the trainee console, subprograms:
and the other CRT is the instructor console. Figure 1 • Reforming Section Program.
shows the 'hardware used for the simulator. This hardware • Purification Section Program.
can be accommodated easily on a desk top. The simulator • Synthesis Section Program.
system achieves much of its compactness and cost effec- • Overview Program.
tiveness by combining the control system and process as- These programs are custom-made for each specific cli-
pects of the simulator into the computer. ent, so that the simulator reflects the specific process and
The trainee learns the operation of the plant and the instrument tag numbers. The simulator is being used by
overall ammonia process through interaction with the con- three of Kellogg's clients at this time, with two being of
trol system via a keyboard and a color CRT. An operator conventional design, and the third one being of low-
learns to control the CRT displays in a hierarchical struc- energy design. Due to the relatively low cost of the system,
ture, change controller setpoints, outputs, control modes, multiple systems can be used at the same time to train sev-
controller tuning parameters, and alarm limits. Operation eral trainees at a time.
of switches and trend displays (historical time plots of pro-
cess parameters) are included as training aids. Kellogg Ammonia Simulator Features
The color graphics on the CRT effectively display pro-
cess flowsheets with continuously updated process varia- Each program has the following displays and capabili-
bles. Graphics, an advanced feature of supervisory control ties:
computers, are included in the simulations because of the Graphic Displays
tremendous training advantages. Color process graphics The variables are displayed on color graphics resem-
focus attention directly on the process and the interrela- bling process flow diagrams. The displayed variables
tionship of process variables. change in response to changes to other parameters. This
Instructor switches, creating emergencies and equip- is a dynamic display. When a parameter reaches alarm
ment failures are activated by using menu-driven displays. conditions, the number changes to red and starts
Any switch may be activated either immediately or after a flashing. When the alarm is acknowledged, it stops
time delay. The instructor may freeze the simulation (stop flashing. When the value of the parameter drops into
all time related equations) to make time for discussing im- the normal range, the color changes back from red to the
portant material. Initial conditions are used to automatic- normal color. Each program has several graphics which
ally reset the simulator to design conditions, "cold" zoom in on sections of the plant that need to be moni-
start-up conditions, or an instructor selected condition. tored. Examples of selected graphics are shown on Fig-
The instructor-selected condition, activated with ures 2 and 3.
store/recall commands, can be used at any time during a
simulation run. It is an easy way to generate starting condi- Controllers and Indicators
tions for training exercises. Groups of controllers and indicators are displayed
The software for the ammonia simulator uses the UCSD which show the set point, the measured value, control-
pascal language. The simulator software is modular and, as ler output, proportional band, and reset and alarm
a result, is very flexible. The ammonia simulation pro- values. A group of eight controllers is displayed at one
grams each have a data base which stores control system time. Fictitious alarm settings have been incorporated,
information, initial conditions, graphic images, thermody- even on those indicators that don't actually have alarms
namic data, and historical data for trending. in the plant. This helps to draw the attention of the
The ammonia process simulation describes the dynamic trainee to abnormal conditions. The trainee can make
behavior of the processing equipment with a set of differ- changes in the controlled variables either in the auto-
ential equations. The equations are solved numerically, matic mode or the manual mode. The controller re-
yielding flows, temperatures, pressures, and levels as sponse characteristics can be fine-tuned by adjusting
functions of time. The ammonia process simulation is the proportional band and/or reset. The alarm settings
based upon the process flowsheet, the material and heat can be changed, if desired. An example of a controller
balance, and training objectives. The ammonia simulator display is shown on Figure 4.

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Proc«n Simulation Training

Figure I. Simulator hardware: Figure 2. Reforming section and steam drum.

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 Figure 3. CO2 removal section. Figure 5. Trend display.

"cold" conditions, and the trainee can learn start-up

procedures using the simulator.
S.O.P. (Standard Operating Procedure) Pages
SOP pages are stored in memory and can be displayed
on the CRT at any time, so that the trainee can "peek" at
the procedures or use them as a reference.
These pages describe the normal operation and control
of ammonia plants, abnormal, emergency and start-up
procedures, and specific plant procedures necessary
for smooth operation. All technical data and conditions
described in these pages are specific to the client
facility.
These S.O.P. pages provide a reference for the trainees
and instructors on normal plant conditions. With these
pages, training can be integrated into normal plant pro-
cedures, thus making the transition from training to on-
Figure 4. Controller/indicator display.
the-job activity smooth and efficient. If required, the
entire operating manual can be stored on the program
disk and any page from the manual can be accessed at
Trend Displays random and displayed on the CRT.
The trainee can monitor any variable on a trend graph Print
that shows the trend for the preceding 30 minutes. The A hard copy of any CRT display can be printed by the
computer has in its memory the values of all the param- printer.
eters for the preceding 30 minutes, so that the trend can
be recalled. This display can monitor the trends of any
four parameters at a time on the display screen. This EXAMPLE TRASHING EXERCISES
feature is extremely valuable for a trainee in learning Two examples of training exercises are given here, indi-
process principles, as well as in monitoring the devel- cating a breakdown of the sequence of steps.
opment of a hazardous condition. An example of a trend
display is shown on Figure 5.
Lesson 1: S.D. Fan Trip
Alarm Status Summary Display
This display gives the operator a view of all alarms at a Objective: Observe the effects on plant operation if steam
glance. to the I.D. fan turbine is lost during normal operation. The
Switches trainee will be able to take appropriate corrective steps to
secure the plant when this trip occurs.
These switches can be used to trip specific pumps or Sequence of events observed on the simulator:
compressors as well as closing or opening valves
simulating emergency conditions. The trainee has ac- decrease of draft readings
cess to certain switches that can be turned on and off. steam being dumped through the steam ring in the
The instructor has access to the trainee's switches, plus stack to produce some draft,
a set of instructor "fault" switches which simulate dra- decrease in % excess O2 in the flue gas.
matic process changes or equipment breakages or dete- decrease in flue gas temperatures,
rioration of performance. The instructor also has a time- trip in the fuel gas to the arch burners and the auxil-
delay feature on his switch display, to give the trainee iary boiler.
the simulation of "sudden" process changes or failures Action to be taken (Two Alternatives)
when no instructor is present.
Cold Start-Up a) The plant can be saved if the I.D. fan turbine can be
relatched and started up again almost immediately,
All process variables can be set to initial values under i.e., turn the I.D. fan back on the simulator before the
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 fuel gas trips. Note that, due to the large mass of the CONCLUSIONS
I.D. fan, the inertia slows down the fan rather 1. Training is a very important function, given the ad-
gradually, vances in technology, push for energy conservation,
b) Go through an orderly shutdown of the plant. optimization of plant performance, and unavaila-
—Once the fuel gas trips, trip all the compressors bility of trained manpower in rapidly developing
(the trip of the feed gas compressor would shut down countries. Simulation has certain superior advan-
all process flows. For shutdown sequence, please tages in training compared with other modes of train-
refer to the operating manual). ing.
2. A microcomputer/CRT-based simulator has a dis-
Lesson 2: Reduce Plant Throughput from 100% to 70% on the Re- tinct cost advantage over other types of simulators, in
forming Section Program addition to being a business/scientific computer.
Objectives: The trainee will be able to reduce plant The hardware is portable, flexible, an off-the-shelf
item, and is easy to maintain. One set of hardware
throughput from 100% to 70% on the re- costs in the range of $20-30,000, depending upon
forming section program. where the hardware is to be installed in the world.
Procedure: The development cost of software would depend
1. Reduce the three main reformer feed flows (i.e. the upon the extent of customizing required by the cli-
air flow, the feed gas flow, and the steam flow, in ent, supporting training documentation, and dura-
that order) in steps of 5%. Maintain the stability of tion of field training required. The total cost of the
the reformer section at all times. package could be in the range of $250,000 to
2. Maintain the steam/gas ratio at a higher value than $500,000.
normal during this exercise. 3. The color graphics capabilities have excellent train-
3. Reduce firing of the primary reformer to maintain ing advantages. Easy access to the controllers, alarm
process gas temperatures. status summary display, trend display, and the abil-
4. Reduce the load on the synthesis gas compressor tur- ity to recall pages from an operating manual on the
bine. CRT screen add exciting new dimensions to the
5. Increase flow of steam to air coil to protect the coil training exercise.
from overheating. 4. "Freeze" feature allows the transient process to be
6. Adjust the reformer draft and the auxiliary boiler stopped and resumed at will. The "delay" feature in-
draft by damper control. troduces the element of surprise and suddenness to
7. Put the required process variables on trend display the trainee. These features bring realism to the train-
and print a hard copy for future reference. ing situation, and consequently have training value.
5. Dangerous operations, emergencies, start-ups, and
shutdowns can be practiced repeatedly by the
ADVANTAGES OF A MICROCOMPUTER-BASED SIMULATOR trainee.
HARDWARE 6. It is significant that, recently, a client studied the
There are several other advantages to ammonia plant Kellogg simulator and a competitor's ammonia simu-
owners in having the simulator hardware at their plant: lator very thoroughly and elected to go with the
1. It is a scientific computer which can be pro- Kellogg simulator.
grammed by plant process engineers for doing rou-
tine material and heat balances, diagnostic calcula-
tions, and yield and efficiency studies, etc.
2. It is a business computer for which standard off-the-
shelf programs are available for doing personnel re- S. Madhavan is the Manager of Technical Services
cords, various accounting exercises, etc. in the Kellogg Plant Services Division of the M. W.
3. It can be used by the maintenance department for a Kellogg Co. He has 15 years of experience in Plant
computerized maintenance planning system, work- Technical Services and Process Engineering. He
holds a Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering
order system, materials management system, etc. from Kansas University. He obtained his B.S. and
4. The hardware can be used as a word processor. A sys- M.S. in Chemical Engineering as well as M.S. in
tem for storage and retrieval of information can be Petroleum Refinery Engineering from India.
easily established.

QUESTION: Do you think it is possible that an ammonia bring so much pressure to bear upon plant insurers. I
producer could actually make money by buying a simulator know that if I take a defensive driving course, I can get 10%
and getting a reduced insurance rate for making a better off my auto insurance; but it is a bit more competitive
and safer operation? market than claiming that my operators have been on a
MADHAVEN: I certainly agree that the use of the simulator Kellogg simulatorcourse and we need 10% off. (certainly
would lead to a safer operation. I don't know, however, agree with you that there should be a reduction. Another
whether you could convince the insurance company of problem is that we would have to have simulators in
that. I think that insurance rates are set up not only on the operation long enough to demonstrate plants with
efficiency of the operators but also on other factors such simulators actually are more efficient and safer than
as maintenance, duration of the plant in operation, the others that didn't have them. Lloyds of London seem to be
past history of the plant. I don't know whether you could very fond of sticking their necks out and estimating what
the risks are. They might do it for you.

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