Year 2007
Pasi Matikainen

Improving the accessibility of batch process data

The amount of information collected from batch processes has increased, while at the same time it has been scattered into the different systems and databases. Compilation of this data from different sources into a useful format is a timeconsuming task and increases the workload of the people who utilize the information.

The purpose of this thesis is to improve the accessibility of catalyst batch process information that is collected in BC* Pilot owned by Borealis Polymers Oy.

The literature part introduces standards and definitions concerning batch process automation. The structure and contents of batch recipes are discussed in more detail. Finally, the literature part introduces different solutions that can be used to manage batch process information.

In the practical part of the thesis, a batch information management solution was designed and implemented. The program made it possible to manage the batch recipes and collected process data. It also made possible to generate batch production reports, which contain a major part of the data that is produced during the batch execution. The suitability of XML for storing information was studied and selected as the main format in which to store data in the program. The data structure was designed on basis of standards introduced in the literature part of this thesis and according to the mapping of information flows in BC* Pilot.

The final program is in daily use in BC* Pilot and covers a great deal of collecting, storing and sharing batch process information. Because of the good feedback from users, part of the program was decided to implement also in another pilot plant of Borealis Polymers Oy.

This info last modified 27 Apr 2024 by Jerri Kämpe-Hellenius