omputer simulation of chemical processes based on

first principle models is a mature technology. Steady

state simulation is commonly used for designing and
revamping plants and processes; it allows the benefits of
alternate process schemes to be compared and evaluated,
leading to the configuration that will guarantee optimal
steady state operation.
In recent years, dynamic simulation has also become
a mature technology. Among its applications it is possible
to find, design and revamp studies, operator training, testing of DCS configurations and the development
of operating procedures. An application that has
recently become available is the use of rigorous
dynamic simulators for developing, testing and
analysing the performance of model predictive
controllers (MPC). Dynamic and steady state
simulation can be effectively used in various
phases of an advanced control project.

tools and increasing operator acceptance.

This article specifically describes the integration of
dynamic simulation and advanced process control, and
demonstrates results obtained using this methodology in
three different casestudies.
The technologies and products used in the casestudies are HYSYS for steady state and dynamic simulation, and DMCplus for multivariable predictive control
(MPC). HYSYS is a package for both steady state and
dynamic simulation. Within HYSYS, steady state

Functional design
Steady state and dynamic simulation can be
effectively used for checking regulatory control
system behaviour, identifying new instrumentation, checking feasibility of inferential development and estimating potential benefits of APC
applications.

Plant test and model development

The simulation can be used to develop dynamic
models for MPC controllers. In some cases these
models can be used directly for online control. In
the majority of cases where dynamic simulation
cannot represent all the details of the real plant,
the models can be used as a starting point for
automated testing.

Figure 1. Integration of HYSYS dynamic simulation and

DMCPlus online controllers.

Detailed design and simulation

The dynamic simulation, integrated with the MPC
controller, can be used to test the unit in different
operating conditions with unmeasured disturbances. It could also be very useful at testing the
performance of the control strategy when the
process has non-linearities and for simulating
abnormal operating conditions.

Commissioning
The simulation of the APC strategy using the
dynamic model can be used to train engineers
and operators, increasing their confidence in the

Figure 2. Overview of the crude distillation unit main

fractionator.

Reprinted from HYDROCARBON ENGINEERING NOVEMBER 2004

Figure 5. PFD of the propane/propylene splitter.

Figure 3. The simulated step test on the CDU.

Figure 6. The identified model matrix for the C3

splitter example.

Figure 7. Product specification changes handled

by the MPC controller.
Figure 4. Comparison between models identified
with simulation and plant data (blue line:
simualted data, red lines: plant data).
simulations can be easily transformed into dynamic simulations by specifying additional engineering details,
including pressure/flow relationships and equipment
dimensions.
In HYSYS it is possible to configure a number of different control schemes, from simple PID controllers to
cascade and ratio controllers, using a series of pre-built
function blocks. Among these, there is a multivariable predictive controller block based on AspenTech DMCplus
technology.
This block can be used to perform a step test on the
simulated plant, which will identify the dynamic model that
will be used by the controller. This can then can be linked
to a DMCplus controller that has the same characteristics
and interface of the one used in real plant applications.
Figure 1 shows an example of HYSYS and DMCplus
interface.

Methodology description
The first step in this approach is that of building a steadystate simulation of the plant or unit. The second step is to
convert the steady state model into a dynamic model and
to use this to generate data that will allow the identifica-

tion of a dynamic model for the multivariable predictive

controller. Finally, after the controller has been designed,
it can be tuned and its performances can be tested by
interfacing it with the dynamic simulation. The following
sections will examine these steps in more detail.

Steady-state simulation
The steady-state simulation is a necessary step in this
approach because it provides the starting values for the
dynamic simulation, but it can also be used for many other
purposes. By looking at the steady state gains of the system, it is possible to detect if the control design is ill conditioned, in which case other manipulated variables can
be selected.
Steady state gains are also helpful in deciding the size
and direction of the moves that will be applied to the
manipulated variables to obtain the dynamic models.
Finally, repeating the steady state analysis in different
operating conditions can also help to identify strong nonlinearities, which can then be accounted for during the
model identification.

Dynamic simulation and step test

The steady state simulation can be built and validated
simply, with the aid of historical plant data, which describe
a typical operating condition. For the dynamic simulation,
additional information is required: equipment hold-ups,
valves sizing, PID controllers tuning, etc.
When all this information is available, the dynamic

Reprinted from HYDROCARBON ENGINEERING NOVEMBER 2004

Figure 8. Layout of the aromatic fractionation unit.

simulation can be started and used to simulate a step test
in which all the manipulated variables are moved and their
effect on the controlled variables is observed. With
respect to a real plant test, this approach has the advantage that the data are totally noise-free and that the feed
forward variables, which in the real world are seldom
available for stepping, can also be moved freely.
The results of the simulated step test must then be
exported from the dynamic simulation and used in an
identification package. In this case DMCplus Model, the
identification tool for DMCplus controllers, is used to
analyse data and identify the dynamic models of the units
just as if they had been obtained from a real step test.

Closed loop simulations

The tuning of a DMCplus controller is usually performed
with the aid of its associated closed loop simulation tool,
Simulate. These simulations are based on the linear
model that has been obtained during the model identification, and even if it is possible to introduce some extent of
plant/model mismatch, it will always be difficult to closely
reproduce the behaviour of the controller once it is applied
to the real plant.
When the MPC is interfaced with the dynamic simulation,
it is possible to reproduce all nonlinearities and dead
times of the process when changing the process conditions, working at a different operating point, introducing
unmeasured perturbations etc.
These rigorous simulations could also be used for
operator and engineer training, and also to reproduce/
explore different kinds of scenarios. As will be shown with
one of the examples that follow, this is especially interesting for processes with long settling times.

Casestudies
This section will show some examples where dynamic
simulations have been used to build models for MPC controllers and also give some closed-loop results.

Crude distillation unit

The methodology described in the preceding paragraphs
has been applied to a crude distillation unit, consisting of
a crude preheat train, a main fractionator and a LPG section. The representation of the simulated flow sheet of the
main fractionator is shown in Figure 2.
A simulated step test has been performed on the rig-

Figure 9. Aromatic fractionation unit: comparison

between simulation data (red lines) and real plant
data (blue lines).
orous dynamic model, where all the independent (manipulated or feed forward) variables have been moved a
number of times and their effect on all the controlled variables has been recorded. Figure 3 shows the trends
obtained in this phase for some of the independent and
dependent variables
These data have then been used for model identification
and the obtained models were used as an initial model for
the step test on the real unit, which has been performed
with SmartStep, AspenTechs automated plant testing
technology. After the completion of the step test, it was
possible to compare the models identified in the plant with
the ones that were obtained from the simulation, and a
good matching of results was observed.
The comparison for some of the model curves can be
observed in Figure 4, where the blue lines show the models from the rigorous dynamic model and the red lines are
derived from the actual plant test.

Propane/propylene splitter
The second example is a propane/propylene splitter,
where the main advantage of the simulation approach is
that performing a step test on a real plant can be
extremely time consuming (the settling time of the unit is
more than 48 hours) and difficult because of the many disturbances that impact the unit.
The process flow diagram used for the steady state
and dynamic simulation of the unit is shown in Figure 5. It
can be observed that the scheme includes compression
of the overhead vapours to provide a heating medium to

Reprinted from HYDROCARBON ENGINEERING NOVEMBER 2004

the reboiler. This complicates the column operation considerably, as it introduces an energy recycle that otherwise does not exist on conventionally reboiled towers.
The model matrix obtained from the simulated step
test is shown on Figure 6. It can be observed that the
purity of the propylene product has been modelled as a
ramp variable (models in the first column), because the
settling time is much longer than the controller prediction
horizon.
These models have then been used to design the
DMCplus controller and its performance has been evaluated with a series of closed-loop simulations. One example can be seen in Figure 7, where the purity specification
for the propylene product was varied a few times (thick
blue line) and the controller was capable of achieving the
desired product grades without violating the other CV limits and rejecting feed flow disturbances.

Aromatic fractionation unit

The last application shown here is related to an aromatic
fractionation unit which consists of three distillation towers:
the first two columns operate in parallel, separating benzene
and lighter components from the heavy end of two reformate
gasoline streams. The two benzene streams are then mixed
and the third column concentrates the benzene in the bottom
and removes the light ends from the top. The flow sheet of
the unit is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 9 shows the comparison between the models
obtained through the rigorous simulation and a traditional plant
test. The dynamic models and their gains are very similar.

Conclusion
Historically, the use of dynamic simulation in APC projects has been limited. The main reasons behind this are

a lack of mature products, difficult integration between

technologies, excessive modelling time and computing
capacity.
Most of these limitations have been overcome by
existing technology. Products are now mature and well
integrated and computing power is no longer a constraint.
The time required to develop a rigorous model adequate
for designing and testing an APC strategy even for complex units is, in most cases, limited. The criteria for deciding whether it is practical to use rigorous dynamic
modelling for the development of an APC strategy are
based on the nature and complexity of the process and
the type of disturbances.
Fractionation units that have long settling times are
ideal candidates for the adoption of this methodology,
as separation columns can be modelled with a high
degree of accuracy and with limited effort. On the other
hand, reactors are more complex to model and
therefore are less attractive for rigorous dynamic
modelling.
The integration of dynamic simulation and APC can
also be useful for testing control strategies at new plants,
enabling it to be implemented as soon as the units are in
operation. In some cases new instrumentation is required
for the execution of an APC project or the project is put on
hold waiting for plant turnaround. In these cases a
dynamic simulation of the units or part of the plant can
speed up the deployment of the APC strategy, anticipating
phases such as operator training.
Rigorous dynamic simulation will not probably completely replace plant testing but it can be considered a
valuable tool available to process and control engineers in
the development and installation of advanced process
control strategies.________________________________