Brochure

Aspen GDOT™
for Olefins Manufacturers

2021 AWARDS

BEST AUTOMATION
TECHNOLOGY

WINNER
Improve margins and achieve sustainability targets with a proven technology that vertically
integrates planning, scheduling, and advanced process control in closed loop. Dynamically optimize
multiple process units in real time, beat the plan, and make plants more capable.

Benefits
▪ Increases throughput

▪ Improves product yields

▪ Prevents overcracking

▪ Improves energy efficiency

Key Capabilities
▪ Optimizes the whole Olefins plant in real time

▪ Aligns planning and scheduling with APC

▪ Patented dynamic data reconciliation technology

▪ Preconfigured flowsheet-based modeling templates

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Closing the Gaps Between Planning and Actual Operations
A key to AspenTech’s production optimization solution
is the unique and proven Aspen Generic Dynamic
Optimization Technology (GDOT). Aspen GDOT
Production Optimization Solution
aligns planning and scheduling objectives by dynamically Closing the gap between planning and APC
optimizing and coordinating multiple process units in
Planning
real time to ensure the best site-wide economic results
& Scheduling
consistently and on a minute-by-minute basis.

Chemical companies are continuously faced with the Dynamic Optimization

challenge of reducing margin leakage that occurs between
various levels of production execution — from production Advanced Process Control
planning and scheduling to actual operations. Aspen GDOT
addresses these challenges by using an innovative modeling Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3
and optimization approach that combines fundamental
planning models with dynamic APC models. This unique
approach uses a model that is consistent in material and
quality balances while incorporating dynamic models from
MARGIN THROUGHPUT ENERGY USAGE YIELD
the APC layer. This results in the ability to have consistent
models, economics and objectives between offline planning $6-$10/MT
increase
2-5%
increase
2-3%
reduction
2%
increase
and online optimization.

Aspen GDOT models include dynamics of the system

enabling the optimizer to run at higher frequencies, manage
inventories and take advantage of valuable frequent
feedback from the plant. It also does not have to wait for
units to be at a steady state to perform optimization.

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Large Scope of Optimization Automatic Model Adaptation in Closed Loop
The innovative modeling approach in Aspen GDOT enables online Aspen GDOT’s patented dynamic data reconciliation technology
optimization of broad envelopes covering multiple process units within continuously keeps models up to date and in line with actual performance
entire ethylene plants. Typical optimization units for ethylene include but of the units. One of the main benefits is low model maintenance
are not limited to feed system, hot section, cracked gas compressor, cold requirements, which can be managed by an APC engineer.
boxes, parallel trains, and downstream polymer units. Over the past two
decades, Aspen GDOT has delivered significant benefits to numerous
global companies through real-time, multi-unit optimization for complex Unified GDOT Builder: An Intuitive,
refinery installations. Flowsheet-based Modeling Environment
Aspen Unified GDOT Builder’s intuitive, web-based flowsheet
Consistency with Planning and APC Models environment simplifies model-building, deployment and maintenance.
Aspen GDOT combines fundamental models from planning with Benefits of this new environment include improved usability via simple
empirical APC models, while preserving model consistency. This helps to drag-and-drop of blocks from a component library into the model
close the gap between plan and actual by aligning planning/scheduling flowsheet. This reduces the skillset required for building and maintaining
objectives and economics with actual operations. models enabled by visual checks and balances in a flowsheet view.
Standard templates cover an entire ethylene plant from cracking furnaces
to the cold end.

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 Aspen Unified GDOT Builder also supports direct
import of Aspen DMC3 APC models into the flowsheet
environment making it easier to maintain consistent
models and strategy between GDOT and APC layers. In
addition, GDOT model maintenance is made easy during
any updates to Aspen DMC3 models. Aspen Unified
GDOT Builder enables online GDOT reconciled data to be
available to Aspen Unified PIMS, providing planners with
a more accurate view of current unit performance and
actual constraints.

Aspen GDOT seamlessly integrates with SPYRO SRTO7

furnace model, both in offline configuration and the
online environment. GDOT models can handle furnaces
on/off during decoking operations, multiple feed swaps,
co-cracking, and liquid feeds. For better management of
furnace decoking schedules GDOT objective functions
can include coking rate trade offs/constraints.

Sustainability
Typical Aspen GDOT Olefins
Most companies are actively working to lower their
environmental footprint of their operations. The cracking
furnaces in olefins production are energy intensive
process units. Optimizing cracking temperatures present
great opportunities to achieve sustainability targets.
GDOT models can optimize tradeoffs between product
yields, furnace run lengths and CO2 emissions, thereby
improving energy efficiency without additional CAPEX.
Energy efficiency improvement is a key lever to reduce
CO2 emissions, operating costs & increase margins.

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Advantages of Aspen GDOT Over Traditional Real-Time
Optimization (RTO) Applications
While real-time optimization applications for ethylene have existed for a long time, sustaining
benefits from these applications has been a challenge and required significant process simulation
experience.

Aspen GDOT can provide a number of important advantages. These include:

▪ Lower Cost of Deployment and Maintenance: Aspen GDOT is designed to be run and
maintained by APC engineers, making it significantly easier to deploy and sustain. This leads
to higher uptimes of GDOT applications, and ultimately higher benefits and lower cost of
ownership.

▪ Dynamic vs Steady State Optimization: Unlike RTOs, GDOT is a dynamic optimizer which does
not need to wait for steady state. This enables GDOT to take advantage of valuable feedback
and respond to dynamic changes at similar frequencies as APC.

▪ Broader Scope: GDOT’s modeling approach allows a broader scope beyond a single ethylene
train, including parallel interconnected trains, upstream naphtha blending and relevant
downstream units.

Conclusion
Aspen GDOT is the key to production optimization, enabling companies to close the gap
between planning, scheduling, and operations. By coordinating multiple process units in closed
loop and optimizing broad envelopes in real time, Aspen GDOT helps plants run to the limits of
performance 24x7, to deliver unparalleled value through increase in throughput and reduction in
margin leakage.

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About AspenTech
Aspen Technology (AspenTech) is a leading software supplier for optimizing asset
performance. Our products thrive in complex, industrial environments where it is
critical to optimize the asset design, operation and maintenance lifecycle. AspenTech
uniquely combines decades of process modeling expertise with machine learning. Our
purpose-built software platform automates knowledge work and builds sustainable
competitive advantage by delivering high returns over the entire asset lifecycle. As a
result, companies in capital-intensive industries can maximize uptime and push the
limits of performance, running their assets safer, greener, longer and faster.

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