Advertisement

If you have an ACS member number, please enter it here so we can link this account to your membership. (optional)

ACS values your privacy. By submitting your information, you are gaining access to C&EN and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We use the information you provide to make your reading experience better, and we will never sell your data to third party members.

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCES TO C&EN

Environment

Digital Briefs

New Software and Websites for the Chemical Enterprise

by Noah U. Shussett
May 12, 2008 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 86, Issue 19

Software

PlantTriage is a plantwide performance supervision system that when uploaded on a local server connects to an existing control system and extracts information about process operations, equipment, and controls. The program then ranks this information for technical and economic importance, allowing for flexible and timely reporting. Graphic displays and integrated diagnostic tools allow problems to be cited and addressed from a desktop. The system pinpoints suboptimal unit operations and loops, collects information related to the processes, and utilizes the information to optimize and tune those loops. The software is compatible with Windows 2000 (service pack 3 or over) or any service pack for Windows 2003. ExperTune, www.expertune.com

Ariane is a software support tool for utilities and power plant management. Initially designed to handle the full complexity of petrochemical plants, its application field is now extended to all industrial sites for which the consumption of resources to produce energy is a key parameter of the production process (refining plants, district heating networks, sugar plants, paper mills, and manufacturing plants). The software's purpose is to reduce and help manage production costs. To do so, it uses a modeling environment for simulation and contains data regarding a full set of standards equipment, as well as specific equipment for cogeneration and district heating networks; a thermodynamic model that represents the facilities, water, steam, and fumes; and the use of common fuels. All fields can be fully manipulated and defined by the user; the tool relies on illustrations to display what is being worked on. Ariane is a two-module program: Ariane (the first module) constitutes the core software for simulation and optimization, and the Plessala module focuses on online optimization and the incorporation of data. The software runs on Windows 95 and above, including Vista. ProSim, www.prosim.net/en/

AUDITWorks 1 is a software program for assisting the preparation of safety, health, and environmental audits. The program uses checklists as the main guide to conducting audits and provides a framework in which to record results (with management capabilities of these data). Regulations associated with OSHA's Process Safety Management and EPA's Risk Management Program are covered in the program's protocols for compliance evaluation. Designed to minimize the time needed to audit plant safety, checklists are fully customizable for industry standards or a particular company's own standards. The software, which is available with professional training, runs only on Windows 2000 through Windows Vista 32 bit. PrimaTech, www.primatech.com

911 in real time

Real-Time is a software program that acts as an emergency response system for fixed facilities aiming to manage risks and hazards, to teach employees about safety, and to protect the company and employees during emergencies. This product is linked to actual weather and gas sensor data and such regulatory requirements as SARA Title III, OSHA PSM guidelines, and EPA RMP Rule CCA-112(r) to account for varying levels of an emergency. The process is based on what is known as an event unfolds, allowing quick, updatable visualizations of the event. For example, up-to-the-minute modeling of a toxic or flammable vapor cloud during an accidental release is possible. When the event is over, the system???s model of the event will be saved automatically and can be replayed for postevent analysis. The system is designed for the user to purchase only the functions desired. Other features include a built-in interface that provides Qualimetrics Q-Net or Coastal Climate WeatherPak Meterological Systems, online help, map import flexibility (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel compatible), multilingual flexibility, and remote system viewing capability through TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), NetWare, or a Workgroup setup. With its focus on emergency management (designed to include chemical emergencies), the system???s analysis tools allow users to document concentrations of chemical releases at any point, as well as dosage and building infiltration data. This information can be useful for legal defense, future drills, employee education, quality assurancce analysis, and response plan evaluation for the plant site. Real-Time runs on both Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. Safer Systems, www.safersystem.com

Noah U. Shussett writes Digital Briefs. Information about new or revised electronic products can be sent to d-briefs@acs.org.

Article:

This article has been sent to the following recipient:

0 /1 FREE ARTICLES LEFT THIS MONTH Remaining
Chemistry matters. Join us to get the news you need.