Chemical Engineering July 2023 - 10

In the study, the scientists
tested the longterm
operation of a
Ca-metal battery with a
copper sulfide nanoparticle/carbon
composite
cathode and a hydridebased
electrolyte.
CuS has favorable electrochemical
properties.
Its layered structure enables
it to store a variety
of cations, includiing Li,
Na and Mg. It has a large
theoretical capacity of
560 mAh/g - two to
three times higher than
present cathode materials
for Li-ion batteries.
Through nanoparticulation
and compositing
with carbon materials,
the researchers created
a cathode capable of
storing large amounts
of Ca ions. When employed
with the hydride-type
electrolyte,
they produce a battery
with a highly stable cycling
performance. ❐
Autonomous control of a distillation column
E
Japan; www.yokogawa.com)
neos Materials Corp. (formerly the
elastomers business unit of JSR
Corp.; www.eneos.co.jp) and Yokogawa
Electric Corp. (both Tokyo,
recently
reached an agreement to officially adopt Yokogawa's
autonomous-control artificial intelligence
(AI) technology for use at an Eneos
Materials chemical plant. The agreement follows
field trials of Factorial Kernel Dynamic
Policy Programming (FKDPP), a reinforcement
learning-based AI algorithm jointly developed
by Yokogawa and the Nara Institute
of Science and Technology, which is said to
have demonstrated a high level of performance
while controlling a distillation column
at the Eneos Materials plant.
Over a 35-day (840-h) consecutive period
in early 2022, this field test initially confirmed
that the AI solution could control distillation
operations that were beyond the capabilities
of existing control methods (proportional,
integral, derivative (PID) controller and advanced
process control (APC)) and had necessitated
manual control of valves based on
the judgements of experienced plant personnel.
Following a scheduled plant shutdown
for maintenance and repairs, the field test
Call the
Solids Mixing
Ribbon & Cone Blenders
Fluidizing Mixers
Sigma Blade Mixers
(also for high-viscosity mixing)
Size Reduction
Wet & Dry Size Reduction
Steel & Ceramic Lined Mills
Jars & Jar Rolling Mills
Vacuum Drying
Dryers & Complete Systems
for all your solids processing
Experts
Applications:
APIs ∙ Ag-Chemicals
Biologics ∙ Catalysts
Ceramics ∙ Chemicals
Food Ingredients
Herbicides ∙ Minerals
Nutraceuticals ∙ Pesticides
Pharmaceuticals ∙ Pigments
Polymers ∙ Powdered Metals
Proteins ∙ Resins ∙ Vitamins
resumed and has continued to the present
date. It has been conclusively shown that this
solution is capable of controlling the complex
conditions that are needed to maintain
product quality and ensure that liquids in the
distillation column remain at an appropriate
level, while making maximum possible use of
waste heat as a heat source. In so doing, it
has stabilized quality, achieved high yield and
saved energy, Yokogawa says.
In this field test, Yokogawa says FKDPP
demonstrated the following four benefits.
First, FKDPP maintained stable control of the
liquid levels and maximized the use of waste
heat, even in winter and summer weather,
with external temperatures changes of about
40°C. Second, by eliminating the production
of off-specification products, FKDPP reduced
fuel, labor and other costs, and made
efficient use of raw materials. For example,
FKDPP reduced steam consumption and
CO2 emissions by 40% in comparison to
conventional manual control. Third, FKDPP
eliminated the need for operators to perform
manual inputs. Fourth, the same AI control
model could remain in use, even after modifications
were made at the plant during a routine
shutdown for maintenance and repair. n
Problems Solved for
Chemical Engineers
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Chemical Engineering July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering July 2023
