For chemical pilot plants, is it better to be fully automatic or semi-automatic? Please share your opinions
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This post was last edited by Chemical industry workers are frustrated on 2017-1-18 at 16:21. As the title suggests, for a chemical pilot plant, should the chemical engineering design firm design it as a fully automated system or a semi-automated one? Which option would be better for the owner? Please discuss it.
Semi-automation would be better, as it allows for timely identification and handling of problems that arise during the production process; once the technology becomes more mature, it can then be switched to fully automated operation.
Natural selection can be automated; what’s tested here are the process plans and technologies, not the skill level of the operators: lol. Control instruments can also be set to manual mode for inputting values, so as long as it’s not a cost-conscious owner, it’s better to opt for a higher degree of automation~
For safety reasons, it’s better to have a fully automatic system, as this is after all a pilot scale operation with many uncertainties, and the parameters can be input for control!
Since it’s at the pilot scale, there are still many uncertainties; going straight to fully automated systems would be a bit of a waste
You also need to consider your specific production process – some are suitable for a high degree of automation while others are not. Additionally, take into account your workforce situation; with higher levels of automation, there is less need for manual operation
It seems that everyone still prefers a higher degree of automation for pilot-scale projects
Manual-automatic mode: use automatic mode for normal production, and switch to manual control promptly in case of abnormal conditions. A semi-automatic one is then unnecessary. Manual adjustment by humans as opposed to the automatic speed control of many systems. Do the calculations yourself. :)
It can be manual as well, even though it’s fully automatic