Advanced Control and Automation Support – The Continued Development of the MFM Suite

Multilevel Flow Modelling (MFM) is a methodology for graphical modelling of industrial processes by representing the goals and functions of industrial plants. The purpose is to model the combined functions of any number of physical process components, whic h together provide the means to achieve one or more goals.

The model may then be used for diagnostic and prognostic purposes to determine the possible causes and potential consequences of unwanted process events. Previously, the design of MFM models was d one using Microsoft Visio, while the model analysis was done using the MFM Workbench, developed at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).

However, a dedicated tool that combines these functionalities was considered essential to provide rapid design and analysis of MFM models. This report describes the continued development of the MFM Suite (formerly referred to as the MFM Editor), a tool for the design and analysis of MFM models. The tool was briefly introduced in HWR - 993 in connection with the develop ment of the 2nd generation of the ShapeShifter framework.

The background for and initial development of the tool was described in more detail in HWR - 1061. While the report describes a number of new features of the MFM Suite, additional attention has been given to describing the association between MFM functions and process components, by the introduction of process sensors where individual alarm limits are used to affect the states of associated MFM functions