PSE Consulting

4-level approach: strategy to implementation

"PSE's expert consulting service has enabled us to develop a state-of-the-art model for a complex crystallisation process with minimum time and effort"

Steve Pietsch
BP Chemicals

Process modelling is a key technology for support of product and process innovation and enhancement. Models provide high-quality quantitative information for decision support at all levels, allowing informed decisions and proper risk management in order to achieve better design and operation.

Modelling advances process understanding, generates essential information for decision support, and captures knowledge in a form that be used to add value in many different ways over the process or product lifecycle.

Through the application of Model-Based Innovation techiques, it can also help to direct R&D activity and investment, and to integrate R&D with design and engineering.

However many process industry organisations have an under-developed modelling infrastructure that does not take full advantage of the current generation of modelling technology. PSE's comprehensive consulting service aims to address this.

The PSE 4-level approach

PSE Consulting's 4-level consultancy approach provides services from advice on modelling strategy, through process design and Model-Based Innovation (MBI) services, Advanced Process Model (APM) implementation and application, training and knowledge transfer, to implementation of solutions on site where required.

Our primary aim is to help our customers to generate or release maximum value from their business through the application of modelling. We achieve this through a combination of practical application and transfer of know-how.

Profile: a typical top-to-bottom project

PSE Consulting can provide all or any of the following services:

identification of whether or where modelling can be applied to maximum value.
advice on modelling tools. We will advise you on the best set of tools to accomplish the modelling task required. Typically this might involve a mix of gPROMS family products, CFD packages and physical property software.
models. We will supply models of your process from our Advanced Model Libraries, or customise these or create tailored models as required.
experimental data analysis. We will also perform model-based data analysis on your data to fit parameters and test its validity for the task at hand.
advice on experimental rigs and procedures. If further data collection is required, we will advise on what types of experiments are required.
process development and plant design. Our industrially-experienced consultants can advise on many aspects of process and plant design.
software systems design, implementation and deployment. Applications may involve the integration of software in order to provide easy access to engineering and operations personnel. We can carry out or advise on the work.

Level 1: Strategic

PSE Principal and Senior Consultants provide: Strategic advice on modeling policy; ModelAudit review and benchmarking of capability and application; PSE FastTrack advice on "mid-tier to top-tier" acceleration; ModelValue identification of 'top 10' list of projects where modeling will add value; Knowledge transfer to senior management. Recent examples are:

Chemical company management review for processing challenges. Identified list of processes where APM and MBI would add significant value, with structured implementation proposal. All projects to date resulted in significant economic improvement – e.g. move from second-tier to country's leading producer of bulk chemical. [Japanese petrochem producer]
The application of Model-Based Innovation in Process Analytical Technology for pharmaceutical production. Guidance on the use of MBI in PAT implementation for primary pharmaceutical production. [UK pharmaceuticals company]
Structured application of modelling to process and product innovation. Long-term project-based knowledge transfer to senior personnel on the application of APM and MBI, plus implementation assistance. One project led to company developing own process licensing capability for the first time. [LG Chem, Ltd]

Level 2: Process & modeling expert advice

Application of PSE process expertise plus modeling expertise to Model-Based Innovation for processes or products, process design, equipment design or process improvement, including model-based verification and quantification. Recent examples are:

Design of new continuous and batch processes for production of norbornene and tetracyclododecene. Designed plant that can reliably process wide range of feedstocks, varying in proportion of the two main products (from 1:5 to 5:1); major revenue enhancement. [Japanese petrochemicals producer]
Design and operation of new pharmaceutical reactor. Guided experimental programme for the identification of complex chemistry, used resulting data for design of new reactor with improved mixing and mass transfer. Derived new batch operating procedure to minimise side reactions and impurities. [UK/Italian pharmaceutical manufacturer]

Level 3: Advanced Process Modelling: ModelCare

Application of Advanced Process Modelling in all process industry sectors under the well-established and popular ModelCare programme. All projects described in levels 2–4 have Advanced Process Models as the basis. Some specific examples are:

Design of liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tanks. Provided detailed loading/unloading dynamic models of LNG storage tanks to achieve significant savings on compression equipment and energy use. [BP]
Optimal design of large-scale industrial crystallisation process. Developed high-accuracy models to enable process licensor to optimise design of large-scale industrial crystallisation process, to enhance process economics. [BP Chemicals]
Development of library of design-level compressor Advanced Process Models for high-accuracy compressor modelling in order to enhance safety and reliability and improve economics. [Oil company]
Development of membrane APM for application within HYSYS®. Converted and extended existing FORTRAN membrane model for use by process engineers delivering licensed process designs, in order to reduce field testing. [UOP]

Level 4: Implementation services

Integration of APMs, physical property systems, the gPROMS modeling and solution engine and other software.

Implementation of a software architecture for detailed gas turbine modelling within HYSYS®. [Oil company]
Implementation gPROMS APMs within an Operator Training Simulator framework. Software engineering and integration for real-time and faster execution of complex unit models within OTS. [Honeywell]
Model-based Predictive Controls for batch applications. Integration of gPROMS APMs for online trajectory optimisation for a sugar process. [PURAC]
Development of an integrated framework for the modelling of power generation plant with gPROMS as the integrating platform for vendors-supplied models and Fluent CFD models over the internet. [Alstom, Mitsui-Babcock, RWE].

ModelCare logo

Find out more about ModelCare.