Base-Layer APC

Base-layer APC is multivariable control designed for the base-layer, meaning high availability and fast execution speed.

“Every fired heater APC application in industry today that uses temperature control as the MV is using the wrong MV.  Direct control of the fuel gas valve is the right MV from control performance, process safeguarding, and reliability points of view.”  Link to article... 

In APC 2.0, multivariable control & optimization can be deployed directly in the control layer, where it can rely upon and take advantage of high availability and base-layer execution speeds.  This makes many multivariable control applications possible that have not been possible in the past.  For example, combined multivariable control of fired heater temperature, burner pressure, excess oxygen, and draft – with base-layer speed, reliability, and performance,  Break through the APC speed and reliability barrier with APC 2.0!

Basic Process Control (BPC) Health Audits

A healthy basic process control (BPC) layer is the foundation of a successful advanced process control (APC) layer.  BPC Health Audits by APC Performance encompass loop tuning, loops in manual, valve health, and loop intervention analysis.

Hydrocracking, Hydrotreating, and Renewable Diesel

Hydrocracking and hydrotreating present one of oil refining's most demanding process control challenges at all levels – safety systems, base-layer control, and advanced control. But most hydrocrackers and hydrotreaters in industry remain under-automated, lacking responsive temperature excursion control, metallurgical protection, depressure prevention, and effective advanced control & optimization.

Fired Heater Control

Large industrial complexes can have many fired heaters, making broad-based competency in this area essential to overall reliability, safety and energy efficiency. Despite industry’s widespread familiarity with fired heaters, they continue to pose significant control and operational challenges, especially in achieving reliable multivariable control of temperature, fuel gas flow, burner pressure, draft, excess oxygen, and other important heater preformance and safeguarding variables.  This is a natural application for base-layer APC.

Inferential Control

Inferential control is often the most profitable part of APC.  But inferentials can also be justified and implemented independently of APC, just like a new analyzer.  This can capture the benefits of inferential control more quickly and easily, while making inferentials that are APC-ready.


BPC Health

Contact us to learn more about a BPC Health Audit by APC Performance LLc.

Safety, reliability, and optimization are the main challenges facing the process industries today, and process control is one of the most important tools to these ends.

APC Performance LLC offers services designed to help clients rapidly achieve top quartile Basic Process Control (BPC) and Advanced Process Control (APC) core-competency.

Contact

APC Performance, LLC
Box 984
Red Lodge, Montana 59068
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406-426-0803


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