Douglas White - Emerson Process Management
IIoT – the Industrial Internet of Things – is a term that represents the continuing evolution in new sensors, computing miniaturization, increased wireless communication bandwidth, and software analytics and their convergence to produce a new class of plant automation devices and “smart” physical assets. These assets monitor their own health and performance and broadcast their condition through built-in analytics and connectivity. A summary of the state of the art with regard to actual installation and implementation of IIoT in refineries today will be presented. One factor slowing adoption is that the potential economic payout is sometimes difficult to estimate in advance which leads to reduced investment funding. Potential application areas that would likely have high paybacks are identified along with the techniques and technology required to implement IIoT solutions in these areas and overcome barriers to acceptance. Significant additional financial value and margin can be gained by improving the accuracy of forecasts of future plant behavior, including potential production and supply chain alternatives, early detection of potential equipment problems, and identification of possible product quality issues. Actual case studies will be used to illustrate the impact of these new tools on refinery productivity and margins.
Doug White is a Principal Consultant for the Systems and Solutions Group of Emerson Automation Solutions. Previously he held senior management and technical positions with MDC Technology, Profitpoint Solutions, Aspen Technology, and Setpoint. In these positions he has been responsible for designing, developing and implementing state-of-the-art advanced automation and optimization systems in process plants around the world and has published more than fifty articles on these subjects. He started his career with Caltex Petroleum Corporation with positions at their Australian refinery and central engineering groups. He has a BChE from the University of Florida, an MS from California Institute of Technology, and an MA and PhD from Princeton University.