Case Studies Braskem Reduces Energy Usage by 20% with Aspen DMC3

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	Braskem Reduces Energy Usage by 20% with Aspen DMC3

Braskem Reduces Energy Usage by 20% with Aspen DMC3

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Process Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries	Chemicals
Applicable Functions	Process Manufacturing
Use Cases	Energy Management System Process Control & Optimization
Services	System Integration Training
Challenge	Braskem, a major player in the international petrochemical market, was facing challenges with variability in product quality, high energy usage, and excess reflux in their operations. The company had around 210 AspenTech advanced process control (APC) controllers installed among four Brazilian cracker sites. However, up until 2015, advanced process control was only installed on furnaces. The lack of an optimization algorithm on distillation columns resulted in lost potential benefits and unnecessary excess spending. There were frequent composition peaks and an excess of reflux, meaning excess utility spent on refrigeration compressors that use high pressure steam. Braskem decided to implement an optimization strategy using Aspen DMC3 to improve product quality and reduce project costs. Read More
About Customer	Braskem is the largest petrochemical company in Latin America, the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, and the eighth-largest resin producer worldwide. The company is positioned between extraction and plastic resin manufacturing, responsible for transformation from naphtha, natural gas, ethanol and salt into basic petrochemicals for polymer plants. The main final products Braskem produces are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and PVC. Among basic petrochemicals, Braskem also produces solvents, aromatics and fuels. Since its founding in 2002, Braskem has been a major player in the international petrochemical market. Read More
Solution	Braskem implemented Aspen DMC3 on cold end units of ethylene site to reduce variations in quality and energy usage. The Adaptive Process Control technology in Aspen DMC3 allows simultaneous optimization and data collection with no interruptions to the process. Plant test data is used to build and update models which predict process response to manipulated variable moves and measured disturbances. That information is used to calculate the best moves to apply to the manipulated variables to stabilize production and push the process to the optimal point. Models are continuously adapted to represent unavoidable changing plant conditions. Braskem was able to implement Aspen DMC3 on their own with existing internal resources. In total, there were three engineers working on this project, all with less than five years’ experience. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Process Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Chemicals

Applicable Functions

Process Manufacturing

Use Cases

Energy Management System

Process Control & Optimization

Services

System Integration

Training

Challenge

Braskem, a major player in the international petrochemical market, was facing challenges with variability in product quality, high energy usage, and excess reflux in their operations. The company had around 210 AspenTech advanced process control (APC) controllers installed among four Brazilian cracker sites. However, up until 2015, advanced process control was only installed on furnaces. The lack of an optimization algorithm on distillation columns resulted in lost potential benefits and unnecessary excess spending. There were frequent composition peaks and an excess of reflux, meaning excess utility spent on refrigeration compressors that use high pressure steam. Braskem decided to implement an optimization strategy using Aspen DMC3 to improve product quality and reduce project costs.

About Customer

Braskem is the largest petrochemical company in Latin America, the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, and the eighth-largest resin producer worldwide. The company is positioned between extraction and plastic resin manufacturing, responsible for transformation from naphtha, natural gas, ethanol and salt into basic petrochemicals for polymer plants. The main final products Braskem produces are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and PVC. Among basic petrochemicals, Braskem also produces solvents, aromatics and fuels. Since its founding in 2002, Braskem has been a major player in the international petrochemical market.

Solution

Braskem implemented Aspen DMC3 on cold end units of ethylene site to reduce variations in quality and energy usage. The Adaptive Process Control technology in Aspen DMC3 allows simultaneous optimization and data collection with no interruptions to the process. Plant test data is used to build and update models which predict process response to manipulated variable moves and measured disturbances. That information is used to calculate the best moves to apply to the manipulated variables to stabilize production and push the process to the optimal point. Models are continuously adapted to represent unavoidable changing plant conditions. Braskem was able to implement Aspen DMC3 on their own with existing internal resources. In total, there were three engineers working on this project, all with less than five years’ experience.

Impact #1	Lowered energy usage by 20 percent, increased production rates and reduced process variability
Impact #2	Implemented with existing internal resources and over a shorter time frame, leading to faster, proven results
Impact #3	Set new records for improving energy usage KPIs, leading to two internal awards

Impact #1

Lowered energy usage by 20 percent, increased production rates and reduced process variability

Impact #2

Implemented with existing internal resources and over a shorter time frame, leading to faster, proven results

Impact #3

Set new records for improving energy usage KPIs, leading to two internal awards

Benefit #1	20% reduction of energy spent per ton of ethylene
Benefit #2	10% decrease in reflux in the deethanizer column
Benefit #3	5% reflux decrease in the second C2/C3 splitter column

Benefit #1

20% reduction of energy spent per ton of ethylene

Benefit #2

10% decrease in reflux in the deethanizer column

Benefit #3

5% reflux decrease in the second C2/C3 splitter column

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Overview

Braskem Reduces Energy Usage by 20% with Aspen DMC3

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit