Conceptual Modeling for Control of a Physical Engineering Plant: A Case Study

TL;DR

This paper introduces a flow-based conceptual modeling methodology for controlling physical engineering plants, demonstrated through a case study on an electrical power plant, aiming to improve maintenance and risk management.

Contribution

It proposes a novel flow-based conceptual modeling approach that integrates maintenance, human, and physical system aspects into a unified framework.

Findings

Effective control of physical systems through flow-based models

Improved maintenance operation descriptions

Enhanced risk identification capabilities

Abstract

We examine the problem of weaknesses in frameworks of conceptual modeling for handling certain aspects of the system being modeled. We propose the use of a flow-based modeling methodology at the conceptual level. Specifically, and without loss of generality, we develop a conceptual description that can be used for controlling the maintenance of a physical system, and demonstrate it by applying it to an existing electrical power plant system. Recent studies reveal difficulties in finding comprehensive answers for monitoring operations and identifying risks as well as the fact that incomplete information can easily lead to incorrect maintenance. A unified framework for integrated conceptualization is therefore needed. The conceptual modeling approach integrates maintenance operations into a total system comprising humans, physical objects, and information. The proposed model is constructed of (abstract) machines of things connected by flows, forming an integrated whole. It represents a man-made, intentionally constructed system and includes technical and human things observable in the real world, exemplified by the study case described in this paper. A specification is constructed from a maximum of five basic operations: creation, processing, releasing, transferring, and receiving.