Oil Refinery Example Problem

Building Science and Engineering Math Models is the key work at this level. Each process must have a model that describes the break down of molecules coming in as input to each process (eg. distillation or cracking units) and how they bind to other particles to form a desired end product. This modeling is for the fundamental chemistry that incurrs in a given processing unit. Each model may consist of algebraic equations, ordinary differential equations, and/or partial differential equations. For example, movement of oil may involve heat transfer and thus requires some partial differential equations that would be part of ones model for each processing unit that causes heat transfer.

Next building Control Valve Math Models for each control valve type used in any processor on given site. These models must simulate real time events and responses. For example, a pressure guage when increased would force the processor to reduce input while decreasing the pressure guage would increase input or whatever. These models must be very exact.

Simulations: Once models are built start simulating each different processing unit type. Does the simulation respond as a unit in the real world? Keep working on models until you can answer this question with a yes. Then pass this processing unit's math model on to ones individual simulations group

Productivity History: In the 1970s a gold, silver, and red star experimental program was created at Chevron's Richmond, California Refinery with a goal to improve productivity by motivating the control room operators. Before this star program was created the experienced operators often started their shifts by setting their controls into 'safe' regions and then sit back and relax for the rest of their shift. This star program got operators competing against each other to see who had the most and highest stars. The stars were handled out to the operators that showed the most improvement in productivity for the week. The program had computers watching each movement an operator made. If he/she went into a danger region with a control valve the computer would warn the operator and get him/her back into the proper region. But it would not tell him/her where it was optimal. He/she had to figure that out on their own. The increased productivity from this experimental program quickly paid off the cost of creating the software to monitor each control room and all associated hardware. Just a simple star got things running nicely. :)

Read our textbook (see below) and learn more on how the operators increased Black Gold production that paid for this computer experiment.

See following list of example Fundamental Level Simulations/Optimizations problems solved with Calculus-level programming: