DYNAMIC PROCESS SIMULATION IN INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE

Dynamic process simulation is gaining in importance in process development and plant design. In addition to simulation tools for steady state calculations and optimization, recent years have seen increased development of software tools suitable for dynamic simulation. In particular, dynamic process models have been developed for various unit operations at universities and in industry. Application of the models includes synthesis and analysis of the control structure, start-up and shut down, safety assessments, optimization, and training. In addition, dynamic flowsheet programs analogous to the steady state programs were developed. Wider use of these program systems requires increased flexibility, solving procedures, user interfaces, model library, interfaces to external programs, etc. The present article is intended not only to describe the state of the art and describe some typical applications, but in particular to examine the demands placed on dynamic process simulation and the simulators and to delineate the current limitations of dynamic process simulation from an industrial viewpoint.