Improving process data reporting system using IT process automation software in sulfuric acid production

This paper presents a method to improve process data reporting system in a sulfuric acid plant, which faced difficulties in accessing historical process data for effective use in process engineering, production management, quality management, and maintenance system. The proposed method running on existing distributed control system is based on the use of an IT process automation software called OpalisRobot to provide scheduled logging, reporting, and e-mailing criteria and quality control parameter files. Experimental results verify that not only ease of accessing and reporting electronic documents for use of production data and some economic benefits of the proposed work can be obtained, but also errors caused by manual records affecting to final product quality, environmental quality, instruments, safeguarding process equipments, and operator safety can be reduced.