Building a High-Fidelity Dynamic Simulation and Control System Fast

Process operations are dynamic in nature. It is the ultimate goal to own a high-fidelity virtual dynamic system that simulates behaviors and performance not only under normal conditions but also during startup and shutdown as well as under abnormal conditions. Such a system could be used to exam designs, analyze operations, obtain simplified models for model-based controllers, tune controllers, train operators and find optimum solutions. However, building such a system remains a challenging task. Integrating high-fidelity equipment blocks, with built-in sizing, rating and testing methods and environment into a simulation tool would help a user achieve such a goal. Furthermore, adding product databases and selection methods to obtain equipment parameters automatically simplifies the building process for the user. Examples are included to demonstrate the application of such a tool to process industries.