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Ask Ron Besuijen - How does curiosity drive a problem-solving mindset? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Nov 25, 2024

We ask Ron:

How does curiosity drive a problem-solving mindset? 

Ron's Response:

Curiosity is the cornerstone of a problem-solving mindset. It’s about asking “why” at every opportunity—not just when something goes wrong but to understand the deeper principles at play. Simulation training nu

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Ask Ron Besuijen - How can simulation training cultivate a problem-solving mindset? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Nov 20, 2024

We ask Ron:

How can simulation training cultivate a problem-solving mindset? 

Ron's Response:

To answer this question let us approach this from three different perspectives. There are three powerful perspectives that form the foundation of this mindset:

  1. Curiosity and Openness to Possibil
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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best temperature measurement installation? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Nov 18, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best temperature measurement installation?

Greg's Response:

Temperature RTD sensors should use 4 wires and TC sensors should use extension wires of same material as sensor with length as short as possible to minim

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best temperature measurement selection? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Nov 07, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best temperature measurement selection?

Greg's Response:

Temperature is often the most important of the common measurements because it is an indicator of process stream composition and product quality. Temperature

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Ask Ron Besuijen - How can simulators be used to train operations and test Anti-Surge controllers to prevent surge conditions in centrifugal compressors? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Oct 29, 2024

We ask Ron:

How can simulators be used to train operations and test Anti-Surge controllers to prevent surge conditions in centrifugal compressors? 

Ron's Response:

Let us first look at a definition from Kumar Dey “Centrifugal compressor surge is a characteristic behavior of the compressor t

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best lime system design for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Oct 22, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best lime system design for pH control?

Greg's Response:

Lime feeders have a transportation delay that is proportional to the length of the feeder divided by its speed. This transportation delay may be several min

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Ask Ron Besuijen - How can simulation training improve operations' responsiveness to changing conditions in a dynamic environment? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Oct 14, 2024

We ask Ron:

How can simulation training improve operations' responsiveness to changing conditions in a dynamic environment? 

Ron's Response:

Whenever an incident occurs the investigators freeze time and slowly break down the sequence of events—viewing it from all perspectives. If only we co

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best liquid reagent dilution for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Oct 02, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best liquid reagent dilution for pH control?

Greg's Response:

A common misconception is that the slope of the titration curve and, therefore, the system sensitivity can be decreased by reagent dilution. Reagent di

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best liquid reagent delivery for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Sep 25, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best liquid reagent delivery for pH control?

Greg's Response:

If the reagent pipeline is partially filled or empty or a dip tube is backfilled with process fluid, the regent delivery delay becomes the biggest sour

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best reagent selection for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Sep 18, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best reagent selection for pH control?

Greg's Response:

For a reagent dose to be precise enough, the reagent’s logarithmic acid dissociation constant (pKa) should be close to the pH set point so that it tends to f

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Ask Ron Besuijen - How does stress impact decision-making, and how can training help mitigate the physiological effects of stress? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Sep 16, 2024

We ask Ron:

How does stress impact decision-making, and how can training help mitigate the physiological effects of stress? 

Ron's Response:

In the last pod we discussed how stress can impact performance and what are some of the physiological responses to stress. 

In her book, The Unthinka...

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best control valve deign for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Sep 10, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best control valve deign for pH control?

Greg's Response:

Stick and slip generally occur together and have a common cause of friction in the actuator design, stem packing, and seating surfaces. Rotary valves with

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Ask Ron Besuijen - How can stress affect decision making and how training will reduce the physiological responses? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Sep 05, 2024

We ask Ron:

How can stress affect decision making and how training will reduce the physiological responses? 

Ron's Response:

Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was quoted as saying that the moments before the emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 were "the worst sickening, pit-o

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best static mixer use for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Sep 02, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best static mixer use for pH control?

Greg's Response:

Static mixer have noisy pH measurements. Signal filtering can help but a downstream volume is needed to provide smoothing of pH oscillations that can be large

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Ask Ron Besuijen - Why do we need to justify the investment in developing and maintaining successful training programs? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Aug 28, 2024

We ask Ron:

Why do we need to justify the investment in developing and maintaining successful training programs? 

Ron's Response:

Developing a simulator program involves a financial commitment and resources to be successful. This continues after the initial installation of the facility. One

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best vessel design for pH control? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Aug 27, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best vessel design for pH control?

Greg's Response:

pH systems are extremely sensitive to the vessel design. A poor design can make good pH control impossible in nearly all systems despite the use of the most adva

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Ask Aaron Crews - Where does the return come from on a DCS replacement project? aaron crews automation test systems multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems Aug 20, 2024

We ask Aaron:

You’ve mentioned the desire to avoid “replacement in kind” and to deliver ROI a couple of times.  It’s not intuitive where that return would come from on a DCS replacement project – where is the value? What’s the role for simulation there? 

Aaron's Response:

When we talk about

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Ask Ron Besuijen - Why is it important to understand the relationship and interaction between the human and machine for training? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Aug 08, 2024

We ask Ron:

Why is it important to understand the relationship and interaction between the human and machine for training? 

Ron's Response:

Several years ago, Gary Klein and Joseph Borders completed a study of operators’ mental models that involved watching how they navigated through proces

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best titration curve critical for pH system design? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Aug 05, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best titration curve critical for pH system design?

Greg's Response:

The titration curve is the most important piece of information for designing, commissioning, and troubleshooting pH control systems. Lab titrati

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Ask Aaron Crews - How has dynamic simulation changed the way you approach control system upgrades? aaron crews automation test systems multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems Aug 05, 2024

We ask Aaron:

How has dynamic simulation changed the way you approach control system upgrades? 

Aaron's Response:

Fundamentally, I think this is a two-way street. The way that simulation has changed the way I approach system modernization projects has shifted almost hand-in-hand with the wa

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Ask Ron Besuijen - What are some key components of maintaining a successful simulator training program? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Jul 30, 2024

We ask Ron:

What are some key components of maintaining a successful simulator training program? 

Ron's Response:

Unfortunately, far too many simulators have become dust collectors after their initial installation. They may have been developed for the initial startup of a facility and then

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Ask Aaron Crews - What is the role of dynamic simulation in control system modernization? aaron crews automation test systems multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems Jul 29, 2024

We ask Aaron:

What is the role of dynamic simulation in control system modernization? 

Aaron's Response:

In control system modernization projects – that is, brownfield projects designed to replace and improve the automation systems in plants – the focus is on risk.  Risks come from changes

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Ask Greg McMillan - What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best minimization of pH system cost? automation test systems greg mcmillan multi-purpose dynamic simulation Jul 29, 2024

We ask Greg:

What role do you see dynamic simulation playing in the future of best minimization of pH system cost?

Greg's Response:

Because of the pressure to minimize capital costs, a project may sell itself short on the number of stages required. The basic rule from the 1970s was that a w

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Ask Ron Besuijen - Why is the selection and development of training scenarios key to a successful program? multi-purpose dynamic simulation operator training systems ron besuijen Jul 23, 2024

We ask Ron:

Why is the selection and development of training scenarios key to a successful program? 

Ron's Response:

There are a few areas to focus on when developing simulator scenarios.

  1. The development of process knowledge, i.e. Distillation, heat exchange, chemical reactions. Scenario
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