I am experiencing a problem with a process simulation tool. I am modelling the production of certain products (Read: Chem. Process) and the simulation tool I am using is event based simulation. The process I am modelling is a continous process, and the simulation tool is made for batch processes, which means I am simply enforcing very long batches with huge amounts to simulate the continuity.
My problem is that I am only able to state a certain rate in a given step i.e. F_in = X_1, F_out = X_2 that is fixed over the whole simulation period. Certain steps does need process control that changes the value of F_in and/or F_out. This I have solved by keeping a step in its own isolated block that calls infinite number of batches and from certain parameters sets F_in and F_out.
Simplified example of a process containing two steps A and B. This is a visualized example:Examplified overview. The rate into step A is constant and the rate out of step B is constant but the rate out of step A is variable and equals the rate into step B. I have the following variables available:
- F_A_in
- Total quantity in step A
- F_B_out
- Total quantity in step B
Further there exists certain boundaries such as, the rate out of both step A and C starts above a certain value and can only contain a maximum value and at some point the rate into step A stops and the whole quantity will have to be moved to step C. Here the control comes into play: how do I control the rate going out of step A and into step B while keeping within the constrains?
I hope that someone might have a bright idea - I am thinking to have logics, determining the situation, which triggers a logistic model that regulates the rate.
All the best, Martin