Operator Training Simulator Handbook

Joseph Philip, Frank David Todd

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2022
• eBook ISBN: 9781803241746
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Computer Science General
• Index: Computer Science

Make the most of OTS systems in operator training and engineeringKey Features• Learn OTS project delivery best practices from the author's 30 years of experience• Explore use cases to understand how your OTS systems can maximize ROI for users• Discover how to best develop OTS training models for developers and usersBook DescriptionOperator training simulators in the process industry have been around since the 1970s, but you may not find a book that documents the development of these systems and the standard best practices. The Operator Training Simulator Handbook covers best practices for OTS engineering and OTS training development and delivery, starting from the basic the jargon and the different types of OTS systems. It will take you through the best approaches to project specification as well as building, maintenance, planning, and delivering these systems by sharing real-life experiences and dos and don'ts.As you advance, you'll uncover the various challenges in the planning and delivery of operator training models and understand how to address those by working through real-world projects. This book helps in specifying the best fit for purpose, choosing a cost-effective system when acquiring an OTS. You'll also learn how you can turn your OTS projects into digital twins before finally learning all about documentation in a typical OTS project, covering the sample structure that you can use as a starting point in your projects.By the end of the book, you'll have learned best practices for developing operator training simulator systems and have a reference guide to overcome common challenges.What you will learn• Become familiar with the OTS jargon to set a base for understanding OTS aspects• Implement training planning methods that have been tried and tested in the industry for many years• Get to grips with writing well-planned documentation for your OTS project• Review new model suggestions to maximize benefits of the OTS systems and the actual ICSS control systems to maximize ROI for users• Understand Cloud OTS systems as a new way to address some of the common issues that developers and users face• Create digital twins of your OTS projectsWho this book is forThis book is for suppliers who build and deliver OTS systems, OTS buyers, or companies looking to invest in these systems. Anyone with an interest in OTS systems, including university students or graduates who will work on these systems, will find this book useful. Basic knowledge of either OTS systems, ICSS control systems, or process engineering will help you grasp the concepts covered in this book.

Section 1: Introduction, Definitions, and Classifications

In this section of the book, you will be introduced to Operator Training Simulators (OTSs) and be taken on a journey of how these systems developed over the past 50 years.

Some jargon that is used in the industry is understood differently by different users. In the first chapter, precise definitions will be given that could be used as a standard in the industry. 

Finally, the chapter will go through the different classifications of the different types of OTSs.

This section contains the following chapter:

• Chapter 1, OTS Introduction

Chapter 1: OTS Introduction

It has been a long time since I wanted to write this book, and as always, time was an issue. The coronavirus lockdown in 2020 managed to give me the time needed to do so. I have been working in the Operator Training Simulator (OTS) field for more than 30 years, and I thought it would be good to document this experience in a textbook that will help many stakeholders in this field.

In this chapter, we will introduce OTS in the process industry and provide a classification of these systems. We will discuss who this book is directed toward and who the stakeholders are that will make the most of the information provided. The industry uses a lot of jargon, and in this chapter, we will look at some definitions to set a base to understand these terms.

Finally, we will discuss what is good for the user and give some sample cases from my past experience in this field.

In this chapter, we'll cover the following main topics:

• Introduction to OTS
• Who is this book directed toward?
• OTS – Multi-Purpose Dynamic Simulator (MPDS) or digital twin
• OTS jargon and definitions
• The instructor station
• OTS types
• Third-party representation
• Some use cases

Technical requirements

There are no technical requirements for this chapter. Those who will benefit the most would already be involved with OTS projects as suppliers or contractors. Even if you are not involved with OTS, this chapter will be a good introduction to the subject.

Introduction to OTS

We can start with the fact that, for the last 40 years, flight simulators have been providing the aviation industry with training simulators for all their pilots at all stages of their careers. These simulators have evolved over the years, but they have always had the ability to train pilots before they take their first flight.

Providing this training over the years has reduced air traffic accidents and provided pilots with a huge amount of experience in normal and abnormal flight conditions. Flight simulation has also provided the mechanism to practice evolving safety practices and maintain a very high degree of competence.

I have always asked myself why, if aviation pilots always train on simulators (please refer to Figure 1.1, taken from https://www.cae.com/civil-aviation/aviation-simulation-equipment/training-equipment/full-flight-simulators/), the process industry has not fully adopted this practice for their personnel who take responsibility for the control of major assets; the process industry equivalent of pilots being Control Room Operators/Technicians (CROs/CRTs):

Figure 1.1 – A CAE flight simulator

You could say pilots have, in their hands, the lives of tens, maybe hundreds, of people if they are flying an Airbus 350 or a Jumbo Jet. Similarly, CRTs are running assets with tens of personnel in the plant while they are maintaining the running parameters, which can go into the hundreds, of atmospheric pressure and very high temperatures, along with fuel vessels that carry a heat capacity of far more than what a nuclear bomb would deliver! So, the risks and responsibilities are equally high and can be compared with flying an aircraft. The industry has changed over the last 20 years, and it has evolved with new projects coming that provide training simulators.

This is the evolution that we need in the industry. In Chapter 4, Going Forward Toward Digital Twins I will describe my vision for the 21st century.

Similarly, the nuclear industry has been actively using simulators, and no nuclear reactor operator will work in the control room before getting their training on a simulator first.

Again, you could ask why all nuclear plant operators train on simulators but thermal plant power plants don't get the same treatment. I think the time has come to change this concept. In every project I have delivered, there was a huge benefit to the users, and the companies that invested in these systems got their Return on Investment (ROI) in no time at all. We will look at some of the examples of these benefits in upcoming chapters.

For now, let's explore what an OTS is.

What is an OTS?

Figure 1.2 shows how Inputs/Outputs (IOs) to and from the field communicate with the control system with its Process Automation System (PAS), Safety Instrumented System (SIS), Fire and Gas (F&G), and third-party controllers such as Compressor Control (CC), for example.

The CRTs in the control room can see the status of the plant through their Human Machine Interface (HMI) screens and can control it from the control room:

Figure 1.2 – A real-life plant

In an OTS environment (Figure 1.3), the HMI in the OTS control room is exactly the same as the one in the real-life plant, so the CRTs will see no difference between operating the OTS and operating a real plant:

Figure 1.3 – The OTS of the plant

The control system in the OTS environment is an emulation of the actual control system, which also matches the same behavior as the real control system. One difference is that while the real system controllers run on a controller where everyone can handle up to any number of IOs (let's say 100), the emulation will run on a virtual/desktop machine that emulates many controllers in one virtual/desktop machine.

The process in the field is modeled using process modeling software (such as AspenTech's HYSYS®, Honeywell's UniSim®, AVEVA'S DYNSIM®, or NAPCON's ProsDS®). Usually, this will be running on another virtual/desktop machine.

Figure 1.4, taken from https://www.fossilconsulting.com/2018/10/01/purchase-a-training-simulator/, shows how the OTS looks very similar to the control room. The operator should not see any difference between the two:

Figure 1.4 – The OTS of the plant is similar to the control room

Now that we have defined the OTS system that we will address in this book, let's discuss who this book is directed toward.

Who is this book directed toward?

One of the main issues suppliers are faced with is that end users do not know exactly what they want. So, here, I am trying to provide information for end users to help them understand what is best for them. We will start with defining the necessary specification for an OTS ...

Table of contents

• Operator Training Simulator Handbook
• Foreword
• Preface
• Section 1: Introduction, Definitions, and Classifications
• Chapter 1: OTS Introduction
• Section 2: Best Practices for the Development of OTS Systems
• Chapter 2: OTS Benefits and Best Use
• Chapter 3: OTS Project Execution and Best Practices
• Section 3: OTS' Future, Training Model, and Reference Documents
• Chapter 4: OTS Going Forward Toward Digital Twins
• Chapter 5: OTS Training and Delivery
• Chapter 6: OTS Sample Documentation
• Other Books You May Enjoy