Chemical | Solutia Inc.

Overview

By successfully implementing a flexible process control strategy, based on Emerson Process Management's DeltaV digital automation system, Solutia, Inc. is quickly meeting the constantly changing demands of its pilot acrylic production operation while delivering higher quality product.

Together, Solutia and Emerson were able to seamlessly introduce the technology to plant operations staff, while streamlining support efforts traditionally required.

Profile

The Process. The single-end line takes in raw powdered polymer, mixes in solvents at precise ratios to the polymer, heats, possibly dyes (depending on the product being manufactured), filters, and finally extrudes acrylic resin into long strands of acrylic fibers. For the moment, the DeltaV system is in control up until the extrusion process.

Prior to the DeltaV system, the process was run manually. Manual tweaking of several parameters was required to keep the polymer/solvent ratio correct. These adjustments took place after samples were drawn and extensive calculations were manually performed.

The end product coming off this process is further processed and sold to manufacturers for use in break pads and other applications calling for high strength and adhesion to resins.

Situation

This pilot operation supports a wide range of new product developments and must constantly adapt to changing raw materials and processing parameters.

Some of the products produced at this pilot facility are sold to other manufacturers, so the product quality must meet or exceed buyer specifications.

Much of the processing facility operated manually until the DeltaV system was installed and commissioned. It was imperative that the DeltaV system be easy to learn and use so that extensive retraining would not be required.

Solution

Solutia saw the DeltaV system as the perfect solution for its acrylic production processing facility. The DeltaV system provided an easy-to-learn system for both the engineers and operators.

Picture above: After developing control strategies and operator displays in the DeltaV system, David Montgomery, a senior specialist in process modeling said, "I was impressed, not only in what DeltaV could do, but how easy it was to do it."

David Montgomery said the two main areas where he saw tremendous advantages in the DeltaV system over other systems he's used in the past, are in the graphics editing, and in the re-ranging of equipment online.

Montgomery could make changes in the operating graphics and see the results instantly, something critical for a pilot plant with constantly changing production requirements.

Re-ranging/re-calibration was easily done by the operators initiating control logic to run at the click of a button, which dynamically changed the range of the intelligent field instruments right from a operator's display.

Montgomery and his team have performed other fascinating work with the DeltaV system. For example, they have created dynamic graphics that change depending on the equipment used. They also manage alarms so that alarms on unused equipment are disabled--a feat impossible with many other systems available today. DeltaV sequential function charts (SFCs), one of the IEC-1131 standard control languages, easily and dynamically change the alarm attributes as process conditions change.

Solution

Improved Product Quality. Since the DeltaV installation, Solutia operators don't have to constantly adjust the process to keep the quality of the finished acrylic fiber where it needs to be. "It's been amazing to me how uniform the product is under DeltaV's control," said operator Johnny Davis.

Picture above: Operations manager Frank Stewart reviewing the current production with operator Johnny Davis on a DeltaV workstation.

Reduced Training Costs. Davis, who had no prior PC experience, enthused "I learned DeltaV by doing it, and felt totally comfortable operating our line with it in a few days."

Reduced Installation Costs. Solutia required a cost-effective installation to justify the investment. Reginald Williams, the engineer responsible for the installation, was able to take a junction box retired from service and install the compact and field hardened DeltaV controller and I/O subsystem right in the processing area instead of building a separate control room, typical with other control systems.

Picture above: Engineer Reginald Williams displaying the re-used junction box containing the DeltaV controller and I/O subsystem which provided Solutia large savings in installation costs.

back to top