The successful field test is claimed to be a world first.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TYO: 6841) and JSR Corporation (TYO: 4185) have successfully run a chemical plant autonomously for 35 days using AI. In fact, the production output of the plant, since shipped, met rigorous quality parameters. As a result, because off-spec products were not produced, losses of fuel, labor, and time were also avoided. (BusinessWire)

The first-of-its-kind field test proved that it is possible to apply reinforcement learning AI to actual chemical plants which entail chemical reactions and other elements that require an extremely high level of reliability.

It also demonstrated that this technology can control operations that have been beyond the capabilities of existing control methods (PID control*2/APC*3) and have, up to now, necessitated the manual operation of control valves based on the judgements of plant personnel.

“The AI solution successfully dealt with the complex conditions needed to ensure product quality and maintain liquids in the distillation column at an appropriate level while making maximum possible use of waste heat as a heat source,” the companies said in a statement. “In so doing it stabilized quality, achieved high yield, and saved energy.”

Yokogawa Electric vice president and head of Yokogawa Products Headquarters, Kenji Hasegawa, added, “The success of this field test came from bringing together the deep knowledge of the production process and operational aspects that only the customer can provide, and Yokogawa’s strength of leveraging measurement, control, and information to produce value. It suggests that an autonomous control AI (FKDPP) can significantly contribute to the autonomization of production, maximization of ROI, and environmental sustainability around the world.”

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Image: Distillation columns at the JSR chemical plant (Photo: JSR Corporation)