The Role Of Sequential Automation In Improving Process Safety

Abstract for AIChE Process Safety Symposium 2014        

The Role of Sequential Automation in Process Safety     

The ISA106 Committee has released the first technical report for this standard dealing with Sequential Automation for Continuous Process Operations (TR106.00.01). The application of sequential control to continuous processes can have many benefits because it eliminates variability in operator responses to changing plant conditions and improves the operator's effectiveness in dealing with abnormal situations leading to improvements in overall process safety. Procedural control can be used to automatically manage alarm setpoints, alarm suppression or availability to prevent overloading operators with inappropriate alarm information. Responses to abnormal conditions can be codified to ensure proper responses and eliminate operator response errors due to inexperience or other factors that may lead to inappropriate decisions in critical situations. Response time to process conditions can be orders of magnitudes faster by automation than by humans and can be used to safely and quickly move processes between valid operating states. Sequential control can be applied across the entire operating range of continuous process from startup, throughout normal operation, and for controlled shutdowns to improve process safety.