The result is a process model that defines the physical attributes and processing capabilities of your plant. This model is the information and control template upon which all production activity is based, including product recipe development, batch execution, batch history, and equipment history.
The I/A Series batch process modeling functions allow you to define your plant's equipment and processing capabilities using terminology based on the ISAS88 Flexible Batch Standard. Process equipment is defined as Units, which are grouped into Classes. Connection Equipment Modules define the production equipment used to transfer material from one Unit to another. I/A Series Batch also goes one level deeper, where a Connection is broken down into Segments. Segment modeling provides unprecedented capability for controlling, interlocking, and tracking plant equipment. Equipment processing capabilities are defined as Phases and Phase Parameters.
The resulting process model is the key to equipment- and path-independent master recipes. Let's take a closer look at these components. A unit is a piece of equipment that either holds or processes material. In the figure below, the units are named Bulk Storage 1, Bulk Storage 2, Reactor 1, Reactor 2, and so on.
A connection is the collection of equipment (such as pipes, valves, or flow meters) that transfers material from a source unit to a destination unit. Connections represent the physical piping in the plant, or any means for moving material through the plant. Inthe figure below,one connection would be defined connecting Bulk Storage 1 - Reactor 1, another would be defined connecting Bulk Storage 1 - Reactor 2, and so on. A process class is a group of units that have similar capabilities, or perform the same functions. In the figure below, three classes are defined: Reactors, Bulk Tanks, and Hold Tanks. A transfer class is a group of connections that have similiar capabilities. The transfer classes below are Bulk_Rxs and Rxs_HoldTks.
Each class has processing capabilities that are defined using phases and phase parameters. For example, the Reactor class might define charge, heat, cool, agitate, and manual add phases. In addition, each of the phases can have parameters. For example, the heat phase has a temperature parameter, and the agitate phase has speed and time parameters.The granularity of the phases is up to you. A phase can open a valve, turn on a motor, or start the entire plant. The number of parameters is also unlimited.
With I/A Batch Suite, you can drill down further into a connection and define segments. Segments are the individual pieces of equipment such as pipes, pumps, and valves that make up a connection. In the figure below,there are four connections: Bulk 1 to Reactor 1, Bulk 1 to Reactor 2, Bulk 2 to Reactor 1, and Bulk 2 to Reactor 2.
From these four connections, we derive the five segments as illustrated below. Segments are useful for two reasons:First, when one or more segments is being used to transfer material, no other batch is allowed to use that segment or group of segments. The Batch engine allocates those segments, preventing any other batch from using them. Second, a segment has a status - for instance, it can be clean, sanitized, or dirty. I/A Series Batch logs equipment history down to the segment level. This is vital information for food and pharmaceutical processors.
