Virtual Reality Applied to Training and Process Safety: A Semi-Industrial Boiler Case Study

摘要

The short-term time given to learn a particular task associated with the demands for higher levelsof production to increase profits are potential reasons for the generation of accidents. Seeking toovercome this situation in training a large number of operators in a similar environment in whichthey will work, virtual applications were developed. A 3D reality, integrating phenomenologicalsimulation developed in MATLAB, and Virtual Reality (VR) using Plant Design ManagementSystem? (PDMS), were applied in this work. process simulators using virtual reality are appliedin several areas, like flight simulators and firefighters' training. Additionally, the developed 3Dplant model based tool allows different safety tasks, such as the optimum location of fireextinguishers, fire hoses and escape routes, among others. As a case-study, a semi-industrialboiler, located in Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was chosen.The interaction between the user and 3D model was addressed by developing a process datainterpreter, so that the model may been modified on the basis of actions taken by the operatorand by the phenomenological simulation. As the developed tool improves the operator'sunderstanding of the process, it may minimize rework, accidents and damage. Additionally, thismethodology may be replicated in other industrial plants.