Process simulators are irreplaceable tools for every process engineer. The tools available in the market today have incrementally improved over the years to provide more features and functionality. However, today’s simulators typically only support a single phase of the lifecycle and are often based on thermodynamics of different simulation vendors and different calculation methods. This not only leads to lack of trust in the results, but causes substantial rework by having to build a new simulation model in each new tool. And the results are hard to compare.
Global competition, pricing pressure and energy alternatives are now driving the need for a new approach. The oil & gas industry has seen high volatility and the lower price level of today is seen as the “new normal.” The chemicals industry has a continuous need to innovate for greater agility and lower costs.
The next generation of workers also expects a modern, scalable and easy to use solution with technology they now take for granted – high speed internet access, mobile devices, touch screens and virtual reality. New concepts like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industry 4.0, and Artificial Intelligence have created greater opportunities with a new next generation platform that provides a “Digital Twin” of the plant through the process lifecycle that cannot be provided with today’s tools.
Unified Lifecycle Simulation means that one process model is extended throughout the entire lifecycle of the plant, from concept through to operations. This requires a process design mode, a fluid flow/rating mode and a dynamic mode, in combination with the ability to toggle back and forth between modes.
