China PP producer notes predictive modelling gains

Austin, Texas -- Chinese petrochemical major Sinopec Yangzi has reported significant production benefits from its deployment of model predictive control (MPC) technology on its BP Innovene polypropylene process at its Nanjing facility.

Sinopec Yangzi employed Pavilion Technologies’ Polymer Solution, which is designed to optimise key areas of the production process including the reactor, extruder and silo and to push the process closer to operating constraints. The project was the first deployment of Austin-based Pavilion’s MPC technology in China.

In less than one year, Sinopec Yangzi said the MPC system has helped it to increase production capacity by 3-5%; reduce reactor variability by 42%; improve product consistency by 35%; and cut transition time by 35%.

The MPC system “helped us unlock new production capacity to take advantage of the market in China. In addition, we’ve been able to reduce our in-process quality variability to deliver more consistent product to our customers,” said Wu Peng Ming, Sinopec Yangzi Plastic Plant manager.

Pavilion claims to be a leading supplier of MPC technology to the polymer industry, with its Polymer Solution system employed on 84 lines and 103 reactors worldwide.