Controlling Complex Technical Systems: The Control Room Operator’s Tasks in Process Industries

levels, for example related to thermodynamics of energy conversion, which Table 2.2 Overview of constituent characteristics of complexity in complex technical systems Characteristic Definition and example Element interactivity/ Interconnectedness Various aspects of a situation are not independent and therefore cannot be independently influenced, e.g. the interplay of several subunits Dynamics Variables can change dynamically in terms of their own state, e.g. high outside temperatures heat the plant up in a deflagration, residual heat of fuel rods Non-transparency Structure and dynamics of the system are not fully disclosed to the operator, e.g. because the operator is isolated from the physical/chemical process and/or the process cannot be easily visualised e.g. a single warning can quickly lead to an exponentially growing number of hundreds of subsequent warnings, which taken together will lead to non-transparency, e.g. process variables that are controlled and regulated are reacting slowly and have long time constraints, meaning that the control action taken may not produce a visible system response for seconds or minutes Multiple/conflicting goals The operator is confronted with a number of different goal facets to be weighted and coordinated e.g. achieving production and safety goals in parallel Crew coordination complexity Interconnectedness between multiple agents (control room operators, field operators, plant floor workers, maintenance workers, foremen, shift supervisors, managers, in the case of an accident also firemen, first responder team, government, journalists) imposes high coordination demands 2.2 Defining the Term “Complex” in a Complex Technical System 23