MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay, a global leader in materials, chemicals, and solutions, hired Radix to develop a system to monitor online the performance of its equipment at the Paulinia unit, Sao Paulo, Brazil chemical production unit, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.
The new system will help reduce corrective and preventive maintenance orders, increase productivity, and improve plant reliability.
Radix built the system using the AVEVA OSIsoft PI System and hybrid AI models to calculate performance indicators in real-time, and identify possible failures in 145 pieces of equipment. The project evaluated all equipment, revealing the best efficiency points, and how to avoid failures related to operational deviation or possible anomalies.
User-friendly dashboards were built to allow a visual understanding of the problem, what action should be taken, and the execute virtual maintenance rounds.
By implementing the solution, Solvay’s goal is to reduce emergency work from 16% (based on the 2018 report) to 5% by 2022. The project also reduced preventive maintenance and increased efficiency on some equipment by optimizing best process conditions.
"The initial result was very positive. In a short time, the system was able to present 35 true positive events. In other words, there were 35 alerts for the Solvay's maintenance team to take action and avoid mechanical loss in the equipment chosen for the analysis (pump, centrifugal compressor, liquid ring compressors, and a turbo generator),” explained Radix Project Manager Fabricio Rosado Urquhart.
He continued: “Asset performance and predictive maintenance are some of Radix's digital solutions for downstream & chemicals. These days, this industry is struggling to keep margins while needs to de-bottleneck plants to line up production with the market demand. As an end-to-end solution provider, Radix has the ability to combine process engineering domain expertise and technology to solve complex problems for plants assets and chemicals & petrochemicals supply chain."
In addition to these benefits, Solvay also noted a better integration between maintenance, operations, and engineering teams, resulting in joint analysis and decision-making, which was not usual in the past.
As MRC reported earlier, in August, 2020, through the acquisition of the Solvay polyamide (PA) business, BASF enhanced its R&D capabilities in Asia Pacific with new technologies, technical expertise, and upgraded material and part testing services. BASF is planning to integrate the R&D centers from Solvay into its R&D existing facilities in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, Korea. The enhanced capabilities will boost BASF’s position as a solution provider to develop advanced material solutions for key industries.
Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 24,100 employees in 64 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet plan crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering better life. The Group’s innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities.
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