CO-LaN, the organization behind the CAPE-OPEN standard for computer-aided process engineering, is seeking a rapprochement with other process standards bodies including CFIHOS and DEXPI. Discussions are at an early stage, but standardization on data engineering is overlapping with some of what CAPE-OPEN is addressing. Oil IT Journal asked CO-LaN CTO Michel Pons for details.
Neil,
Regarding engineering data and process model exchange.
Standardization of engineering data within process simulation could help in the transfer of information between process simulation results, PFDs and PIDs. Since 2019 the CAPE-OPEN standard includes a flowsheet monitoring interface specification that potentially gives access to many pieces of information available within a process model: stream data, unit operation parameters are among the pieces of information easily accessed by a flowsheet monitoring component. The first business case of flowsheet monitoring revolves around such applications as the WAR algorithm* from US EPA, but retrieval of process data for transfer to other applications appears another valid business case.
CFIHOS/DEXPI aim at data exchange between applications, while CAPE-OPEN aims at interoperability between applications. But all are involved in the description of a digital twin of a process plant. CO-LaN is evaluating its participation to initiatives launched by other standard development organizations in this domain.
Best regards
Michel Pons
* The EPA’s Waste Reduction Algorithm is used to evaluate the environmental impacts of chemical process designs to mitigate excess production and waste. WAR is a free download from the EPA website.
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