Big Data’s Impact on Process Plant Profitability

In this edition:

• Big Data’s Impact on Process Plant Profitability
• MDC Experts Testify at Philadelphia City Council
• ABA Forum on Construction Industry, 2013 Fall Meeting
• MDC Offers Engineering Course (PDHs) at Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia (9/20/13)

What can BIG DATA Collection and Analysis Do For Your

Process Plant Profitability?

By Robert C. McCue, PE and Don Keer, PE
MDCSystems® Consulting Engineers

Process Plant profitability depends in large part on operational continuity or up-time. MDC has recently become aware of a developing technology to detect and then prevent unplanned shutdowns due to up-set operating parameters in process plants. This capability results from the real time collection and analysis of all reportable operating data…“BIG DATA.”

Process Plants typically produce more data than can be efficiently collected and reviewed by the operators. A plant with 320 tags (equipment items with associated data collection points such as pressure, temperature, flow etc), recording at 5 second intervals, will produce 5 million data readings per day. That is a billion data points over six months. Buried in this cascade of information are subtle leading indicators of up-set operating conditions.

In order to unlock the information computer processing of the ongoing data stream is required. Essentially using the plants operating signature through the data history allows for the identification of negative trends which have previously been a precursor of the developing up-set operating condition.

MDC® Engineers Testify at Philadelphia City Council

Julian Toneatto, Ph.D., PE and E. Mitchell Swann, P.E. testified on 1 August 2013 at a City of Philadelphia City Council hearing looking into techniques, technologies and guidelines to improve building demolition practices within the city. [Background: On 5 June 2013, a building under demolition experienced an uncontrolled collapse which fell onto an adjacent retail property which was occupied at the time. There were 6 fatalities and 14 injuries, several of them critical. Wikipedia reference, 2013 Philadelphia Building collapse.

Julian and Mitch came to the role of testifying based on an inquiry to The Engineers Club of Philadelphia and their Technical Advisory Council (TAC). The Club had been contacted by the Chief of Staff of the City Councilman chairing the hearings and requested the TAC’s input. Mitch is the current President of The Engineers Club and one of the initiatives he has instituted is the development of a Technical Advisory Council (TAC).

The intent of the TAC is to provide a ‘neutral source’ of high level technical advice to institutions like The City of Philadelphia on technically driven issues that are vital to the City’s efficiency, effectiveness, economic vitality and public health and safety. At the hearing, Julian focused on structural, civil and foundation engineering issues and Mitch focused on MEP system and utility interfaces and the potential for airborne hazards.

The day’s proceedings also included testimony from code officials, contractors, building owners, attorneys and other science and engineering experts. Philadelphia’s City Council intends to gather input from numerous sources and to develop an improved Philadelphia standard for the submission, approval and execution of demolition plans in the City. New guidelines are expected to be rolled out by 1 January 2014. In the interim, on site monitoring has been stepped up to hopefully prevent any repeats of the 5 June 2013 collapse.