Blending in tanks is a guessing game with an expensive correction step. Blending in line, under closed-loop control against real-time analysis, turns it into a control problem. SynBlend is the layer that does the second one: analysers, blend recipe optimisation and ratio control working as one loop.
Where the money goes
| Loss | Cause |
|---|---|
| Quality giveaway | Blending comfortably inside spec because the measurement is too slow to trust the margin |
| Re-blends | A finished batch off spec, pumped back and corrected — twice the energy, twice the tank time |
| Component value | Expensive high-octane or low-sulphur components used where cheaper base stock would have met spec |
| Tank occupancy | Tanks tied up as blend vessels instead of as product storage |
What the system does
| Function | Effect |
|---|---|
| Real-time property measurement | Blend properties measured in line rather than inferred from a lab result taken an hour ago |
| Multi-property optimisation | Several specifications held simultaneously against the grade requirement, not one at a time |
| Component optimisation | Cheaper base components maximised while staying inside spec |
| Ratio control | Component flows trimmed continuously against the measured result |
| Grade switching | Automated changeover between product grades |
What it needs from the plant
SynBlend is a control and optimisation layer. It assumes the physical means to blend in line exists: component lines with control valves and flow measurement, in-line analysers with a representative sample loop, and a DCS or PLC to execute the moves. Where that is not in place, the blending header and analyser installation is a separate engineering scope — one we also do.
Scope boundary
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Blend optimisation, recipe management and ratio control | Analyser supply and certification |
| Integration with the control system and the lab | Process design of the blending header |
| Configuration, testing and commissioning | Product specification and planning decisions |
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