Plant-wide optimization using models with analytical gains

A method for plant-wide optimization, the method comprising:

• receiving limits for at least one of a plurality of controlled variables and a plurality of manipulated variables for a plant at a user interface;
• determining an optimal operating point using a gain matrix of a flowsheet model for one or more of the plurality of manipulated variables using the limits for the at least one of the plurality of controlled variables and the plurality of manipulated variables;
• wherein the flowsheet model includes a plurality of models that represent a plurality of process units or routing elements in the plant, the plant comprising at least one process controller coupled to field devices of the plurality of process units, wherein each of the plurality of process units comprise equipment for converting a raw material or an intermediate material into another material;
• wherein the plurality of models are interconnected in the flowsheet model to create a plant-wide model with a plurality of paths between a plurality of inlets of the plant and a plurality of outlets;
• wherein the flowsheet model includes the plurality of manipulated variables and the plurality of controlled variables, each associated with one or more of the plurality of process units or routing elements;
• wherein each gain in the gain matrix relates a change in one of the plurality of manipulated variables to a corresponding change in one of the plurality of controlled variables, wherein each gain is generated as a product of individual, analytical gains for each process unit and routing element between the one of the plurality of manipulated variables and the one of the plurality of controlled variables in the flowsheet model;
• and
• causing the at least one process controller to control the plurality of process units in accordance with the optimal operating point for the one or more of the plurality of manipulated variables.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method including:

• receiving limits for at least one of a plurality of controlled variables and a plurality of manipulated variables for a plant at a user interface;
• determining an optimal operating point using a gain matrix of a flowsheet model for one or more of the plurality of manipulated variables using the limits for the at least one of the plurality of controlled variables;
• wherein the flowsheet model includes a plurality of models that represent a plurality of process units or routing elements in the plant, the plant comprising at least one process controller coupled to field devices of the plurality of process units, wherein each of the plurality of process units comprise equipment for converting a raw material or an intermediate material into another material;
• wherein the plurality of models are interconnected in the flowsheet model to create a plant-wide model with a plurality of paths between a plurality of inlets of the plant and a plurality of outlets;
• wherein the flowsheet model includes the plurality of manipulated variables and the plurality of controlled variables, each associated with one or more of the plurality of process units or routing elements;
• wherein each gain in the gain matrix relates a change in one of the plurality of manipulated variables to a corresponding change in one of the plurality of controlled variables, wherein each gain is generated as a product of individual, analytical gains for each process unit and routing element between the one of the plurality of manipulated variables and the one of the plurality of controlled variables in the flowsheet model;
• and
• controlling the plurality of process units in accordance with the optimal operating point for the one or more of the plurality of manipulated variables.