What are the differences between the chemical industry and the power sector in terms of instrumentation and control?
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What are the differences between the chemical industry and the power sector in terms of instrumentation and control? Please conduct a detailed comparison in terms of automation level, management systems, and standards
The thermal power plant that serves our refining and petrochemical facilities was originally designed by an electric power design institute, constructed by an electric power construction company, and its operation is also managed in accordance with electric power industry standards. Later, modifications were made to the control system; its design and installation were carried out by petrochemical design institutes and construction companies, and it was managed in accordance with petrochemical automatic control systems, which represented an improvement over the level of the previous electrical power system.
I think the most fundamental difference is that explosion protection considerations are integral to the entire project process, and since explosion protection is required, the construction plans and design plans differ significantly. Another point is that the complexity of the types of materials involved in chemical processing plants is much greater than in other industries. Another example is chemical plants that produce the same type of product in the same scale; due to different patent holders, the types of instruments and control systems used can vary greatly.
Well, relatively speaking, the fundamental reason is still the complexity of the control requirements
Apart from requiring high parameters and stability, the power industry does not have a high level of technical complexity; it relies on mature technologies, which were classified as a declining industry abroad back in the last century. Chemical engineering is much more complex.