25. April 2019

SkaMPi: Designing Resource-Efficient Modular Processes with INOSIM

SkaMPi: Designing Resource-Efficient Modular Processes

In the SkaMPi project, INOSIM and project partners from industry and science are developing novel decision support methods for the process industry. They aim to determine optimal modular unit operations and a maximally resource-efficient process layout for small-scale production plants.

Three Steps to Efficient Modular Processes

On April 1, 2019, the SkaMPi partners gathered at the INOSIM location Dortmund for the project’s half-time meeting. The new SkaMPi process design methodology was presented and discussed. It consists of three major steps:

  1. Systematic selection and matching of (established or innovative) processing technologies and units for a given task
  2. Simulation-based analysis of the resulting process alternatives
  3. Multi-criteria assessment of process alternatives as a decision support tool for industrial users.

Based on current market analysis as well as established and innovative processing technologies and plant concepts, the project partners have developed a comprehensive multi-criteria assessment system. It enables users to identify the best technologies and units for a given processing task in step (1). These technologies and units can then be analyzed quantitatively using INOSIM process simulation software: Using statistical methods developed by INOSIM, the software identifies operating windows and designs lab experiments focused on the most significant process parameters.

Multi-criteria assessment of process alternatives

The simulation-driven assessment of promising process alternatives in step (2) uses INOSIM products as well: Based on the selection of suitable units in step (1), a new software module will automatically generate process alternatives that are then evaluated automatically by INOSIM simulation software.

In step (3), process alternatives are assessed to provide an accurate decision support basis to the user. For this purpose, INOSIM has developed a multi-criteria indicator system with the support of Prof. Grünewald from Ruhr Universität Bochum (Germany). That system covers a variety of relevant KPIs (such as resource efficiency, cost, throughput, quality, feasibility, and others).

The simulation-driven decision support system is currently being implemented at INOSIM. It will be validated in challenging case studies by the industrial project partners during the remainder of the SkaMPi project.

Do you have any questions or would like to know more about this topic? Please contact us.

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