The General Machining Process Simulator GMPS

Automated manufacturing system is characterized by flexibility. It aims at producing a variety of products with virtually no time loses to change over from one part to the next. In this paper, the Machining Process Simulator GMPS is introduced, which can be used as a supported environment for machining process. It can be executed off-line or on-line in manufacturing systems in order to predict the collisions of tool with machined workpieces, fixtures or pallets. First, the functional model of GMPS is described, then adopted critical techniques in the simulator are introduced. Finally, an application of GMPS in CIMS ERC of China is presented.

Machining Process Simulator for Concurrent Engineering

Integration is a key component of CIMS and concurrent engineering is an important step in realizing CIMSprocess integration. Concurrent engineering is itself dependent on an effective machining process simulator that verifies the machining process. A machining process simulator for concurrent engineering CMPS was developed at CIMSERC to meet the need for an effective simulator. This paper introduces the CMPS structure. key techniques. including geometry model construction and kinematics. NC code translation. collision and interference checks, material removal simulation. machining animation. etc. The model uses the solid Ray-representation method and the Voxelsplus B-representation algorithm. The Ray-representation method simplifies the Boolean operation process and improves the material removal simulation speed. The Voxels plus B-representation algorithm quickly detects collisionand interference problems. Finally. CMPS is applied to an actual NC milling process as an example.

Modeling and analysis of air combustion and steam regeneration in methanol to olefins processes

Light olefins is the incredibly important materials in chemical industry.Methanol to olefins(MTO),which provides a non-oil route for light olefins production,received considerable attention in the past decades.However,the catalyst deactivation is an inevitable feature in MTO processes,and regeneration,therefore,is one of the key steps in industrial MTO processes.Traditionally the MTO catalyst is regenerated by removing the deposited coke via air combustion,which unavoidably transforms coke into carbon dioxide and reduces the carbon utilization efficiency.Recent study shows that the coke species over MTO catalyst can be regenerated via steam,which can promote the light olefins yield as the deactivated coke species can be essentially transferred to industrially useful synthesis gas,is a promising pathway for further MTO processes development.In this work,we modelled and analyzed these two MTO regeneration methods in terms of carbon utilization efficiency and technology economics.As shown,the steam regeneration could achieve a carbon utilization efficiency of 84.31%,compared to 74.74%for air combustion regeneration.The MTO processes using steam regeneration can essentially achieve the near-zero carbon emission.In addition,light olefins production of the MTO processes using steam regeneration is 12.81%higher than that using air combustion regeneration.In this regard,steam regeneration could be considered as a potential yet promising regeneration method for further MTO processes,showing not only great environmental benefits but also competitive economic performance.

Phase equilibrium data prediction and process optimizationin butadiene extraction process

In response to the lack of reliable physical parameters in the process simulation of the butadiene extraction,a large amount of phase equilibrium data were collected in the context of the actual process of butadiene production by acetonitrile.The accuracy of five prediction methods,UNIFAC(UNIQUAC Functional-group Activity Coefficients),UNIFAC-LL,UNIFAC-LBY,UNIFAC-DMD and COSMO-RS,applied to the butadiene extraction process was verified using partial phase equilibrium data.The results showed that the UNIFAC-DMD method had the highest accuracy in predicting phase equilibrium data for the missing system.COSMO-RS-predicted multiple systems showed good accuracy,and a large number of missing phase equilibrium data were estimated using the UNIFAC-DMD method and COSMO-RS method.The predicted phase equilibrium data were checked for consistency.The NRTL-RK(non-Random Two Liquid-Redlich-Kwong Equation of State)and UNIQUAC thermodynamic models were used to correlate the phase equilibrium data.Industrial device simulations were used to verify the accuracy of the thermodynamic model applied to the butadiene extraction process.The simulation results showed that the average deviations of the simulated results using the correlated thermodynamic model from the actual values were less than 2%compared to that using the commercial simulation software,Aspen Plus and its database.The average deviation was much smaller than that of the simulations using the Aspen Plus database(>10%),indicating that the obtained phase equilibrium data are highly accurate and reliable.The best phase equilibrium data and thermodynamic model parameters for butadiene extraction are provided.This improves the accuracy and reliability of the design,optimization and control of the process,and provides a basis and guarantee for developing a more environmentally friendly and economical butadiene extraction process.

Photolithography Process Simulation for Integrated Circuits and Microelectromechanical System Fabrication

Simulations of photoresist etching,aerial image,exposure,and post-bake processes are integrated to obtain a photolithography process simulation for microelectromechanical system（MEMS） and integrated circuit（IC） fabrication based on three-dimensional （3D） cellular automata（CA）. The simulation results agree well with available experimental results. This indicates that the 3D dynamic CA model for the photoresist etching simulation and the 3D CA model for the post-bake simulation could be useful for the monolithic simulation of various lithography processes. This is determined to be useful for the device-sized fabrication process simulation of IC and MEMS.

A comparative study of MEA and DEA for post-combustion CO2 capture with different process configurations

This paper presented a comparative study of monoethanolamine （MEA） and diethanolamine （DEA） for post- combustion CO2 capture （PCC） process with different process configurations to study the interaction effect between solvent and process. The steady state process model of the conventional MEA-based PCC process was developed in Pro/II and was validated with the experimental data. Then ten different process configurations were simulated for both MEA and DEA. Their performances in energy consumption were compared in terms of reboiler duty and total equivalent work. The results show that DEA generally has better thermal performances than MEA for all these ten process configurations. Seven process configurations provide 0.38%-4.61% total energy saving compared with the conventional PCC process for MEA, and other two configurations are not favourable. For DEA, except one configuration, other process configurations have 0.27%-4.50% total energy saving. This work also analyzed the sensitivities of three key parameters （amine concentration, stripper pressure and lean solvent loading） in conventional process and five process modifications to show optimization strategy.

Operation optimization of the steel manufacturing process: A brief review

Against the realistic background of excess production capacity, product structure imbalance, and high material and energy consumption in steel enterprises, the implementation of operation optimization for the steel manufacturing process is essential to reduce the production cost, increase the production or energy efficiency, and improve production management. In this study, the operation optimization problem of the steel manufacturing process, which needed to go through a complex production organization from customers' orders to workshop production, was analyzed. The existing research on the operation optimization techniques, including process simulation, production planning, production scheduling, interface scheduling, and scheduling of auxiliary equipment, was reviewed. The literature review reveals that, although considerable research has been conducted to optimize the operation of steel production, these techniques are usually independent and unsystematic.Therefore, the future work related to operation optimization of the steel manufacturing process based on the integration of multi technologies and the intersection of multi disciplines were summarized.

Computational Mass Transfer Method for Chemical Process Simulation

The recent works on the development of computational mass transfer （CMT） method and its applications in chemical process simulation are reviewed. Some development strategies and challenges in future research are also discussed.

Process simulation and optimization of flow field in wet electrostatic precipitator

To improve the dust removal performance of the wet electrostatic precipitator(WESP), a flow field optimization scheme was proposed via CFD simulation in different scales. The simplified models of perforated and collection plates were determined firstly. Then the model parameters for the resistance of perforated and collection plates, obtained by small-scale flow simulation, were validated by medium-scale experiments. Through the comparison of the resistance and velocity distribution between simulation results and experimental data, the simplified model is proved to present the resistance characteristics of perforated and collection plates accurately. Numerical results show that after optimization, both the flow rate and the pressure drop in the upper room of electric field regions are basically equivalent to those of the lower room, and the velocity distribution in flue inlet of WESP becomes more uniform. Through the application in practice, the effectiveness and reliability of the optimization scheme are proved, which can provide valuable reference for further optimization of WESP.

A continuous and high-efficiency process to separate coal bed methane with porous ZIF-8 slurry:Experimental study and mathematical modelling

Coal bed methane has been considered as an important energy resource.One major difficulty of purifying coal bed methane comes from the similar physical properties of CH_4 and N_2.The ZIF-8/water-glycol slurry was used as a medium to separate coal bed methane by fluidifying the solid adsorbent material.The sorption equilibrium experiment of binary mixture(CH_4/N_2)and slurry was conducted.The selectivity of CH_4 to N_2 is within the range of 2-6,which proved the feasibility of the slurry separation method.The modified Langmuir equation was used to describe the gas-slurry phase equilibrium behavior,and the calculated results were in good agreement with the experimental data.A continuous absorption-adsorption and desorption process on the separation of CH_4/N_2 in slurry is proposed and its mathematical model is also developed.Sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the operation conditions and the energy performance of the proposed process was also evaluated.Feed gas contains 30 mol%of methane and the methane concentration in product gas is 95.46 mol%with the methane recovery ratio of 90.74%.The total energy consumption for per unit volume of product gas is determined as 1.846 kWh Nm^(-3).Experimental results and process simulation provide basic data for the design and operation of pilot and industrial plant.

A techno-economic and life cycle assessment for the production of green methanol from CO_(2): catalyst and process bottlenecks

The success of catalytic schemes for the large-scale valorization of CO_(2) does not only depend on the development of active,selective and stable catalytic materials but also on the overall process design.Here we present a multidisciplinary study(from catalyst to plant and techno-economic/lifecycle analysis)for the production of green methanol from renewable H2 and CO_(2).We combine an in-depth kinetic analysis of one of the most promising recently reported methanol-synthesis catalysts(InCo)with a thorough process simulation and techno-economic assessment.We then perform a life cycle assessment of the simulated process to gauge the real environmental impact of green methanol production from CO_(2).Our results indicate that up to 1.75 ton of CO_(2) can be abated per ton of produced methanol only if renewable energy is used to run the process,while the sensitivity analysis suggest that either rock-bottom H2 prices(1.5$kg1)or severe CO_(2) taxation(300$per ton)are needed for a profitable methanol plant.Besides,we herein highlight and analyze some critical bottlenecks of the process.Especial attention has been paid to the contribution of H2 to the overall plant costs,CH4 trace formation,and purity and costs of raw gases.In addition to providing important information for policy makers and industrialists,directions for catalyst(and therefore process)improvements are outlined.

Polyvinylamine-Based Facilitated Transport Membranes for Post-Combustion CO_(2) Capture:Challenges and Perspectives from Materials to Processes

Carbon dioxide(CO_(2))capture by gas-separation membranes has become increasingly attractive due to its high energy efficiency,relatively low cost,and environmental impact.Polyvinylamine(PVAm)-based facilitated transport(FT)membranes were developed in the last decade for CO_(2) capture.This work discusses the challenges of applying PVAm-based FT membranes from materials to processes for postcombustion CO_(2) capture in power plants and cement factories.Experiences learned from a pilot demonstration system can be used to guide the design of other membranes for CO_(2) capture.The importance of module and process design is emphasized in the achievement of a high-performance membrane system.Moreover,the results from process simulation and cost estimation indicate that a three-stage membrane system is feasible for achieving a high CO_(2) purity of 95 vol%.The specific CO_(2) capture cost was found to significantly depend on the required CO_(2) capture ratio,and a moderate CO_(2) capture ratio of 50%presented a cost of 63.7USD per tonne CO_(2) captured.Thus,FT membrane systems were found to be more competitive for partial CO_(2) capture.

Multiscale Simulation Starting at the Molecular Level for Adsorption Process Development

This article presents a multiscale simulation approach starting at the molecular level for the adsorption process development. A grand canonical Monte Carlo method is used for the prediction of adsorption isotherms of methanol on an activated carbon at the molecular level. The adsorption isotherms obtained in the linear region （or adsorption constant） are exploited as a model parameter required for the adsorption process simulation. The adsorption process model described by a set of partial differential equations （PDEs） is solved by using the conservation element and solution element method, which produces a fast and an accurate numerical solution to PDEs. The simulation results obtained from the adsorption constant estimated at the molecular level are in good agreement with the experimental results of the pulse response. The systematical multiscale simulation approach addressed in this study may be useful to accelerate the adsorption process development by reducing the number of experiments.

基于Process Simulate的工业机器人信息物理融合系统

工业机器人在进行新工艺开发时一般存在周期长、调试复杂等常见问题。以ABB的IRB120型工业机器人作为研究对象,基于Process Simulate工业仿真平台,采用了工业机器人信息物理融合的方法,实现了工业机器人实体与虚拟模型深度融合的功能,通过数据的通信、采集与传输实现了二者的同步运动功能,进一步分析了虚拟模型相对于实体工业机器人的时间延迟误差。分析结果表明,二者的时间延迟误差在工业允许范围内,说明该技术可为智能制造提供有效的解决方案,可大幅缩短工艺开发周期、降低工艺开发成本,同时该技术也是数字孪生概念下的具体工程应用,技术本身具有较高的工程推广价值。

Virtual Reality Based Process Integrated Simulation Platform in Refinery:Virtual Refinery and Its Application

With the combination between system simulation and virtual reality,we have established an integrated virtual refinery simulation platform,and analyzed the overall design and principal architecture.This paper introduces a simulation algorithm about a refinery based on virtual reality,and explains how the algorithm can be applied to the virtual refinery integrated simulation platform in detail.The virtual refinery simulation platform,which consists of a three-dimensional scene system,an integrated database system and a dynamic-static simulation system,has many applications,such as dynamic-static simulation of key process unit used as process control and oil tank blending simulation for scheduling.With the visualization and human-computer interaction for acquiring production and process data,this platform can provide effective supports on staff training related with monitoring,control and operation in refinery.Virtual refinery can also be web published through the internet and it is helpful for the distance training and education.

Process optimization of an industrial acetic acid dehydration progress via heterogeneous azeotropic distillation

The simulated process model of the HAc dehydration process under actual overloaded condition was conducted by amending the model of standard condition in our previous work using the process data collected from actual production. Based on the actual process model, the operation optimization analysis of each plant(HAc dehydration column, decanter and NPA recycle column) was conducted using Residue Curve Maps(RCMs),sensitivity analysis and software optimization module. Based on the optimized parameters, the influence of feed impurity MA and the temperature of decanter on the separating effect and energy consumption of the whole process were analyzed. Then the whole process operation optimizing strategy was proposed with the objective that the total reboiler duty Q Total of C-1 and C-3 reaches the minimum value, keeping C-1 and C-3 at their optimized separation parameters obtained above, connecting all the broken recycle and connection streams, and using the temperature of D-1 as operation variable. The optimization result shows that the total reboiler duty Q Total of the whole process can reach the minimum value of 128.32 × 10~6 k J·h^(-1) when the temperature of decanter is 352.35 K, and it can save 5.94 × 10~6 k J·h^(-1), about 2.56 t·h^(-1) low-pressure saturated vapor.

Modeling and Simulation of Production Process on Dimethyl Ether Synthesized from Coal-based Syngas by One-step Method

As a result of shortage supply of oil resources, the process for the alternative coal-based fuel, dimethyl ether （DME）, has emerged as an important process in chemical engineering field. With the laboratory experiment data about DME synthesis and separation, the production process for DME with high purity is proposed when one-step synthesis of DME in slurry bed reactor from syngas is adopted. On the basis of experimental research and process analysis, the proper unit modules and thermophysical calculation methods for the simulation process are selected. Incorporated the experimentally determined parameters of reaction dynamic model for DME synthesis, regression constants of parameters in non-random two-liquid equation （NRTL） model for binary component in DME separation system with built-in properties model, .the process flowsheet, is.developed and simulated on the Aspen Plus platform. The simulation results coincide well with data obtained in laboratory experiment. Accordingly, the accurate simulation results offer useful references to similar equipment design and process operation optimization.

Modeling and Optimization of Ethane Steam Cracking Process in An Industrial Tubular Reactor with Improved Reaction Scheme

Ethane steam cracking process in an industrial reactor was investigated.An one-demsional(1D)steady-state model was developed firstly by using an improved molecular reaction scheme and was then simulated in Aspen Plus.A comparison of model results with industrial data and previously reported results showed that the model can predict the process kinetics more accurately.In addition,the validated model was used to study the effects of different process variables,including coil outlet temperature(COT),steam-to-ethane ratio and residence time on ethane conversion,ethylene selectivity,products yields,and coking rate.Finally,steady-state optimization was conducted to the operation of industrial reactor.The COT and steam-to-ethane ratio were taken as decision variables to maximize the annual operational profit.

Flue gas analysis for biomass and coal co‑fring in fuidized bed:process simulation and validation

Coal-conversion technologies,although used ubiquitously,are often discredited due to high pollutant emissions,thereby emphasizing a dire need to optimize the combustion process.The co-fring of coal/biomass in a fuidized bed reactor has been an efcient way to optimize the pollutants emission.Herein,a new model has been designed in Aspen Plus®to simultaneously include detailed reaction kinetics,volatile compositions,tar combustion,and hydrodynamics of the reactor.Validation of the process model was done with variations in the fuel including high-sulfur Spanish lignite,high-ash Ekibastuz coal,wood pellets,and locally collected municipal solid waste(MSW)and the temperature ranging from 1073 to 1223 K.The composition of the exhaust gases,namely,CO/CO_(2)/NO/SO_(2)were determined from the model to be within 2%of the experimental observations.Co-combustion of local MSW with Ekibastuz coal had fue gas composition ranging from 1000 to 5000 ppm of CO,16.2%–17.2%of CO_(2),200–550 ppm of NO,and 130–210 ppm of SO_(2).A sensitivity analysis on co-fring of local biomass and Ekibastuz coal demonstrated the optimal operating temperature for fuidized bed reactor at 1148 K with the recommended biomass-to-coal ratio is 1/4,leading to minimum emissions of CO,NO,and SO_(2).

New process development and process evaluation for capturing CO2 in flue gas from power plants using ionic liquid[emim][Tf2N]

Using the ionic liquid[emim][Tf2N]as a physical solvent,it was found by Aspen Plus simulation that it was possible to attempt to capture CO2 from the flue gas discharged from the coal-fired unit of the power plant.Using the combination of model calculation and experimental determination,the density,isostatic heat capacity,viscosity,vapor pressure,thermal conductivity,surface tension and solubility of[emim][Tf2N]were obtained.Based on the NRTL model,the Henry coefficient and NRTL binary interaction parameters of CO2 dissolved in[emim][Tf2N]were obtained by correlating[emim][Tf2N]with the gas–liquid equilibrium data of CO2.Firstly,the calculated relevant data is imported into Aspen Plus,and the whole process model of the ionic liquid absorption process is established.Then the absorption process is optimized according to the temperature distribution in the absorption tower to obtain a new absorption process.Finally,the density,constant pressure heat capacity,surface tension,thermal conductivity,and viscosity of[emim][Tf2N]were changed to investigate the effect of ionic liquid properties on process energy consumption,solvent circulation and heat exchanger design.The results showed that based on the composition of the inlet gas stream to the absorbers,CO2 with a capture rate of 90%and a mass purity higher than 99.5%was captured.These results indicate that the[emim][Tf2N]could be used as a physical solvent for CO2 capture from coal-fired units.In addition,the results will provide a theoretical basis for the design of new ionic liquids for CO2 capture.