Optimized and Integrated Management of Biogas Purifier Production

The production of biogas is currently an important vector for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the ALLIANCE project, PRODEVAL, the European and global leader in the construction of biogas purifiers, is partnering with AVENTECH to design and build a new assembly line to increase the volume of biogas purifier production. To achieve this, PRODEVAL aims to implement intelligent methods for optimized and integrated production management at the new factory.

The complexity of biogas purifier production lies in the multitude of steps required to assemble these sophisticated devices. Each component must be selected and tested to ensure its compatibility and efficiency in the purification process. The assembly of components follows defined protocols to ensure the safety and reliability of the purifier. This stage includes welding operations, piece assembly, and integration of control and automation systems. The final phase involves thorough testing to verify performance and compliance with safety and environmental standards.

Scientific Challenges
The standardization of this production process presents numerous scientific barriers. Technical specifications and quality requirements can vary from client to client (particularly due to the standards of the target country, the geographical and economic context of the client, etc.), making it difficult to standardize the processes. Moreover, there is currently no company that has standardized the production of purifiers and CO2 liquefiers. The artisanal nature of current production in the industry leads to variability in the quality and efficiency of the manufactured purifiers. Safety constraints, strict and varying environmental standards from one country to another, and specific client requirements add another layer of complexity. Therefore, transforming this currently artisanal production process into a more standardized and efficient process while adhering to all constraints remains a major challenge. The scientific barriers of this thesis are:
- How to standardize and organize a production line for biogas purifiers and CO2 liquefiers?
- What types of workshops are most suitable for optimizing the performance of a production line for biogas sector equipment?
- How to make the production line flexible to adapt to the different equipment standards in the biogas sector (related to client choices, process constraints, environmental and safety standards, country norms)?

Thesis Objectives
The primary objective of this thesis is to develop systematic approaches to optimize the production of biogas equipment in the new pilot assembly line. Specifically, it will focus on:
- Mapping the current production processes to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks.
- Studying different production workshop configurations to choose the most suitable one.
- Developing a simulation model capable of accurately reproducing the existing production line and potential lines based on the chosen configurations.
- Proposing and testing optimization methods to improve key performance indicators, such as cycle time, production cost, and product quality.
- Integrating specific constraints related to the biogas industry, including safety requirements, environmental standards, and technical specifications of different purifier standards.