 |
Interactive Computer Modeling, Inc. |
1028 Glensprings Dr.Knoxville, TN 37922 - 5227713 - 462 - 3673 |
|
Providing Software for the Pipeline Industry Since 1984 |
.jpg)
|
Copyright © 2020 Interactive Computer Modeling, Inc. All Rights Reserved
|
LPSS: Liquid Pipeline Scheduling System TM |
|
ICOM's Liquid Pipeline Scheduling SystemTM (LPSS) software is designed to enable operations and planning personnel to automatically calculate sophisticated yet flexible batch movement strategies through complicated pipeline networks. The LPSS is used for (but not limited to) forecasting batch pump and delivery times on both fungible and proprietary pipeline systems, projecting future linefill compositions, and calculating intermediate batch strip rates. It is also used to predict future inventory volumes that are impacted by mainline, local movement (connecting carrier), and daily average schedules. The LPSS software is divided into the following components:
The LPSS Batch Book software enables users to enter batches, along with their pump and
distribution volumes, that are scheduled for movement within a pipeline
network. They are designed to manage all of the batch information for a
schedule. This includes the order that the batches pump, strip and delivery
information, inventory (tank) assignments, nominated routing, and any special
user notations. The Batch Book allows the user to distribute the delivery of
a single batch to multiple connecting carriers or exchange accounts. It
also allows the user to key in scheduling instructions based on time and/or
type of batch movement event. These instructions control flow rate
changes, realignment of tank grade configurations, and controller instruction
notes.
When considering the impact of a pipeline schedule in relationship to inventory forecasting, one must consider all movement activity at a location. This often involves more than mainline batch pumping and delivery activity. The Local Movement Scheduling module of the LPSS is designed to provide a user with the means to enter miscellaneous localized batch movements. It also provides the ability to enter receipt and delivery connecting carrier schedules and tank-to-tank batch transfers that do not move through the mainlines but do impact inventory levels at a specific location.
The Daily Average Schedules follow the same concept as the Local Movement Schedules. The difference, however, is that the method of data entry for these types of local movement schedules is based on a barrel-per-day concept. With this module, the user is only concerned with supplying a total volume to be pumped from or delivered into an inventory account (tank) for each day.
The Scheduling Simulator is the engine that drives the LPSS software. It is a processor that solves the complex calculations for the user in order to produce a pipeline and inventory management schedule. These calculations are accomplished by considering all batch displacement activity, batch pumping and delivery times, future linefill compositions, and future inventory (tank) volumes, taking into account all mainline, local movement (connecting carrier), and daily average activity. This processor is controlled by a series of graphical buttons that allow one to start and stop or move forward and backward through a simulation. The scheduler may even temporarily pause a simulation for the review and analysis of data before continuing. As a user builds a schedule, he or she can view the predicted volumes of the inventory accounts (tanks), the linefill batch composition in the pipeline, and the in-progress batch activity at each location. The Scheduling Simulator controls will also signal the Pipeline Schematic ProfilerTM (PAS) software to present the linefill composition display as an animation of batch movements through the pipeline. The Scheduling Simulator also includes a series of secondary tab controls that allows the user to establish the total disposition of the pipeline at a selected point in time. This point in time is referred to as a "simulation event." The simulation event initialization tables provide a means for the user to create and/or modify all the information associated with the disposition of the pipeline including linefill composition, in-progress batch activity at each location, and inventory account or tank volumes.
This module provides a display that allows one to view in tabular form, sorted by time, all of the pipeline scheduling events generated by the Scheduling Batch Tracker. The display provides the date and time of each event, along with statistical information that describes the event. The Scheduling Event Forecast Module also traps an assortment of simulation warnings and violations that can be viewed separately.
The Batch Forecast Module enables a user to review forecasted batch pump and delivery times for all batches at every location in a pipeline network generated by the Scheduling Simulator of the LPSS software. One can also determine a batch’s flow rate at the time of the pump or delivery activity and when that rate changes. Finally, the origin location that is driving the delivery is provided, along with the tank or tanks that a batch is being pumped from or delivered into.
The Inventory Forecast Program allows scheduling personnel to review predicted inventory volumes over the duration of a schedule for every simulation event or at every start-of-day time interval. Inventory can be forecasted on an individual tank basis or as a series of aggregate inventory accounts.
The LPSS Software contains one data export and three data import processing features that allow the user to automatically initialize inventory volume and daily average rack lifting schedules, as well as share batch schedules between interconnecting pipeline systems. |
Batch
Books.jpg)
Local
Movement Schedules
Daily
Averages
Scheduling
Simulator
Event
Forecast
Batch
Forecast
Inventory
Forecast
Import
and Export Data Connectivity Processors