Q: How does Profit Optimizer work?A: Profit Optimizer uses dynamic models from Profit Controller applications as well as its own dynamic models to create a multi-unit or plant-wide model that is optimized. The resulting optimization targets are then passed to the underlying Profit Controller applications where they are implemented.
Q: How can a customer be sure if his/her business will benefit using Profit Optimizer?A: Each process is unique, so it is difficult to generalize about benefits. Some process characteristics that lend themselves to Profit Optimizer include processes where downstream units are constraining throughput and could be relieved by appropriate upstream controller action, and process that have significant time delays between upstream and downstream units. Honeywell consultants can assist in quantifying the benefits that a Profit Optimizer application can deliver.
Q: What does DQP mean?A: DQP means “Distributed Quadratic Program” and is used to describe Profit Optimizer technology that combines the quadratic optimization problems from each of the underlying Profit Controller into one overall optimization problem.
Q: How is Profit Optimizer licensed?A: Profit Optimizer is licensed on the basis of the number of underlying Profit Controller applications that are spanned. There are single unit Profit Optimizer licenses, up to large applications that span five or more Profit Controllers.
Q: What is the operator interface for Profit Optimizer?A: For AM Nodes, standard Profit Optimizer graphics are viewed from a US, UxS, or GUS node via native window. For NT nodes (e.g. APP node) the standard operator interface is Profit Viewer.
Q: What are some examples of where Profit Optimizer has been used?A: Profit Optimizer has been used in numerous industries. For example, in refining, Profit Optimizer has been used to optimize parallel crude and hydrotreater units; in oil and gas, Profit Optimizer has been used to optimize liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant throughput by coordinating feed distribution between three parallel processing trains; in petrochemicals, Profit Optimizer has been used to optimize ethylene plants, resulting in production increases of up to 4%; and in pulp and paper, Profit Optimizer has been applied to themo-mechanical pulping to improve pulp quality and reduce power consumption.
Q: Can the user employ a rigorous model with Profit Optimizer?A: Yes. Sometimes model gains change due to the non-linear nature of the process such as in an ethylene plant where feedstock changes have a significant impact on the cracking furnace ethylene yields. For applications like this, Honeywell’s Profit Bridge can be used to link the rigorous model to Profit Optimizer and update the model gains in Profit Optimizer.
Q: How do engineers build Profit Optimizer applications?A: Profit Optimizer applications are built using Profit Design Studio, the same powerful application development environment for building other Profit Suite applications such as Profit Controller, and Profit SensorPro.
Q: How many Profit Optimizer applications have been installed worldwide?A: There have been over 75 Profit Optimizer applications installed since 1996.