Sister companies from MAIRE take plant digitalization to the next level
Stamicarbon teamed up with sister companies Kinetics Technology (KT), NextChem Tech and Tecnimont to implement state-of-the-art digital solutions for hydrogen production (HPU) and sulfur recovery (SRU) units. The collaboration included the delivery of two Operator Training Simulators (OTS), which will be used not only for operator training but also for testing and tuning the Digital Process Monitor.
These Stami Digital products are aimed at helping MAIRE Group’s customers to optimize their hydrogen production units based on steam reforming and their sulfur recovery plants, effectively train process engineers, and contribute to the further development of digital products for licensed units within the Group.
Operator Training Simulators
The OTS stream of the project involved the delivery of two generic OTS systems with dynamic models of the HPU and SRU plants, including the implementation of control and safety interlock logics, thus embedding the distinctive licensor’s know-how for such technologies. The OTS systems will be used for the training of process engineers in an environment close to a real plant, investigation of the possible improvements of process design and distributed control system (DCS) and emergency shutdown (ESD) Logics.
HPU and SRU process engineers received training on using the OTS application and creating and using training scenarios on the simulator. The training scenarios allow to observe, test and train operator response to various situations in the plant, including normal operation, plant upsets, malfunctions and failures.
Advantages of plant digitalization
Digitalization helps to increase production efficiency and reduce energy consumption, emissions, and downtime. Stamicarbon’s OTS with a high-fidelity plant model enables effective training of plant operators on start-up and shutdown procedures, emergency shutdowns, day-to-day operations and various scenarios in the plant to improve operator knowledge, plant safety and reliability.
Taking digitalization a step further, the Group is working on applying metaverse for immersive operator training in fertilizer plants. From safety enhancements to production efficiency and operator upskilling, this innovative approach is transforming the training simulation environment for industrial plants.
