Emerson Process Management announced the release of two SmartProcess plant optimization software modules for the water and wastewater industries—the Economic Optimizer and Global Performance Advisor.
SmartProcess modules optimize control and monitoring of plant processes utilizing advanced control techniques, ensuring plant efficiency and decreased operating costs are attained within operational and regulatory limits. By building plant-specific models to simulate process variations and changing conditions, SmartProcess identifies the precise control settings for continuous optimal performance. The plant model incorporates self-learning features that enable it to adapt to long-term changes in the plant. Because SmartProcess modules are platform independent, they can be integrated into any vendor’s distributed control system or PLC network.
“Emerson is committed to helping our customers increase operating efficiency and reliability through advanced control technologies,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson Process Management’s Power& Water Solutions division. “Introducing these modules to the water and wastewater industries is part of our ongoing effort to provide leading-edge technologies that translate into operational and economic benefits for municipalities of all sizes,” he said.
SmartProcess incorporates fuzzy logic, neural networks and model-based predictive controls, as well as other tools developed for the needs of water and wastewater customers. The software offers a comprehensive and proven optimization solution that leverages Emerson’s water industry expertise, project management experience and industry-leading software technology.
The SmartProcess Economic Optimizer manages water treatment and wastewater treatment processes to minimize costs, reduce equipment wear and tear, and balance tradeoffs, such as low and high flow. In both water and wastewater treatment applications, the Economic Optimizer can be applied to many key areas of operation within the plant and throughout the water system, including energy management, chemical usage and pump optimization.
Using customized plant models, the Economic Optimizer enhances the performance of each separate process, making it possible to reduce costs while meeting continuous improvement goals. For example, the Economic Optimizer models the chemical usage for acids and bases for process utilization to adjust the pH, optimizing usage and minimizing operation above and below set point levels.
The SmartProcess Global Performance Advisor monitors and benchmarks equipment performance against design specifications. This package provides operators of water and wastewater facilities with the ability to quickly identify the problematic areas, which then translates into improved equipment performance and reduced operating costs. The Global Performance Advisor conducts online performance calculations for pump applications, including volumetric flow, head, input power, output power, actual and overall efficiency, deviations and many other areas. The package incorporates its own web server capability so that the graphics, trends and results can easily be shared throughout the organization.
“We’ve seen first-hand how municipal authorities can realize significant cost savings through operational consistency,” said Yeager. “Incorporating one or both of these new SmartProcess modules into an organization’s control solution is one way for Emerson customers to achieve greater consistency, and in turn, enhance the performance of their water and wastewater treatment facilities.”
Source: Emerson Process Management
