Modelling and sensitivity analysis of a generic chemical process plant for plantwide control

Abstract

This work presents the modeling and sensitivity analysis of a continuous chemical plant, using dynamic simulations in the open-source software Scilab/XCOS^®. The study evaluates the steady state gains between disturbances and processes variables in order to identify the most significant cause and effect relationships in the system. Different operational scenarios were simulated through the application of step disturbances, allowing the analysis of the transient behavior of the main variables in open loop. The results highlight the influence of specific variables on process stability, providing technical foundations for the optimized selection of control loop strategies. This design approach contributes to structuring a more efficient plantwide control design, aiming the minimization of undesired variables interactions, increasing process safety and control.