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 ...
