Integrated and Networked Systems and Processes—A Perspective for Digital Transformation in Thermal Process Engineering

Abstract

Separation technology as a sub-discipline of thermal process engineering is one of the most critical steps in the production of chemicals, essential for the quality of intermediate and end products. The discipline comprises the construction of facilities that convert raw materials into value-added products along the value chain. Conversions typically take place in repeated reaction and separation steps—either in batch or continuous processes. The end products are the result of several production and separation steps that are not only sequentially linked, but also include the treatment of unused raw materials, by-products and wastes. Production processes in the process industry are particularly susceptible to fluctuations in raw materials and other influences affecting product quality. This is a challenge, despite increasing fluctuations, to deliver targeted quality and simultaneously meet the increasing dynamics of the market, at least for high value fine chemicals. In order to survive successfully in a changed environment, chemical companies must tread new paths. This includes the potential of digital technologies. The full integration and intelligent networking of systems and processes is progressing hesitantly. This contribution aims to encourage a more holistic approach to the digitalization in thermal process engineering by introduction of integrated and networked systems and processes.

Evaluating the Influence of Digital Technology on the Performance of Female-Owned Enterprises in Nigeria

“…Generally, digital transformation involves the adoption of new digital technologies to enable major business improvements in such areas as: organisational structure and processes, value creation, enhanced quality of products and services and better customer experience (Heavin & Power 2018;Maiwald, 2020). There are two perspectives to digital transformation, the first is migration from a manual or analog process to a digital process, while the second involves upgrading an existing digital process to a new one (Heavin & Power 2018;Maiwald, 2020;Fachrunnisa et al, 2020).…”

“…Generally, digital transformation involves the adoption of new digital technologies to enable major business improvements in such areas as: organisational structure and processes, value creation, enhanced quality of products and services and better customer experience (Heavin & Power 2018;Maiwald, 2020). There are two perspectives to digital transformation, the first is migration from a manual or analog process to a digital process, while the second involves upgrading an existing digital process to a new one (Heavin & Power 2018;Maiwald, 2020;Fachrunnisa et al, 2020). In view of the foregoing, digital transformation is conceptualised in this study as the adoption of digital technologies (smartphones, computer systems, internet and social media platforms) to businesses, through replacing manual processes with digital processes, or replacing older digital technologies with newer ones (Heavin & Power 2018;Fachrunnisa et al, 2020;Lee & Cho, 2020).…”

Semantic interoperability Based on the European Materials and Modelling Ontology and its Ontological Paradigm: Mereosemiotics

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An Information Theory Inspired Real-Time Self-Adaptive Scheduling for Production-Logistics Resources: Framework, Principle, and Implementation

“…The dynamic scheduling method can respond to low-frequency abnormal events, but it is challenging to meet the production scenarios with a high disturbance [8]. Industry 4.0, with its powerful real-time data acquisition capability, can bridge the gap between the actual manufacturing situation and the mathematical model [17]. In [18], the time point of the new scheduling rule is dynamically selected according to the real-time information, and real-time reaction scheduling is realized.…”