Modular processes

Due to their design, conventional process plants in the chemical, food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries often lack the necessary flexibility. These process plants are inefficient in handling the introduction of new product lines or changes in production volumes at short notice.

By implementing standardized process modules - so-called process equipment assemblies (PEAs) - the time required from the investment decision to engineering, plant construction, commissioning and production is reduced, resulting in a faster time-to-market. Process automation using the MTP, which serves as a digital representation of the PEA, is a crucial factor in the efficient assembly and operation of modular plants within a minimal timeframe. Individual PEAs can be physically rearranged and reconnected multiple times.

The ShaPID subproject “Process Implementation” aims to achieve a modular and autonomously operating plant PEA, using the case study of a dosing PEA. To accomplish this objective, innovative methods and technologies are used. These approaches will facilitate the integration of intelligent plant modules (PEAs) into higher-level orchestration systems (POLs) through plug-and-produce functionality using the MTP. Moreover, the plant modules will be able to communicate with higher-level systems independently of the manufacturer, through standardized interfaces.

Department Energy Systems and Infrastructures: Digital Systems for Industrial Processes and Facilities