METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A PRODUCTION PLANT DESIGNED FOR PERFORMING AT LEAST ONE CHEMICAL REACTION

Abstract

Method for configuring a production plant designed for performing at least one chemical reaction, wherein the production plant has at least one plant module, and a plant module for configuring the production plant, which plant module is chosen from a module database running on a first server system and/or is combined from a component database running on a second server system.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a production plant designed for performing at least one chemical reaction, the production plant having at least one plant module, and a plant module being selected from a module database running on a first server system and/or being compiled from a component database running on a second server system in order to configure the production plant, and the selection and/or compiling of a plant module comprising: manual first input of process-specific technical requirements imposed on a plant module to a query mask of the module database and confirmation of the input; comparison of the first input with at least one technical parameter of the multiplicity of plant modules, which is stored in the module database and defines a process-specific property of a respective plant module, on the first server system and, in the event of a negative result: identification of at least one plant module, the process-specific property of which does not comply with the process-specific technical requirements, in an output mask of the module database; identification of at least one part component of the identified plant module which does not comply with the requirements imposed on the plant module, and/or identification of a technical parameter of a series component of the part component of the identified plant module which does not comply with the requirements imposed on the plant module; manual and/or automatic second input of process-specific technical requirements for the identified part component and/or of the technical parameter of the series component to a query mask of the component database; comparison of the second input with at least one technical parameter of the multiplicity of series components, which is stored in the component database and defines a process-specific property of a respective series component, and, in the event of a positive result: identification of at least one series component of a part component, which complies with the process-specific technical requirements, in an output mask of the component database and compiling of the output plant module with the output series component.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after a positive comparison of process-specific technical requirements imposed on a plant module with the technical parameters of the multiplicity of plant modules stored in the module database, there is provided: identification of at least one plant module, the process-specific property of which complies with the process-specific technical requirements.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after a negative comparison of the manual and/or automatic input of process-specific technical requirements for an identified part component and/or of the technical parameter of a series component with technical parameters of the multiplicity of series components stored in the component database, there is provided: manual and/or automatic third input of process-specific technical requirements imposed on a plant module to the query mask of the component database; comparison of process-specific technical requirements imposed on the plant module with the technical parameters of the multiplicity of series components of the part components which are stored in the component database and define the process-specific property of a respective series component; output of a multiplicity of part components, the process-specific properties of the series components of which comply with the process-specific technical requirements imposed on the plant module; and provision of a plant module which complies with the process-specific technical requirements from the multiplicity of output part components and/or series components.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, at least one technical parameter which defines a process-specific property of the respective plant module and/or at least one technical parameter which defines a process-specific property of the series components being a hard test criterion or a soft test criterion, those technical parameters which are a hard test criterion being given preference over those technical parameters which are a soft test criterion when comparing the process-specific requirements imposed on the plant module.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of technical parameters defining process-specific properties of the respective plant module being assigned to the multiplicity of plant modules stored in the module database, and/or a plurality of technical parameters defining a process-specific property of the series components being assigned to the multiplicity of part components which are stored in the component database and have a plurality of series components, and the plurality of different technical parameters being checked in successive test steps with the process-specific requirements during comparison of the process-specific requirements imposed on a plant module.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, the process-specific technical requirements being defined by a process-specific parameter limit value, the exceeding or undershooting of which results in the process-technical requirement being complied with, or by a process-specific parameter range, the compliance with which results in the process-technical requirement being complied with.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, the process-specific technical requirements taking into account whether a mass throughput needed to perform a particular chemical reaction is possible in a plant module and/or in a part component of a plant module, and/or a dwell time in a plant module and/or in a part component of a plant module is permissible for performing a particular chemical reaction, and/or an operating pressure and/or a pressure loss of a plant module and/or of a part component of a plant module is/are permissible for performing a particular chemical reaction, and/or a heat transfer capacity of a plant module and/or of a part component of a plant module is permissible for performing a particular chemical reaction, and/or suitable kinetics of the reaction and mixing are present in a plant module and/or in a part component of a plant module while a particular chemical reaction is being performed, and/or thermally safe operation of a plant module and/or of a part component of a plant module is ensured while a particular chemical reaction is being performed, and/or a temperature at a hotspot of a plant module and/or of a part component of a plant module is permissible for performing a particular chemical reaction, and/or sufficiently intensive initial mixing of educts by means of a plant module and/or a part component of a plant module can be achieved while a particular chemical reaction is being performed, and/or a risk, such as preferably thermal decomposition and/or oxidative spontaneous ignition and/or a fire and/or the formation of an explosive atmosphere and/or a health risk, is present for using a substance for performing at least one chemical reaction in a plant module and/or in a part component.

8. A computer program having program code means which are stored on a computer-readable data storage medium and cause a computer or a corresponding computing unit to carry out a method as claimed in claim 1, when executed on the computer or the corresponding computing unit.

9. A data storage medium having a computer program as claimed in claim 8.

10. A computer system on which a computer program as claimed in claim 8 is loaded.

Description

[0051] The invention is explained by way of example below with reference to the attached figures using preferred exemplary embodiments, the features described below being able to represent an aspect of the invention both each per se and in combination with one another. In the figures:

[0052] FIG. 1: shows a module database according to one preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0053] FIG. 2: shows a component database according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a method for configuring a production plant designed for performing at least one chemical reaction according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a module database 2 which is installed on a first server system. The module database 2 comprises a multiplicity of plant modules 4x, 4y, each plant module 4x, 4y having a plurality of part components 6x, 6y, 6z, 6x(i), 6x(i), 6z(i). Each part component 6x, 6y, 6z corresponds to a series component 8x(i), each series component 8x(i) having a plurality of technical parameters 12x(i), 14x(i) defining a process-specific property of the series component 10x(i). In the present case, a first technical parameter 12x(i) is a part-component-specific variable of the part component 6x and the second technical parameter 14x(i) is a series-specific variable of the series component 8x(i). A process-specific property of a plant module 16x therefore comprises a plurality of technical parameters defining the process-specific property of a respective series component 10x(i) to 10z(i).

[0056] Using a specific example, this means that the part component 6x of the plant module 4x is a pump. The series component 8x(i) of the pump is then preferably a diaphragm pump having a conveying capacity A. The process-specific property of the diaphragm pump 10x(i) is defined by the technical parameters allocated to the diaphragm pump, the first technical parameter 12x(i) being a part-component-specific variable of the pump and the second technical parameter 14x(i) being a series-specific variable of the diaphragm pump.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a component database 18 which is installed on a second server system. The component database 18 has a multiplicity of part components 6x, 6y, each part component 6x, 6y comprising a plurality of series components 8x(i), 8x(ii), 8y(i), 8y(ii). Each series component 8x(i), 8x(ii) is assigned a plurality of technical parameters defining the process-specific property of a respective series component 10x(i), 10x(ii). The component database 18 therefore comprises different part components 6x, 6y with different series components 8x(i), 8x(ii), 8y(i), 8y(ii) in each case.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a method for configuring a production plant designed for performing at least one chemical reaction. The production plant is composed of a plurality of plant modules, preferably reaction modules and/or storage modules, a reaction module being selected from the module database running on the first server system or being compiled from the component database running on the second server system in the present case in order to configure the production plant.

[0059] In the present case, the second server system is an integral part of the first server system, with the result that the module database and the component database run on one server system. In addition, the component database and the module database are linked to one another.

[0060] In a first method step 100, a manual first input of process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module to a query mask of the module database is first of all effected on an input module connected to the server system using communication technology, the input module being a computer, and the input is confirmed. The process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module are technical parameters such as preferably information on the throughput, the maximum and/or minimum permitted operating pressure, the maximum and/or minimum permitted operating temperature and the minimum required and/or maximum permitted dwell time. This makes it possible to state parameter limit values and parameter ranges in order to define the process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module.

[0061] In a second method step 110, the first input is compared with the technical parameters which are stored in the module database and define the process-specific property of a respective reaction module. In this case, a check is carried out in order to determine whether a reaction module which complies with the process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module for configuring the production plant is available in the module database. The process-specific properties of a respective reaction module are defined by the respective process-specific property of the series component of the different part components of a reaction module.

[0062] The different part components of a reaction module stored in the module database also have different priorities. Part components which have a great influence on an energy balance and/or mass balance of the reaction module have a higher priority than components with low influences. Part components with a high prioritization are preferably a main apparatus and/or a conveying device. Part components with a low prioritization are preferably components of the sensor system and/or actuator system and/or the local pipework.

[0063] In a third method step 120, in the event of a positive comparison, at least one reaction module, the process-specific property of which complies with the process-specific technical requirements, is identified. In the event of a negative comparison in which a reaction module which complies with the process-specific technical requirements cannot be determined in the module database, a reaction module which does not comply with the process-specific technical requirements is identified in an output mask of the module database. In this case, the reaction module is selected on the basis of the prioritization of the part components, with the result that a reaction module, the part components of which with a high prioritization comply with the process-specific technical requirements of the reaction model and at least one part component with a low priority does not comply with the process-specific technical requirements of the reaction model, is identified.

[0064] That part component of the identified reaction module which does not comply with the requirements imposed on the reaction module is identified and a technical parameter of the series component of the part component of the identified reaction module which does not comply with the requirements imposed on the reaction module is identified in the output mask of the module database.

[0065] In a fourth method step 130, a manual second input of process-specific technical requirements for the identified part component to a query mask of the component database is effected on the computer and the input is confirmed.

[0066] In a fifth method step 140, the second input is compared with the technical parameters of the multiplicity of series components which are stored in the component database and define the process-specific property of a respective series component.

[0067] In a sixth method step 150, in the event of a positive comparison, at least one series component of a part component which complies with the process-specific technical requirements is identified. In this manner, the reaction module which does not comply with the process-specific requirements can be configured with the identified series component in order to provide a reaction module which complies with the process-specific requirements.

[0068] In the event of a negative comparison, a manual third input of the process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module to the query mask of the component database is effected on the computer in a seventh method step 160.

[0069] In an eighth method step 170, the process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module are compared with the technical parameters of the multiplicity of series components of the different part components which are stored in the component database and define the process-specific property of a respective series component.

[0070] In a ninth method step 180, a multiplicity of part components, the process-specific properties of the series components of which comply with the process-specific technical requirements imposed on the reaction module, are output on the output mask of the component database. In addition, a reaction module which complies with the process-specific technical requirements is provided from the multiplicity of output part components and/or series components.

[0071] This provides a method in which a check is first of all carried out in order to determine whether a reaction module from the stock meets the technical requirements of a reaction module for configuring a new production plant. If this is not the case, a check is carried out in order to determine whether an already existing reaction module could be converted with a small amount of effort, preferably by replacing a part component, in order to provide in this manner a reaction module which complies with the process-specific technical requirements. If this is also not possible, a new reaction module having part components from the component database is provided.

[0072] This provides a method which enables rapid and inexpensive configuration of a production plant designed for performing at least one chemical reaction.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS (EXCEPT FOR REFERENCE SYMBOLS FROM NUMBER 100 ON WHICH REPRESENT METHOD STEPS)

[0073] 2 Module database [0074] 4 Plant module [0075] 6 Part component [0076] 8 Series component [0077] 10 Process-specific property of the series component [0078] 12 First technical parameter [0079] 14 Second technical parameter [0080] 16 Process-specific property of the plant module [0081] 18 Component database